Equipment turns in Miami

[blueman271]

If my memory serves me correctly train 97 turns as the next days 92 and train 91 turns as the next days 98. Here is where my memory has gone south. Does train 89 turn as that days 90 or the next days. And how much extra equipment is in the Hialeah yard in case a car is b/o on one of the trains. Thanks guys.

 

[battalion51]

Extra equipment, more than I can count. :lol: The turns are hard to track anymore. Usually it is something like what you described, although it does not always hold true. For example, back in August I rode inbound on 91, outbound on the next day's 98, completely different equipment. A lot of times stuff gets switched around, and you end up with a mish mosh of equipment. Equipment for Silver Service is much easier to track up at Sunnyside. Inbound Meteor to that day's outbound, inbound Star to the next day's outbound, ditto for the Palmetto bug. This is mostly since Sunnyside doesn't do jack.

 

[Amfleet]

Speaking of Hileah, is there still a bunch of ex-Heritage rolling stock down there or was it all cleared out of the yard?

 

[battalion51]

Still a couple hanging around, gone for the most part though thanks to Gunn's trip down here in January. If we could just figure out that there's plenty of equipment in Hialeah for two trainsets we'll be in good shape.

 

[Amfleet]

Still a couple hanging around, gone for the most part though thanks to Gunn's trip down here in January. If we could just figure out that there's plenty of equipment in Hialeah for two trainsets we'll be in good shape.

I know that there should be some extra equipment set aside for BO cars and waht not, but two whole trainsets seems a bit much. Why have thoughs cars sit there not making revenue, when one trainset could atleast be out on the road making money.

 

[battalion51]

I'm serious two trainsets worth, and still plenty for BO. From what I recall there were 3 engines, 4 baggage cars, 3 dorms, 5 viewliners, 3 diners, 4 lounges, and probably a dozen coaches. Why? That's all I want to know, why?

 

[blueman271]

With all those extra sleepers and diners couldnt they give one of each to the Palmetto and make it the Silver Palm again?

 

[AlanB]

With all those extra sleepers and diners couldnt they give one of each to the Palmetto and make it the Silver Palm again?

Nope, due to the length of the Palm/Palmetto's run it would require 4 sleepers not two. That would only leave one spare sleeper in Hialeah.

That would also require 4 diners, one more than they have.

 

[blueman271]

I see what u r saying. I didnt think of the logistics of the thing. Thanks for all the replies guys.

 

[PennsyFan]

Couldn't they run the Palmetto 3 or 4 days a week with a sleeper and diner, and other days without. It would strike me that they'd be better off with those sleepers producing revenue, even only "try-weakly".

I might add that less-than-weekly accomodations were common during the decline of service pre-Amtrak, so its not as if it hasn't been done before.

Also, can't two trainsets run four times weekly on a route less than 36 hours?

 

[battalion51]

Couldn't they run the Palmetto 3 or 4 days a week with a sleeper and diner, and other days without. It would strike me that they'd be better off with those sleepers producing revenue, even only "try-weakly".

There would be a lot of resistence from NARP if that were to happen. I know NARP was pissed to say the least when the sleeper got dropped, but I think you'll see a very large protest from NARP if the drop to tri-weekly. Also, Unions would have to approve the measure since jobs would be lost, and the Union approval is unlikely at best.

 

[PennsyFan]

No...i don't mean drop the whole train the other days, simply run it without sleepers. Have 2 trainsets that run with sleepers, and two without. Sorry for the lack of clarity

 

[battalion51]

That's ok. If that were possible I think that would be feasible. I would still however run with Business class all days, just for continuity. Make it The Federal with Diner and baggage. :lol:

 

[PennsyFan]

Yeah...that would make sense, and would also provide more customers for the Diner - Business class travelers are more likely to shell out. It's completely absurd that Tampa has no sleeping car connections to the Northeast. If they didn't want to add sleepers three days a week, could they run a shuttle from Orlando that connects with the Meteor, Star, and Sunset?

 

[AlanB]

Yeah...that would make sense, and would also provide more customers for the Diner - Business class travelers are more likely to shell out. It's completely absurd that Tampa has no sleeping car connections to the Northeast. If they didn't want to add sleepers three days a week, could they run a shuttle from Orlando that connects with the Meteor, Star, and Sunset?

Well Amtrak does have a Thruway bus that connects from the Tampa area to the trains you mentioned, at Orlando.

As for running a few days with sleepers and a few days without, I wouldn't expect to see that. By and large it would be too confusing to the average passenger having to worry about which days have a sleeper.

That's also why Amtrak renamed the train from the Palm to the Plametto, to avoid branding the train as having the same equipment as the rest of the Silver Service.

 

[battalion51]

They do. It runs for all trains out of Orlando to at least St. Pete. Except for 002 it runs further down the Gulf Coast to Port Charlotte area.

 

[AlanB]

Now lets return to the question of just how much equipment Amtrak needs to support the Palm/Palmetto on a daily basis. Here’s the breakdown of how equipment would need to be allocated.

What we’ll call train set #1 left NYP this morning at 7:15 AM and it will arrive in Miami on Tuesday at 12:10 pm.

Train set #2 will leave NY for Miami tomorrow, Tuesday, at 7:15 AM.

So southbound from 7:15 AM on Tuesday till 12:10 PM there will be two southbound Palmetto’s on the tracks.

During this same period there is also one northbound Palmetto on the tracks. Today’s northbound Palmetto, train set #3, left at 3:00 PM and it will arrive in NY at 7:31 PM on Tuesday. That’s too late for it to become Tuesday’s southbound train, which leaves 12 hours earlier.

Now in theory if everything ran on time and Amtrak cleaned it super quick, Train set #1 could be Tuesday’s northbound train. However in reality this train is rarely on time and even then 3 hours really isn’t enough to clean and refuel a train set. So prudence suggests that Amtrak use train set #4 to cover this Tuesday run.

Should train set #1 be running more than 3 hours late, then come 3:00 PM you would now have 4 complete train sets running on the rails at various points between NY and Miami.

 

[battalion51]

I think you meant Trainset 2 will leave for Miami. :lol: But yes at a given time between 3-8 PM there are 2 90's, and 7A-1P there are two 89's. You have to have four sets. Same case on the Star. The only train that can possibly run with 3 sets is the Meteor.

 

[AlanB]

I think you meant Trainset 2 will leave for Miami. :lol: But yes at a given time between 3-8 PM there are 2 90's, and 7A-1P there are two 89's. You have to have four sets. Same case on the Star. The only train that can possibly run with 3 sets is the Meteor.

Oops, you're right. Those typo's get you everytime. I've fixed it for clarity purposes.

Thanks,