New Consist Arrangement forSilver Service and the Crescent

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FYI

From AMTRAK

Silver Service and Crescent train consists will be re-organized so that all consists will be arranged in the same order.

Making these consist changes will also move the Sleeping Cars away from engine noise while bracketing the Heritage Dining Cars (which do not have vestibules, only side doors) with the vestibules of the adjoining Lounge and Sleeper Cars, which could be valuable in an emergency situation.

Beginning on 04-22-2009, trains 19 & 20 between NYP-NOL and trains, 91, 92, 97 & 98 NYP-MIA will have the new consist order. The remaining train sets will be arranged over the next few days.

The new order will be:

Locomotives

Baggage Car

Coaches (vestibules rear)

Lounge Car (vestibule rear)

Dining Car (tables facing Sleeping Cars/kitchen facing Lounge Car)

Sleeper Cars (vestibules forward)

Rick
 
bracketing the Heritage Dining Cars (which do not have vestibules, only side doors) with the vestibules of the adjoining Lounge and Sleeper Cars, which could be valuable in an emergency situation.
I don't understand this. Is the point that there are cases where being in a vestibule is useful but being in the interior of the next car isn't?

Dining Car (tables facing Sleeping Cars/kitchen facing Lounge Car)Sleeper Cars (vestibules forward)
Does this mean the passengers in the accessible bedroom in the front sleeping car can get into the dining car?
 
Ugh...uglier trains...just what we need. The Cardinal with its big sleeper on the rear is quite ugly, now three other routes will have TWO sleepers on the rear. And couldn't the heritages still be bracketed with the sleepers where they are now?
 
Ugh...uglier trains...just what we need. The Cardinal with its big sleeper on the rear is quite ugly, now three other routes will have TWO sleepers on the rear. And couldn't the heritages still be bracketed with the sleepers where they are now?
Well as I'm taking the Crescent and the Silver Meteor in summer, I'm quite happy to get a roomette which is as far as possible from the engine.
 
Taking the Silver Meteor #97 & #98 from NYP - WPB in July. Does this mean that the Viewliner sleepers are now at the rear of the train??? :unsure: So, we'll now be walking forward to get to the diner instead of walking to the back? How many Viewliners to they usually run in July? Thanks for any info. :)
 
It's about time! This had been talked about on several occasions over the last few years. There has long been a safety issue existing with having no vestibule exit at one end of the dining car. I, for what it is worth, believe this is in the best interest of safety, and it will allow the sleepers to placed in their rightful place in the consist. The first class passengers should be placed in the area away from the locos as they have paid a higher cost.

OBS gone freight...
 
It's dumb "senior" questions: :blink: Will we still hear the sound of the horn as we pass by all those "out of the way" country crossings down south? Also, how is the ride at the end of the train vs the front besides being quieter??
 
So now that the sleepers are on the back my dreams of a first class lounge car with a open balcony at the end are one step closer to reality. :)
 
It's about time! This had been talked about on several occasions over the last few years. There has long been a safety issue existing with having no vestibule exit at one end of the dining car. I, for what it is worth, believe this is in the best interest of safety, and it will allow the sleepers to placed in their rightful place in the consist. The first class passengers should be placed in the area away from the locos as they have paid a higher cost.
OBS gone freight...
Well all they really needed to do was to flip the Viewliner attached to the diner so as to have the bedroom side with the vestibule next to the diner. Don't really need to reorganize the entire consist to accomplish that.

As for the horn issue, that's a matter of preference. Some like it, some don't.
 
Taking the Silver Meteor #97 & #98 from NYP - WPB in July. Does this mean that the Viewliner sleepers are now at the rear of the train??? :unsure: So, we'll now be walking forward to get to the diner instead of walking to the back? How many Viewliners to they usually run in July? Thanks for any info. :)
Correct, you'll walk forward to reach the diner now. And the train should have 3 sleepers, so the walk will be the same regardless. This won't increase how far you have to walk to reach the diner.
 
It's dumb "senior" questions: :blink: Will we still hear the sound of the horn as we pass by all those "out of the way" country crossings down south? Also, how is the ride at the end of the train vs the front besides being quieter??
You'll probably only hear it when the train is on a curve and the sound carries better.

