#5 Blow Out

[Amfleet]

Just saw something interesting over at Trainorders.com. Apparently 11 windows blew out from a tree being blown onto the train because of heavy winds. 1 injury was being reported.

 

[Viewliner]

Just saw something interesting over at Trainorders.com. Apparently 11 windows blew out from a tree being blown onto the train because of heavy winds. 1 injury was being reported.

Sorry to hear, at least there are no fatalities. Any idea which car(s) it hit?

On another note: are you a member at train orders?

 

[Amfleet]

From what it sounds like the tree fell onto the train and scaped along the side breaking a few windows in every car. Which cars, I don't know. Yes, I'm a memeber at Trainorders (username "Amfleet"). You can still read posts without paying, you just can't reply, view photos, or use the other site features. Join up fee is $7.

 

[tp49]

Also reported on trainorders (but not by me) when I got off 534 today I thought 5 was on the other track at the Sacramento depot. As I walked along I noticed the Pacific Parlor car and realized what I was seeing was actually 11 running over 9 hours late as it is scheduled in at 6:30 AM and it was 3:45 PM when I got off the train.

 

[WoodenMike]

As I walked along I noticed the Pacific Parlor car and realized what I was seeing was actually 11 running over 9 hours late as it is scheduled in at 6:30 AM and it was 3:45 PM when I got off the train.

The Coast StarBlight, what a stinkin' JOKE.

LMAO!!!

 

[Superliner Diner]

As I walked along I noticed the Pacific Parlor car and realized what I was seeing was actually 11 running over 9 hours late as it is scheduled in at 6:30 AM and it was 3:45 PM when I got off the train.

The Coast StarBlight, what a stinkin' JOKE.

LMAO!!!

What apparently happened to the Coast Starlight was not the fault of Amtrak or its host railroads in this case --- just an unfortunate act of nature. I don't think it's a joke, and it certainly had to be scary for those on board with all the windows breaking as the train passed the down tree. Somebody could have been injured seriously by flying glass.

From an equipment point of view, Amtrak sorely needs to lose any more Superliners. While broken windows is relatively minor damage, those cars will still have to be out of service until the windows are repaired. This is not an open-air tourist train we are talking about, and it operates into cold and rainy climates on its long journey.

As for the delay, obviously the train would not continue onward as if nothing had happened following an incident like this.

So, this is no joke, and I am not LMAO.

 

[WoodenMike]

Sorry you read that into my post.

Anything that may be harmful to passengers is no laughing matter, and I was commenting on the train, not the incident.

I stand by my comment that the Coast StarBlight is a joke of a train.

For all the hype and money thrown it's way, it was one, or since I travled north and south on it, TWO of the most unpleasant passenger experiences I've ever had, which I went into detail a bit more on other threads.

It's great in the sleepers, but hell in the coaches.

 

[Superliner Diner]

I stand by my comment that the Coast StarBlight is a joke of a train.For all the hype and money thrown it's way, it was one, or since I travled north and south on it, TWO of the most unpleasant passenger experiences I've ever had, which I went into detail a bit more on other threads.

It's great in the sleepers, but hell in the coaches.

That is your opinion, but for the sake of those newcomers who have never ridden a train before, I know many people who have had a positive experience on the Coast Starlight, and in fact call this train one of the best, if not THE best, in Amtrak's system.

When there were Special Business Units (SBU), and Gil Mallery was the head of the Amtrak West SBU, he made the Coast Starlight his project, his gem. This was the only long distance train within his jurisdiction (the others fell under Amtrak Intercity), and the amenities he put into it showed that he cared. Morale was high among the crew members because their boss (Mallery) wanted this train to succeed. So successful was Mallery that when David Gunn came to Amtrak and abolished the SBU's, he made sure he took Mallery by his side so that he could continue to work his magic, albeit from Washington instead of Oakland.

The Coast Starlight has, especially in recent years, suffered the same way as other long distance trains have --- in terms of the host freight railroads not handling the train properly. BNSF does a pretty good job with it in its territory on the northern part of the route, but Union Pacific has shown it does not care about passenger trains. I understand however that recently, timekeeping on Amtrak routes over the UP has improved. Many have reported remarkable timekeeping on the Sunset Limited, and I am sure this will eventually spread to other trains once the railroads get their act together.

I think you should ride the train again, and then ride the train yet again. I once rode the Starlight from Tacoma to Portland, and enjoyed the ride and scenery. I can't wait to get out to California some day and ride more of that route. Gunn seems to be working with the freight railroads on the timekeeping issue. Remember that the true "joke" is the freight railroads - they have the last laugh when they put a 10 mph freight train in front of a passenger train capable of 79 mph.

