Amtrak California Equipment on the Move South

[TinCan782]

Presumably to beef up the Pacific Surfliner capability in view of the US Highway 101 closure in the Montecito area, today's southbound Coast Starlight is running with three extra locomotives and eight extra cars (Amtrak California) which were added in Oakland earlier today. A total of 5 engines and 18 cars headed south.

For those that can access Facebook, here is a video posted by Brian Bergtold in the Amtrak West Facebook group.

https://www.facebook.com/brian.bergtold/videos/10213602335405389/

 

[Agent]

Here's a video of this train by ThePinkController:

 

[chakk]

The Managing Director of the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Agency sent out an email this evening announcing the transfer. Sounds to me like one complete spare trainset, plus one coach from each of two other trainsets, are being sent south. The loan is expected to last through January 21.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[gswager]

I'm curious on why they're sending a spare set to the south?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I'm curious on why they're sending a spare set to the south?

Because of the mudslide and 101 being closed, more people are taking the trains and the current trains are over capacity.

 

[PaulM]

I'm curious on why they're sending a spare set to the south?

They must be giving away something free every time a southbound Surfliner approaches Santa Barbara.

 

[hmy1]

Until the 101 is reopened, the Surfliner is pretty much the only reasonable way to get between Santa Barbara and Ventura. My northbound train yesterday was almost standing room only when I got off a few stops past LAX. I was told that by the time it got to Oxnard and Ventura, it was so full that they had to leave a couple *hundred* people on the platform unable to board.

The additional cars and locomotives went into service today. They added two or three cars and a locomotive to each train at Union Station and take them off going south. I think it helped a lot as my southbound train tonight was crowded but not bad.

I think it's cool that somebody thought to loan the California cars to the Surfliner, and that they were able to actually make it happen. Thanks!

 

[roadman3313]

The Managing Director of the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Agency sent out an email this evening announcing the transfer. Sounds to me like one complete spare trainset, plus one coach from each of two other trainsets, are being sent south. The loan is expected to last through January 21.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

Here is that message from Capitol Corridor Managing Director David Kutrosky:

Message to Riders

To sum it up he authorized the transfer of Three locomotives and Eight Train Cars from the Northern California Intercity Passenger Rail Fleet (CCJPA controls assignment of those cars - majority state owned, some leased from Amtrak) to the Pacific Surfliner on an Emergency basis to assist while Highway 101 remains closed in the Santa Barbara and Ventura County Area. As a result he states that two of the train sets used in the regular weekday Capitol Corridor rotation will be one car shorter. He concludes by asking for patience and stating that in times like these communities need to come together to help each other out.

I thought the message itself was fairly well written, sincere, and he was very straight forward about the potential affect it may have for the regular Capitol Corridor riders. I'm glad the cars were delivered and able to be pressed into service so quickly. Thanks chakk for originally bringing this message up. Seeing those photos they certainly will be put to good use!

 

[Thirdrail7]

It would be nice if some of this ridership is retained after the highway reopens.

 

[rspenmoll]

I have a bunch of questions about options that Amtrak has for dealing with this situation.

1. Is there any possibility of Amtrak borrowing additional spare cars from the various commuter rail agencies in California (particularly Metrolink seeing as Amtrak actually operates that service)?

2. Are there any spare Superliners at Los Angeles that could be pressed into service?

3. Looking at the timetable, 565 and 567 appear to lay overnight in Los Angeles to become trains 562 and 564. Could these four trains have their runs extended to serve Santa Barbara without disrupting the schedule?

4. Are there any other trains I've missed that could be extended north to/from Santa Barbara without disrupting the schedule?

5. Could Metrolink use equipment that is otherwise idle during the off peak period to run additional midday trains to Santa Barbara?

6. Seeing as there is no road access into the town at all, could a temporary stop be added at some crossing in Montecito?

 

[TinCan782]

I have a bunch of questions about options that Amtrak has for dealing with this situation.

1. Is there any possibility of Amtrak borrowing additional spare cars from the various commuter rail agencies in California (particularly Metrolink seeing as Amtrak actually operates that service)?

2. Are there any spare Superliners at Los Angeles that could be pressed into service?

3. Looking at the timetable, 565 and 567 appear to lay overnight in Los Angeles to become trains 562 and 564. Could these four trains have their runs extended to serve Santa Barbara without disrupting the schedule?

4. Are there any other trains I've missed that could be extended north to/from Santa Barbara without disrupting the schedule?

5. Could Metrolink use equipment that is otherwise idle during the off peak period to run additional midday trains to Santa Barbara?

6. Seeing as there is no road access into the town at all, could a temporary stop be added at some crossing in Montecito?

1) Three locomotives and 8 cars were sent down from Oakland as shown in the video linked in my original post. As far as equipment from Metrolink goes, that is up to the Southern California Regional Rail Authority - Amtrak is only the contractor for providing operating crews.

2) "Spare" Superliners in LA.? Don't know but I'd guess probably not (which is why equipment was sent down from up north in the first place). BTW, I you look at the press release from the Capitol Corridor Managing Director (posted above), the equipment loan will have an effect on the regular trains up there (more crowded) for which he is asking for understanding.

5) Metrolink's off-peak period is probably only 4-6 hours mid day...not much time to send a trainset north to Santa Barbara and back.

The extra equipment was added to existing trains to add capacity, not to create additional trains as I understand the situation.

As far a adding more trains, keep in mind that this territory is Union Pacific and they would need to be persuaded to allow extra trains, even one or two.

 

[rspenmoll]

I have a bunch of questions about options that Amtrak has for dealing with this situation.

1. Is there any possibility of Amtrak borrowing additional spare cars from the various commuter rail agencies in California (particularly Metrolink seeing as Amtrak actually operates that service)?

2. Are there any spare Superliners at Los Angeles that could be pressed into service?

3. Looking at the timetable, 565 and 567 appear to lay overnight in Los Angeles to become trains 562 and 564. Could these four trains have their runs extended to serve Santa Barbara without disrupting the schedule?

4. Are there any other trains I've missed that could be extended north to/from Santa Barbara without disrupting the schedule?

5. Could Metrolink use equipment that is otherwise idle during the off peak period to run additional midday trains to Santa Barbara?

6. Seeing as there is no road access into the town at all, could a temporary stop be added at some crossing in Montecito?

1) Three locomotives and 8 cars were sent down from Oakland as shown in the video linked in my original post. As far as equipment from Metrolink goes, that is up to the Southern California Regional Rail Authority - Amtrak is only the contractor for providing operating crews.

2) "Spare" Superliners in LA.? Don't know but I'd guess probably not (which is why equipment was sent down from up north in the first place). BTW, I you look at the press release from the Capitol Corridor Managing Director (posted above), the equipment loan will have an effect on the regular trains up there (more crowded) for which he is asking for understanding.

5) Metrolink's off-peak period is probably only 4-6 hours mid day...not much time to send a trainset north to Santa Barbara and back.

The extra equipment was added to existing trains to add capacity, not to create additional trains as I understand the situation.

As far a adding more trains, keep in mind that this territory is Union Pacific and they would need to be persuaded to allow extra trains, even one or two.

Thanks . In hindsight, It probably would have been better for me to sleep on it before making a post. I tend to start asking silly questions with obvious answers, like the superliner question, when I'm tired.

 

[Agent]

Here's a video by MrUp8444 showing Amtrak #763 running with Amtrak California cars and CDTX 2052.

 

[Train2104]

With the trains so crowded, how were tickets collected? Or was it a free ride? As an unreserved train you can't just go into the app and force lift.