Return of Daily LD Service

The CA Zephyr and SWC are NOT operating with THREE sleepers, but rather TWO Full Superliner Sleepers and then a Superliner Trans-Dorm Sleeper. Only 8 roomettes are sold in the Superliner Trans-Dorm Sleeper WEST of the Mississippi. Capitol Limited sells at least 12 roomettes if it has a Superliner Trans-Dorm Sleeper instead of a SECOND full Superliner Sleeper (as it should!). Just point of clarification. Regardless, they are running FULL!

Capitol Ltd in now down to 1 sleeper, 1 diner, 2 coaches.

dgvrengineer wrote: ↑Wed Oct 06, 2021 6:18 pm Capitol Ltd in now down to 1 sleeper, 1 diner, 2 coaches.

I am not surprised if this is the post-October consist for the Capitol Limited........ Amtrak just doesn’t learn. They did that exact consist when going to tri-weekly and in addition to people being assigned to a sleeper that didn’t exist, Amtrak did finally add a Superliner Trans-Dorm Sleeper to help with demand - selling rooms 17-24 and rooms 1 through 6. Was aboard in roomette 4 of the Superliner Trans/Dorm Sleeper in second week of operation. First time I heard roomettes being for sale “on the other side” - rooms 1 - 6, but they were!

As much as Amtrak tried to operate with just ONE regular Superliner Sleeper, more often than not, Amtrak added either a full Superliner Sleeper or a Superliner Trans-Dorm Sleeper to the consist. The onboard staff was so reduced, they could get away with just selling roomettes in the Dorm/Sleeper. Demand continued to outweigh the capacity, even for coach. Every trip it was the same announcement about coach passengers being squeezed in cause the train was running a sold-out consist.

Headquarters still wanted this train to be one loco, one Superliner Sleeper, on Superliner Cross Country Cafe (single source of food and beverage service), one Superliner Coach/Baggage, one Superliner Coach. Only ONE LSA in the CCC. They wanted that consist reduced and squashed. Finally achieved was taking the Sightseer Lounge OFF altogether. Boardman wrote about it but never carried it out. Anderson axed it, just like Gardner took care of the Texas Eagle’s. But it proved challenging on the sleeper section and often a regular sleeper or a trans/dorm sleeper was added. Never have I ever heard the horn of a train so much while onboard. My May trip on this train was the WORST.

dgvrengineer wrote: ↑Wed Oct 06, 2021 6:18 pmCapitol Ltd in now down to 1 sleeper, 1 diner, 2 coaches.

30(6) is one engine five cars. Looks like two sleepers, diner, coach/bag, coach (Engine 71).
Eleven passengers CHI to EKH ... no passengers boarded at EKH.

justalurker66 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 07, 2021 1:50 am

dgvrengineer wrote: ↑Wed Oct 06, 2021 6:18 pmCapitol Ltd in now down to 1 sleeper, 1 diner, 2 coaches.

30(6) is one engine five cars. Looks like two sleepers, diner, coach/bag, coach (Engine 71).
Eleven passengers CHI to EKH ... no passengers boarded at EKH.

Yeah, they must have had to BO one sleeper the day before.

Observed #3(1) today.

Either a 370XX Diner-Lounge or a 380XX Diner was in consist as the Lounge in place of a Sightseer.

I guess the loss of one such 330xx car at Joplin, possibly forever, has to show up somewhere in a consist.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 4:04 pm Observed #3(1) today.

Either a 370XX Diner-Lounge or a 380XX Diner was in consist as the Lounge in place of a Sightseer.

I guess the loss of one such 330xx car at Joplin, possibly forever, has to show up somewhere in a consist.

I think Amtrak could still find a Sightseer Lounge IF it really wanted to. Granted, I am sure "something" came up in Chicago Yard to warrant the substitution you saw! But even after Joplin, there were a few Sightseer Lounge Cars in the Chicago Yard paired up to some random single level and bilevel cars when I passed through via the Capitol Limited and Lake Shore after coming off the Empire Builder. Perhaps they need periodic maintenance - but there. The Auto Train also has at least two Sightseer Lounge cars hanging out in either Lorton, Sanford, or in consist. As I think you have often said - seen one pine tree, you've seen them all! Really no need for a Sightseer Lounge Car in the overnight Auto Train consist. A 37000 series car would sub perfectly if needed. Capitol Limited and Texas Eagle consists don't have Sightseer Lounge cars. Spotted on Pacific Surfliner train sets - enhancing Business Class - Sightseer Lounge car(s). And they were not subbing for revenue seating in any way. Perhaps some re-positioning or re-prioritizing of equipment is in order? Bring substitutes back to Chicago and not in LA or Atlantic Coast???

Are those #330XX Sightseers still in the Auto Train pool, Mr. JP?

Now that only two of the #3350X are needed to fill consists with the addition of #370XX "Cross Country" for Coach F&B, you'd think that any #330XX in the AT pool could be safely released for service elsewhere - such as to see sights beyond those beholden to arborists.

"That was a Pitch; not a Loblolly".

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 7:54 am Are those #330XX Sightseers still in the Auto Train pool, Mr. JP?

Now that only two of the #3350X are needed to fill consists with the addition of #370XX "Cross Country" for Coach F&B, you'd think that any #330XX in the AT pool could be safely released for service elsewhere - such as to see sights beyond those beholden to arborists.

"That was a Pitch; not a Loblolly".

LOL! Exactly!

Yes, Auto Train still has BOTH types of the lounge cars at their disposal, or within their pool. Less active in the rolling consists, but in the yards at Sanford OR Lorton active and ready for duty according to source. Again, perhaps a re-prioritizing of what needs to be where is in order???

Sure like to know where the massive Holiday traffic surge is.

Well, tell you where it ain't.

Observed #3(20) and #5(20) today; both their "normal" consists - six and eight cars respectively.

When punching in stuff. It does appear the Zephyr is sold out as the consist is most of the week (completely sold out in a couple instances and a couple days the accessible bedroom is the only opening and one day a single roomette is available.) whether the demand justified another sleeper or coach or whether the better revenue management/cost reduction strategy is selling out and collecting those higher bucket fares I won’t make a conclusion on. I am sure that could inspire a debate on this thread.

The only train I have heard where they have been recently adding Superliner peak capacity is the Auto train which I think I heard is running with 9 sleepers right now which I guess is the historic max. If one looks at the monthly performance reports one can probably see why the AT is the priority for equipment. One interesting note Amtrak mentioned about the ALC-42s was that they were designed to provide more HEP than the P42s so that the maximum number of Superliners on the AT could be increased so we could be seeing even longer Auto Trains in the future.

I think CSX limits Auto Train to a max of 50 cars, unless that has been renegotiated. I don't see where extra HEP would matter as they have maxed out 50 before Covid with the current locomotives.

The Ashland virtual railfans on Youtube always count the AT cars and have said the max is 50. Over Thanksgiving a few got close, maybe 47.

"Grand Slam".

All "normal" consists. Xmas surge? Huh?

Only #4(19) 30 ML others OT.

Mr. Lord could easily have a point in his immediate.

We need to start worrying about daily service. Maybe no service on some routes. One of my airline friends say the reserve ranks are becoming thin to none on certain equipment types. Drafting (forced assignment instead of bid trip) is become more often but not rampant yet.