How long does it take to turn a consist?

[iplaybass]

Out of curiosity, how long does Amtrak take to turn an LD train? Remove to yard, clean, stock, reverse seats and return to platform for boarding?

Asking for a model RR club timetable simulation.

Thanks!

 

[Thirdrail7]

It depends. There are many variables. Does it loop/wye or do they run around the equipment? Where is the facility? Is it close the station or is the station in the facility and the train is serviced on the platform? To save a lot of time, I'm just going to link my response to a similar question on another board. Despite the age of this post, the details are mostly the same.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Based on the condition of some of the trains I have taken out of Chicago, they do a turn in less than 10 minutes

 

[DSS&A]

Based on the condition of some of the trains I have taken out of Chicago, they do a turn in less than 10 minutes

Hi,

PTC will require that time to be lengthened to 12 minutes in the schedules so that the PTC system is set-up and ready to go for the flip move.

 

[Maglev]

It took about four hours to turn a late-arriving Empire Builder in Seattle.

 

[Dakota 400]

Based on the condition of some of the trains I have taken out of Chicago, they do a turn in less than 10 minutes

Surely, I am ignorant as to how train operations work. (That's why I read and try to participate, as well as I can, on this Forum.) But, this time frame mentioned seems unreasonable.

How can a train, particular a LD train, be turned around in such a short period of time? Beverages. food, supplies of various kind, linens: all would need to be supplied. Dirty linen, garbage, etc. would need to be removed. And, what about the interior cleaning of the cars? Aren't the exterior of the LD cars run through an exterior washing process?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Based on the condition of some of the trains I have taken out of Chicago, they do a turn in less than 10 minutes

Surely, I am ignorant as to how train operations work. (That's why I read and try to participate, as well as I can, on this Forum.) But, this time frame mentioned seems unreasonable.

How can a train, particular a LD train, be turned around in such a short period of time? Beverages. food, supplies of various kind, linens: all would need to be supplied. Dirty linen, garbage, etc. would need to be removed. And, what about the interior cleaning of the cars? Aren't the exterior of the LD cars run through an exterior washing process?

I think he's being sarcastic - saying that the trains look so bad there's no way they did all that.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Geez. Even someone from Delaware got that joke.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Geez. Even someone from Delaware got that joke.

[emoji35]

[emoji14]

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Out of curiosity, how long does Amtrak take to turn an LD train? Remove to yard, clean, stock, reverse seats and return to platform for boarding?

Asking for a model RR club timetable simulation.

Thanks!

No need to reverse seat on a LD train. Sure it could happen, but special events withstanding no.

For your model railroad, it kind depends on how much of a yard you have. A loop with visual stage then you can leave it out a bit. If your a highly detail yard with car wash, and set out or swapping of cars or engines, then longer time frame.

4 hours is a fast turn, 8 hours is good, 12 hours is normal. Operating a large layout vs a smaller layout. How much space do you have? How much more traffic is there? Model empires have no requirements to be enjoyable.

 

[iplaybass]

Out of curiosity, how long does Amtrak take to turn an LD train? Remove to yard, clean, stock, reverse seats and return to platform for boarding?

Asking for a model RR club timetable simulation.

Thanks!

No need to reverse seat on a LD train. Sure it could happen, but special events withstanding no.
For your model railroad, it kind depends on how much of a yard you have. A loop with visual stage then you can leave it out a bit. If your a highly detail yard with car wash, and set out or swapping of cars or engines, then longer time frame.

4 hours is a fast turn, 8 hours is good, 12 hours is normal. Operating a large layout vs a smaller layout. How much space do you have? How much more traffic is there? Model empires have no requirements to be enjoyable.

Thank you for the link, Thirdrail7!
The simplified simulation is for intercity passenger ops on an island where railroads are the main mode of transport. The route lengths range from 175 mi to 1301 mi, and the max schedule is about 22 hours running time. It currently appears most trains will need 3 or 4 consists to protect the schedule, even the short distance ones.

I'm just the database/reporting guy using this to keep my coding chops up. When I did the scheduling, I discovered there were way more trains than equipment. I have to adjust the equipment (run fewer trains? You MUST be joking!) but I'd like to keep as little spare "equipment" on the roster as possible.

A rough idea of how long it takes to turn a train would allow me to determine how many consists can be same day turns. I'm seeing 8 hours as a good median time, less for the short routes. This may also force the pipe dreamers to reconsider some schedules, although the overnight all-sleeper train isn't going to change.

