Pacific Parlour Car

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river

Service Attendant
AU Supporting Member
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When we took the Coast Starlight from Emeryville to LA several months ago, we were glad to have the Pacific Parlour Car in the consist. We enjoyed the seating, the views, the ambience and the meals there. We had a great atttendant in there as well. While we were talking to him, he said that when we arrived at our destination they would be taking the PCC off line because something wasn't right with it. But he couldn't or wouldn't tell us what the problem was. It really sounded like he wasn't permitted to say. It also sounded like there wouldn't be another PPC to replace it when they took it off.

Wondering what might have been wrong with it that it would need to go off-line and how many actual PPCs does Amtrak have? From what I'm reading, it sounds like the PPC doesn't run a fair amount of the time on the CS.
 
IIRC, Amtrak only has five PPCs. Four of them are in service at any given time, since there are two train 11s and two 14s en route simultaneously - each a day behind the other. The PPCs are over fifty years old, having been built in the mid-1950s. As a result, there's lots that can go wrong with them. Despite their age, they are one of the most unique features of any Amtrak train, and well worth keeping. I'm sure that Amtrak would love to have more of them if budgets ever allowed.
 
IIRC, Amtrak only has five PPCs. Four of them are in service at any given time, since there are two train 11s and two 14s en route simultaneously - each a day behind the other. The PPCs are over fifty years old, having been built in the mid-1950s. As a result, there's lots that can go wrong with them. Despite their age, they are one of the most unique features of any Amtrak train, and well worth keeping. I'm sure that Amtrak would love to have more of them if budgets ever allowed.
Lots to go wrong on a 55 year old piece of equipment. I understand the AC is a continual source of problems. Also understand the truck parts/running gear are now unique in Amtrak's fleet and no longer manufactured and are a source of concern. Kudos to the now defunct Budd Company for building a car so well it is still running well past its projected useful life.

Finally, that protection PPC is stationed in LA, so if something goes wrong on the road, it won't be replaced in Seattle. No capacity to do anything more than very light repairs for it in Seattle, either.
 
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Lots to go wrong on a 55 year old piece of equipment.
...as any doctor could tell you! :giggle:
51 year old pieces of equipment can be quite a challenge too, so my doctor's tell me!
mosking.gif


And yes, Amtrak only has 5 PPCs. 4 can be in service on #14 and #11, plus there is one protection PPC in LA. Plus they have to undergo regular repairs. And FYI, a "bad order" could be anything from the AC or heat, the trucks (wheels). etc... even a broken seat or window!
 
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I know 6 Hi Level Lounges were originally built for the El Capitan with of course 5 of those surviving today as PPCs. The 6th from what I recall is in private hands and I always have wondered why Amtrak unloaded just that one-was it too far beyond feasible repair or restoration? I'm surprised they didn't keep it for at least a parts horse.
 
IIRC, Amtrak only has five PPCs. Four of them are in service at any given time, since there are two train 11s and two 14s en route simultaneously - each a day behind the other. The PPCs are over fifty years old, having been built in the mid-1950s. As a result, there's lots that can go wrong with them. Despite their age, they are one of the most unique features of any Amtrak train, and well worth keeping. I'm sure that Amtrak would love to have more of them if budgets ever allowed.
Lots to go wrong on a 55 year old piece of equipment. I understand the AC is a continual source of problems. Also understand the truck parts/running gear are now unique in Amtrak's fleet and no longer manufactured and are a source of concern. Kudos to the now defunct Budd Company for building a car so well it is still running well past its projected useful life.

Finally, that protection PPC is stationed in LA, so if something goes wrong on the road, it won't be replaced in Seattle. No capacity to do anything more than very light repairs for it in Seattle, either.

A frequent (and important) issue with food service cars, is refrigeration problems...
 
