For GBN

3-4 are again dropping a coach nightly at Kansas City, and picking it up enroute Chicago the next morning.

Colonel, I "didn't make it down" today, but with the Bagg placed on the rear of the consist as has been the case since "the Restoration", they will now have to "drill" the consist at KCY.

Considering how loathe Amtrak is to add or cut cars enroute, a "drill" just seems "unfathomable".

Now, naturally, if they have decided to place the Bagg "back on the head" where it previously was, and in the process giving the "Private Room" passengers 85ft additional distance between them and the "KSLA Symphony Orchestra", fine!

Observed:

#4(3) normal consist Bagg rear. Only addition a PV former PRR Slpr-Obs named "Frank.Thompson" - a made up name, as no such named car is listed either at Official Register or Wayner.

Did not observe:

#3(5); #5(5) #5 reported NPV 80ML #3 20ML. Again #3 dispatched on #5's markers.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sat Sep 04, 2021 4:01 pm Colonel, I "didn't make it down" today, but with the Bagg placed on the rear of the consist as has been the case since "the Restoration", they will now have to "drill" the consist at KCY.

Considering how loathe Amtrak is to add or cut cars enroute, a "drill" just seems "unfathomable".

Now, naturally, if they have decided to place the Bagg "back on the head" where it previously was, and in the process giving the "Private Room" passengers 85ft additional distance between them and the "KSLA Symphony Orchestra", fine!

Just for my understanding.

Assuming the Bagg was in the back of the consist (assuming front via the direction of travel, IE engine), adding a coach would require attaching an engine, yanking the Bagg off, going back in to grab the coach, go back out again, come back in, attach, detach engine, brake test, go. 8 steps before departure. If the Bagg were behind the consist engine, it would be: prep engine/coach, back it in, attach, detach engine, brake test, go... 4 steps.

IE it would be quicker since you don't have to muck with the Bagg. Right?

The last 2 days that I saw #4 go bye the La Plata VR webcam they had on day 1 a horizon coach and PV car tacked on the back of the train behind the V bag. I assume the horizon coach was a deadhead move to Chicago or Beach Grove. Yesterday it was a Pennsy Obs. PV behind the V bag. I've also seen Surfliners tacked on the back.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Sun Sep 05, 2021 6:23 pm

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sat Sep 04, 2021 4:01 pm Considering how loathe Amtrak is to add or cut cars enroute, a "drill" just seems "unfathomable".

Just for my understanding; assuming the Bagg was in the back of the consist (assuming front via the direction of travel, IE engine), adding a coach would require attaching an engine, yanking the Bagg off, going back in to grab the coach, go back out again, come back in, attach, detach engine, brake test, go. 8 steps before departure. If the Bagg were behind the consist engine, it would be: prep engine/coach, back it in, attach, detach engine, brake test, go... 4 steps.

That's known as a "drill", Mr. Wolf - or at least back when "I did this stuff for a living".!!!

Nothing being picked up or dropped at Kansas City for revenue passenger service (e.g. Superliner coach) at this time.

Observed:

#4(4) There was an additional Coach in consist behind the "normal" and its rear Bagg.

If any passenger was assigned to such, they would not have access to F&B.

"More or less" OT.

#3(6) OT; the only addition to the normal consist was NP Sleeper Dome "Stampede Pass" ("made up" name) and UP 10-6 "Pacific Home".

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sun Sep 05, 2021 3:47 pm Observed:

#4(3) normal consist Bagg rear. Only addition a PV former PRR Slpr-Obs named "Frank.Thompson" - a made up name, as no such named car is listed either at Official Register or Wayner.

Time to re-check your references, Mr. Norman.

The car name is FRANK THOMSON without the letter P.

Pullman Standard class of 1949 as PRR 8423 FRANK THOMSON. Named after the sixth President of PRR. Same floor plan as MOUNTAIN VIEW and TOWER VIEW.

The question is now answered as to why Train Status has no report for #6(25):

https://who13.com/news/amtrak-train-hit ... wednesday/

Mr. Deasy, I did review Wayner and agree PRR 8423 is. as you note, named Frank Thomson. The car's configuration is reported as 2DR. 2CP, 1BR.

Of interest, the car's intended name was Conemaugh Narrows, but then someone decided to "deify our Great Leaders" hence the rename.

I never rode in any of those six cars, but I did observe on occasion "Great Leader" Samuel Rea "pinch hitting" for a "-- View" on the Broadway.

Anyone: was this one of the cars renamed for renowned Pittsburghers for operation in Trains 60/61 (overnight New York-Pittsburgh, with a westbound stop at East Pittsburgh to discharge passengers for Westinghouse)? I don't remember when that was done, maybe immediately post-WWII? (Don't know what need there was for an obs during those hours, but maybe for the prestige?

It would appear that one of the assignments for these "deity" cars was the Wash-Chi Liberty Limited, or so reports American Rails.

Another assignment was NY-StL "Spirit of St Louis". I once saw a 1956 or thereabouts TV show on an NBC series "Wide, Wide World" titled "Flagstop at Malta Bend". This show dramatized and glamorized railroads. One of the segments showed a live departure of the "Spirit" from NY Penn Station and one of these cars was on the rear.

Finally, from the "clip", one can see TV was "a mite bit" more primitive back then than it is today.