Could Superliners run DC to Miami and/or New Orleans?

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Mailliw

OBS Chief
Joined
Jun 14, 2020
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808
Location
Scranton, PA
Could Amtrak run Superliners (or a bilevel replacement) on the Silver Service or Crescent if they wanted to move the northern terminus to DC from NYC?
 
Double stacks run on CSX JAX - WASH so no clearance problem there . Now the CSX "S" line Raleigh - Savannah unknown. NS runs double stacks Manassas - New Orleans so no problem there
 
Whether they could or not, is beside the point...why would they want to?
I think it would be much more important to run thru service up the NEC.
And to have more equipment available for current Superliner routes, when demand returns, post pandemic. JMHO...
 
Well one thing we have discussed on other threads is the idea of running the Capitol Limited (which is Superliner equipped) through D.C. to Florida. That would create a Chicago/Ohio to Florida through service. This could be an additional train to the Silvers or cars off of a Regional could be added to the end of the CL Superliner consist in D.C.
 
Sure there is. They're sitting idle while Amtrak runs 3 days a week. Perfect time to test new service.

How is it the “perfect time to test new service” when nobody is traveling right now? Then what do you do when ridership returns and you need that equipment to run their original routes?

Further, what “new service” would be tested by running different equipment on the same route? Adding a new route takes years of planning and hundreds of millions in extortion payments investment in host railroad upgrades.
 
It should be noted that Superliners have already run (close to) DC to Miami on a regular basis, just not on a single train. The Auto Train runs Lorton, VA to Sanford, and the Sunset Limited used to go to Miami.
 
As long as the COVID thing is on, nothing new will be tried and we will be struggling to not lose any further service.

Once full service is restored there will not be enough Superliners left to execute these ideas, unless some existing service is never restored.

Having said that, planning for the future is a good idea in order to inform the next round of car orders and what the magnitude of the order should be.
 
How is it the “perfect time to test new service” when nobody is traveling right now? Then what do you do when ridership returns and you need that equipment to run their original routes?

Further, what “new service” would be tested by running different equipment on the same route? Adding a new route takes years of planning and hundreds of millions in extortion payments investment in host railroad upgrades.
Nobody is traveling? Well, it seems they are in sleepers.

If this is a "test" for viability, then you run it until the cars are needed for their original routes (and announce that it is temporary).

Amtrak had been paying for two trains every day in each direction between DC and Miami. They are running only one.
 
Those trains run from NYC to Miami - WDC is a stop on the route. If they were to use superliners they would have to eliminate NYC as part of the route.

Since quite a number of people who board in Florida are going all the way to NYC it would not make much sense to eliminate the "one seat" ride when it would work just as well to add more viewliner cars to the consist instead of making a consist that cannot get to NYC
 
Lack of equipment even precludes the use o one Silver train to go to BOS and that probably will not change for at least 10 years unless a very large order is put on Siemens.
 
Recall when they ran a thru sleeper from Miami to Montreal. They switched at Washington, rather than New York.
 
Nobody is traveling? Well, it seems they are in sleepers.

If this is a "test" for viability, then you run it until the cars are needed for their original routes (and announce that it is temporary).

Amtrak had been paying for two trains every day in each direction between DC and Miami. They are running only one.

If they need more service to Miami, then just run each of the Silvers every day. There’s nothing to “test.” They’ve been doing it for years already, right up to four months ago.
 
I may be in the minority, but from a passenger standpoint, other than the SSL, which is not a gamechanger for the NY to Florida stretch, exactly what does a SL consist bring me? VL diners are fine, other than the downstairs luggage rack, VL sleepers are better, and the seats in a refurbed AM2 coach are fine. Losing all the North of WAS passengers, why would you do that?
 
It should be noted that Superliners have already run (close to) DC to Miami on a regular basis, just not on a single train. The Auto Train runs Lorton, VA to Sanford, and the Sunset Limited used to go to Miami.
Also Superliner version of Cardinal has covered Washington Union Station to AF interlocking in Alexandria with Superliners on the Florida route, and upto Orange on the Crescent route
 
There was also a through Silver sleeper on either the Broadway or the single-level Capitol. We were on it once - just can't remember which.
Believe it was the Capitol and the Star ...
Between 1984 and 1986, and again between 1991 and 1993...
This was prior to Superliners on the Cap.
 
Believe it was the Capitol and the Star ...
Between 1984 and 1986, and again between 1991 and 1993...
This was prior to Superliners on the Cap.
I believe you. Every year for several in a row we did a similar routing to Florida "back in the day". We had to connect in Hammond-Whiting, IN, and Amtrak kept toggling the schedules of the Broadway and the Capitol, so I can't remember whether we connected in Philly one year vs. Washington the next. There was only one year with a through sleeper though. Sometimes we returned through Montreal, although never benefited from the through sleeper you mentioned previously.
 
IIRC, between 1991 and 1993 it was just a coach that connected from #30 to #91 and visa versa...
Just looked at the 1991 TT, and you are correct. That does seem peculiar, though. Traditional practice was running thru sleepers before running thru coaches...
 
Just as a reminder, wasn't it Raleigh that just opened a new station about 2 years ago with high level platforms? There is no way whatsoever for Superliners to use high level platforms.
 
Just as a reminder, wasn't it Raleigh that just opened a new station about 2 years ago with high level platforms? There is no way whatsoever for Superliners to use high level platforms.
Facts have never stopped drooling railfans from drooling on :)
 
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