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T

Tracy

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I was reading the other conversations and I noticed that some folks new the lay out of the cars. I am traveling for the first time on the Southwest chief. Can anyone tell me where cars 0330 and 0430 are on the train and how close is it to the lounge and dining car?

I would also appriciate any tips for the dining car, I don't know how that works (what time they start meal service, how do you go about getting a seat etc.)

Any other little gems anyone can give me would be great!
 
The consist of the Southwest Chief:

Locomotive

Locomotive

Locomotive

Baggage Car

Transition Sleeper

Sleeping Car (0331 or 0431)

Sleeping Car (0330 or 0430)

Diner

Lounge

Coach

Coach

Coach

So, to answer your question, the dining car is one car behind your sleeper. The Lounge is one car behind the diner. You may pass through the diner to get to the lounge at any time, just be careful when trying to get past servers during meal time.

They serve meals at the basic meal times. Upon leaving Chicago the dining car steward will come to the sleeping cars first to take reservations for dinner. He/she will probably offer something close to 5:00, 5:30, 7:00, 7:30. Come to the diner when you hear an announcement over the PA that your reservations are ready. Breakfast and lunch the next day will be first come first served. If the diner is full when you walk in for lunch or breakfast the steward will take your name and call it on the PA when seating is available. When you walk into the diner for any meal wait to be seated by a member of the crew. The second day the steward will make dinner reservations again, same process. An abbreviated breakfast is served as you approach LA.

Meals are included in your sleeping car fare. At breakfast you may order an entree and if does not include meat you can seperately order bacon/sausage. Juice and/or coffee is also included. At lunch you can order an entree and a non-alcoholic beverage. Amtrak serves Pepsi products. At an extra cost they also offer a selection of beer and wine. You may also order dessert at lunch. At dinner you can order an entree which will come with your choice of baked potato, mashed potato, or rice, and your choice of vegetable. Again, non-alcoholic beverages are included. The same selection of beer/wine is offered again at an extra cost. Dessert if also included in dinner. Coffee at dessert is also available.

Gratuities are not included in your sleeper fare. Make a mental note about the prices of the items you order and tip appropriately.

Cheers,

David Z
 
thanks David Z,

Now I won't be wondering around the train trying to figure it out. This is an interesting forum. Are most people travelers or train employees?
 
I can see how trains can become a passion.

What type of fuel does a train use? I was watching the "addicted to oil" speech and was wondering about train travel as an alternative to driving (much like the Europeans do).
 
Guest said:
I can see how trains can become a passion. What type of fuel does a train use? I was watching the "addicted to oil" speech and was wondering about train travel as an alternative to driving (much like the Europeans do).
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The type of fuel depends on where you are.

In most of the country, a train uses diesel fuel, which is derived from oil. However, a train will use less fuel to carry a large payload than if that same payload went by road or air.

On the east coast, and a couple of lines around Chicago (I could be missing one, not sure), some short-distance passenger trains are powered by electricity. In addition, many transit lines (such as light rail or subway trains) are powered by electricity.
 
rmadisonwi said:
However, a train will use less fuel to carry a large payload than if that same payload went by road or air.
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I seem to recall a comparison that said that one train can move 500 passengers from New York to LA on the same amount of fuel that one jet would use to fly 200 passengers from New York to Washington DC.

That's a huge difference. :eek:
 
Why are there so many freight type rails and so few passenger rails. Where I live (Colorado SPrings, CO) train travel is not very convenient. I see coal trains constantly go through town, why can't passenger trains use these rails?
 
Fuel... can someone elaborate in more details.

Most ships can operate on some horible grades of diesel (#3 DFM (diesel fuel marine). Are train engines sealed tighter than trucks, and able to use lower grade diesel fuel??

Also, since king george is spouting about biodiesel, I know the price is getting competitive, but is there any movement into this area?
 
Guest said:
Why are there so many freight type rails and so few passenger rails. Where I live (Colorado SPrings, CO) train travel is not very convenient. I see coal trains constantly go through town, why can't passenger trains use these rails?
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The problem is that, historically, passenger transport by any mode has never been profitable.

The companies that are, today, called "freight railroads" used to carry passenger trains as well. However, losses on passenger operations got to be too great, and they all abandoned the service. That's why Amtrak was created back in 1971.

Unfortunately, the government has been unwilling to adequately fund passenger rail to the extent that the competition (highways and the aviation system) are subsidized, and the result is a skeletal network of small and somewhat unreliable passenger trains across the country.

It is theoretically possible for a passenger train to use any railroad track in the country that a freight train can use. The problem (besides money to run an unprofitable service) is usually one (or several) of:

-track capacity (too many freight trains, not enough room for a passenger train to run without being severely delayed)

-track condition (a freight car won't complain about a rough ride, but a passenger will)

-track speed (the trip might take too long if a passenger train ran on the route)

-other factors
 
I just spent last week on O330 in room 9 and 0431 in room 2. I hope I didn't leave either one in bad shape.

