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This is part of the pre-Katrina route of the Sunset. Towns in MS fought hard for this service to Mobile, AL from New Orleans.
New Gulf Coast Amtrak service (New Orleans - Mobile, New Orleans - Baton Rouge)
- Thread starter DSS&A
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George Harris
Engineer
(This talking about New Orleans - Mobile.) A push-pull type would be the best as there would be no need to turn equipment. I like single level better, but to use something like the California cars for the Sacramento and Central Valley services would work nicely, lthough, I would prefer reversible seats rather than their fixed seating such that half the seats are facing backward. Reversible seats should not be a show stopper. It is/was the norm in Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea. In fact, there are mechanized devices used on some Japanese trains so that, effectively the conductor pushes a button and watches it happen for the whole car. On my one occasion there was one train we rode, on their standard 1067 mm track, probably due to track layout, the train reversed directions about mid run. Everyone simply got up, turned their seat around and sat back down. Being the only foreigners on the train, we observed and did likewise. Just had to make sure we got stuff out of the seat back pocket so it did not end up in front of someone else.
The only push pull stock spare right now is Horizons, F40 cab cars are in short supply but there will be 20 from Caltrian avialibe without prime movers if they wanted to build those into cab cars. California is extremely shot on rolling stock and so I suspect any superliners that become available will be first offered to the state.
P42+horizons maybe F40 is going to be what most of these routes start with, I wish amtrak would order FLIRTs for lines outside of the NEC but that doesn't seem likely now
That was the standard for a long time but amtrak hasn't ever bought cars like that and I'm not sure anyone else in the US has in the last 40-50 years
blueman271
Lead Service Attendant
The Comet V cars on NJT have reversible seating and those were purchased in the late 90’s/early 00’s.
TransitTyrant
Service Attendant
I would think for new routes Amtrak will just pick up the options for the ICTs. Starting a new service with brand new equipment might attract more interest from the potential riding public. I think most people in this group agree that a train is better than no train but there’s a lot of good press to be gained by starting a new train service with modern looking equipment. The praise heaped on Brightline for simply having new trains and nice stations can’t be overlooked.
their timeline documents have routes starting with P42+ Horizons and if they are successful moving onto ICT (hopefully DMUs/EMUs are an option as well)
Ideally yes, although North Carolina seems to have done well with its service using refurbished heritage coaches.
IIRC they acquired the cream of heritage-era coaches - specifically the non-Amtrak rolling stock of KCS which were mostly mid-60's built.
Though even North Carolina does not necessarily plan to continue doing so and from what I have heard, plans to eventually lease rolling stock from Amtrak or acquire rolling stock from Amtrak originated options. So eventually ICT of some sort.
Siegmund
Lead Service Attendant
The Heritage era is getting to be so long ago that next time someone does a North Carolina - style restoration of old equipment, they'll be doing it by refurbishing discarded Amfleets and Superliner Is, I imagine.
At least that way we have some hope that the total number of cars in service might increase, rather than Amtrak just replacing old for new on a 1-for-1 (or fewer) basis.
At least that way we have some hope that the total number of cars in service might increase, rather than Amtrak just replacing old for new on a 1-for-1 (or fewer) basis.
TransitTyrant
Service Attendant
Amtrak has options with the ICT deal to add potentially 130 more train sets in addition to the 83 they’ve ordered.
they have federal funds for 26 cars and 6 locos. The state should ideally match that
Siemens at this rate is already going to be making 20+ cars a month any more that getting added on are not going to increase that volume without
them eating up more and more of the lots around them.
Just because there are options that does not mean they will be delivered instantly when someone wants it. Buyers will still have to get in line and wait or go somewhere else.
Metra Electric Rider
Conductor
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Seems to me Siemen's will have to open up more assembly lines - and may need another production facility (if anybody from Siemens is listening, I humbly suggest Illinois of course).
I don't think they want another location they should just expand in place. theres a lot more space around their current site to eat up
So I see that there's interest in starting a train from Baton Rouge to New Orleans. Would it be possible to just run it all the way through to Baton Rouge instead of having it end in New Orleans?
www.wwno.org
New Orleans to Baton Rouge passenger train moves forward: State seeks federal funds to fix tracks
The biggest roadblock to re-establishing commuter rail between Louisiana's two biggest cities is the rickety rail bridge over the Bonnet Carré spillway, according to a presentation given to a New Orleans City Council committee.
www.wwno.org
Surely you mean run it through from Baton Rouge to Mobile calling at New Orleans on the way. Maybe that is what they will do when all this finally materializes, at least for the early morning departure from Baton Rouge running through as the mid afternoon NOL departure to Mobile and vice versa. Naturally an early morning departure towards either Mobile or Baton Rouge from NOL won't be able to run through NOL and will need to originate in NOL.So I see that there's interest in starting a train from Baton Rouge to New Orleans. Would it be possible to just run it all the way through to Baton Rouge instead of having it end in New Orleans?
New Orleans to Baton Rouge passenger train moves forward: State seeks federal funds to fix tracks
The biggest roadblock to re-establishing commuter rail between Louisiana's two biggest cities is the rickety rail bridge over the Bonnet Carré spillway, according to a presentation given to a New Orleans City Council committee.
west point
Engineer
Needs NOL maintenance as well.
Well, not quite like PHL. New Orleans was designed so trains could back in by using the wye not far away. So having engines run around the train wouldn’t be necessary to head to Mobile.
If they had a cab car at one end, or had power units at both ends of the train, they wouldn't jhave to do anything with the locomotives when they reversed direction, and that would shave considerable time off the schedule.
Exactly. Direction changes at terminus-style stations outside North America is one factor that has made DMU/EMU trains so popular. Anyone who has ridden a non-terminating Amtrak Surfliner through Los Angeles knows how seamlessly it can work here too.
In India I rode a daytime higher speed Shatabdi Express which reversed direction twice in its run, and it actually required the engine (electric) to run around. The reversing stops were 10 minutes each. That involved uncoupling the engine running it around and hooking it up at the other end. Amtrak folks in Washington DC would be put to shame, and yes it did involve unhooking and hooking up what is called HOG (Head On Generation) cables. There was no Wye to back trains in etc. IR runs a very frugal operation in general.
Of course now they are converting these trains to double ended EMUs with distributed power, so lcomotive coupling would be a thing of the past for these, since the sets are articulated.
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west point
Engineer
When I times a back at NOL took 6 minutes from slow dow at wye to bumper post. .
They have been discussing a train on Baton Rouge for years, it would be successful I think, but will it ever happen? Who knows?
