Southwest Chief Running Only Two Coaches

[printman2000]

Has been reported on a mailing list by a station agent that for over a week the Southwest Chief has had only two coaches. It normally has at least three year round and USUALLY has a fourth during the summer. However, it never got it's fourth coach this past summer.

Anyone know anything about what is going on?

 

[Steve4031]

Possibly an equipment shortage due to a derailment or maintainance.

 

[VentureForth]

Tomorrow there are seats available in Coach but not today or Friday. I don't know what the issue would be.

 

[Trogdor]

The Chief has run with two coaches plenty of times in the past.

 

[printman2000]

The Chief has run with two coaches plenty of times in the past.

Care to share more info? When? Regular operation or just here and there?

I have been riding this train for the past five years and have never seen it down to two coaches.

 

[Trogdor]

I haven't kept track of specifics, but I have seen (and ridden) the train with two coaches during off peak many times over the last few years.

 

[greatcats]

To my observation here in Flagstaff, it normally has two coaches, with three at peak times. I do not recall ever seeing four, although this may well ahve happened.

 

[printman2000]

To my observation here in Flagstaff, it normally has two coaches, with three at peak times. I do not recall ever seeing four, although this may well ahve happened.

I am sure variations happen due to equipment failures, but the SWC usually runs a minimum of 3 coaches. A fourth is added a peak times.

If you want to see evidence, just go look at

. He has almost daily recordings of the SWC.

 

[VentureForth]

It's a real shame if they are only running two coaches and selling out.

 

[TimePeace]

Right now there are two coaches (about half to two thirds full) AMD, get this, a Pacific Surfliner with all its seats removed at the back end. If f I can figure out how to upload a photo I will.

 

[TimePeace]

This is a on Wed, just leaving CHI by the way

 

[printman2000]

Right now there are two coaches (about half to two thirds full) AMD, get this, a Pacific Surfliner with all its seats removed at the back end. If f I can figure out how to upload a photo I will.

Yeah, they use the SWC to ferry those cars to Chicago for delivery to Beech Grove. I have been on the SWC with one of those on the rear in the same condition.

 

[Guestlsa]

It's only runs 2 coaches during the winter and 3 in summer, that's why you only see 1 coach attendant,1 SA and 1chef. Usually the demand is not that high in winter.

 

[TimePeace]

Right now there are two coaches (about half to two thirds full) AMD, get this, a Pacific Surfliner with all its seats removed at the back end. If f I can figure out how to upload a photo I will.

Yeah, they use the SWC to ferry those cars to Chicago for delivery to Beech Grove. I have been on the SWC with one of those on the rear in the same condition.

Yeah this one is headed back West and looks pretty glossy. .. I guess they re - install the seats back out west

 

[printman2000]

It's only runs 2 coaches during the winter and 3 in summer, that's why you only see 1 coach attendant,1 SA and 1chef. Usually the demand is not that high in winter.

The videos (link provided above) prove that that is not true. There are plenty of winter trains with three coaches. And plenty of summer trains with four coaches (before this year).

 

[henryj]

You would think after 40 years that Amtrak sales and operating departments know when the slack and peak periods are and shuffle equipment accordingly.

 

[Nathanael]

Amtrak definitely allows train length to vary significantly these days (fixed consists are so over!) I've seen the number of coaches on a Lake Shore Limited vary from 1 Boston + 3 NY to 3 Boston + 6 NY.

So I wouldn't be surprised if Amtrak actually has planned variation from 2 coaches to 4 coaches for the SW Chief.

 

[VentureForth]

That's the ultimate in revenue management, but I would figure the cost to switch out the car would be greater than letting it hang on for the ride & prevent sold out conditions. However, could it be Amtrak's way of mitigating equipment shortages?

 

[printman2000]

Amtrak definitely allows train length to vary significantly these days (fixed consists are so over!) I've seen the number of coaches on a Lake Shore Limited vary from 1 Boston + 3 NY to 3 Boston + 6 NY.

So I wouldn't be surprised if Amtrak actually has planned variation from 2 coaches to 4 coaches for the SW Chief.

