Current Consist of Coast Starlight and California Zephyr?

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AferVentus

Train Attendant
Joined
Jun 15, 2010
Messages
49
Location
Irvine, CA
Does anyone know the current consist of the CS and CZ (and car numbering)? (I know the Parlour car is back - yay!) I've seen posted in other topics that the sleepers get moved around sometimes. I'll be traveling on the CS tomorrow from LA to San Francisco then the CZ from San Francisco to Denver on Saturday. Thanks in advance!
 
Don't know about the CS, but the current consist for CZ is engines, baggage, transition sleeper, two sleepers(630, 631), dining car, SSL, and two or three coaches--in that order. As explained to me by SCA, the sleepers are back in front for safety reasons attached to the transition sleeper. Not aware that they will return to be the last cars of the train late Spring or Summer since no car(coach or sleeper) is dropped off in Denver mid journey. For last couple years added sleepers and coaches have traveled the complete journey from Chicago to and from Emeryville, CA. FYI, the 630/530 sleeper is closest to dining car with higher number sleeper cars between x30 and the transition sleeper with highest number sleeper adjacent to the transition sleeper.
 
I believe the CS always has the sleepers at the front of the train. I did when I last rode it last April:

Loco - Loco - Baggage - Trans dorm - Sleeper - Sleeper - PPC - Dining car - SSL - Coach - Coach - (Coach)

March 9, 2016 the #6 eastbound CZ was:

Loco - Loco - Baggage - Trans dorm - Sleeper - Sleeper - PPC - Dining car - SSL - Coach - Coach - Coach

https://youtu.be/hdej8XcIYrk

On March 30 last year the #6 eastbound consist was;

Loco - Loco - ACS-64 - ACS-64 - Baggage - Trans dorm - Coach - Coach - SSL - Dining car - Sleeper - Sleeper

https://youtu.be/jBk3wwjcAb8

I last rode the CZ last April/May (OTM - SAC - back to OTM a week later) and the sleepers were on the back of the train.

Eastbound and making some photos as the #6 is stopped in Glenwood Springs for several minutes:

GlenwoodSprings.jpg
 
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Don't know about the CS, but the current consist for CZ is engines, baggage, transition sleeper, two sleepers(630, 631), dining car, SSL, and two or three coaches--in that order. As explained to me by SCA, the sleepers are back in front for safety reasons attached to the transition sleeper. Not aware that they will return to be the last cars of the train late Spring or Summer since no car(coach or sleeper) is dropped off in Denver mid journey. For last couple years added sleepers and coaches have traveled the complete journey from Chicago to and from Emeryville, CA. FYI, the 630/530 sleeper is closest to dining car with higher number sleeper cars between x30 and the transition sleeper with highest number sleeper adjacent to the transition sleeper.

I believe the CS always has the sleepers at the front of the train:

Loco - Loco - Baggage - Trans dorm - Sleeper - Sleeper - PPC - Dining car - SSL - Coach - Coach - (Coach)

March 9 the #6 eastbound CZ was:

Loco - Loco - Baggage - Trans dorm - Sleeper - Sleeper - Dining car - SSL - Coach - Coach - Coach

https://youtu.be/hdej8XcIYrk
Thank you! I appreciate it!
 
I can confirm that the starlight is running with the sleepers first, coaches last, and business class between the ssl and the diner.
 
Car numbers: http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/32610-line-numbersconsist-listings/

CZ

----|---- —— Baggage

0540|0640 —— Superliner Dorm/Sleeper

0510|0610 —— Superliner Coach *

0511|0611 —— Superliner Coach

0512|0612 —— Superliner Coach (seasonal)

----|---- —— Superliner Lounge

----|---- —— Superliner Diner

0531|0631 —— Superliner Sleeper

0532|0632 —— Superliner Sleeper

0530|0630 —— Superliner Sleeper (seasonal CHI-DEN)

* One of the coaches is often a baggage coach.