As a railfan one must be truthful about what he experiences when he rides the train himself . At the same time we don't want to drive away potential customers. Amtrak needs those bodies in its seats, and first-timers should not be convinced not to ride the train because of one person's unfortunate experiences with delayed trains --- which were the fault not of Amtrak but the railroad on which it has to run.

 

[tp49]

I should probably clarify something, the Coast Starlight ran into signal problems due to the series of storms in the Pacific over the weekend and their crew died on the law which caused the delay on 11.

The California Zephyr #5 had the run in with the tree in the Sierra. I commented as I did because 5 is usually due in Sacramento around 4PM so when I saw some Superliners on the next track that's what I thought it was. However, I was rather surprised to see it was actually 11. I don;t know when 5 arrived in Sac. I'm sure the folks at the Oakland coach yard had their hands full last night.

 

[WoodenMike]

Amtrak needs those bodies in its seats, and first-timers should not be convinced not to ride the train because of one person's unfortunate experiences --- which were the fault not of Amtrak but the railroad on which it has to run.

Bull.

None of my complaints had ANYTHING to do with the railroad on which the CS traveled. I have no idea where you fabricated that fantasy from!

Not the fault of Amtrak, granted, but IF you had read my other post, many of my, and other coach passengers discomforts were a direct result of a few Amtrak employees.

And, I also made sure to include praise of those Amtrak employees who DID do a great job.

Turning off the lights in the coach at night is a no-brainer, yet it is a common complaint I heard from people who have ridden the CS more often than I.

Sure, I would recommend it to first timers, but you damn well better be able to afford the sleepers if you don't want to face to possibility of a very unpleasant experience.

From the sound of your post, it seems you may be an Amtrak employee, Hmmmmmmm?

I want to see Amtrak succeed as much as anyone, and ridding the system of poor employees is a good place to start.

I said nothing about the trains on-time performance, which does depend on many factors, like the freight that lost air in front of us, totally out of Amtrak's control. I place no blame on Amtrak for tardiness.

That's NOT my complaint.

My complaint is the way the train is hyped to be so great, when actually, the California Zephyr is a far better experience.

After 30+ trips on the Zephyr in the past few years, I never had such a bad experience as on the CS, both north and southbound in the coaches.

I'm well known to MANY Amtrak employees as a staunch supporter of their underappriciated work, and someone who tips well to reward them for their good service, time after time after time.

As a former Dining Car waiter (behind STEAM), who travels extensivly by train, and who comes from a partial railroad family background, I am fully qualified to judge between good and bad service.

The service I experienced on the Coast Starlight coaches was AWFUL.

I'm DRIVING to Seattle next time.

The California Zephyr is the BEST train on Amtrak, in my opinion.

 

[Anthony]

Let's not forget that a person's opinion of a train is just that - an opinion, and a very subjective one at that. I've ridden the Zephyr twice and found it to be the very WORST train as far as service, food quality, and state of repair. The Coast Starlight was the first route I ever traveled, and I still find it to be the best one - after all of the routes I've been on.

Let's try not to be provocative, but rather respectful of each person's opinion.

 

[Amfleet]

I had an excellent trip on the Capitol Limted back in July, but AlanB just got back from his trip and the Capitol Limited and ran into a poor service. You can not make an assuption on one trip. This is one reason many anti Amtrak people are the way they are. They either took one trip and said, "Do away with it" without even experiencing other routes or have not even stepped foot onto a train (WM I'm not saying your not an Amtrak supporter).

 

[Viewliner]

I honestly can't say, as I'm restricted to one route mainly. The Metroliner was very nice. The Silver Meteor is okay crew wise, as not every dining crew is the best. The Silver Star is 1/1 for me.

 

[tp49]

Read on another board that a possible cause of 5's broken windows was snow removal equipment clearing the tracks and not a tree.

 

[tp49]

I've only really ridden two lines where I could comment about the service, the Capitol Corridor and the Adirondack. The service on the corridor is about what you would expect with generally friendly crews. However, I did experience a surly conductor on the SB Adirondack when I was on it over the summer (maybe it was her Monday or something). The NB crew was pretty good. I think the service really is dependant upon the crew not the particular route.

 

[AlanB]

I think the service really is dependant upon the crew not the particular route.

That's it in a nutshell TP49, everything comes back to the crews. They make or break every experience on Amtrak, and in fact anywhere you go in the world. It's the people who can make the difference. Amtrak just like any company in the world has good and bad employees. Plus I suspect that each route has some good crews and some bad crews.

 

[Viewliner]

I think the service really is dependant upon the crew not the particular route.

That's it in a nutshell TP49, everything comes back to the crews. They make or break every experience on Amtrak, and in fact anywhere you go in the world. It's the people who can make the difference. Amtrak just like any company in the world has good and bad employees. Plus I suspect that each route has some good crews and some bad crews.

Well Said Alan!!! B)

 

[WoodenMike]

I agree also.