Thanks to everybody who replied to this frivolous (but fun) exercise.

 

[ParanoidAndroid]

I've seen (online) a late 763 depart as 796 in San Luis Obispo in 7 minutes. Presumably it had enough fuel, so off it went.

 

[Dakota 400]

Based on the condition of some of the trains I have taken out of Chicago, they do a turn in less than 10 minutes

Surely, I am ignorant as to how train operations work. (That's why I read and try to participate, as well as I can, on this Forum.) But, this time frame mentioned seems unreasonable.

How can a train, particular a LD train, be turned around in such a short period of time? Beverages. food, supplies of various kind, linens: all would need to be supplied. Dirty linen, garbage, etc. would need to be removed. And, what about the interior cleaning of the cars? Aren't the exterior of the LD cars run through an exterior washing process?

I think he's being sarcastic - saying that the trains look so bad there's no way they did all that.

If your comment refers to my posting, I am not being sarcastic. I asked what I thought was a pertinent question: "How can a train, particular a LD train, be turned around in such a short period of time?"

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Based on the condition of some of the trains I have taken out of Chicago, they do a turn in less than 10 minutes

Surely, I am ignorant as to how train operations work. (That's why I read and try to participate, as well as I can, on this Forum.) But, this time frame mentioned seems unreasonable.

How can a train, particular a LD train, be turned around in such a short period of time? Beverages. food, supplies of various kind, linens: all would need to be supplied. Dirty linen, garbage, etc. would need to be removed. And, what about the interior cleaning of the cars? Aren't the exterior of the LD cars run through an exterior washing process?

I think he's being sarcastic - saying that the trains look so bad there's no way they did all that.

If your comment refers to my posting, I am not being sarcastic. I asked what I thought was a pertinent question: "How can a train, particular a LD train, be turned around in such a short period of time?"

I was referring to the post about it being turned in 10 mins. That poster was being sarcastic.

 

[seat38a]

I've seen (online) a late 763 depart as 796 in San Luis Obispo in 7 minutes. Presumably it had enough fuel, so off it went.

There is no "turning" involved for the Surfliner. If fuel is needed then the fuel truck pulls up the the engine and fuels it on the platform. Its push/pull setup so the new crew jumps in, take on passengers and off they go.

 

[PVD]

Do the seats get flipped or are they 50/50 setup.?

 

[chakk]

On the Surfliners, the seats are not flipped.

On the CZ in California, the entire train is turned, so again no flipping.

However, in California lots of houses are being flipped, with large profits for the flippers.

 

[seat38a]

Do the seats get flipped or are they 50/50 setup.?

Yup, 50/50 with table group seating where they meet.

 

[PVD]

Thanks, I've been on the CZ, but never on the Surfliners, although I may go LA to San Diego in November.

 

[George K]

On Monday this week, the Empire (mini) Builder arrived at 7 PM in Portland. It was supposed to be there at about 10 AM. I was scheduled on the eastbound train (#28) that was to depart at 4:45.

It took three hours to turn that train around and get it ready for its trip back to Chicago.

 

[EB_OBS]

The Empire Builder has 6 hours in SEA and PDX to turn the trains.

It can be done in 4 hours if they can quickly get to the wye and back and there aren't any FRA defects.

 

[cpotisch]

redacted

 

[Ryan]

No. He’s thanking TR7 for the link he provided in this post.

It depends. There are many variables. Does it loop/wye or do they run around the equipment? Where is the facility? Is it close the station or is the station in the facility and the train is serviced on the platform? To save a lot of time, I'm just going to link my response to a similar question on another board. Despite the age of this post, the details are mostly the same.

I know that you just got home and have the burning desire to make up for your time off by posting in every single conversation we’ve had in your absence, but maybe slow down and read before you run around correcting people.

In the thread where you dispense advice about Superliners, and ask what train they’re taking, you should go back and look at the title of the thread.

 

[cpotisch]

No. He’s thanking TR7 for the link he provided in this post.

It depends. There are many variables. Does it loop/wye or do they run around the equipment? Where is the facility? Is it close the station or is the station in the facility and the train is serviced on the platform? To save a lot of time, I'm just going to link my response to a similar question on another board. Despite the age of this post, the details are mostly the same.

I know that you just got home and have the burning desire to make up for your time off by posting in every single conversation we’ve had in your absence, but maybe slow down and read before you run around correcting people.

In the thread where you dispense advice about Superliners, and ask what train they’re taking, you should go back and look at the title of the thread.

Sorry. All too true.