As for the ride, if you're in the very last sleeping car, then it could be a bit rougher than it would have been had Amtrak not changed things.
 
I know this isn't Amtrak on generic freight rails and not the heavier Viewliner strung behind lighterweight Amcans, but one summer we rode METRA into and out of Chicago two days in a row. First day, we got stuck in the last car outbound on the express to Naperville. I've had less jolts in those inflatable kiddie jumpers! Then next day we were right behind the F40s on a similar train and it was MUCH smoother.
 
Another good move by Amtrak. Sleeping cars belong on the rear (where they were for most trains throughout the 20th century - yes there were exceptions).

In the 'old days' this facilitated the switching of sleepers that were added/removed at intermediate points throughout the trip. It also got first class passengers away from all the commotion of baggage and mail activity on the head end. And at terminals where the trains departed from stub end tracks (like DC, Miami, GCT. LA, Chicagco, New Orleans) the first class passengers did not have to walk as far to get to their car.

Today, this will help the noise issue (which certainly doesn't bother me) for those in sleepers next to the engine. More selfishly, it is great for standing at the rear of the sleeper and seeing the track unfold behind you. Wish they would do this for the western trains, but not likely with the Transition-sleeper that provides crew access to single level baggage cars.
 
It's dumb "senior" questions: :blink: Will we still hear the sound of the horn as we pass by all those "out of the way" country crossings down south? Also, how is the ride at the end of the train vs the front besides being quieter??
You'll probably only hear it when the train is on a curve and the sound carries better.

As for the ride, if you're in the very last sleeping car, then it could be a bit rougher than it would have been had Amtrak not changed things.
Thanks Alan! :) The horn never bothered me....I enjoy hearing it! At least it made me feel like I was on a train. It just amazed me how many crossings there were down south. As for the rougher ride, I'd better stock up on sleeping pills now! Since we booked our reservations in Feb for July, what are the chances that we won't be the very last sleeping car????
 
Taking the Silver Meteor #97 & #98 from NYP - WPB in July. Does this mean that the Viewliner sleepers are now at the rear of the train??? :unsure: So, we'll now be walking forward to get to the diner instead of walking to the back? How many Viewliners to they usually run in July? Thanks for any info. :)
Correct, you'll walk forward to reach the diner now. And the train should have 3 sleepers, so the walk will be the same regardless. This won't increase how far you have to walk to reach the diner.
The walk doesn't bother us, we just wanted to make sure we were walking the right way! :rolleyes: The Meteor runs 3 sleepers in the summer?? I thought it was only during the winter months.
 
Taking the Silver Meteor #97 & #98 from NYP - WPB in July. Does this mean that the Viewliner sleepers are now at the rear of the train??? :unsure: So, we'll now be walking forward to get to the diner instead of walking to the back? How many Viewliners to they usually run in July? Thanks for any info. :)
Correct, you'll walk forward to reach the diner now. And the train should have 3 sleepers, so the walk will be the same regardless. This won't increase how far you have to walk to reach the diner.
The walk doesn't bother us, we just wanted to make sure we were walking the right way! :rolleyes: The Meteor runs 3 sleepers in the summer?? I thought it was only during the winter months.
Well just follow the smell of food!
 
Since we booked our reservations in Feb for July, what are the chances that we won't be the very last sleeping car????
Your reservation states which car you are in, for example 9720, or 9810, and also your room number.

The lower the car number, xx10, xx20, etc. the closer you are to the diner. The highest number is the last car on the train.

Hope this helps :)

Mike
 
Not only do I enjoy listening to the horn, but at night when it's quiet, I enjoy hearing the "throttle up" of the engines. And I do not even need to be on the train to hear these, as the BNSF is only about a mile away from the house :)
 
Since we booked our reservations in Feb for July, what are the chances that we won't be the very last sleeping car????
Your reservation states which car you are in, for example 9720, or 9810, and also your room number.

The lower the car number, xx10, xx20, etc. the closer you are to the diner. The highest number is the last car on the train.

Hope this helps :)

Mike
Mike, we've got the following reservations: I guess we won't know till we get to NYP, since we don't know the other car numbers that will be in the consist.

