EC LD train consists

[Green Maned Lion]

My friend confirmed this. I apologize for my assumption that information two-weeks old was correct.

 

[jis]

Frankly it seemed a bit odd to me that they would be dragging along a Service car in which no service is provided, 900 miles to and fro and putting miles on it, just in order to save a bit on shuffling cars at Sunnyside. Very Dilbertesque.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Frankly it seemed a bit odd to me that they would be dragging along a Service car in which no service is provided, 900 miles to and fro and putting miles on it, just in order to save a bit on shuffling cars at Sunnyside. Very Dilbertesque.

And what is Amtrak most of the time if not Dilbertesque?

 

[capltd29]

I may be mistaken, however, i believe that I've seen 91 with 2 sleepers, 97 with 3 sleepers, 92 with 3 sleepers, and 98 with 2 sleepers. Is is possible that they interchange the consists in MIA or NYP? I havent been keeping track of the Car numbers to see if the entire consist is used for the next train (i.e. turning 91 into 98 in MIA) or if its a matter of switching the sleeping car between trains. I'll try to get a positive report one of these days.

 

[jis]

I may be mistaken, however, i believe that I've seen 91 with 2 sleepers, 97 with 3 sleepers, 92 with 3 sleepers, and 98 with 2 sleepers. Is is possible that they interchange the consists in MIA or NYP? I havent been keeping track of the Car numbers to see if the entire consist is used for the next train (i.e. turning 91 into 98 in MIA) or if its a matter of switching the sleeping car between trains. I'll try to get a positive report one of these days.

My understanding is that until about mid-2009 they did indeed switch consists in Hialeah and Sunnyside, but since about mid-2009 they do not any more. These days Star runs with 2 and Meteor with 3 both ways. But then as we have seen in this thread, these things change from time to time, and it might very well have changed again. I just know that such a change had not taken place at least through mid-March.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

The Silver Meteor, as of a week ago, still runs with three and the Silver Star runs with two.

The reason is that, in general, more people want to go down the coast via Charleston then inland via Columbia (hence why two trains serve that route, verses only one inland), and to the towns south of Lakeland than to Tampa.

Fact of the matter is, to Savannah the Palmetto is 40 minutes faster than the Silver Meteor, and nearly 3 hours faster than the Silver Star. The Silver Meteor remains about 2 hours faster between Savannah and Orlando (Keep in mind, Orlando is the key Florida stop!) and to points south of Kissimmee the Silver Meteor is about 3 and a half hours faster.

People generally prefer faster to slower, so people tend to prefer the Silver Meteor. Putting more cars on it makes a lot of sense.

 

[capltd29]

Hmm. Like I said, I could very well be mistaken, but I really thought I saw 92 with 3 recently.

My reasoning was that for a while Amtrak was hoping to promote more day trips in florida, with a later departure from MIA, with passengers using the sleeper as a day room.

Who knows. I'll get out to ALX one of these days and survey for myself

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Hmm. Like I said, I could very well be mistaken, but I really thought I saw 92 with 3 recently.
My reasoning was that for a while Amtrak was hoping to promote more day trips in florida, with a later departure from MIA, with passengers using the sleeper as a day room.

Who knows. I'll get out to ALX one of these days and survey for myself

In general, I'd say that its the last thing Amtrak wants, unless maybe for day use between ORL and Kissimmee, but even then I'd be surprised.

Amtrak does not think that way. If they did, I'd be upset.

 

[Donctor]

As I understand it, when the Lake Shore Diner-Lites were mixed back in with the pool, the cars in the Boston section changed direction. When the BOS section runs with an Amfleet II lounge, as has happened intermittently since mid-to-late-April, the only way to have vestibules where desired is to have the sleeper and both coaches facing the tail of the train.