Amtrak To Run Coachella "Party Train" in 2017 and 2018

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seat38a

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jis said:
So this will be an Amtrak California operation funded through CalDOT, right? So it will most likely use Amtrak California rolling stock rather than Amtrak, if that is the case. No?
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Who knows. There does not seem to be any rule on what they use. When needed they slap extra Superliners into the mix on the Surfliner as well as up North. Since most of the equipment down in Socal is owned by Amtrak anyways, your guess is good as mine. I have no idea what formula they have worked out between Amtrak and the State. Also, since Riverside County is not part of LOSSAN nor is Caltrans involved based on the article, its even a bigger mystery what they will throw together.

Correction, it looks like Riverside is part of LOSSAN
 
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FWIW, the video at the beginning of the linked article is pretty good, even though it's not specifically relating to the article itself. It's 2 minute video of a ride from Palm Springs to LAX on the Sunset Limited.

As to the idea of a special train out to Indio, seems like a winner in most respects. Obviously they'll need some sort of local shuttle service.
 
fairviewroad said:
FWIW, the video at the beginning of the linked article is pretty good, even though it's not specifically relating to the article itself. It's 2 minute video of a ride from Palm Springs to LAX on the Sunset Limited.

As to the idea of a special train out to Indio, seems like a winner in most respects. Obviously they'll need some sort of local shuttle service.
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Absolutely. If Riverside is building a temporary station but don't provide shuttles, then they deserve total failure with this project.
 
It's a weekend event. Not sure how a train would work. Maybe PV sleepers? They have camping spots, tents. Train arrival Friday leave Sunday?

These type of music events have hit and run needs. Hard to invest in something that people show up for two weekends a year.

I like that they are trying something. The NASCAR race train is another good idea. However NASCAR can be a single day event.

It's just the arrive at, stay two night, then leave will be interesting part how they will get this done.
 
Just-Thinking-51 said:
It's a weekend event. Not sure how a train would work. Maybe PV sleepers? They have camping spots, tents. Train arrival Friday leave Sunday?

These type of music events have hit and run needs. Hard to invest in something that people show up for two weekends a year.

I like that they are trying something. The NASCAR race train is another good idea. However NASCAR can be a single day event.

It's just the arrive at, stay two night, then leave will be interesting part how they will get this done.
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This is really a beginning test trials of the Coachella Corridor trains that Palm Springs and the rest of the Coachella Valley has been screaming for. Eventual goal is to have multiple trains a day that runs from Palm Springs to LAUS daily vs the current Sunset Limited every other day in each direction.
 
Bruce-C said:
jis said:
So this will be an Amtrak California operation funded through CalDOT, right? So it will most likely use Amtrak California rolling stock rather than Amtrak, if that is the case. No?
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More than likely it would be Metrolink.
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There have been multiple articles in the past saying that they don't want commuter rail but intercity rail via Amtrak. Also, since this corridor would be funded in big part by Caltrans, I highly doubt Metrolink, which is a county level funded service will be used. Also, if they did use Metrolink on a 3 hour long corridor, that would be a very very uncomfortable ride for sure. I can't find the other docs but here is a doc from RCTC with the last line mentioning Amtrak.

http://rctcftp.org/files/PwgrG-MbbQM=/CVR-StatusUpdate-Aug2015-FINAL.pdf
 
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seat38a said:
jis said:
Didn't they run these Coachella specials occasionally in the past too? I seem to recall such.
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Doesn't sound like it from the article. Why run a demonstration train if they've done it before. This is the first time hearing about the train for the festival.
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Well random articles are not gospel truth you know? ;)
See for example http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/junkie-xl-spins-on-the-coachella-express-train-during-the-news-photo/80862490
 
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The pictures of the California Amtrak equipment look like a winner. They have done it before, they can do it again.

The key would a ticket package. Train, shuttle, camping, tickets for the event.
 
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Just-Thinking-51 said:
The pictures of the California Amtrak equipment look like a winner. They have done it before, they can do it again.

The key would a ticket package. Train, shuttle, camping, tickets for the event.
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Based on further digging, it looks like it was "almost a charter" train. I say almost, since it was paid for by the organizers and Amtrak chipped in. They did offer it as a free ride if you had certain type of ticket.

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1046131/goldenvoice-amtrak-link-for-coachella-train-stop

http://www.msopr.com/press-releases/coachella-valley-music-arts-festival-and-amtrak-team-to-create-%E2%80%9Ccoachella-express%E2%80%9D-train-exclusively-for-coachella-campers/

I think my original point got lost in that I'm excited that the organizations that have the power and authority are investing in the 2017, 2018 train as an experiment in a eventual permanent corridor service to Coachella Valley. Based on the articles above, the 2008 train was paid for by Goldenvoice and Amtrak and judging my its absence for almost 10 years since, it was either deemed too expensive or there was not enough money in the budget for it since that one time.

