Coast Starlight and the return of the drumhead

[RTOlson]

The Rail Passenger Association of California and Nevada posted photos from the Coast Starlight relaunch. Aside from nice photos of the shiny trainset, one of the interesting photos featured a drumhead at the end of the consist.

Here's the photo of the drumhead

Has Amtrak done this before? Part of thinks that only people that really, really care about trains would do something like this. After all, who else but the most die-hard would recognize the tradition and or care?

I don't know if the butler-y Coast Starlight design is as strong as it could be, compared to the older designs. It also looks a little small on the back of a bi-level passenger car.

Still, I think it's a great touch hearkening back to an earlier era of train travel.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

I'll see about getting a better shot of the drumhead today at LAUS before riding the Starlight on the Tehachapi detour (gloat gloat); that is if the private cars to be tacked onto the consist don't obscure it. The "butler-y look" is doubtless intended to harken back to the days of Pullman-style porters.

 

[wayman]

The Rail Passenger Association of California and Nevada posted photos from the Coast Starlight relaunch. Aside from nice photos of the shiny trainset, one of the interesting photos featured a drumhead at the end of the consist.
Here's the photo of the drumhead

Nice touch! I wish it were a little larger, to counter for its being so much higher above platform/eye level than a traditional drumhead on a single-level car. But I love it just the same.

They had posters with that logo at the relaunch party in PDX, and I was surprised to see the LSA in train 28's diner had a lapel pin of it. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't (ordinarily) also work the CS, since the CS crew is based in LAX, but who knows. Or maybe Amtrak gave them to everybody, as advertising for the relaunch.

 

[eatmyvolts]

It hasn't returned to all. I watched the southbound Starlight as it passed ORC today - no it doesn't stop there but it passes thru the station - and there was no drumhead. On the birght side, the parolur car was part of the consist.

What tha? Driving out to see if a train has a drumhead? Is this train stuff addictive? Could be, I've reserved a roomette on the 6th of July

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Well, count me as a member of the "Friends of the Drumhead " club. Had not thought about drumheads in years.

Usually they were on trains with an actual observation car ( not to be confused with a superliner, high level or dome) . But sometimes they were on trains with a flat end.

VIA's Canadian has a true round-end observation car on the rear (not to be confused with the dome above it t) but its drumhead says VIA rather than "The Canadian"---too bad. would be a nice touch.

A poster above noted the drumhead was not on when he saw it---hope that was just a fluke and that it will be on regularly. Of course, just having the Pacific Parlor car back regularly is the biggest blessing out of thisl

 

[MrFSS]

On the first two pages of my National RR Museum picture site, there are a number of drumhead photos of ones they have in their collection in Green Bay.

LINK

 

[wayman]

A poster above noted the drumhead was not on when he saw it---hope that was just a fluke and that it will be on regularly. Of course, just having the Pacific Parlor car back regularly is the biggest blessing out of thisl

One concern I had about the drumhead--which is actually mitigated by its being so high above the platform level, since it's on a Superliner--is theft. SEPTA put PRR keystone heralds and Reading diamond heralds on one Silverliner apiece for some anniversary celebration years ago. I don't know if the intent was that they would stay on the cars long-term or not, but no one ever found out because within 24 hours they were all stolen.

What are those double-level "sightseer lounge-like" cars the Rocky Mountaineer runs, which also have an open-air platform on the lower level at the rear? These things. They're obviously "low-level cars with an upstairs" rather than "Superliner-level cars with a downstairs", so you couldn't just buy one and stick it on the end of a Superliner train, but it suggests that the idea of an open-air observation is still out there. Could Amtrak design a Superliner lounge/observation car--maybe that hypothetical "first-class lounge car" that's been recently discussed in other threads? Or does this concept violate all sorts of modern safety standards in the US?

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Greetings from Sacramento!

No drumhead on 14 through the Tehachapis Sunday (due to private dome Silver Solarium tacked on), but did notice a newly-installed bracket for one. Wouldn't even have been looking for it if not for reading this topic before boarding.

I'll post a breathtaking action shot (HAHA!!) of the new bracket here upon returning home this evening.

Also no PPC, but that story'll be in the trip report.

 

[jackal]

What are those double-level "sightseer lounge-like" cars the Rocky Mountaineer runs, which also have an open-air platform on the lower level at the rear? These things. They're obviously "low-level cars with an upstairs" rather than "Superliner-level cars with a downstairs", so you couldn't just buy one and stick it on the end of a Superliner train, but it suggests that the idea of an open-air observation is still out there. Could Amtrak design a Superliner lounge/observation car--maybe that hypothetical "first-class lounge car" that's been recently discussed in other threads? Or does this concept violate all sorts of modern safety standards in the US?

I don't think it violates any FRA rules or other legal standards, since the Alaska Railroad (which falls under FRA jurisdiction) operates many cars with open platforms, but it might violate Amtrak policies (which, I'm sure, could be changed should an open-platform car be integrated into the fleet).

