New Amtrak Vacations brochure

[darien-l]

Amtrak Vacations 2008-2009 brochure was released a few days ago:

http://www.amtrakvacations.us/media/AV_2008-09_brochure.pdf

To me, the most useful feature in the brochure are the detailed layouts of most types of Amtrak cars: Viewliners, Superliners, Amfleets, coach, sleepers, diners, lounges, and permutations thereof. Scroll down to page 34 to view these.

 

[Cascadia]

Darien, when I was riding the Cascades last week, I saw that new brochure stuck in a neighboring seat back and flipped through it. I definitely noticed the cool diagrams and views of the car interiors. I put it back though, cause I thought that information might be in the system timetable I already had? I didn't check to see if it is, I will for sure grab a vacations brochure if it isn't they were cool diagrams! Thanks for posting about that!

 

[opaque]

That's great, they need those diagrams of the actual trains on the main Amtrak website.

Is there a standard order the carriages line up on long distance journeys? (eg Loco, coach, observation, dining, sleeping etc) I'm thinking especially of the California Zephyr but generally curious too.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

On the whole, I'd say they run like this:

Engine, Baggage, Sleeper, Diner, Lounge, Coach

To be more specific, though, I think these are accurate lists:

Single Level (Except Cardinal and Lake Shore Limited):

Engines, Baggage Car, Sleeping Cars, Dining Car, Lounge, Coach cars

Cardinal:

Engine, Coach Cars, Diner/Lounge, Sleeping Car

Lake Shore Limited:

Engines, Baggage Car, Sleeping Cars, Diner Lounge, Cafe, Coach cars

Full Service Bi Levels: (This is probably: Capitol Limited, California Zephyr, and Southwest Chief)

Engines, Baggage, Trans-dorm, Sleeping Cars, Dining Car, Sightseer Lounge, Coaches.

Sunset Limited:

Engine, Trans-dorm, Sleeping Car(s), Diner, Sightseer Lounge, Coach Baggage, Coach(es)

Texas Eagle:

Engine, Trans-Dorm, Sleeping Car, Diner-Lounge, Sightseer Lounge, Coach Baggage, Coach(es)

City of New Orleans:

Engine, Trans-Dorm, Sleeping Car, Diner-Lounge, Coach Baggage, Coach(es)

Empire Builder:

Engine, Baggage, Trans-Dorm, Sleeping Cars, Diner, Coaches, Sightseer Lounge, Coach-baggage, Coach(es), Sleeping Car

Coast Starlight:

Engine, Baggage, Trans-Dorm, Sleeping Cars, Pacific Parlour, Diner, Sightseer Lounge, Coaches

Auto Train:

Engine, Trans-Dorm, Sleeping Cars, Deluxe Sleeper, Diner, Auto Train Lounge, Deluxe Sleeper, Sleeping Cars, Coaches, Lounge, Diner(s), Autoracks

 

[AlanB]

Overall I agree with your list, with the following exceptions.

Cardinal:Engine, Coach Cars, Diner/Lounge, Sleeping Car

Lake Shore Limited:

Engines, Baggage Car, Sleeping Cars, Diner Lounge, Cafe, Coach cars

Diner Lounge is called Diner Lite and it is different than a Diner Lounge. A diner lounge actually has a full kitchen with a grill for cooking, diner lite does not.

Texas Eagle:Engine, Trans-Dorm, Sleeping Car, Diner-Lounge, Sightseer Lounge, Coach Baggage, Coach(es)

City of New Orleans:

Engine, Trans-Dorm, Sleeping Car, Diner-Lounge, Coach Baggage, Coach(es)

While the above are actually Diner-Lounge cars, Amtrak now refers to them as Cross Country Cafes (CCC).

Auto Train:Engine, Trans-Dorm, Sleeping Cars, Deluxe Sleeper, Diner, Auto Train Lounge, Deluxe Sleeper, Sleeping Cars, Coaches, Lounge, Diner(s), Autoracks

The Auto Train in my experience is usually Engines, Trans-Dorm, Sleeping cars, Deluxe Sleeper, AT Lounge, Diner (sleeper pax), Deluxe Sleeper, Sleepers, Diner (for coach pax), coaches, diner (during busy periods only), coaches, AT lounge, autoracks. And that's in the northbound direction. The AT does not get turned, so when heading southbound the coaches will be behind the engines and the sleepers will be at the rear of the train in front of the autoracks.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

What is a Deluxe Sleeper? (Is there a list of all of the types of Superliner car somewhere?)

The photograph of the Empire Builder on Puget Sound on page 4 was probably selected for its beauty in the eyes of the photographer, but I'm wondering how fast the train is able to go through those curves.

