CoNO: All things City of New Orleans

[Ocala Mike]

Back home in Ocala after an 8 day trip to Salt Lake City and back. The CONO I rode had a P42, Trans. Sleeper, Diner, Sightseer Lounge, 2 Coaches, and a Sleeper bringing up the rear. On-time all the way, and I had both seats in the coach available all the way (good for sleeping), although the train was about 90% full by the time we made our reverse move into balmy (sixty-five degrees) and wet CHI (this was on Wed., 11/29).


Ocala Mike

[gumby5647]

Site Admin Note: At the suggestion of a member, I have merged several threads into a "master" thread for CoNO. Thanks for the suggestion, Arlington!

CoNO will be running a new configuration:

P42
Dorm
Sleeper
Coach
Diner
Lounge
Coach
Coach


Came up out of NO like that wednesday, Chicago sent it (22) back down to NO the old way Wed. night

[Gilbert B Norman]

While I'm hardly about to say your observation was faulty, Mr. Gumby, this must have been some kind of exigency. OK, let's assume that consist will make same day platform continuation to 21 at CUS, but the problem is when arriving at SAS, the through cars will have to be drilled out of the consist as well as having the 421 Sleeper ahead of the Coach when added to #1.

Or anyone, is there a factor I overlooketh?

[Tadman]

GB, are you mistaking the Tex Eagle for the City? I think the Tex Eagle swaps cars at San Antonion, while the City is not a lone-star visitor.

[gumby5647]

Well, I had heard rumors of this new consist a couple weeks before, but i held off posting about it. And then, sure enough, Wednesday morning, 58 pulls into CDL with the above config (sans the third coach at the rear). Lower level coach was between the sleeper and diner.....bag coach at the rear.

I'll tell you right now that the entire crew hates it with a passion.

I know know.....but when has this company ever done anything that made any cents.

[JoeG]

What's the reason for the change?

[jp1822]

Yes - that's also something I'd like to know - why the change? City of New Orleans shares equipment with the Texas Eagle, and as Mr Norman mentioned, the "lineup" doesn't make a lot of sense. Is the City of New Orleans still sharing equipment with the Texas Eagle?

[David Benton]

What did it used to be ?
and wouldnt a smaller consist make sense in winter ?

[jp1822]

Same number of cars - as has been typical with the City of New Orleans for a few years (I recall it used to run with 2 full Superliner sleepers at one time), but now the order of cars has changed - that's the issue. Compunding is that the consist change does not make for a good equipment rotation to the Texas Eagle - if this is still being done with the City of New Orleans equipment.

[AMTK1007]

The change was made on both the City and the Eagle so that the Sleeper (along with the through coach on 21/22) are next to the dorm car.. the reason for the move beyond that is unknown to me, but I have my suspecision.

I thought I had posted this earlier, but I guess not... My apoligies

[Paris06]

Doesn't 58-59 have a baggage car?

[Ocala Mike]

Short answer: no. At least 58 didn't when I rode it NOL-CHI on 11/28-29.


Ocala Mike

[AMTK1007]

58/59 & 21/22 are carded to use a Coach Baggage..

[Paris06]

What is a "coach baggage?"

[Gilbert B Norman]

Superliners in the 31XXX series with seating topside, but a Baggage compartment accessible from the platform 'down below". The cars were delivered with higher density seating, but have reportedly been reconfigured with the customary seat pitch found on the 34XXX Coaches.

Here is all you ever want to know about Superliners compiled by our Member Mr. Ainsworth:

http://www.trainweb.org/web_lurker/AmtrakSuperliner/