Amfleet on the California Zephyr

[Agent]

I saw an Amfleet coach on the California Zephyr #6 (13) today on its way to Chicago. I believe this is what is know as "deadheading." Also, does this have anything to do with the Reno Fun Train?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOe4G9jvQ0I

 

[Blackwolf]

Yup, dead-heading for sure. Where was it taken?

Might have been a car being used on the Fun Train that became bad-ordered, that would be my guess.

 

[Montanan]

I think the last Fun Train of the winter was a few days ago, so the car may have just been heading back east at the end of its assignment.

 

[Acela150]

If I had to take a guess on where it's deadheading from my guess is LAX. There is a single PS set that uses single levels and they swapped it out with a Horizon car or took away a car which is doubtful. But why it's on the CZ is a puzzle to me. Maybe they did some work on it in Oakland. But they could do something on it at Chicago then send it to Beech Grove and send it back to CHI and onward to WAS. Where it will be reunited with 125 MPH territory.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Why are they switching cars around to the Reno Fun Train? Does that train even earn money? Better off using it on regular trains, IMO.

 

[eagle628]

Why are they switching cars around to the Reno Fun Train? Does that train even earn money? Better off using it on regular trains, IMO.

Not an Amtrak operation, it's run by a seperate company (Key Holidays). See http://www.keyholidays.com/ft.html. Amtrak just provides (and charges for, presumably) the equipment. As the cars being better off used elsewhere, well, you might get your wish; according to the website, they don't expect to have equipment available to lease from Amtrak next year.

 

[Trogdor]

Why are they switching cars around to the Reno Fun Train? Does that train even earn money? Better off using it on regular trains, IMO.

What "regular trains" would you run them on that are capacity-limited in February and early March?

 

[railiner]

How many Amfleet cars are in use in California nowadays, and where?

I always felt that they were 'out of their natural element' there....

Ever since the original prototype Pennsy Metroliner, I always feel these cars are 'at home' running between New York and Washington...

 

[Agent]

Yup, dead-heading for sure. Where was it taken?

Agency, Iowa, just a few miles east of the station stop at Ottumwa, Iowa.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Yup, dead-heading for sure. Where was it taken?

Agency, Iowa, just a few miles east of the station stop at Ottumwa, Iowa.

Agent filmed it in Agency? Hmmmmm....

 

[Anderson]

Why are they switching cars around to the Reno Fun Train? Does that train even earn money? Better off using it on regular trains, IMO.

What "regular trains" would you run them on that are capacity-limited in February and early March?

The Regionals may be getting close enough to capacity that guaranteeing a set may not be possible. As it is, the NERs added over 1500 riders per day year over year in January, and are over 20,000 per day YTD (and over 18,000 for January). It's quite possible to see a surge in ridership swallowing that margin of safety pending the arrival of the bilevels.

Edit: Do remember that this isn't just running those Amfleets up to Montreal or to the Poconos...those cars are out of circulation for a month and change, which means that you can't just "pop" them into the Regional fleet during the week and then have them do a different duty on the weekend.

 

[X]

82720 was in the LA Surfliner pool before being sent to Oakland for Fun Train service. Not sure why it was sent east, as the rest of the ex-Fun Train equipment was dead headed down to LA yesterday.

 

[Acela150]

82720 was in the LA Surfliner pool before being sent to Oakland for Fun Train service. Not sure why it was sent east, as the rest of the ex-Fun Train equipment was dead headed down to LA yesterday.

Your not sure why it was sent east?? It's simple.. It's needed in the NEC.. :excl: :excl: :excl: :excl:

 

[jis]

82720 was in the LA Surfliner pool before being sent to Oakland for Fun Train service. Not sure why it was sent east, as the rest of the ex-Fun Train equipment was dead headed down to LA yesterday.

Possibly it is due for one of the more serious periodic maintenance outage, and is headed for the Amfleet maintenance base?

 

[Trogdor]

82720 was in the LA Surfliner pool before being sent to Oakland for Fun Train service. Not sure why it was sent east, as the rest of the ex-Fun Train equipment was dead headed down to LA yesterday.

Possibly it is due for one of the more serious periodic maintenance outage, and is headed for the Amfleet maintenance base?

This.