Rode the Amtrak Great Dome Today - Awesome

[rdj]

I rode on the Amtrak Great Dome 10031 today, which was on a Pacific Surfliner with the ugly Horizon cars. There was great warm weather and clear skies in LA to enjoy the view from this former GN Empire Builder Great Dome Car. Amtrak should bring domes back....ridership would really improve, as domes really make train travel a joy. The forward/rearward views are SOOOOOO much better than in the Sightseeer Lounge Cars.

 

[rtabern]

I rode on the Amtrak Great Dome 10031 today, which was on a Pacific Surfliner with the ugly Horizon cars. There was great warm weather and clear skies in LA to enjoy the view from this former GN Empire Builder Great Dome Car. Amtrak should bring domes back....ridership would really improve, as domes really make train travel a joy. The forward/rearward views are SOOOOOO much better than in the Sightseeer Lounge Cars.

That car is really making it's way around the system!!

It was on a special charter trip that I took from Chicago to Galena, IL during the first weekend of October. Then some posters said it was out in New York or something.

I wish there was more of a regular schedule --- so you could ride it when you wanted to.

My guess is they put that on there to make up for the crappy Horizon cars. I feel your pain -- those cars are used on all Midwest corridor trains. UGHH! That's why I will usually go out on Horizon equipment and then come back on Superliner equipment if possible. Like CHI-GBB on 381, but back to CHI on 4.

 

[Everydaymatters]

Is the dome car the one which has a partial dome? The car I'm thinking of had limited seating under the dome section and the seats under the dome were rarely vacant.

 

[MrFSS]

Is the dome car the one which has a partial dome? The car I'm thinking of had limited seating under the dome section and the seats under the dome were rarely vacant.

Betty - I think they look like this:

DOME CAR

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Is the dome car the one which has a partial dome? The car I'm thinking of had limited seating under the dome section and the seats under the dome were rarely vacant.

Betty - I think they look like this:

DOME CAR

There were several designs for domes in the pre-Amtrak days.

The one pictured is like the one still around on Amtrak. Known back then variuusly as great domes, Big domes, etc.

However---most domes were the partial camel hump type, with 24 seats on top of a coach. In that arrangement the restrooms and other storage stuff was under the dome. Restrooms were sometimes quite large back then. They sometimes included a lounge area, smoking area.Which is getting away from the subject.

There were a few camel hump dome diners, with food service both upstairs and down. There were lounge cars with normal 24 seats in the the dome. There were also lounge cars of the short model with lounge area upstaris as well as down stairs..

The pre-Amtrak California Zephyr is noted to be the first dome train. About half of its cars were domes, The Union Paciific, in turn, produced some of the most beautiful, esp. their dome lounges and dome diners for the City of Los Angeles and the City of Portland , a few years after the CZ.

The Empire Builder, from which Amtrak got its present big dome, also had regular 24 seat camel hump coach domes on it as well as the huge lounge dome.

The Super Chief, forerunner to the Southwest Chief, had a "pleasure dome car" with a camel hump lounge at the top and lounge space and a private dining room below. The dining rooon, know as the Turquoise Room, was directly benath the dome. It could be rented to private parties.

Rumor has it that Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor one time took it over after leavng LA and got rip-roaringly drunk and stayed that way all the way to Chicago, not letting anybody else in.

 

[MrFSS]

If you want to know anything about every dome car that was built for US railroads, see this SITE. It has info on every dome car and pictures of most of them, info on where they are now, and all of them you can ride on a tourist train or if they are for hire.

 

[yarrow]

i sure wish there was a known schedule of when the dome will be on which train also. has amtrak been running the great dome for all passengers or only business or first class? how many vintage cars such as the great dome does amtrak own or have acess to? seems like they would be a great marketing tool(like the pacific parlour car). would tend to increase my train travel anyway.