There are endless threads here about how great it would be if Amtrak would add and subtract cars when needed and how it is just not in their DNA and is also not a simple process. Hard to believe that has somehow changed for this train.

Especially since the train is being sold out.

 

[George Harris]

That's the ultimate in revenue management, but I would figure the cost to switch out the car would be greater than letting it hang on for the ride & prevent sold out conditions. However, could it be Amtrak's way of mitigating equipment shortages?

Unless I misunderstand, what is being talked about is different lengths end point to end point, not intermediate changes in length, so the issue of intermediate switching would not occur.

 

[PaulM]

There are endless threads here about how great it would be if Amtrak would add and subtract cars when needed and how it is just not in their DNA and is also not a simple process. Hard to believe that has somehow changed for this train.

Especially since the train is being sold out.

I read not long ago an article in Trains Magazine that claimed Amtrak was doing just that. I thought at the time that it sure went against AU conventional wisdom.

 

[AlanB]

There are endless threads here about how great it would be if Amtrak would add and subtract cars when needed and how it is just not in their DNA and is also not a simple process. Hard to believe that has somehow changed for this train.

Especially since the train is being sold out.

I read not long ago an article in Trains Magazine that claimed Amtrak was doing just that. I thought at the time that it sure went against AU conventional wisdom.

There is a difference between adding cars for peak periods and taking them off for slow periods vs. adding an extra car to a train just because next Tuesday's run to California is almost sold out. That's an example, I didn't actually go check. Amtrak won't just add a car because sales on one day are going through the roof.

But again, they do add cars around major holidays and during other peak periods.

 

[VentureForth]

That's the ultimate in revenue management, but I would figure the cost to switch out the car would be greater than letting it hang on for the ride & prevent sold out conditions. However, could it be Amtrak's way of mitigating equipment shortages?

Unless I misunderstand, what is being talked about is different lengths end point to end point, not intermediate changes in length, so the issue of intermediate switching would not occur.

I was talking end point switching, not midpoint.

 

[Blackwolf]

There is a difference between adding cars for peak periods and taking them off for slow periods vs. adding an extra car to a train just because next Tuesday's run to California is almost sold out. That's an example, I didn't actually go check. Amtrak won't just add a car because sales on one day are going through the roof.

But again, they do add cars around major holidays and during other peak periods.

If I understand right, they are able to push every car in their fleet into service by deferring maintenance and pushing inspection schedules around so as to not have any in the shop during the holiday pinch? I mean, I just got a call today from an Amtrak Customer Service rep saying that my reservation in January from Portland to Sacramento would be changed because the Coast Starlight will not have an 1131 car in the consist on January 13th; we've been moved to a different roomette on the 1130 car as a result. The reason that was given is that they will not have enough cars available.

If Amtrak were readily capable to do such a thing, and were actually operating a train's capacity based off of daily differences in ridership, then a lot of our troubles with Amtrak's system would likely not exist (IMHO.) To have spare cars just "sitting" around to be hitched up on short notice to a train because demand went to Jupiter would be awesome, and it would also mean that trains like the LSL could have as many as 10 Viewliner sleepers hitched into the consist because they continued to sell out of rooms at only nine sleepers.

In theory, it works absolutely perfect. But our Amtrak as it stands today can, and does, find itself in trouble with not having enough rolling stock to deal with a bad-ordered car sometimes. We have a very long way to go before trains will lengthen or shorten simply by short-term demand fluctuation.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

There are endless threads here about how great it would be if Amtrak would add and subtract cars when needed and how it is just not in their DNA and is also not a simple process. Hard to believe that has somehow changed for this train.

Especially since the train is being sold out.

I read not long ago an article in Trains Magazine that claimed Amtrak was doing just that. I thought at the time that it sure went against AU conventional wisdom.

There is a difference between adding cars for peak periods and taking them off for slow periods vs. adding an extra car to a train just because next Tuesday's run to California is almost sold out. That's an example, I didn't actually go check. Amtrak won't just add a car because sales on one day are going through the roof.

But again, they do add cars around major holidays and during other peak periods.

My question is what Amtrak would do with those cars when demand is low.