Long Distance Train Consists rearranged

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cocojacoby

cocojacoby

OBS Chief
AU Supporting Member
Joined
May 13, 2014
Messages
785
Location
Boston & Florida
There are several reports on various Internet sites that Amtrak has recently rearranged some if not all Western Long Distance Trains similarly to the Eastern ones where the coaches have been moved upfront and the sleepers to the rear. There are transition dorms on the rear but unlike Eastern trains, the baggage cars are still up front at least for now. Florida trains have had their baggage cars at the rear for many years which supposedly helps eliminate fish-tailing on the last sleeper. Makes sense to also move the baggage to the rear but they haven't done that yet.

Just curious about this and wondering if anyone has noticed this or heard anything about it. Maybe they want to give First Class passengers a better and quieter ride?
 
This used to be the standard on Amtrak and its predecessors, except for cases where the consist was split enroute (e.g. LSL, combined Zephyr/Desert Wind/Pioneer and Empire Builder). It was unusual when a consist was "reversed" - usually due to a short turnaround. Another example was the short-lived run-through Capitol/Southwest that wasn't turned at Chicago.
 
cocojacoby said:
Just curious about this and wondering if anyone has noticed this or heard anything about it. Maybe they want to give First Class passengers a better and quieter ride?
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The reason the community is report is so the SCA (Sleeping Car Attendant) can work both the Dorm car and a sleeper.
jiml said:
The other advantage to have the transdorm up front is not needing the tarp or bag over the upper door of the first Superliner to reduce the diesel fumes.
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Which bring up this little problem.

The never ending fight of how to assemble a train continues.
 
joelkfla said:
I thought the purpose of the transdorm was to give the conductor and OBS access to the baggage car and locomotive.
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Also, the original Santa Fe transition coach, on which the transdorm was based, was designed to allowed mixed consists of single and hi-level cars. Amtrak used them in this role in the early Superliner days when insufficient quantities of specific car types were available to make complete trains of one or the other height. I've also seen them used on the back of current trains to provide access to Amtrak business cars or PV.
 
God and Mr Pullman intended for sleepers to be at the rear of the train. :)

But really, the rationale in the ‘old days’ was keep all the crew intensive work (baggage, express, crew change, engine service) on the head end then coaches and sleepers on the rear to be away from all the activity and noise, facilitate mid trip sleeper set outs and pick ups, and, with many trains originating at stub end terminals, reduce the distance from the station to your sleeper.

Much of this no longer applies but I like it for the railfan window! I have never noticed any discomfort, especially as compared to the jostling from running over switches, from being the last car on the train.

My favorite trips have been on the rear sleeper on the EB and Sunset as well as the Crescent when the baggage was in the front. My least favorite was a trip on the short lived Shenandoah when the sleeper was next to the engine with so many grade crossings!
 
On a recent trip on the CZ, going westbound the sleepers were in back. Coming back eastbound, the station agent arranged groups on the platform. He told us the sleepers were behind the engines. Had the groups assembled nicely and the CZ pulled in, sleepers in the rear. It was a few moments of total confusion, but the conductor told everyone just stay where you are. They assigned seats to the coach passengers and groups and had them walk to the other end. The sleeper car passengers were told just find your car. Not a big deal at all, just added a little time to the station stop. The train I ride frequently is the SL/TE and I almost always stay in the rear sleeper as it is quieter plus I get the rear window view.
 
On our LA to Chicago trip on the Southwest Chief on June 27-29, the sleepers were behind the baggage car which was behind the engines. On our Chicago to LA trip on the SWC on July 10-12, the sleepers were at the back of the train. (Someone said that this was due to a wye not being available in Chicago for turning the train.)
 
On our May 2023 trip to AZ on the SWC the sleepers were in the rear. On the way back to CHI the sleepers were in the front. This creates a problem at the station when you don't know where the sleepers will be until the last minute. Expecting them at the rear you position yourself at the the station accordingly. Then the train comes in and you have to make a mad dash to the front with only minutes to spare.
A similar thing happened when we last caught the regional at PHL to WAS. The lounge attendant told us that the business car was in back of the engine. The train arrives at PHL and the business car was the last car. Again another mad dash. With limited time we jumped on and into a coach and worked our way back. We sure wish that we could get consistent info on car placement.
 
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