 

[AlanB]

i sure wish there was a known schedule of when the dome will be on which train also. has amtrak been running the great dome for all passengers or only business or first class? how many vintage cars such as the great dome does amtrak own or have acess to? seems like they would be a great marketing tool(like the pacific parlour car). would tend to increase my train travel anyway.

Amtrak only owns one dome car, the one being discussed. Otherwise, other than the PPC's, the only other Vintage cars that Amtrak still puts on the road are the old Heritage dining cars used on the single level trains here in the east. I'm not sure just what old cars Amtrak still owns and has mothballed, but even then most of what they did still own 10 years ago wasn't very exciting, just coaches, sleepers, and baggage cars.

As for schedules, Amtrak did publish the schedule of when the dome car was running on the Adirondack. There's even a press release on their site about it. Over the last few years, it seems to pop up every once in a while on a California train, but I don't know that it's ever been advertised. I've heard a rumor though that Amtrak is planning to utilize the dome a bit more in the future, than they have in the past. Supposedly there are already plans in the works to return it to the Adirondack again next year during leaf peeper season.

Other times the dome is used for private events, so they don't publicize it.

 

[battalion51]

AFAIK Amtrak only has one Dome on its roster these days, that being 10031, the Great Dome. Other domes in service today are all owned by private owners/organizations.

 

[PerRock]

wouldn't the hi-levels on the CZ also count as vintage cars? they run regularly on the CZ trains.

also is #10000 still running?

peter

 

[AlanB]

wouldn't the hi-levels on the CZ also count as vintage cars? they run regularly on the CZ trains.also is #10000 still running?

peter

What hi-levels on the CZ? It only runs with Superliner cars. Did you mean the CS, the Coast Starlight? If so it does still run with the PPC (Pacific Parlour Cars), which I mentioned in my post.

And what was #10000? Whatever it was I can tell you that it's no longer carried on the active roster.

 

[VentureForth]

wouldn't the hi-levels on the CZ also count as vintage cars? they run regularly on the CZ trains.also is #10000 still running?

peter

What hi-levels on the CZ? It only runs with Superliner cars. Did you mean the CS, the Coast Starlight? If so it does still run with the PPC (Pacific Parlour Cars), which I mentioned in my post.

And what was #10000? Whatever it was I can tell you that it's no longer carried on the active roster.

Doesn't the Heartland Flyer use two Hi-Levels? I got to ride an ex-Amtrak Hi-Level on an excursion run on the old Cotton Belt about 5 years ago...

Heck - any day now, SUPERLINERS will be considered Vintage. OK ... Just kidding, but it would be neat to see them running with all equipment functional - especially in-room entertainment, volume control, etc...

 

[PerRock]

wouldn't the hi-levels on the CZ also count as vintage cars? they run regularly on the CZ trains.also is #10000 still running?

peter

What hi-levels on the CZ? It only runs with Superliner cars. Did you mean the CS, the Coast Starlight? If so it does still run with the PPC (Pacific Parlour Cars), which I mentioned in my post.

And what was #10000? Whatever it was I can tell you that it's no longer carried on the active roster.

oops lol overlooked the PPC, but ya wrong train (I should look into sleeping)

car 10000

peter

 

[AlanB]

wouldn't the hi-levels on the CZ also count as vintage cars? they run regularly on the CZ trains.also is #10000 still running?

peter

What hi-levels on the CZ? It only runs with Superliner cars. Did you mean the CS, the Coast Starlight? If so it does still run with the PPC (Pacific Parlour Cars), which I mentioned in my post.

And what was #10000? Whatever it was I can tell you that it's no longer carried on the active roster.

Doesn't the Heartland Flyer use two Hi-Levels? I got to ride an ex-Amtrak Hi-Level on an excursion run on the old Cotton Belt about 5 years ago...

It used to run with them. But as of October 2007, the Hi-Level cars are no longer being carried on the active roster. I'm not sure what, if any plans, Amtrak has for them, be it scrap, mothballs, or other.

