Pacific Parlour Car Temporary Withdrawal

Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I had to look it up.

http://www.amtrak.com/media/train_tour/crosscountrycafe/superlinerCCC_CONTROLLER.html

Here's a photo someone took of the interior:

AmtrakFTW061908crosscntrydiner-31R.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
According to the PPC attendant, the PPC will be taken out of service in January for maintenance. Not sure what they are planning to do, but the time frame is 45 days.

The theater is closed. According to the PPC attendant and my SCA, it is because the windows do not meet current FRA requirements. i.e., they will not stop a bullet!
 
I was worried about not having the PPC on my theoretical trip in early/mid-February but it sounds like you guys are saying that Amtrak will replace it with a normal lounge car so the sleeping car passengers will still have an exclusive lounge.
 
yarrow said:
ain't no Metroliner said:
I was worried about not having the PPC on my theoretical trip in early/mid-February but it sounds like you guys are saying that Amtrak will replace it with a normal lounge car so the sleeping car passengers will still have an exclusive lounge.
Click to expand...
they didn't last winter when they took the ppc off for a couple months
Click to expand...
Oh, that's bad news.
 
Todays 11 has no parlour car, but they substituted an extra sightseer lounge. The attendant said he had the PPC yesterday going northbound, but when he got to the Seattle station this morning, he found out about the substitution. He also confirmed that all of parlour cars will be taken out of service in mid January for maintenance. He also understands it is scheduled for 45 days.
 
The attendant also said they are not substituting an SSL during the period the parlour car is gone. He already has a (hopefully temporary) position on another train.
 
Maybe I'm just being overly cynical, and it certainly wouldn't be the first time, but is it possible that Amtrak is removing these cars periodically because operating budgets are running short and they think it will reduce labor and fuel costs? I don't want to believe this but it's starting to look like the beginning of a trend.
 
Devil's Advocate said:
Maybe I'm just being overly cynical, and it certainly wouldn't be the first time, but is it possible that Amtrak is removing these cars periodically because operating budgets are running short and they think it will reduce labor and fuel costs? I don't want to believe this but it's starting to look like the beginning of a trend.
Click to expand...
The withdrawl of the PPC on the Starlight and the SSL on the Capitol Limited last winter was pretty much expressly for that purpose, particularly the Capitol. They used a maintenance excuse for the PPC last year, but my understanding is they didn't actually do much. Actions speak louder than words.

So I don't think you are being overly cynical and I do think you are right that it is a trend. I don't much like it, but it does make sense in the absolutely lowest season of the year. If some amenities get withdrawn during Jan-March to save money during the low time, well, so be it, as long as they aren't withdrawn entirely (or randomly).
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Will be on 14 on 12/17. Was so looking forward for my Mom to experience the Pacific Parlour Car for the first time, with me by her side.

Hopefully there will be a PPC on our consist.
 
I'm on 14(17) and sitting in PDX right now. We have a lounge instead of a PPC, which isn't bad at all...Still missed the actual PPC, and I hope for its return in the Spring.
 
aviva_dawn said:
I'm on 14(17) and sitting in PDX right now. We have a lounge instead of a PPC, which isn't bad at all...Still missed the actual PPC, and I hope for its return in the Spring.
Click to expand...
Some of them have the PPC right now (14(16) did, I arrived in Oregon yesterday with it), and some have the SSL. When they go away after the holidays, there will be no first-class lounge car on the train at all, until the PPCs come back in the spring.
 
west point said:
If they are replacing windows it may be that getting FRA 223 panes is being delayed due to it being a special order and not stock panes..
Click to expand...
Let's actually hope they are investing this much into the PPCs as that means they plan to keep them in fleet for a while; I recall a couple years ago a Fleet Report projected keeping them on through at least 2018.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top