Corona virus impacts on Amtrak

[mtuandrew]

From the Amtrak Image Problem thread:

Image is the lowest of priorities now. We have to lobby congress to keep present Amtrak operating. The LD route demographics have many oldsters riding. That group is most likely to have fatal complications from Corona19, If the concern does not abate for older persons there will not be much traffic to support the LD route trains. However if a way to prevent Corona 19 many oldsters might want to get a last ride .?

Honestly, if the epidemiologists are correct (and I have no reason to doubt them) the responsible thing to do would be to suspend all National network service until at least May 1. Maybe even all service, period, and possibly until June 1. Amtrak now has the funding to pay for its crews to sit on the extra board well into the summer, as well as to perform a lot of preventative and rehabilitative maintenance on equipment and facilities. People will come to Amtrak - they can run an ad campaign if numbers are especially low - but as a Federal corporation Amtrak has a higher level of responsibility to stop the spread of the virus than most private businesses.

[John_Perkowski]

Following up on what Mr Norman wrote,

It’s been at least two weeks since 3 dropped off a coach at Kansas City Union Station.

[RRspatch]

Amtrak trains are starting to look like those short coach/sleeper/snack bar car trains of the late 60's.

At least they don't say "Penn Central" on the side.

Well there's always the possibility that an Amtrak train running over the NS could end up being pulled by NS 1073 should the single Amtrak unit break down ....

[David Benton]

In the worldwide "Corona" thread , we discuss the use of the TGV as ambulance trains in France.
http://www.railroad.net/viewtopic.php?f=149&t=171152
Anyone see a similar use for Amtrak's Viewliner / Superliner trains? Getting some patients out of central New York ???

Edit : not Superliners out of New York , Obviously!. Perhaps another center .

[mtuandrew]

In the worldwide "Corona" thread , we discuss the use of the TGV as ambulance trains in France.
http://www.railroad.net/viewtopic.php?f=149&t=171152
Anyone see a similar use for Amtrak's Viewliner / Superliner trains? Getting some patients out of central New York ???

Edit : not Superliners out of New York , Obviously!. Perhaps another center .

I’d asked a similar question up-thread re: hospital cars. Honestly, buses (city or coach) would be better options so not to contaminate whatever stations would be used by a train.

If you’re talking about a mass evacuation of the healthy, or if you really wanted to bring the early-stage ill or at-risk people away from the city to somewhere moderately close, commuter cars would serve well. I suspect they’re easier to sanitize than Superliners or Viewliners.

[wigwagfan]

I’d asked a similar question up-thread re: hospital cars. Honestly, buses (city or coach) would be better options so not to contaminate whatever stations would be used by a train.

I would hope that should the need arise for a mass evacuation hospital train, that a more suitable "station" be used. Assuming that patients would be loaded directly from train to ambulance or vice-versa, all you really need is a big paved area, so any intermodal ramp, harbor/dock track, a freight reload facility, would do...there's no reason to use an existing station.

[eolesen]

Probably not worth attempting to use trains for hospital moves when the military already has more than enough aeromedical capabilities.

Mass evacuation is another topic, but given the actual infection rate vs. hospitalization rates, it's probably not needed.

[Jeff Smith]

Amtrak trains are starting to look like those short coach/sleeper/snack bar car trains of the late 60's.

At least they don't say "Penn Central" on the side.

Oh no, you did not go there LOL.

Thanks to everyone for updating consist information.

I hope Amtrak is taking advantage of the relieved stress on the fleet to repair, upgrade, overhaul, etc., although I'm sure manning is an issue.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Observed:

#3 (2); 2 P-42, Sleeper, Diner, Lounge, Coach, Coach-Bagg - 5 cars.

How the Diner or Lounge survives; may just as well offer all food service from one car.

[NH2060]

At least they don't say "Penn Central" on the side.

Ironically the frequency of intercity rail service from NYP-BOS must have been higher under Penn Central than right now! As bad as things were from 1969-1971 I don’t think it ever got down to the current 5 round trip amount.

[Greg Moore]

This is how NYC is doing it to Albany NY:


From: https://www.timesunion.com/news/article ... 171318.php

No trains involved, despite how they could almost do door to door service. Far easier and safer to do it this way.

[wigwagfan]

Observed:

#3 (2); 2 P-42, Sleeper, Diner, Lounge, Coach, Coach-Bagg - 5 cars.

How the Diner or Lounge survives; may just as well offer all food service from one car.

The Coast Starlight is running a near identical consist, sometimes with a Coach-Baggage and sometimes with a baggage car. At least once it was running with just a sole P42 for power.

I would think the Lounge car would be an easy car to sideline. I'm actually surprised that Amtrak doesn't split the Starlight into two daytime trains, Seattle-either Sacramento or Oakland and that point-Los Angeles. Then you'd just need a couple coaches and a lounge and call it good.

[David Benton]

They could be using the diner / sleeper as a isolation between sleeper and coach. Then, in the event of a passenger been tested positive in either, they can eliminate the need to track and isolate 1/2 the trainload.

[mtuandrew]

wigwag: that’s a suggestion for post-pandemic Amtrak. We don’t even know whether Amtrak would have crews at the ready, and we do know that they would have to fight Union Pacific for a temporary timetable change. Also, the sleeper cars are available so it’s no loss to use one.

But like you suggest, there really ought to be a Coast Daylight within California, in addition to the Coast Starlight or as a pair to a new Shasta (?) through southern Oregon.

[wigwagfan]

wigwag: that’s a suggestion for post-pandemic Amtrak. We don’t even know whether Amtrak would have crews at the ready, and we do know that they would have to fight Union Pacific for a temporary timetable change. Also, the sleeper cars are available so it’s no loss to use one.

It would be an over 50% crew reduction, as no sleeping car attendants or a dining crew would be needed. Engineer, Conductor, and LSA for the Lounge.

Plus reduction of two cars would result in lower fuel consumption and only needing one engine. So your operating costs would plummet in order to protect the train. Seems like now would be the ideal time to do it in order to save the train, versus the empty train be fodder for an outright cancellation.