Heck - any day now, SUPERLINERS will be considered Vintage. OK ... Just kidding, but it would be neat to see them running with all equipment functional - especially in-room entertainment, volume control, etc...

Technically at 30+ years old, the Superliner I's are pretty close to qualifying as vintage.

 

[AlanB]

car 10000

Nope, 10000 is off the roster. Only 10001 remains on the roster.

With thanks for the photos to hebners.net.

 

[AlanB]

car 10000

Nope, 10000 is off the roster. Only 10001 remains on the roster.

With thanks for the photos to hebners.net.

Also 10002 is still on the roster.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Terminology can be relative, words can change their meaning and/or their application through the years, etc.

Up until now, "vintage" pretty well meant the equipment Amtrak bought from the passenger/freight railroads in 1971.

Of those, those which lasted a certain time began being called " heritage", about 1980, I believe.

But today with most heritage gone and all of the equipment Amtrak itself had built getting older and older it is all becoming more and more "vintage". There will be a day when today's equipment will widely be considered vintage.

When, oh when. will we be able to have something new built???? Scarey thought.

 

[PerRock]

Terminology can be relative, words can change their meaning and/or their application through the years, etc.
Up until now, "vintage" pretty well meant the equipment Amtrak bought from the passenger/freight railroads in 1971.

Of those, those which lasted a certain time began being called " heritage", about 1980, I believe.

But today with most heritage gone and all of the equipment Amtrak itself had built getting older and older it is all becoming more and more "vintage". There will be a day when today's equipment will widely be considered vintage.

When, oh when. will we be able to have something new built???? Scarey thought.

True; I do think thou that the Acela, Surfliner, Capital Corridor, and Cascades don't/wouldn't count as heritage or vintage.

peter

 

[VentureForth]

Terminology can be relative, words can change their meaning and/or their application through the years, etc.
Up until now, "vintage" pretty well meant the equipment Amtrak bought from the passenger/freight railroads in 1971.

Of those, those which lasted a certain time began being called " heritage", about 1980, I believe.

But today with most heritage gone and all of the equipment Amtrak itself had built getting older and older it is all becoming more and more "vintage". There will be a day when today's equipment will widely be considered vintage.

When, oh when. will we be able to have something new built???? Scarey thought.

True; I do think thou that the Acela, Surfliner, Capital Corridor, and Cascades don't/wouldn't count as heritage or vintage.

peter

I'll agree with the Acela and Cascades Talgo set. Don't know anything about Capital Corridor, and I think the Surfliners are the same form and fit as the Superliners, with a different interior design and function.

 

[PerRock]

Terminology can be relative, words can change their meaning and/or their application through the years, etc.
Up until now, "vintage" pretty well meant the equipment Amtrak bought from the passenger/freight railroads in 1971.

Of those, those which lasted a certain time began being called " heritage", about 1980, I believe.

But today with most heritage gone and all of the equipment Amtrak itself had built getting older and older it is all becoming more and more "vintage". There will be a day when today's equipment will widely be considered vintage.

When, oh when. will we be able to have something new built???? Scarey thought.

True; I do think thou that the Acela, Surfliner, Capital Corridor, and Cascades don't/wouldn't count as heritage or vintage.

peter

I'll agree with the Acela and Cascades Talgo set. Don't know an

ything about Capital Corridor, and I think the Surfliners are the same form and fit as the Superliners, with a different interior design and function.

not quite the surfliner uses California cars which are similar to superliners but aren't the same.

Surfliner --> http://web2.airmail.net/ahhughes/transitpi...San%20Diego.jpg

Superliner --> http://www.hebners.net/amtrak/amtSUPER/amt31005.jpg

Capitol Corridor --> http://www.hebners.net/amtrak/amtCAL/amt8307.jpg

there is some interesting info on the surfliner here:

http://www.trainweb.com/routes/route_ps/

peter

 

[Dakguy201]

There are several other Great Domes in non-Amtrak service. This is the one that typically is pulled by Milwaukee 261 out of the Twin Cities:

http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w158/Da...t=Consist25.jpg

 

[frj1983]

Terminology can be relative, words can change their meaning and/or their application through the years, etc.
Up until now, "vintage" pretty well meant the equipment Amtrak bought from the passenger/freight railroads in 1971.

