Trains between STL & KCY - Are they all 2 level?

[RRrich]

The other day wifey & I went from KWD to KCY. We walked up the stairs, she with some difficulty. I spoke to the Conductor and he told me that they usually hold the lower lever for the Elderly and Handicapped - I told wifey and she said "Thats me!" SO on our return we will use the lower level.

The question is, lower level or Business Class? I think the lower level obviates the need for BC - but we may have to ride with a bunch of old f@rts (like us).

Are all the Missouri Service or Missouri River Swimmer or whatever the new name is, trains two level (Superliner)???

 

[heavesrock]

I have seen them as with both Horizons and Superliners, so who knows.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

I had been under the impression that there is no such thing as business class on the Superliners.

 

[the_traveler]

I had been under the impression that there is no such thing as business class on the Superliners.

Same here! The only BC on a 2 level car I am aware of is on the Surfliners, but those are California cars, not regular Superliners. AFAIK, if the train advertises BC, it must be single level.

 

[RRrich]

Interesting!

These trains have a cafe car - could BC be in that car?

I think that next trip I'll buy coach and if we want to and it is possible upgrade to BC - if the conductor feels like selling it to us

 

[Ryan]

On the flip side, if it advertises "lower level" then it must be a superliner! (HokieNav, pointing out the obvious on the internet since 1995!)

For the OP, just check out the "upgrade options" when you book and choose appropriately.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

These trains have a cafe car - could BC be in that car?

AFAIK, with the possible exception of California, the only cars that would be used for 2 + 1 BC seating would be in the same car as the cafe. (On the Acela, of course, there is car full of 2+1 First Class seating and a separate cafe car.) The alternative would be for BC to be in a regular long distance coach car.

 

[AudenHoggart]

These trains have a cafe car - could BC be in that car?

AFAIK, with the possible exception of California, the only cars that would be used for 2 + 1 BC seating would be in the same car as the cafe. (On the Acela, of course, there is car full of 2+1 First Class seating and a separate cafe car.) The alternative would be for BC to be in a regular long distance coach car.

I believe there's been some past discussion of Amtrak's using Superliners between St. Louis and Kansas City in the winter, but not the rest of the year.

 

[the_traveler]

I believe there's been some past discussion of Amtrak's using Superliners between St. Louis and Kansas City in the winter, but not the rest of the year.

I think they do. But if they offer BC, they are not Superliners. And if they are Superliners, there can be no BC. (The "upgrade options" will say if you can upgrade to BC - and also if there is "lower level seating".)

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Why can't there be business class? they can still provide the crummy newspaper and beverages.

 

[wrjensen]

When I took the KCY STL train it was single level and half of the cafe cafe car was BC. There is not different seating pitch on the SL so there not much of a advantage to the BC in Superliners

 

[ScottC4746]

I had been under the impression that there is no such thing as business class on the Superliners.

Same here! The only BC on a 2 level car I am aware of is on the Surfliners, but those are California cars, not regular Superliners. AFAIK, if the train advertises BC, it must be single level.

And I have been doing the Surfliner nearly weekly and I can tell you they pretty much inforce unless you cannot make it up the stairs, get your backside upstairs. They are good about making sure it is available for those who cannot.

Also I noticed they inforce unless you are in a group of 3 or more do not take a 4 seat.

 

[monorailfan]

I live right off one of the stops of the Missouri route, and I travel it a few times a year. I rode it a few weeks ago and yes, its two Superliners. For the last few years, it seems they run Supers in the winter time. So I asked the conductor about this, and here is what they said (paraphrasing, of course):

-They run Superliners in the winter. The national demand for the Superliner fleet is lower in the winter, so Missouri gets a few to use for the winter.

-They use them because they don't freeze up like the single-level cars do

-Crew much prefers the Superliner equipment

They pretty much seated you according to destination, and naturally almost everyone was seated upstairs. There is a cafe in one of the lower levels, the other one is for seating. On my most recent trip, they would have the long-trip folks (going from KCY to ST L or vice versa) downstairs.