I'm also noticing that the Amtrak Vacations cancelation / change terms are not nearly as generous as the typical Amtrak terms, or typical hotel terms.

 

[AlanB]

What is a Deluxe Sleeper? (Is there a list of all of the types of Superliner car somewhere?)

A deluxe sleeper only has bedrooms (what used to be called Deluxe rooms) on the upper level. There are no roomettes at all on the upper level. So there are 10 bedrooms, instead of the normal 5. The lower level looks the same as any other sleeping car, 4 roomettes, family room, accessible room, 3 bathrooms and a shower.

There were only 6 of these cars built and they are used exclusively on the Auto Train, where there is a much higher demmand for bedrooms. One of the 6 cars was damaged so badly in the AT wreck a few years back in Florida, that it has not been repaired and is likely to be scrapped.

Here's a list of all the Superliner cars and types.

 

[AlanB]

I'm also noticing that the Amtrak Vacations cancelation / change terms are not nearly as generous as the typical Amtrak terms, or typical hotel terms.

Probably because it's run by a travel agency in Amtrak's name. It's not run by Amtrak. Not to mention that they book hotels, planes, rental cars, and other things, in addition to Amtrak tickets.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

There are many different minor layouts Alan's link does not cover, atleast in a condensed fashion:

Coach

Coach: Standard coach, nuff said.

Coach Baggage: Lower level's seating given over to a small baggage room.

Smoking Coach: Converted coach baggage with baggage area sealed and turned into a room to asphixi- I mean, allow smokers to practice their habbit.

Family Coach: I think its related to the C-B, but it's lower area is turned into a playroom for children.

Arcade Coach: Replacing the kiddie coach, it has an arcade in its lower level.

Snack Coach: has a snack bar in its lower level.

That pretty much covers the variations not listed on that page, but to continue:

Sleepers:

Transition Sleeper: A sleeper with 8 revenue-capable roomettes, crew quarters, a crew-lounge on the lower level, and a staircase and low-level end door at one end to allow it to "transition" to single level cars. Only a Superliner II.

Deluxe Sleeper: Alan described this, but a car with all bedrooms on the upper level, also only Superliner II

Sleeper: Basic superliner sleeper.

Dining Cars:

Classic Dining Car: Tables at both A and B ends on the upper level, for dining only. Waiter station in the middle, kitchen on the lower level. dumbwaiters.

Cross Country Cafe: Dinning tables at A end, Lounge tables at B end, serving counter in the middle, dumb waiter, kitchen on the lower level. Thus far, all of them are Superliner Is.

Lounges:

Sightseer Lounge: Lounge seating upstairs, (or booth seating on one end, depending), cafe downstairs. Huge windows and skylight.

Auto Train Lounge: Lounge-Booth seating upstairs, suffic- I mean, smoking chamber downstairs. Normal windows.

 

[Cascadia]

I went down to the station on Tuesday hoping to pick up one of these brochures for those cool 3-D diagrams of the car interiors. My timing was off though and our ticket agent was out to lunch.

Will have go down again soon, I want those pictures. It wasn't a wasted trip though as our main reason for being in the area was to have coffee at the neighboring Ferry Terminal, it was raining out but sitting by the huge floor to ceiling windows on the dock was as good as being outside, while staying dry.

 

[AlanB]

There are many different minor layouts Alan's link does not cover, atleast in a condensed fashion:

Did you actually roll down the page or did you just stop with the first table? Because all the variations that you mention are listed there, as well as notations on what types of cars were modified to create the new variations and their car numbers.

I will admit that your descriptions about each variation are better than what is listed on Dan's page.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Did you actually roll down the page or did you just stop with the first table? Because all the variations that you mention are listed there, as well as notations on what types of cars were modified to create the new variations and their car numbers.

I saw them (Actually, this page is in my bookmarks and has been for months), but since they were listed so spread out due to his format of listing, I figured the OP would prefer an easier and more condensed list. I was working more from memory, as usual. Its a bad habit of mine.

The page is a valuable resource, but not a very nicely condensed list of Superliner car types.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

I saw them (Actually, this page is in my bookmarks and has been for months), but since they were listed so spread out due to his format of listing, I figured the OP would prefer an easier and more condensed list.

Is that the correct usage of OP? I always thought OP referred to the person who started the thread and choose the subject (in this case, ``New Amtrak Vacations brochure''), and not the person who asked a new question in the middle of the thread.

In any event, I am finding Green Maned Lion's list easier to digest, though having the longer, more detailed list is also interesting.

