frj1983
OBS Chief
Don't get me wrong Battalion51,
I like the Parlour cars and would hate to see them go, but in the penny-wise, pound foolish world of the Amtrak budget, I worry that the writing is on the wall!
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I like the Parlour cars and would hate to see them go, but in the penny-wise, pound foolish world of the Amtrak budget, I worry that the writing is on the wall!
battalion51
Engineer
I'm not disagreeing, but none of us really know how great the condition of these cars are. It could be possible that all the parts are working soundly, they just have wheel issues (for example) which are fairly unrelated to the car and probably cheaper to fix than most mechanical issues.
frj1983
OBS Chief
Good point!
Even my friend here in Chicago doesn't really know what kind of shape they are in(since they're serviced on the West Coast). Maybe someone on the Board who lives out thattaway might know?????
J
Jim vanMerris
Guest
I can shed light on the wheel issue: The wheel assemblies of the Parlour Car are brand new (or well refurbished). I carefully assessed whatever machanics I could this week and during a stop, noticed that the wheel assemblies were not only (seemingly) new but marked with their date of installation: 10-16-06. On our way TO L.A. on October 17th employees told us that the 2 parlour cars (for 8 trains) were history. Then we heard that they were undergoing repair for airconditioning issues. Luckily, exactly a week later as we took the Starlight back to Seattle, we had the parlour car as the car just behind our sleeper (complete with Amtrak president, et al, as mentioned earlier). On board also was a fellow who owned his "own railroad" called the Pony Express. He was there to meet the Amtrak big shots (they all wore these big laminated cards around their necks). They all got off at Santa Monica (and seemed very jovial, as when Madi Albright met Kim Jung Il - who knows what they were so happy about!) Another passinger told us some of what transpired: that the Parlour cars had JUST been saved....in D.C. Other than the wheel assemblies and the airconditioning and perhaps the heating (and electrics) what else is so difficult to fix? Sorry but I stick to my theory that the powers that be just want to end trains in America - before the off-year elections - while they still can. Perhaps it's too late, thank God.
This picture seems way different from any Car I saw on the Starlight. Is it an older one previously retired.
Mahalo
battalion51
Engineer
Eric, I've never actually been on the Starlight, heck I've never even seen it. I did a quick Google search and that came back.
This picture seems way different from any Car I saw on the Starlight. Is it an older one previously retired.
Mahalo
That's the lower level of the refurbished Parlour cars (movie theater).
battalion51
Engineer
You know it's funny, it looks like those seats have desks similar to what a college lecture hall would have. I guess they put it there so you can put down your food.
G
Guest
Guest
Apparently 39974 just came back into service - that makes three Parlours in service.
"Apparently 39974 just came back into service - that makes three Parlours in service."
If there are 3 parlour cars than it seems many of the Amtrak workers understand what's going on about as well as the rest of the public, not at all - everyone I spoke to told me that there were only 2 such cars. I guess the higher-ups at Amtrak don't brief the train workers. There was a lot of confusion on board a few days ago. Bye the way, I sat in the second row, on the left, in the isle seat on Tuesday night last watching a movie in the lower level of the parlour car. I was the only one there (the only cool car - the rest of the train seemed overly warm). Speaking of warm: I usually have to sleep unclothed and some times wetted down just to be comfortable in the sleepers - I was told that attendants were given firm instructions to keep the rooms at 72º, even in the middle of the night. A conspiracy minded fellow might make something of that...
If there are 3 parlour cars than it seems many of the Amtrak workers understand what's going on about as well as the rest of the public, not at all - everyone I spoke to told me that there were only 2 such cars. I guess the higher-ups at Amtrak don't brief the train workers. There was a lot of confusion on board a few days ago. Bye the way, I sat in the second row, on the left, in the isle seat on Tuesday night last watching a movie in the lower level of the parlour car. I was the only one there (the only cool car - the rest of the train seemed overly warm). Speaking of warm: I usually have to sleep unclothed and some times wetted down just to be comfortable in the sleepers - I was told that attendants were given firm instructions to keep the rooms at 72º, even in the middle of the night. A conspiracy minded fellow might make something of that...
Well one needs to clarify exactly what you and the employee's are talking about. If you mean that there were only 2 cars in service, then that was correct for a while. For most of the past month only one was actually in daily service.
However, Amtrak owns 5 Parlour cars, not 2 or even 3. The plan has always been to have 3 in daily service, 1 held in reserve, and 1 out for maintenace. For most of the last 10 years or so, Amtrak managed to keep with that plan by and large. This year however has seen major problems in keeping the needed cars on the road. Part of the problem was UP causing huge delays to the Coast Starlight, part of the problem has been simply keeping the cars on the road.
It is unclear if the problem with keeping them on the road has been due to their age or due to a lack of willingness by Amtrak management to spend the needed monies to keep them on the road. Perhaps it's even a combination of both.
G
Guest
Guest
That's right. When things run as planned there are 4 in service daily.
G
Guest
Guest
battalion51
Engineer
Under the current circumstances that is true. It is possible to only need three trainsets and still maintain daily departures, IIRC the Silver Meteor did this until 2004.
G
Guest
Guest
Please expalin how a train leaving both SEA and LAX everyday is possible with 3 train sets.
What does the Silver Meteor have to do with the Coast Starlight's consist requirements?
battalion51
Engineer
The point I was making is that it is theoretically possible to have daily departures for an LD train but only need three trainsets.
Such as the Capitol Limited (if its consist wasn't through-routed with the Southwest Chief), City of New Orleans (same deal), etc. In fact, if the Capitol Limited's schedule was modified slightly with a later departure from DC, along with quicker servicing, the route could operate with two trains.
G
Guest
Guest
The Coast Starlight Route can not operate with less than four train sets and stiil offer daily departures at each end.
Yes it could; it just can't do it in the time it currently takes to run the train one way.
Instead of seeing the route as two halves, each one way between the origin and destination, you see it as three segments, each two-thirds of one way, then it makes a lot more sense. The train set that arrives, let's say, in Los Angeles could turn the same day, taking care of the arrival and departure of the train that day. Then you would only need the train that left Seattle that day and will arrive in Seattle that day.
Instead of seeing the route as two halves, each one way between the origin and destination, you see it as three segments, each two-thirds of one way, then it makes a lot more sense. The train set that arrives, let's say, in Los Angeles could turn the same day, taking care of the arrival and departure of the train that day. Then you would only need the train that left Seattle that day and will arrive in Seattle that day.
The number of Coast Starlight trains becomes more understandable while you are on the route and observing the trains that pass you or stop next to you. If it takes 2 days and one night (36 hours) to go from LA to Seattle and trains leave from Seattle at approx. 9:50 am and leave LA at approx. 10:50 am, then you'd need, what, a train leaving every 24 hours? Please, someone figure out how many trains are needed...I only :unsure: have my degree in art...
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G
Guest
Guest
The Coast Starlight Route can not operate with less than four train sets and stiil offer daily departures at each end. wink.gif
It's impossible.
It's impossible.
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