NYP - WPB Car 9710 - Room 001 (Roomette)

WPB - NYP Car 9811 - Room 001 ( " " " )
 
Taking the Silver Meteor #97 & #98 from NYP - WPB in July. Does this mean that the Viewliner sleepers are now at the rear of the train??? :unsure: So, we'll now be walking forward to get to the diner instead of walking to the back? How many Viewliners to they usually run in July? Thanks for any info. :)
Correct, you'll walk forward to reach the diner now. And the train should have 3 sleepers, so the walk will be the same regardless. This won't increase how far you have to walk to reach the diner.
The walk doesn't bother us, we just wanted to make sure we were walking the right way! :rolleyes: The Meteor runs 3 sleepers in the summer?? I thought it was only during the winter months.
AFAIK the Meteor always runs with three sleepers, it's the Star that used to vary between 3 in the winter and 2 in the summer.
 
Since we booked our reservations in Feb for July, what are the chances that we won't be the very last sleeping car????
Your reservation states which car you are in, for example 9720, or 9810, and also your room number.

The lower the car number, xx10, xx20, etc. the closer you are to the diner. The highest number is the last car on the train.

Hope this helps :)

Mike
Mike, we've got the following reservations: I guess we won't know till we get to NYP, since we don't know the other car numbers that will be in the consist.

NYP - WPB Car 9710 - Room 001 (Roomette)

WPB - NYP Car 9811 - Room 001 ( " " " )
Going south you'll be in the sleeping car closest to the dining car. Coming back north, you'll be one sleeper removed from the dining car. And unless there has been some change that takes the third sleeper off the Meteor, you won't be the last car in either direction.
 
It's about time! This had been talked about on several occasions over the last few years. There has long been a safety issue existing with having no vestibule exit at one end of the dining car. I, for what it is worth, believe this is in the best interest of safety, and it will allow the sleepers to placed in their rightful place in the consist. The first class passengers should be placed in the area away from the locos as they have paid a higher cost.
OBS gone freight...
Well all they really needed to do was to flip the Viewliner attached to the diner so as to have the bedroom side with the vestibule next to the diner. Don't really need to reorganize the entire consist to accomplish that.

As for the horn issue, that's a matter of preference. Some like it, some don't.
Yes, that would have accomplished having a vestibule at both ends of the diner, however, we still would have two places where there was no vestibule side door between two cars (currently between the lounge and the first coach and the diner and the first sleeper). Switching one Viewliner around would place a vestibule door next to the front of the diner as well, but then we would still have two Viewliners coupled together with no vestibule door to exit between.

Assuming the cars will be placed as listed in the first posting (with all the coaches and lounge and their vestibule doors towards the rear and the Viewliners doors facing forwards), this will allow for a entrance/exit available at both ends of each car (with no gaps per se) with the exception of the first coach and baggage care (which a door there really wouldn't be necessary). So therefore, this is a really good move in the name of safety!

The only thing that I am a little concerned about is the potential ride quality of the Viewliners being on the rear of the train. They are not as heavy as the old streamliner sleepers (10-6 etc), and may ride a little rougher on the rear of the train. But with that said there shouldn't be any weight issues as far as consist placement with the Amfleet coaches placed closer to the locos.

OBS gone freight...
 
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FYIFrom AMTRAK

Silver Service and Crescent train consists will be re-organized so that all consists will be arranged in the same order.

Making these consist changes will also move the Sleeping Cars away from engine noise while bracketing the Heritage Dining Cars (which do not have vestibules, only side doors) with the vestibules of the adjoining Lounge and Sleeper Cars, which could be valuable in an emergency situation.

Beginning on 04-22-2009, trains 19 & 20 between NYP-NOL and trains, 91, 92, 97 & 98 NYP-MIA will have the new consist order. The remaining train sets will be arranged over the next few days.

The new order will be:

Locomotives

Baggage Car

Coaches (vestibules rear)

Lounge Car (vestibule rear)

Dining Car (tables facing Sleeping Cars/kitchen facing Lounge Car)

Sleeper Cars (vestibules forward)

Rick
I wonder why the sudden change. I guess I have to find out on wednesday morning .
 
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