Enjoy your trip.
 
Regarding fuel - does anyone know if the railroads have considered biodiesel? I was on an excursion train that used B20. The engineer indicated that he did not notice any difference in performance and there were no significant maintence differences. From my vantage point on the open flat car - it smelled la bit like you were following a load of freshly cooked french fries. I also read where some auto manufacturers were pretty quick to NOT recommend using biodiiesel in their engines. So - the debate apparently continues.

Deimos
 
deimos said:
Regarding fuel - does anyone know if the railroads have considered biodiesel? I was on an excursion train that used B20. The engineer indicated that he did not notice any difference in performance and there were no significant maintence differences. From my vantage point on the open flat car - it smelled la bit like you were following a load of freshly cooked french fries. I also read where some auto manufacturers were pretty quick to NOT recommend using biodiiesel in their engines. So - the debate apparently continues.
Deimos
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deimos, the issue with biodiesel in railroad use has to do with the fact biodiesel tends to jell at warmer temperatures than petro-diesel.

Your excursion train (I'm guessing it ran in warmer weather) could use B-20 without much fuss. OTOH, an Amtrak locomotive than ran from New Orleans to Chicago, and then got sent off to Seattle, would run into cold weather extremes -- say through North Dakota -- that could cause the biodiesel to jell, if there aren't additives or sufficient petro-diesel to thin it out.

No wonder the PRR tested the GG-1 design for two years before building them in quantity!

Getting back to sleepers and their position on the consist, some trains have them at the locomotive end of the train going say, eastbound, and at the very end of the train going say, westbound. Someone's already covered, that, though, for your particular train.
 
Sam

Thanks for the info re: Biodiesel. I was not aware of the gel factor, but I can definitely relate to operating diesel engines in cold weather. The excursion train ran out of Santa Fe, NM - a warm climate:)

All

To get back into the other thread topic - thanks for the info on train consist configurations. I feel like I will be a more informed passenger when I take my first sleeper trip in a few weeks.

Deimos
 
rile42 said:
I just spent last week on O330 in room 9 and 0431 in room 2. I hope I didn't leave either one in bad shape.Enjoy your trip.
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We won't be in the same room, but I am looking forward to the trip. What do you recommend to eat? It seems that meals are quite the focus on trains.
 
B20 or Biodiesel biggest problem is it will kick lose the slug and grime in an fuel trank. Some trucks in MN required several changes of fuel filters when MN start to require Biodiesel to be sold. The issue of fuel gel up, has not been an problem. An diesel engine (general statement) pumps more fuel it need thur the filter and thur an fuel heater, (diesel flash point is like 80`F) with some of the fuel going to the engine, most of the fuel return to the tanks. Fuel is allways moving in an running engine so it hard to gel up. It does happen though.

End of diesel 101. :D Now back to Amtrak Issues.
 
[We won't be in the same room, but I am looking forward to the trip. What do you recommend to eat? It seems that meals are quite the focus on trains. ]

It depends on your tastes. Many rave about the French toast for breakfast. I usually eat the steak for dinner. Some of the people I dined with had the salmon but said it wasn't as tasty as they expected.

Enjoy your trip.
 
Not sure if this got covered....but remember....When you are in the diner, unless you are in a party of four, you will very likely be seated with strangers.

Do not be afraid!

It can be great fun. Sometimes you will strike up a conversation with very interesting people. Yeah, sometimes, they will be duds....but it can be fun. Part of the over-all train experience.

If you do not wish to say much, that is ok also.

Most interesting person I ever met? An elderly frumpy old lady from Mississippi who was----get this-----a retired spy for the U. S. government. Who would ever suspect!!

She was traveling with an actress whose name I did not know. All across the table from me at dinner.
 
My wife and I have met people in the diner as we shared a meal that we still communicate with today, months after the trip.
 
MrFSS said:
My wife and I have met people in the diner as we shared a meal that we still communicate with today, months after the trip.
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I enjoyed your photos! My mother decided she is going to join me for the trip back.
 
Bill Haithcoat said:
Not sure if this got covered....but remember....When you are in the diner, unless you are in a party of four, you will very likely be seated with strangers.
Do not be afraid!

It can be great fun. Sometimes you will strike up a conversation with very interesting people. Yeah, sometimes, they will be duds....but it can be fun. Part of the over-all train experience.

If you do not wish to say much, that is ok also.

Most interesting person I ever met? An elderly frumpy old lady from Mississippi who was----get this-----a retired spy for the U. S. government. Who would ever suspect!!

She was traveling with an actress whose name I did not know. All across the table from me at dinner.
Click to expand...
I like to talk and socialize, so this is for me!!! Thats the nice thing about seniors, they always have a interesting history to talk about.
 
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