I'm not sure that Amtrak could reliably position the car in the proper location in the consist or guarantee that the car is properly oriented given their current switching operations (it is possible that many terminals are not equipped with wyes or balloon loop tracks)--right now, they can't even keep sleepers oriented in the same direction so as to guarantee that a roomette will be on a given side of the train, and rather than wye the consist and sleepers, it appears they would rather simply switch the order of the coach cars and flip the seats instead. I would be afraind that adding a lounge that has an open-air platform that must be on the rear of the train would grind the whole operation to a halt.

Also no PPC, but that story'll be in the trip report.

Waiting with bated breath for the trip report. (Sorry if the bad breath offends anyone here, but I'm drooling for Whooz's report, which I'm sure will be excellently elocuted...)

 

[WhoozOn1st]

As promised, the SHOCKING VISUAL IMAGE of an obviously newly-installed drumhead bracket; on the last coach of Train 14, 6-22-08. Oh the humanity!!

Shameless Drumhead Bracket

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

What are those double-level "sightseer lounge-like" cars the Rocky Mountaineer runs, which also have an open-air platform on the lower level at the rear? These things. They're obviously "low-level cars with an upstairs" rather than "Superliner-level cars with a downstairs", so you couldn't just buy one and stick it on the end of a Superliner train, but it suggests that the idea of an open-air observation is still out there. Could Amtrak design a Superliner lounge/observation car--maybe that hypothetical "first-class lounge car" that's been recently discussed in other threads? Or does this concept violate all sorts of modern safety standards in the US?

I don't think it violates any FRA rules or other legal standards, since the Alaska Railroad (which falls under FRA jurisdiction) operates many cars with open platforms, but it might violate Amtrak policies (which, I'm sure, could be changed should an open-platform car be integrated into the fleet).

Does ARR run open platform cars at speeds as fast as Amtrak operates the Superliners? (I believe Superliners behind P42s are capable of 110 MPH, but I'm trying to remember if there's any actual track where Superliners actually operate that's good for 110. I think there's some BNSF track somewhere where Amtrak can do 90 MPH, but that's the fastest Superliner route I can think of at the moment...)

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

As promised, the SHOCKING VISUAL IMAGE of an obviously newly-installed drumhead bracket; on the last coach of Train 14, 6-22-08. Oh the humanity!!
Shameless Drumhead Bracket

I'm trying to understand how that works. Is the drumhead held from one side only?

 

[jackal]

What are those double-level "sightseer lounge-like" cars the Rocky Mountaineer runs, which also have an open-air platform on the lower level at the rear? These things. They're obviously "low-level cars with an upstairs" rather than "Superliner-level cars with a downstairs", so you couldn't just buy one and stick it on the end of a Superliner train, but it suggests that the idea of an open-air observation is still out there. Could Amtrak design a Superliner lounge/observation car--maybe that hypothetical "first-class lounge car" that's been recently discussed in other threads? Or does this concept violate all sorts of modern safety standards in the US?

I don't think it violates any FRA rules or other legal standards, since the Alaska Railroad (which falls under FRA jurisdiction) operates many cars with open platforms, but it might violate Amtrak policies (which, I'm sure, could be changed should an open-platform car be integrated into the fleet).

Does ARR run open platform cars at speeds as fast as Amtrak operates the Superliners? (I believe Superliners behind P42s are capable of 110 MPH, but I'm trying to remember if there's any actual track where Superliners actually operate that's good for 110. I think there's some BNSF track somewhere where Amtrak can do 90 MPH, but that's the fastest Superliner route I can think of at the moment...)

No--the fastest track the ARR has is 60mph. Regardless, that just goes to illustrate that it's an Amtrak policy, not an FRA policy.

You're right about the 90mph--it's along a good portion of the SWC's run along the old AT&SF, which is fitted with ATS (Automatic Train Stop) and therefore qualifies for 90mph running (that IS an FRA restriction). Some of the run between LAX and SAN is fitted with ATS, too, and Superliners and Surfliners run at 90mph on that track, too.

The only >90mph track outside of the NEC that I'm aware of is in Michigan, and I believe Amtrak runs at up to 105mph in certain areas. These runs use single-level equipment, though. (However, I believe you're correct that the Superliners are fitted with trucks good up to 110mph.) It's also possible some of the Illinois services run at higher speeds, too, although I think the PTC (Positive Train Control) systems necessary for this were never actually installed.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

As promised, the SHOCKING VISUAL IMAGE of an obviously newly-installed drumhead bracket; on the last coach of Train 14, 6-22-08. Oh the humanity!!
Shameless Drumhead Bracket

I'm trying to understand how that works. Is the drumhead held from one side only?

Though I called it a bracket, it really looks more like a latch, maybe spring-loaded. Spread the upper and/or lower element, place a bar protruding from side of drumhead in the opening, close elements. Guessing, of course, and naturally I couldn't get to it to check for myself. But that's how I see it. To me the real mystery stems from not seeing anything similar on the other side.

 

[MrFSS]

And, a nice article about the run. LINK

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I hope they are back to stay.

The 6th of July is my birthday!