CS

----|---- —— Baggage

1140|1440 —— Superliner Dorm/Sleeper

1132|1432 —— Superliner Sleeper (seasonal)

1131|1431 —— Superliner Sleeper

1130|1430 —— Superliner Sleeper

----|---- —— Hi Level "Pacific Parlour" Lounge (Superliner Lounge or Diner Lounge as sub)

----|---- —— Superliner Diner

----|---- —— Superliner Lounge

1111|1411 —— Superliner Coach

1112|1412 —— Superliner Coach ("Arcade" Coach)

1113|1413 —— Superliner Coach

1114|1414 —— Superliner Coach (seasonal)
 
That last post is an old listing of the consists.

AFAIK, the CZ operates year round with all sleepers up front and all coaches on the back. The CS does not have an Arcade Car any longer, however the sleepers are up front as indicated.
 
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From a trip in February this year (of course we were missing the Parlour)

CS: Locos - Baggage - TransDorm - Sleepers - Parlour - Diner - Business - SSL - Coaches

The sleeper numbers are the train number with a suffix of 32/31/30

The coach numbers are the train number with a suffix of 10/11/12/13

The transdorm is the the train number with a suffix of 40

Lower numbers towards the diner. The number of cars may vary based on seasonal demand.

Sorry, I didn't get the business car number.

Any time I got a look at the BC car, it was virtually empty.
 
Car numbers: http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/32610-line-numbersconsist-listings/

CZ

----|---- —— Baggage

0540|0640 —— Superliner Dorm/Sleeper

0510|0610 —— Superliner Coach *

0511|0611 —— Superliner Coach

0512|0612 —— Superliner Coach (seasonal)

----|---- —— Superliner Lounge

----|---- —— Superliner Diner

0531|0631 —— Superliner Sleeper

0532|0632 —— Superliner Sleeper

0530|0630 —— Superliner Sleeper (seasonal CHI-DEN)

* One of the coaches is often a baggage coach.
This old consist listing is seriously outdated. Sleepers are definitely in front and the x30 sleeper is always adjacent to the dining car whether in front or at the end. The next sleepers away from the dining car after x30 are x31 and x32(seasonal) in that order so if in front the transition sleeper is followed by x32, then x31 and then x30 followed by the dining car and then the SSL. When the sleepers were in the back of the consist in previous years it was this order in reverse.
 
In September the sleepers were on the back of the CZ .
The change to front of the consist was made January 2016. I was on the second day of the sleepers in front consist. I've ridden CZ 2 or 3 times a year for several years and, yes, they sleepers were at the back. According to On board staff the change to front between transition sleeper and dining car may be permanent for "safety" and "security" reasons.
 
I had heard the change to the CZ consist was to operate the seasonal Reno coach. No reason not to return the former set up when that goes away. This reason -for "safety" and "security" - sounds like Amtrak B.S. As a sleeper passenger the railfan window and much muted horn sound are good reasons to return it to the rear.
 
When I have ridden the CZ in each season, I have never experienced a Reno coach being added. The Reno fun train is not connected to or part of the CZ although Amtrak engines pull the Reno fun train. I guess we will just have to wait to see if the sleepers in front is permanent. I'll be riding the CZ in April in about 4 weeks Sacramento to Chicago.
 
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I've never seen an extra coach added for Reno in my 30 years of riding the CZ. But I've seen the train essentially full between Roseville and Reno with tour group patrons. East of Reno, the coaches would be 2/3 empty.
 
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We have the sleepers up front on the CS today. There is also a sleeper at the rear for some reason. I'm not sure if it's in use, as we haven't had a chance to get out yet. We are stopped a couple blocks short of Santa Barbara because of some sort of police activity. I just hope this delay doesn't snowball. If I get a chance, I'll see if the lone, rear sleeper is a revenue sleeper or not.
 
some current c.s. info for your consideration:

my better half and i just took the grandkids from

emeryville (emy) to seattle (sea) and back.

a great time was had by all.

i requested a consist at each check in and got

the info below (BOLD) direct from the amtrak

office printers.

coast starlight #14 2016.07.16 (northbound)