Personally, I'm waiting for the train that can take me to Palm Springs for the weekend just as easily as the train can take me to Santa Barbara for a day trip and back all on the same day. They've been talking about it forever, but this experiment is first of hopefully many more tangible train runs to eventually adding another named train to Amtrak's schedule.
 
I thought the concluded preferred route for this service was going to go from la to Fullerton then riverside Etc like the southwest chief then curve over to Colton and head out to Palm Springs.

However the article shows the sunset limited, which goes through Pomona etc. and that also has very inconvenient times for arriving in the desert.

What the SL was on its modified schedule a few months back, I took it several weekends out to Palm Springs but now that it arrives again after midnight, I've gone back to the Amtrak bus.
 
seat38a said:
Bruce-C said:
jis said:
So this will be an Amtrak California operation funded through CalDOT, right? So it will most likely use Amtrak California rolling stock rather than Amtrak, if that is the case. No?
Click to expand...
More than likely it would be Metrolink.
Click to expand...
There have been multiple articles in the past saying that they don't want commuter rail but intercity rail via Amtrak. Also, since this corridor would be funded in big part by Caltrans, I highly doubt Metrolink, which is a county level funded service will be used. Also, if they did use Metrolink on a 3 hour long corridor, that would be a very very uncomfortable ride for sure. I can't find the other docs but here is a doc from RCTC with the last line mentioning Amtrak.

http://rctcftp.org/files/PwgrG-MbbQM=/CVR-StatusUpdate-Aug2015-FINAL.pdf
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Yeah, I would think something akin to San Joaquin frequencies/service would be the idea there.
 
fairviewroad said:
Yeah, I would think something akin to San Joaquin frequencies/service would be the idea there.
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The website for the corridor study has documents and presentations, not just the last status report: Coachella Valley-San Gorgonio Pass Rail Corridor Service

The study is looking at 2 daily frequencies, so it will have fewer frequencies than the 3 other current corridor routes in CA. At least, at the start. Quoting from the website: "Due to the trip length (141 miles from Los Angeles) and the approximate three-hour ride, Amtrak is viewed as the most appealing option for commuting and leisure travel. Although stops and station locations are yet to be determined, the initial service plan would be for two daily round trips along the corridor."

Appendix C to the draft Alternative Analysis has operational costs for Surfliner equipment, so that is the equipment baseline for what they are likely to use for the service. Appendix D, BTW, has possible schedules over different routes on BNSF and UP. The draft is dated October, 2015, but I don't see a final draft on the website. This study process is likely to be drawn out for years before any actual work on track upgrades, new stations takes place. CA has the money to run the Coachella valley corridor service, so I think it will happen, just will take a lot longer than it should because it has to be studied nearly to death first.
 
Why not run a special for all LD trains going to LAX and then onto SAN for the International Comic Con every year? There's just as many of us geeks out there who go there every year and we tend to spend a ton more money than Coachella could ever dream of.
 
IndyRacingNut said:
Why not run a special for all LD trains going to LAX and then onto SAN for the International Comic Con every year? There's just as many of us geeks out there who go there every year and we tend to spend a ton more money than Coachella could ever dream of.
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Oh believe me, the Surfliner is PACKED come time for Comic Con. With 11 trains a day, I don't think they need any special trains for that event. They actually add extra cars to the trains for comic con week and even have extra cars on standby in SD with a spare engine (Not including the one already sitting around SD).
 
seat38a said:
IndyRacingNut said:
Why not run a special for all LD trains going to LAX and then onto SAN for the International Comic Con every year? There's just as many of us geeks out there who go there every year and we tend to spend a ton more money than Coachella could ever dream of.
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Oh believe me, the Surfliner is PACKED come time for Comic Con. With 11 trains a day, I don't think they need any special trains for that event. They actually add extra cars to the trains for comic con week and even have extra cars on standby in SD with a spare engine (Not including the one already sitting around SD).
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Yeah, I've never had that problem being that I live in San Diego....Good to know they add extra cars during that time. Still....there are a ton of people I met who came down from LA because flying into SD can add a few hundred to any given plane ticket from anywhere in the country/world. I did ride the surfliner down there one time just to see how many people took it there...and you're right. Train is packed. I also noticed they happen to add extra munchies and beer for that ride. I wonder why.......? hahaha! CALTRANS/LOSSAN is starting to get it right though....but wouldn't everyone agree...Adding cars isn't enough. Advertise that day's trains to the masses and let people know there's a better way to "get there" than just driving. Fewer DUI's happen that way when it comes to events like this. (Not to mention the MLB All Star Game happening in SD this year also.)
 

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