Empire Builder without a sightseer lounge??!!

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It almost looks like the sad little City of New Orleans now.........with about 5 cars added! :blush:

I miss the observation cars.......

MStrain
 
The photographer responded and gave his permission for me to post his thoughts on the matter.

I noticed that too. I'd just be guessing as to why, but perhaps they had to set it out someplace out west due to problems with it. The train

was about an hour behind schedule, but that can happen even without a

set out. In any event, it wouldn't be the same to be a rider on this one...

Mike
 
I had a colleague in a different department where I work take the EB last February. On the return trip east, he said they were without a lounge as it had a 'flat wheel' and had to be left behind. My guess would be a bad-order and not a major change to the EB consist.

I just took a look at the picture and saw the credits...I happen to know the photographer in that we are in the same line of work. Great guy! :)

Dan
 
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It's a real shame that Amtrak does give the conductors a small bicycle pump so that they can fix those flat wheels. :lol: :lol:
 
That sure would ruin alot of my trip if there was no lounge present. Does Amtrak ever offer any substitute for the lost lounge, like snack items for those who don't need a full meal? I'd want a bit of money back if I was stuck in a coach seat for thirty+ straight hours, only getting up for dinner.

Since there appears to be 11 cars still in the consist, does that mean that the EB consist has in fact been permanently lengthened? (Since there seems to be an extra coach there)
 
That sure would ruin alot of my trip if there was no lounge present. Does Amtrak ever offer any substitute for the lost lounge, like snack items for those who don't need a full meal? I'd want a bit of money back if I was stuck in a coach seat for thirty+ straight hours, only getting up for dinner.
Well on the Seattle section for the first night out going eastbound, the LSA in the Dining car ran a quasi cafe out of one of the booths. He didn't have the normal full cafe menu, but he did have some things for those not wanting to pay for dinner in the diner. I didn't go look at just what the menu had, so I can't answer that.

Therefore, I would tend to think that Amtrak would do what they can, but remember that on the Portland section without the lounge car, there would be no freezers, no refrigerators, and no convection ovens. So for that section things would get interesting, perhaps just to the point of a boxed dinner for everyone.

Since there appears to be 11 cars still in the consist, does that mean that the EB consist has in fact been permanently lengthened? (Since there seems to be an extra coach there)
I count 9 cars, 1 Trans/Dorm, 2 Seattle sleepers, 1 diner, 2 Seattle coaches, 2 Portland coaches, 1 Portland sleeper. The missing lounge would have made 10 and a standard consist. And then of course during peak times they'll add an 11th car MSP to CHI.

Ps. I didn't count the baggage car either, since that's not a passenger car.
 
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That sure would ruin alot of my trip if there was no lounge present. Does Amtrak ever offer any substitute for the lost lounge, like snack items for those who don't need a full meal? I'd want a bit of money back if I was stuck in a coach seat for thirty+ straight hours, only getting up for dinner.
Well on the Seattle section for the first night out going eastbound, the LSA in the Dining car ran a quasi cafe out of one of the booths. He didn't have the normal full cafe menu, but he did have some things for those not wanting to pay for dinner in the diner. I didn't go look at just what the menu had, so I can't answer that.

Therefore, I would tend to think that Amtrak would do what they can, but remember that on the Portland section without the lounge car, there would be no freezers, no refrigerators, and no convection ovens. So for that section things would get interesting, perhaps just to the point of a boxed dinner for everyone.

Since there appears to be 11 cars still in the consist, does that mean that the EB consist has in fact been permanently lengthened? (Since there seems to be an extra coach there)
I count 9 cars, 1 Trans/Dorm, 2 Seattle sleepers, 1 diner, 2 Seattle coaches, 2 Portland coaches, 1 Portland sleeper. The missing lounge would have made 10 and a standard consist. And then of course during peak times they'll add an 11th car MSP to CHI.

Ps. I didn't count the baggage car either, since that's not a passenger car.
ooooh.... You're right. I miscounted, plus I counted the baggage car. For a second, it looked like there was an extra coach.
 
It's a real shame that Amtrak does give the conductors a small bicycle pump so that they can fix those flat wheels. :lol: :lol:
They don't need a bicycle pump--they can just use the main reservoir line and put about 135psi in those tires! (That must be why they're so hard...)

It was most likely a "flat spot"--literally exactly what it sounds like, a flat spot on the wheel. Every time the wheel goes around, you'd hear a thump. When they're big and bad enough, they're bad for the wheel, the rail, and of course the ride, so the cars are taken to the wheel shop to get the wheel machined and smoothed out.
 
It's a real shame that Amtrak does give the conductors a small bicycle pump so that they can fix those flat wheels. :lol: :lol:
They don't need a bicycle pump--they can just use the main reservoir line and put about 135psi in those tires! (That must be why they're so hard...)

It was most likely a "flat spot"--literally exactly what it sounds like, a flat spot on the wheel. Every time the wheel goes around, you'd hear a thump. When they're big and bad enough, they're bad for the wheel, the rail, and of course the ride, so the cars are taken to the wheel shop to get the wheel machined and smoothed out.

This brings me to wonder about the often-heard complaint that "when a train is stopped for apparently no reason, Amtrak doesn't tell its passengers what's going on." I know that good crews will try to keep passengers as informed as possible, but sometimes they don't know exactly why a host railroad has stopped them, or for how long. On the other hand, I wonder how many times they don't try to explain mechanical problems like this one, because many people really don't understand how the train works, & would complain that Amtrak "carry a spare tire, for goodness sake!" or something like that.
 
This brings me to wonder about the often-heard complaint that "when a train is stopped for apparently no reason, Amtrak doesn't tell its passengers what's going on." I know that good crews will try to keep passengers as informed as possible, but sometimes they don't know exactly why a host railroad has stopped them, or for how long. On the other hand, I wonder how many times they don't try to explain mechanical problems like this one, because many people really don't understand how the train works, & would complain that Amtrak "carry a spare tire, for goodness sake!" or something like that.
I'm trying to imagine the sort of jack you'd need to be able to "change the tire" on a superliner, even if it were possible!
 
Maybe if they kept the wheel where the flat spot was at the top and not hitting the rail. . . .

:)
 
I was on the Empire Builder a few years ago without a lounge car. It was from East Glacier to Portland. They replaced it with a coach car to act as a lounge, and I believe food was sold downstairs. I can't remember though.
 
Since the EB is touted as a "Flagship train," I would think it should be a prime candidate for a Parlour Car for Sleeper pax. I know there are not enough original Santa Fe cars to do this, but an upgraded Sightseer would work, assuming the cars and funds come available. If they ever build a Superliner III series, I could see a double deck observation car windowed like the Milwaukee Road Skytop Lounges. That would be a standout car indeed.
 
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