I wish Amtrak kept their 6th Pacific Parlour Car so they could also keep a "protect" (extra) car in Seattle. There were actually 6 PPCs, but Amtrak sold one off about 10 years ago... it's sitting, unrefurbished, outside of St. Louis, collecting dust. I am friends with the owner and got a tour of the car last year:

http://rtabern.shutterfly.com/18202
 
Can't they replace the AC and electrical gear? They should have done that wehn they refurbed the cars.
Parts (everything has to be custom made) and lack of funding, as is usual with Amtrak, prevents upgrading these Jewels! Maybe one of our Wealthy members will buy/adopt one when they are retired and then AU can have their own PPC for our Mini-Gatherings/Gatherings/Trips etc! :wub: :help:
 
As it was relayed to me by Winston, an Amtrak official who rode with us while on the CS and TE a couple of years ago, part of the problem is that the PPC's have a different floor level than its adjoining cars, as I find out every time I trip going in and out of the PPC. :rolleyes: This uneven floor level causes heat build up from the friction of the plates rubbing together between the PPC and the adjoining cars, and that heat causes problems. Since it's been a couple of years, I don't remember his exact words, but that was the gist of the conversation.
 
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Can't they replace the AC and electrical gear? They should have done that wehn they refurbed the cars.
Parts (everything has to be custom made) and lack of funding, as is usual with Amtrak, prevents upgrading these Jewels! Maybe one of our Wealthy members will buy/adopt one when they are retired and then AU can have their own PPC for our Mini-Gatherings/Gatherings/Trips etc! :wub: :help:
The un-refurbished PPC I referenced sitting outside of St Louis is for sale FYI -- I think around $990,000 for the car and to have it refurbed to Amtrak standards.
 
As it was relayed to me by Winston, an Amtrak official who rode with us while on the CS and TE a couple of years ago, part of the problem is that the PPC's have a different floor level than its adjoining cars, as I find out every time I trip going in and out of the PPC. :rolleyes: This uneven floor level causes heat build up from the friction of the plates rubbing together between the PPC and the adjoining cars, and that heat causes problems. Since it's been a couple of years, I don't remember his exact words, but that was the gist of the conversation.
Interesting, because until the Mercer cutbacks in the mid/late 1990s, they kept their extensive fleet of ex-Santa Fe Hi-Levels coaches and mixed them with Superliners all the time. Until 1991 or so they didn't even have the trans-dorms and their transition cars were all Hi-Levels.

Sounds kind of fishy to me...
 
I wish Amtrak kept their 6th Pacific Parlour Car so they could also keep a "protect" (extra) car in Seattle. There were actually 6 PPCs, but Amtrak sold one off about 10 years ago... it's sitting, unrefurbished, outside of St. Louis, collecting dust. I am friends with the owner and got a tour of the car last year:

http://rtabern.shutterfly.com/18202
Fascinating seeing entire consists of Hi-Levels all lined up but absent engine(s)! It brings back memories, as I traveled several times aboard the Hi-Levels in their last years of revenue service. Admittedly, I was a kid, so the reality of dump toilets were beyond fascinating as my brother and me tried our darnedest to time grade crossings with flushes...

Alas, if only we had that 6th Hi-Level lounge at our service. If I win the lotto, then perhaps!
 
This is really foolish letting those Hi-Levels just sit there. Nobody gets anything out of that. They aren't even disposed of if no one wants them Such a waste!
 
This is really foolish letting those Hi-Levels just sit there. Nobody gets anything out of that. They aren't even disposed of if no one wants them Such a waste!
Ten years ago, it would have made sense to refurbish them and keep them in service. Today, it wouldn't be worth it given that we're about to get contracts awarded for new bi-levels and a new production line set up.
 
Can't they replace the AC and electrical gear? They should have done that wehn they refurbed the cars.
Parts (everything has to be custom made) and lack of funding, as is usual with Amtrak, prevents upgrading these Jewels! Maybe one of our Wealthy members will buy/adopt one when they are retired and then AU can have their own PPC for our Mini-Gatherings/Gatherings/Trips etc! :wub: :help:
The un-refurbished PPC I referenced sitting outside of St Louis is for sale FYI -- I think around $990,000 for the car and to have it refurbed to Amtrak standards.
Pulling out wallet...um, I think I can contribute $10. :D
 
Can't they replace the AC and electrical gear? They should have done that wehn they refurbed the cars.
Parts (everything has to be custom made) and lack of funding, as is usual with Amtrak, prevents upgrading these Jewels! Maybe one of our Wealthy members will buy/adopt one when they are retired and then AU can have their own PPC for our Mini-Gatherings/Gatherings/Trips etc! :wub: :help:
The un-refurbished PPC I referenced sitting outside of St Louis is for sale FYI -- I think around $990,000 for the car and to have it refurbed to Amtrak standards.
Pulling out wallet...um, I think I can contribute $10. :D
Well if I add $10 we are on our way to an AU Private Varnish for a future gathering. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :unsure: :unsure: :giggle: :giggle: :lol: :lol: :help: :help:

