Interesting consist on 66

[Nickrapak]

I just got back from a ride from WAS to PHL on 66, the the ex-Twilight Shoreliner. There were two things that I noticed odd about the consist, one of which pissed me off, the other was just bizarre.

1. The business class car was a 60-seat BC coach and not the club-dinette. Since I actually sprung for BC on this trip, I was disappointed. At least it was a real business class car, and not just a coach with "businessclass" taped over it, like it was on the train I took down (I took coach down, luckily).

2. Instead of cutting off the diesel outright at WAS, they added an AEM7 in front of the baggage car, and stuck a diesel in front of it. It was still on at PHL, but since I was in a rush to get home, I couldn't see what model it was. Does anyone know why they would be doing this?

 

[George Harris]

As a guess, I would say the diesel was in front because the overhead line power was off for part of the distance somewhere along the way. Do you know whether the Diesel stayed on or if they took it off at Philly? In order to get to New York City, the electric had to be used at least for the Hudson River tunnel, because diesels are not allowed to haul trains through there.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Bummer about the BC.

My guess is PHL needed the diesel, so they just tacked it on 66, and then cut it off in PHL where the AEM-7 could take the train the rest of the way to BOS

 

[Ryan]

I thought that I read on here that the club-dinette had been permanently replaced on 66/67 by a full BC and cafe cars.

Did you happen to get the car # of the coach with "businessclass" taped over it? Many times I've seen that the coach has been a 59 seat Amfleet II LD coach car.

 

[cpamtfan]

Eh, sometimes there are none avalible. It happenens. As for the diesel, they sometimes run P42/P40 down to New Haven/Boston for an engine swap or to move engines as needed.

 

[the_traveler]

I'm not sure about now, but they were doing overnight maintainance on the NEC, and using a P-42 between NHV and BOS.

 

[palmland]

I didn't know that Amtrak had any true full car business class cars. How was it different than an LD AMII coach serving as a BC car?

Last time I was on the Palmetto the 2/1 BC/Cafe had been replaced by a full BC car, but it was just a LD coach.

 

[abcnews]

It's been a long time since we rode the Palmetto but when we did, it was one half with 2/1 BC seating - and the other half with the Cafe/Lounge car. Is Business Class now just an Amfleet ll (LD coach type) car?

If that is the case - are the regular coach cars just plain old Amfleet l cars?

I had assumed that the Palmetto was all Amfleet ll coach cars (since it really is a LD train)- except for the 2/1 BC/Cafe car.

 

[Trogdor]

The Palmetto uses a 62-seat Amfleet I business class car.

 

[Acela150]

Like the_traveler said. They are doing some work on the caternary north of NHV. 66 has been running with P42's for months. If you look at the Timetable their is a good 20 minute layover in NHV. 20 minutes is enough time to pull off an electric and put on a diesel. But it's possible that they wanted an extra Toaster in BOS. But there is one bottom line out of this. We can throw reasons out there for why they had this set up. But the only people that know are Amtrak.

Steve

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Hm, the Penny lost it's 2-1, and 66/67 looses it's 2-1, do I see a pattern here?

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Hm, the Penny lost it's 2-1, and 66/67 looses it's 2-1, do I see a pattern here?

Or someone in the back office wonder hey can we get more then 18 people to upgrade? That would mean more revenue and it might attract riders who would now take the trip since they can get a BC seat.

 

[Nickrapak]

I don't think that the 66/67 permanently lost the 2-1 (at least not yet). The cafe car attendant remarked about how it was unusual to have the cafe in the middle of the train. The BC car was also relatively full, too full for a half car. They may swap out the 2-1 with the 2-2 as needed.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

That's not possible. They only have 18 seats on a 2-1 car, the system won't sell any more. If there are more than 18 people in that car at any one time, it means that Amtrak was selling more than 18 seats.

 

[the_traveler]

I don't think that the 66/67 permanently lost the 2-1 (at least not yet). The cafe car attendant remarked about how it was unusual to have the cafe in the middle of the train. The BC car was also relatively full, too full for a half car. They may swap out the 2-1 with the 2-2 as needed.

But if they schedule a 2x1 BC/cafe car, they would only sell 18 BC seats. They do not sell more tickets than there are seats on a reserved train! Thus they could only sell 18 BC seats on 66/67!

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

18 seats at one time anyway, they can rotate them of course. Just being clear.