LAX SEA 816
LAX SEA 46
LAX SEA 61057 BAGGAGE CAR
1440 LAX SEA 39018 T/DORM/PSGR SLEEPER
1432 LAX SEA 32060 SLEEPER
1431 LAX SEA 32022 SLEEPER
1430 LAX SEA 32033 SLEEPER
LAX SEA 39975 PACIFIC PARLOUR CAR
LAX SEA 38068 DINER
1411 LAX SEA 34512 BUSINESS CLASS
LAX SEA 33025 LOUNGE
1412 LAX SEA 34027 COACH
1413 LAX SEA 34094 COACH
1414 LAX SEA 34065 BAG COACH
PDX SEA 800078 CALFORNIA#A2698C
PDX SEA 800165 KANSAS#A2698C


coast starlight #11 2016.07.22 (southbound)

SEA LAX 46
SEA LAX 505
SEA LAX 147
SEA LAX 61057 BAGGAGE CAR
1140 SEA LAX 39018 T/DORM/PSGR SLEEPER
1132 SEA LAX 32060 SLEEPER
1131 SEA LAX 32022 SLEEPER
1130 SEA LAX 32033 SLEEPER
SEA LAX 39975 PACIFIC PARLOUR CAR
SEA LAX 38024 DINER
1111 SEA LAX 34515 BUSINESS CLASS
SEA LAX 33025 LOUNGE
1112 SEA LAX 34027 COACH
1113 SEA LAX 34094 COACH
1114 SEA LAX 34065 BAG COACH


schedule for coast starlight #14 is usually 22

hours (depart emy 10pm arrive sea 8pm).
northbound some days currently have an additional


2 hour hold at klamath falls, due to track

work.
we hit that, plus some unscheduled rolling stock


inspection (?) hold, so we were an additional

2 hours late on the way up.
got in after midnight, total about 26 hours for us.

schedule for coast starlight #11 is also 22 hours


(depart sea 9:30am arrive emy 8:10am).
on the way back we were about 45 minutes late


(some long hold in sacramento) so about 23

hours for us.

the grandkids (8 and 4) very quickly became quite

enamoured with the trips from our sleeper car

to the dining car (etc.) ...especially crashing

thru the connecting doors with their hands (and

sometimes feet) whacking the controls while we

rolled along at speed.

such big smiles!

cheers!
hwn
 
When I have ridden the CZ in each season, I have never experienced a Reno coach being added. The Reno fun train is not connected to or part of the CZ although Amtrak engines pull the Reno fun train. I guess we will just have to wait to see if the sleepers in front is permanent. I'll be riding the CZ in April in about 4 weeks Sacramento to Chicago.
Back in the 1980s I remember there was a cutoff coach for Reno (it was actually cut off at Sparks).

They also ran an Oakland cutoff coach on Starlight during the same period.
 
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AU member Agent (A. Train on YouTube) posts CZ videos almost daily and as usual the sleeper cars were moved to the end of the consist after the winter season again this year.

So much for "the change to front between transition sleeper and dining car may be permanent for "safety" and "security" reasons."

On April 17, 2016 the sleepers were still up front right behind the trans dorm:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQtpBGuvFqs

On April 21, 2016 the sleepers were on the back of the consist:

 
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Locomotive 505 on that southbound trip was a Pepsi Can in the modern colors. I sure miss that original paint scheme.
 
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This June the CS consist was Eng, Eng, Bag, Trans SL, 1432 SL, 1431 SL, 1430 SL, PCC, DC, Coach, SSL, Coach, Coach, Coach, private car. We were 100% sold out according to the Conductors, equal passengers boarding that were getting off.
 
I do not know of any security or safety issues to being the last car on the train verses being in the front. Most consists have the majority of sleepers next to the DC and the SSL next to the coaches. The newer consist for the TE (E, Bag, Trans, Coach, Coach, SSL, DC, LA Coach, LA Sleeper) repositioned the DC and the SSL when the sleeper was changed to the rear from right behind the Trans Sleeper. The SL has the TE sleeper on the rear from SAS/LAX and the EB the 28 sleeper on its rear. I love looking out the rear window, so having the sleeper on the rear is a benefit for me since many times the space has to be shared.
 
Currently planning a trip on the westbound CZ #5 for next summer (July/August 2018). Will the sleepers be at the front or at the rear?
 
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