Aloha
 
This is really foolish letting those Hi-Levels just sit there. Nobody gets anything out of that. They aren't even disposed of if no one wants them Such a waste!
Ten years ago, it would have made sense to refurbish them and keep them in service. Today, it wouldn't be worth it given that we're about to get contracts awarded for new bi-levels and a new production line set up.
The contract is for corridor cars, such as the San Joaquin services, not for the long distance services. Therrefore, it is certain that there will be no high-level PPC's.
 
This is really foolish letting those Hi-Levels just sit there. Nobody gets anything out of that. They aren't even disposed of if no one wants them Such a waste!
Ten years ago, it would have made sense to refurbish them and keep them in service. Today, it wouldn't be worth it given that we're about to get contracts awarded for new bi-levels and a new production line set up.
The contract is for corridor cars, such as the San Joaquin services, not for the long distance services. Therrefore, it is certain that there will be no high-level PPC's.
I'm well aware of that, but given the likely cost of refurbishing the Hi-Levels (not just Parlour cars, of which there is only one sitting out of service, but a whole fleet of coaches), that money would be better off spent adding onto the production of bi-levels once they get up and running.

Plus, the latest revision of the fleet plan suggests Amtrak is looking at ordering newer Superliner (and Parlour) replacements sooner rather than later. That wasn't the case ten years ago. Hence my statement that it may have made sense ten years ago to refurbish Hi-levels and run them, but today it doesn't.
 
Can't they replace the AC and electrical gear? They should have done that wehn they refurbed the cars.
Parts (everything has to be custom made) and lack of funding, as is usual with Amtrak, prevents upgrading these Jewels! Maybe one of our Wealthy members will buy/adopt one when they are retired and then AU can have their own PPC for our Mini-Gatherings/Gatherings/Trips etc! :wub: :help:
The un-refurbished PPC I referenced sitting outside of St Louis is for sale FYI -- I think around $990,000 for the car and to have it refurbed to Amtrak standards.


Pulling out wallet...um, I think I can contribute $10. :D
Well if I add $10 we are on our way to an AU Private Varnish for a future gathering. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :unsure: :unsure: :giggle: :giggle: :lol: :lol: :help: :help:

Aloha

It will take a LOT of $10 dollar donations as this car is not refurbished.

As an example the A/C system takes 288# of R-12. The last time I priced R-12 (Nov. 2011) it was just over $20 per pound.

Having serviced the cars that eventually became the PPC's almost every system is a pain to work on. The parts from the wheels to windows are all but impossible to obtain. I'll volunteer to provide the technical knowhow but I am beyond doing the actual work?

:help: :blush: :help: :blush: :( :( :(
 
This is really foolish letting those Hi-Levels just sit there. Nobody gets anything out of that. They aren't even disposed of if no one wants them Such a waste!
Ten years ago, it would have made sense to refurbish them and keep them in service. Today, it wouldn't be worth it given that we're about to get contracts awarded for new bi-levels and a new production line set up.
The contract is for corridor cars, such as the San Joaquin services, not for the long distance services. Therrefore, it is certain that there will be no high-level PPC's.
I'm well aware of that, but given the likely cost of refurbishing the Hi-Levels (not just Parlour cars, of which there is only one sitting out of service, but a whole fleet of coaches), that money would be better off spent adding onto the production of bi-levels once they get up and running.

Plus, the latest revision of the fleet plan suggests Amtrak is looking at ordering newer Superliner (and Parlour) replacements sooner rather than later. That wasn't the case ten years ago. Hence my statement that it may have made sense ten years ago to refurbish Hi-levels and run them, but today it doesn't.
Gotcha
 
Just got off the Coast Starlight in Seattle... boarded it in LA yesterday (May 8) and found that the Pacific Parlour Car was replaced with a Superliner Diner-Lounge. :( None of the train crew seemed to know the reason. The LSA said that she only found out about the switch when she walked up to the train.
 
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