Refurbished business class cars in midwest

[Steve4031]

Last fall I saw a refurbished business class car on 392. It looked nice, and I was wondering if there wre any more of these cars out there. If so, how many, and where are they running?

I may be taking a trip on 391 and 392, and would upgrade to business class just to check them out if I thought I had a good chance of riding one of the refurbs.

 

[AlanB]

If the car you saw was an ex-Metroliner car, then it has been recalled to the East coast and you won't see it. If it was simply a refurbished car, then you might be ok.

Any chance you got the number?

 

[Steve4031]

If the car you saw was an ex-Metroliner car, then it has been recalled to the East coast and you won't see it. If it was simply a refurbished car, then you might be ok.
Any chance you got the number?

No, I did not. I don't think it was a metroliner, I think I would have noticed that from the outside with the different wheel trucks, and the cab part of the car. But I could be mistaken.

Well . . . I think I may stick to coach then. I hate paying a premium for less legroom.

Thanks.

 

[AlanB]

Another give away would be, did the car have 2 & 1 seating? If it did, then it's ex-Metroliner, now once again back in Metroliner service.

Even if you're not sure, the simple fact that every single level piece of short-haul equipment is being juggled to deal with the Acela crisis, may mean that you won't see that car.

 

[Steve4031]

That's true. And as usual, it looks like the midwest will get the worst of it, unless they use some superliners on the shorthalls.

Incidentlally, has anyone heard exactly how the equipment is being distributed?

 

[AlanB]

That's true. And as usual, it looks like the midwest will get the worst of it, unless they use some superliners on the shorthalls.
Incidentlally, has anyone heard exactly how the equipment is being distributed?

California got hit too for cars. The Empire Corridor between NYP & ALB is now running Horizon's, not Amfleets. So everybody is suffering, not just Chicago and area.

This shutdown has hit everyone hard.

 

[GG-1]

That's true.  And as usual, it looks like the midwest will get the worst of it, unless they use some superliners on the shorthalls.  
Incidentlally, has anyone heard exactly how the equipment is being distributed?

California got hit too for cars. The Empire Corridor between NYP & ALB is now running Horizon's, not Amfleets. So everybody is suffering, not just Chicago and area.

This shutdown has hit everyone hard.

Aloha

But Alan do you think this may be a good thing, Amtrak management are demonstrating there flexibility, and maybe even strength, to deal with a crises.

 

[AlanB]

Aloha
But Alan do you think this may be a good thing, Amtrak management are demonstrating there flexibility, and maybe even strength, to deal with a crises.

GG1,

Yes, in that respect, Amtrak is overall handling this crisis quite well and they are showing an ability to deal with a crisis. I do wish that they hadn't downgraded the food service in First Class on the Metroliners, although I suspect that there are a few reasons for this that I can only guess at.

However, it does point out one very important thing too. If we currently had a system that was composed of several competing companies that provided the rail service in this country, the NEC would be up the creek without a paddle.

It's only thanks to Amtrak's nationwide service, coupled with the fact that they are the only provider of intercity rail service, that they are able to recall those ex-Metroliner cars and reshuffle the fleet in an attempt to maintain some semblance of normal service on the NEC.

The real question is, will Amtrak's critics realize this or not. My guess is that they'll just keep blaming Amtrak for the crisis in the first place. Many already are, even though no one yet knows the true cause of the problem. It's like the lawyer who shows up at the accident scene and is already holding press conferences about how the train crash must be the fault of the RR, when no facts are yet in evidence and the victims are still being taken away by ambulance.

My apologies to any lawyers who might be reading and don't do that, but just like any profession, there are always a few that make the rest look bad.

 

[battalion51]

Hey now, hey now, not all Personal Injury Attorneys are Ambulance chasers, I know my firm sure as hell isn't.

 

[AlanB]

Hey now, hey now, not all Personal Injury Attorneys are Ambulance chasers, I know my firm sure as hell isn't.

Hence my caveat.

 

[Trogdor]

I'm not so sure that all club-dinettes were sent east to cover Metroliner service. According to OTOL, Amtrak has at least 38 Amfleet club-dinettes, plus a fair number of Horizon club-dinettes (I don't think all Horizons are listed on OTOL). There's no way Metroliner service could use up all 38 of them. Some would still be available to run elsewhere.

Besides, without the handful of Amfleet cafes, the Midwest wouldn't have enough food-service cars to run one on every train that needs one.

 

[amtrakmichigan]

I'm not so sure that all club-dinettes were sent east to cover Metroliner service. According to OTOL, Amtrak has at least 38 Amfleet club-dinettes, plus a fair number of Horizon club-dinettes (I don't think all Horizons are listed on OTOL). There's no way Metroliner service could use up all 38 of them. Some would still be available to run elsewhere.
Besides, without the handful of Amfleet cafes, the Midwest wouldn't have enough food-service cars to run one on every train that needs one.

Not all mid-west service is running Amfleet / Horizon equipment. The last couple times I saw the Blue water train it was running a consist of 2 SL coaches and 1 SL coach/snack bar car. Then again that was back in February, so I don't know if that was temp. or not.

 

[lepearso]

The last couple times I saw the Blue water train it was running a consist of 2 SL coaches and 1 SL coach/snack bar car. Then again that was back in February, so I don't know if that was temp. or not.

More than likely, the Blue Water was running Superliners because they are less likely to freeze-up. Amtrak may plan to use single-levels on that route during warmer weather and redeploy the Superliners to long-distance services that need extra capacity during the summer.

 

[AmtrakFan]

There is the slight possiblity that some Midwestern runs could go Bilevel.

 

[Steve4031]

There is the slight possiblity that some Midwestern runs could go Bilevel.

That is what I am hoping. Anything specific about 391 and 392?

 

[battalion51]

It's possible, maybe one or two, but not many. It's not likely you'll see that many since the Superliner fleet is stretched pretty thin as it is, especially with the summer months coming when demand is much higher. What wouldn't surprise me, is to see one or two runs like the Ethan Allen, Adirondack, or Maple Leaf to switch over to Amfleet II's.

 

[AlanB]

It's possible, maybe one or two, but not many. It's not likely you'll see that many since the Superliner fleet is stretched pretty thin as it is, especially with the summer months coming when demand is much higher.

Especially when once factors in the cars we just lost, thanks to the Builder's derailment. I'm sure that they're out of action for several months.

What wouldn't surprise me, is to see one or two runs like the Ethan Allen, Adirondack, or Maple Leaf to switch over to Amfleet II's.

Actually I recall hearing or reading somewhere that the Leaf had already switched over to Amfleet II's a few months ago and before the Acela issues.

Even if it hasn't, the reality is that both the Leaf and the Adirondack should have II's. Frankly, so should the Vermonter. Less so the Ethan Allen, although it would still be nice to have them there too. Of course, I don't think that we've got that many spare II's sitting around either. Especially with the brake problems that Joe is reporting on those cars.

 

[battalion51]

The only problem with having II's on the Vermonter is the MU Connection. I don't know that there are many (if any) that have an MU connection, most just have the Comm and a dummy.