Of those, those which lasted a certain time began being called " heritage", about 1980, I believe.

But today with most heritage gone and all of the equipment Amtrak itself had built getting older and older it is all becoming more and more "vintage". There will be a day when today's equipment will widely be considered vintage.

When, oh when. will we be able to have something new built???? Scarey thought.

Bill,

Your last question is the drum I have been beating for quite some time. I am concerned that Amtrak make it's point that "equipment wears out and it's time for some capital funding to replace it" when asking for funding from Congress. I am curious if anyone knows whether Amtrak has mentioned this in it's planning/budgets for the future?

 

[Dakguy201]

Frj is right, Amtrak needs more cars, especially for the long distance trains. Spares seem very sparse now, leading to equipment being dispatched with problems. Also, the ability does not presently exist to expand capacity significantly on the LD routes to meet periods of heavy demand.

I keep hearing stories of lots of cars at Beech Grove awaiting the funds to repair them, but if you look at the facility on Google Earth, there does not appear to be an extraordinary number of cars sitting around the yard. Does anyone know exactly how many cars are out of service without the funding to repair them?

 

[AlanB]

Frj is right, Amtrak needs more cars, especially for the long distance trains. Spares seem very sparse now, leading to equipment being dispatched with problems. Also, the ability does not presently exist to expand capacity significantly on the LD routes to meet periods of heavy demand.

No argument from me that Amtrak needs more equipment, in addition to getting started on modern replacements to much of the older equipment currently in use.

I keep hearing stories of lots of cars at Beech Grove awaiting the funds to repair them, but if you look at the facility on Google Earth, there does not appear to be an extraordinary number of cars sitting around the yard. Does anyone know exactly how many cars are out of service without the funding to repair them?

As of July, which is when the last update was posted for the Superliner fleet, there were 65 cars out of service of the total number brought by Amtrak of 479. Of that 65, 22 of them have been scrapped due to damage. And while there is no precise count, it is estimated that some where between half to three quarters of the remaining 43 cars that are in the yard are not salvageable under any circumstances. They are just sitting there awaiting insurance settlements, FRA/NTSB investigations, or are being used for parts.

So bottom line there are probably no more than 20 to 25 Superliner cars, if that, that are capable of being repaired and returned to service.

 

[Penn Central]

Frj is right, Amtrak needs more cars, especially for the long distance trains. Spares seem very sparse now, leading to equipment being dispatched with problems. Also, the ability does not presently exist to expand capacity significantly on the LD routes to meet periods of heavy demand.

No argument from me that Amtrak needs more equipment, in addition to getting started on modern replacements to much of the older equipment currently in use.

I keep hearing stories of lots of cars at Beech Grove awaiting the funds to repair them, but if you look at the facility on Google Earth, there does not appear to be an extraordinary number of cars sitting around the yard. Does anyone know exactly how many cars are out of service without the funding to repair them?

As of July, which is when the last update was posted for the Superliner fleet, there were 65 cars out of service of the total number brought by Amtrak of 479. Of that 65, 22 of them have been scrapped due to damage. And while there is no precise count, it is estimated that some where between half to three quarters of the remaining 43 cars that are in the yard are not salvageable under any circumstances. They are just sitting there awaiting insurance settlements, FRA/NTSB investigations, or are being used for parts.

So bottom line there are probably no more than 20 to 25 Superliner cars, if that, that are capable of being repaired and returned to service.

20 Superliners is not an insignificant number. With 20 Superliners, Amtrak could hypethetically return the Cardinal to Superliner equipment and spread the Amfleet II's Viewliners around.