There's a photograph of a train on page 32 of the brochure with the caption ``Single-level service''. As near as I can tell, it's a P42 under catenary wires with three Amfleet coaches behind it, though the last coach on the train looks a bit unusually short, and I'm a little skeptical that that could be distortion caused by a camera lens. I can't figure out what train that would be. The catenary poles would seem to indicate it can't be the Lake Shore Limited stub train (which I assume has a consist something like that). (The stub train does probably go under catenary poles somewhere within a half a mile of South Station in Boston, but there just aren't fields like what is seen in the picture next to the track in downtown Boston.)

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I'd guess its the Springfield Shuttle. It might also be the Vermonter. I forget if it has a Cafe or not.

 

[AlanB]

Is that the correct usage of OP? I always thought OP referred to the person who started the thread and choose the subject (in this case, ``New Amtrak Vacations brochure''), and not the person who asked a new question in the middle of the thread.

That's my definition of OP.

There's a photograph of a train on page 32 of the brochure with the caption ``Single-level service''. As near as I can tell, it's a P42 under catenary wires with three Amfleet coaches behind it, though the last coach on the train looks a bit unusually short, and I'm a little skeptical that that could be distortion caused by a camera lens. I can't figure out what train that would be. The catenary poles would seem to indicate it can't be the Lake Shore Limited stub train (which I assume has a consist something like that). (The stub train does probably go under catenary poles somewhere within a half a mile of South Station in Boston, but there just aren't fields like what is seen in the picture next to the track in downtown Boston.)

My moneys on it being a Springfield shuttle. That train is definately not under catenary wire, but it does look like there are remains of cat poles along the ROW. So that would lead me to believe that it is the shuttle.

 

[AlanB]

It might also be the Vermonter. I forget if it has a Cafe or not.

Yup, the Vermonter runs with a Club-Dinette car. I wouldn't want to be on a 14 hour run without food.

The Vermonter would also have either a cab car or a second P42.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

What is the advantage to removing cat-wire?

 

[AlanB]

What is the advantage to removing cat-wire?

Well aside from the fact that one doesn't need to worry about the unmaintained wire falling down and getting tangled in passing trains, you have scrap metal value, which can be quite a lot if there is copper in the mix. And then it allows for double stack freights.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Wouldn't that also require yanking down the cat-towers, though? Isn't electric decidedly superior to diesel, such that continuing electrification would be desired, including for freights?

 

[AlanB]

Wouldn't that also require yanking down the cat-towers, though?

Generally not, as that's for more expensive to do and doesn't have the same scrap value as the wire itself.

 

[Rail Freak]

Amtrak Vacations 2008-2009 brochure was released a few days ago:
http://www.amtrakvacations.us/media/AV_2008-09_brochure.pdf

To me, the most useful feature in the brochure are the detailed layouts of most types of Amtrak cars: Viewliners, Superliners, Amfleets, coach, sleepers, diners, lounges, and permutations thereof. Scroll down to page 34 to view these.

Noticed the Superliner Diner upper level has kitchem seperating each end of seating????

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I mean for clearing double-stacks.

 

[AlanB]

Amtrak Vacations 2008-2009 brochure was released a few days ago:
http://www.amtrakvacations.us/media/AV_2008-09_brochure.pdf

To me, the most useful feature in the brochure are the detailed layouts of most types of Amtrak cars: Viewliners, Superliners, Amfleets, coach, sleepers, diners, lounges, and permutations thereof. Scroll down to page 34 to view these.

Noticed the Superliner Diner upper level has kitchem seperating each end of seating????

That's not really a kitchen, it's a drink and food prep area. The kitchen is downstairs and all the food is sent upstairs by dumbwaiters. Dirty dishes are also sent down by the dumbwaiters.

 

[AlanB]

I mean for clearing double-stacks.

The Cat tower isn't affected by a double stack. Only the overhead supports and wires are an issue. The vertical pole is in no way shape or form an impediment to a double stack.

 

[Rail Freak]

Amtrak Vacations 2008-2009 brochure was released a few days ago:
http://www.amtrakvacations.us/media/AV_2008-09_brochure.pdf

To me, the most useful feature in the brochure are the detailed layouts of most types of Amtrak cars: Viewliners, Superliners, Amfleets, coach, sleepers, diners, lounges, and permutations thereof. Scroll down to page 34 to view these.

Noticed the Superliner Diner upper level has kitchem seperating each end of seating????

That's not really a kitchen, it's a drink and food prep area. The kitchen is downstairs and all the food is sent upstairs by dumbwaiters. Dirty dishes are also sent down by the dumbwaiters.

Can you walk from one end of the car to the other, as the diagram looks like the kitchen is dividing areas>