I don't know if BOTH the River Runners use Supers. The one leaving STL in the morning definately does, not sure about the one from KC

I wish they ran Supers all year. I much prefer them.

 

[sechs]

AFAIK, with the possible exception of California, the only cars that would be used for 2 + 1 BC seating would be in the same car as the cafe.

Seating for Pacific Business Class is very little different than coach. What you do get is a couple of amenities, much better service, and a generally better choice of seat neighbors.

It wouldn't be too hard to do something similar with a Superliner car.

 

[cpamtfan]

Actually, when the SL trains run on the MW trains, I don't think they offer BC. Just look at the Cascades trains, they had BC until the SL came. They then had a coach, diner-lounge, and coach baggage. So BC wouldn't probably be avalible.

cpamtfan-Peter

 

[Larry H.]

I too saw a video on the St. Louis news channels recently of the train coming into Kirkwood outside of St. Louis. It showed two superliner cars. I don't see the train very often so it was news to me.

My questions would be: What superliner car has a cafe downstairs with seating upstairs? I also am not aware that business class seating arrangements of superliner cars are available?

Also if your report is correct, I would be most unhappy to be taking the long distance on board and be seated downstairs. That doesn't seem to make sense if true.

I also know that business class is offered when they run the three or four horizon type cars, so what they do when they add two superliners is a good question. I wouldn't consider sitting downstairs as business class if it has no different accommodations than the regular coach?

 

[AlanB]

My questions would be: What superliner car has a cafe downstairs with seating upstairs? I also am not aware that business class seating arrangements of superliner cars are available?

The Superliner I Snack Coaches, 35001-35010, of which 9 are still listed as active. Four of those cars however have been specially modified for service on the Heartland Flyer and usually remain locked into the pool of equipment for the Flyer.

I also am not aware that business class seating arrangements of superliner cars are available?

No such car exists at present in the Superliner fleet.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Currently, there are 2 Snack Coaches on the 3 car HF consist, with 1 being used by the Conductors for their office. I didn't realize there are 2 others, unless they are sandbagged somewhere other than FTW; I understand special modifications had to be made to the HF Superliners for push-pull control pass through.

And if the Missouri Service is using only 2 cars, then the HF is no longer on the bottom of the pile for small trains

 

[RRrich]

Took Missouri Service 314 KCY - KWD this mmorning

Single Level Coaches (2)

I guess the answer is "Whatever"

 

[PaulM]

One way to tell if superliner cars are being substituted on midwest corridor trains is if the "accomodation" list does NOT include bicycle space. I guess the substituted SL's don't generally include a coach-baggage car, one of which I recently saw on the CZ. It's pretty difficult to get bicycles up the stairs on a SL car. :angry:

 

[stlouielady]

I can only comment on my experience in January.

-I took the morning train, 311, from Kirkwood to Kansas City on January 5th; it ran with 2 Superliner coaches, with no business class and a cafe in the lower level of the rear coach. They reserved the lower seating on both coaches for wheelchair bound or elderly customers only.

-We met 314 eastbound from Kansas City back to St Louis; it ran with business class/cafe car, and, I believe, 2 other Horizon coaches.

-I returned on 316, from Kansas City to Kirkwood, on January 7th; it was the identical train set from the trip on the 5th, with 2 Superliners. Again, the lower level was strictly for wheelchair and elderly customers.

-We met 313, westbound to Kansas City, again with the Horizon set.

I'm sorry that I don't have the car numbers with me; they are at home, and I am not. So, one round trip (morning westbound, afternoon eastbound) was Superliners, with NO business class; the other round trip (morning eastbound, afternoon westbound) was Horizon coaches, with a half Business Class, half cafe car and 2 other coaches.

Of course, that was in January, and now, it appears that they are bussing due to the track work, so, who knows what the train set is at the moment. But, in my experience, NO business class on the Superliners; it was not even possible to select a seat upgrade for those trains.