Heritage Baggage Cars - Will Any Remain December 31, 2015?

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(b) Because of the different internal configuration between Viewliner Is and Viewliner IIs, they can't be used interchangeably in the reservations system unless renovated, and if Is are subbed for IIs, it gives customers a "don't know what to expect" situation. Admittedly there's some of this with the Superliner Is and IIs, but at least they have the same number of rooms.
They could use the Indian Railways method when they don't know for sure which subtype of a car will be in the consist. They give confirmed reservations only for the least common denominator of spaces, and release the additional spaces to waitlist and RAC when they know what is in the actual consist.
 
Is this the thread to put this? Someone filmed AMTK 1750 on Amtrak #5(11) tonight, which just might be the last heritage baggage car ever on the California Zephyr. I though I should share it here.


To handle Express shipments, a baggage car will continue to originate every Friday on trains 3, 4, 5 and 6 through February 28. As planned right now, both trains regain the baggage car and crew dorm full time on March 1.
 
I'm planning on a CS (and possibly EB) trip with a bike in late Spring. Does anybody know if Amtrak is planning on allowing unboxed bikes in the new baggage cars on the LD routes? Also, is there any kind of published estimated schedule for the baggage car replacements (as in, which trains will get them when)?
 
I'm planning on a CS (and possibly EB) trip with a bike in late Spring. Does anybody know if Amtrak is planning on allowing unboxed bikes in the new baggage cars on the LD routes?
Yes, Amtrak is planning to do this... eventually.

Also, is there any kind of published estimated schedule for the baggage car replacements (as in, which trains will get them when)?
No. I would definitely assume that you will *not* have unboxed bike service available in the Spring.
 
I'm planning on a CS (and possibly EB) trip with a bike in late Spring. Does anybody know if Amtrak is planning on allowing unboxed bikes in the new baggage cars on the LD routes?
Yes, Amtrak is planning to do this... eventually.
Um, before or after CAHSR goes live?

:)

Thanks for the reply. I'll probably hop on and off a few times, so it sounds like I'll be buying a lot of boxes.
 
To be a bit more verbose: :)

Amtrak says that they will introduce "walk on bike" service in conjunction with the new baggage cars. Amtrak also proposes to retrofit Superliner coach/baggage combine cars to allow walk on bikes. However, Amtrak hasn't given dates for either of these changes. There are some baggage cars awaiting final commissioning at Miami, and we really ought to start seeing them in service soon, but we don't know when.

By late spring, there will probably be *some* new baggage cars running, but not enough to equip every train, and the odds are that the CS is going to be one of the last ones equipped.

Amtrak also has to come up with specific bike loading/unloading policies at each station which supports unboxed bikes, so that may incur additional delay.
 
By late spring, there will probably be *some* new baggage cars running, but not enough to equip every train, and the odds are that the CS is going to be one of the last ones equipped.
Thanks for the response.

Out of curiosity, why do you expect the CS to get the new baggage cars last? Does it have anything to do with other trains being speed-limited by the Heritage cars, while the CS is speed-limited by the track?

The baggage compartment on the Superliners, when empty, sure makes a nice sleeping area for the coach passengers. I hope they don't fill it up too often.
 
The November Amtrak performance report notes no Heritage car work at Beech Grove for the FY 2015. The September report noted that the Heritage program was complete. So appears that there will be no major work on any Heritage car including diners.
 
Now that it is November, I'm comfortable saying "yes", heritage baggage cars will remain in service after December 31st, 2015.
 
Now that it is November, I'm comfortable saying "yes", heritage baggage cars will remain in service after December 31st, 2015.
Yeah, I figured there'd be a few held to the bitter end as protects. Wouldn't they be counted as 'in service' even if not regularly used on trains?

Anyway, it all depends on the CAF deliveries. They could be further delayed ...

(1) if Amtrak needs to stretch out the payments one more time, or

(2) if CAF has begun building diners on one assembly line after cutting back from two lines for the baggage cars (which I previously speculated as a possibility to get diners out the door faster), or

(3) some other pure speculation to be named later. LOL.
 
So......should we take bets on whether or not the any Heritage bags will remain in service December 31st, 2016? :giggle:
 
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