Amtrak Clocker Train Route.

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True Viewliner, though it was kinda hard refering to the types of cars without mentioning that they are what turned into Heritage fleet, or at least some of the cars did.

Also I have a question, did Amtrak HEP alot of Heritage coaches? I would imagine that they wouldnt have to have dont many of them (lounges too for that matter) since Amfleet II cars were only a few years away.
 
Amtrak did HEP all the Heritage fleet as it was new technology in the 70's. Almost every Heritage car in good shape was HEP'd as Amtrak operated longer trains and more trains in that day (Silver Service regularly hit the 21 car max just ten years ago). Today's Amtrak train is very different than ten years ago.
 
battalion51 said:
Amtrak did HEP all the Heritage fleet as it was new technology in the 70's. Almost every Heritage car in good shape was HEP'd as Amtrak operated longer trains and more trains in that day (Silver Service regularly hit the 21 car max just ten years ago). Today's Amtrak train is very different than ten years ago.
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Would love to see another Silver Service Train Reach that. Maybe with the Viewliners...
 
The reason the Silver Service trains were reaching such legnth was because the would split into Jacksonville with one section headed for Miami and the other Tampa. The Miami section may have had about 15 cars and the Tampa section with 5. There was also more variety in service with standard 10-6 Sleepers and Slumber Coaches and at one point Table Cars and Buffet Cars were used to handle larger crowds instead of the 48 seat Diners.
 
Those were the days, I love seeing LONG Amtrak trains (Not long from Mail and Express though) with many different types of cars in non-standard arrangements, they make things intresting. Too bad there isnt too much of that anymore.
 
P40Power said:
Those were the days, I love seeing LONG Amtrak trains (Not long from Mail and Express though) with many different types of cars in non-standard arrangements, they make things intresting. Too bad there isnt too much of that anymore.
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Well, just look it the Lake Shore with its variety of Horizon, Amfleet I, Amfleet II, Heritage, and Viewliner equipment. You can never know what to expect.
 
The E-60's were the mainstay on the Cloackers for many many years. With their retirement the change has been made to NJT ALP's.
 
It's strange to hear about an Amtrak route with no food service available! ;) How long is this corridor that these trains run on, and is this the only service operated under the Amtrak name that doesn't offer some type of onboard food service that anyone knows of? Out here on the west coast Amtrak operates some commuter rail lines without onboard food service (such as CalTrain and Metrolink) but they are operated under the different names. Is this a unique situation?
 
No, it's not the only service. Amtrak's Keystone service also has no food service, just like the Clockers. The Clockers run is a bit under two hours. The Keystone however is much worse at close to 4 hours with no food.

There is also the Hiawatha service, which does not have a cafe car. However, they at least have a guy pushing a small snack cart through the train. He carries drink and snacks like chips, & cookies. The Hiawatha completes it's run in about an hour and a half.
 
What's preventing them from putting food service cars on Keystone Trains, anyway, seems like another logical decision Amtrak won't make.
 
Ya, 4 hours isnt too bad though, or at least not for me.

Look at the Metroliners and NYP-WAS Acela Expresses, they have food service galore for the less then 3 hour trip (well if they are on time, and if the power stays on)
 
Viewliner said:
What's preventing them from putting food service cars on Keystone Trains, anyway, seems like another logical decision Amtrak won't make.
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Actually it is not entirely Amtrak's decision to add a working food service car. Keystone service is largely financed through the State of Pennsylvania and the state would have to hand over some more money if they wanted the added amenity. That said, it was origionally part of the plan to make Keystone trains Acela Regionals with Cafe and Business Class cars as well as well as upgrading the route. Now the goal is mainly just to upgrade the ex-PRR main line between PHL and HAR.
 
Amtrak Railfan said:
How many Passagers does the Clocker Train Route have every Weekday?
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Well it can vary every trip, but on average I'm sure the Clockers handle about 600-700 passengers at any given time. If one Clocker has 12, 74 seat, Amfleet I Coaches, then the maximum capacity is about 900 passengers. However, these are unreserved trains and I'm sure they can become standing room only.
 
Amfleet said:
Well it can vary every trip, but on average I'm sure the Clockers handle about 600-700 passengers at any given time. If one Clocker has 12, 74 seat, Amfleet I Coaches, then the maximum capacity is about 900 passengers. However, these are unreserved trains and I'm sure they can become standing room only.
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Especially since these are largely rush hour only trains. They don't run off peak.
 
Amtrak Railfan said:
At this time is the Amtrak AEM-7s and HHP-8s are runing on the Clocker Trains at this time?
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No, NJ Transit ALP-46 locomotives are running on the Clockers presently. This is the first transition in NJ Transit taking over the entire Clocker service.
 
Amfleet said:
This is the first transition in NJ Transit taking over the entire Clocker service.
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Which of course means that the clock is ticking on the Amtrak Clocker service. :lol: :D :p :)
 
When NJT takes over I wonder what difference (if any) it will have in the fare as it is right now, it is expensive to take Amtrak from NYP to PHL so when I do that trip I take NJT and SEPTA, but if the fare becomes comprable to the combined trip via the two agencies I would definitely choose that route (1 seat ride vs 2 seats).
 
tp49 said:
When NJT takes over I wonder what difference (if any) it will have in the fare as it is right now, it is expensive to take Amtrak from NYP to PHL so when I do that trip I take NJT and SEPTA, but if the fare becomes comprable to the combined trip via the two agencies I would definitely choose that route (1 seat ride vs 2 seats).
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Good question TP and I'm not quite sure what the answer might be. One would think that NJT would charge considerably less than does Amtrak, while still charging a premium over the two-seat ride that they currently offer in conjunction with SEPTA.

On the other hand if they price it too low, they risk undercutting Amtrak's NY - Philly market. That market is considerable, even without including the Clockers. Now granted the Amtrak trains would still make less stops and will still get track priority over the NJT Clockers. But I would wonder if Amtrak also didn't envision this problem and therefore may have demanded some guarantee from NJT not to price the Clocker to low.
 
I have to think that Amtrak is going to have at least some say in the prices considering Amtrak owns the tracks, it wouldn't be a good business decision to let them off significantly lower prices.
 
I thought when NJT takes over the Clockers they'll only run to Trenton, which is why a yard in being built in Morrisville, PA, or at least that's what I'd heard. I hope NJT would still run 'em to Philly, this way the Atlantic City Line wouldn't be as isolated from the rest of the system.
 
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