Coast Starlight - train car order
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Aside from the engines and baggage car, always a the front, the consist order is:
Trans Dorm
Sleepers (2-3 depending on season)
Pacific Parlour Car
Diner
Sightseer Lounge
Coaches (2-4)
What do you mean by OBS? And Observation or "Obs" car? Frequently the Sightseer is referred to incorrectly as the Observation or Dome car. Observation cars were cars on the rear of the train with a lounge at the end. Older obs often had open platforms, streamline obs had finished, often rounded ends. Dome cars had domes that were above the normal level of the train car and offered forward and rearward views. Technically, there are no obs or dome cars on any Amtrak train, except when they carry private cars or Amtrak's single remaining dome, the Ocean View. I don't say anything to other passengers onboard when they say Observation or Dome car in reference to the Sightseer, though. I reserve that to this and other RR forums, since these forums are full of railfans. To be completely proper the "Parlour" isn't a Parlor car, either. It's a first class lounge. A Parlor was a first class reveneue car for day trips. In the traditional definition "Acela First Class" is a Parlor service, although they'll never call it that since it sounds antiquated even to my ears.
The conductor and assistant conductor walk through the train often in the course of their duties. Sometimes they'll stake out a table in the diner other than at meal times, or in the lower level of the Sightseer lounge, to do their work. Late at night, the conductor can often be found at a table in the diner.
Trans Dorm
Sleepers (2-3 depending on season)
Pacific Parlour Car
Diner
Sightseer Lounge
Coaches (2-4)
What do you mean by OBS? And Observation or "Obs" car? Frequently the Sightseer is referred to incorrectly as the Observation or Dome car. Observation cars were cars on the rear of the train with a lounge at the end. Older obs often had open platforms, streamline obs had finished, often rounded ends. Dome cars had domes that were above the normal level of the train car and offered forward and rearward views. Technically, there are no obs or dome cars on any Amtrak train, except when they carry private cars or Amtrak's single remaining dome, the Ocean View. I don't say anything to other passengers onboard when they say Observation or Dome car in reference to the Sightseer, though. I reserve that to this and other RR forums, since these forums are full of railfans. To be completely proper the "Parlour" isn't a Parlor car, either. It's a first class lounge. A Parlor was a first class reveneue car for day trips. In the traditional definition "Acela First Class" is a Parlor service, although they'll never call it that since it sounds antiquated even to my ears.
The conductor and assistant conductor walk through the train often in the course of their duties. Sometimes they'll stake out a table in the diner other than at meal times, or in the lower level of the Sightseer lounge, to do their work. Late at night, the conductor can often be found at a table in the diner.
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rusty spike
OBS Chief
The OBS (On-Board-Service crew) are assigned roomettes in the transition sleeper aka "Trans/Dorm" where they go to rest when not on duty. On Superliners this car is found immediately following the baggage car as it transistions from single level to bi-leve so the crew has access to baggage car and locomotives.
They are always at the front both directions under normal operations. The only time they are on the rear is if they can't turn the train for some reason, in which case the whole consist is reversed making the baggage car tail-end charlie. The main reason they can't trun the train is usually a truncated run and there is no place to turn it. For example, a few years ago they were working on the bridge over the Santa Clara River at Montalvo (Oxnard) and they running the train only from Santa Barbara northwards and bustituting between Santa Barbara and LA. The train laid over at Goleta and they'd bring it down to Santa Barbara to load, but there was nowhere to turn it, so they'd run the engines around the train and couple on the other end to change direction.
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Guest Eric
Guest
Can anyone tell me about order on the EB? I have sleeper 3 in both directions.
Do you mean 0730 (westbound) or 0830 (eastbound?) Those are the sleepers closest to the dining car. See this post for details. http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/32610-line-numbersconsist-listings/
winterskigirl
Service Attendant
Interesting comments on the consist order. Last summer on the California Zephyr and friend and I boarded at Reno and rode to Denver. The sleepers were on the back end of the consist. It must have been a situation where the train couldn't be "turned" in Emeryville. The reverse consist got to be a joke on me! After boasting so much about my experience on sleepers I kept going the wrong way from the diner back to return to our sleeper. :giggle:
winterskigirl, I think the sleepers are always on the back of the CZ. They were when I took #5 in Nov 2011.
Aloha
I forget the year, but when I road the CZ the sleepers were on the front. I had to laugh because I had to walk from Emerville to the next town. Berkly, I think. There was city limit sign on the station platform.
I forget the year, but when I road the CZ the sleepers were on the front. I had to laugh because I had to walk from Emerville to the next town. Berkly, I think. There was city limit sign on the station platform.
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peter richards
Guest
California Zephyr sleeper car order, sleepers are in the rear.
I was just aboard # 6, from Grand Junction to Denver on Friday, 24 May
I was just aboard # 6, from Grand Junction to Denver on Friday, 24 May
Tennessee Traveler
Conductor
Sleepers have been on the rear of the CZ for some time now. I met several last year in August in Glenwood Springs, CO.
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