NY-DC "Executive Sleeper" - what kind of sleeping cars were us

[TimSpencer]

Between 1989 and 1990, I took the Amtrak "Executive Sleeper" between NY and DC at least once every 3 to 4 weeks.

The train departed DC around 9PM or 10PM and arrived NY Penn Station in the middle of the night. Half of the cars were uncoupled and continued to Boston. Some sleeping cars were left parked inside NY Penn Station. The passengers continued to sleep for the next several hours. The sleeping car attendant would bring a light breakfast after 6AM.(or any other time that you wished, up until 9AM, when passengers had to leave the sleeping cars)

I must be getting old, because I can't remember the name of the sleeping car that Amtrak used for this service. All I remember is that it only had roomettes. I had many old photos that I took on the trains... but unfortunately, they were lost when several of my boxes went missing after a move.

I have real fond memories of the train... I met my ex-wife on the train. I had my "first time" on that train.(somewhat late, at age 20) Would be nice if I can have the name of the sleeping cars to go along with those memories.

Thanks in advance for all replies!

 

[jimhudson]

I never rode this Train but remember when it still ran! Could it have been a Slumber Coach which lots of Eastern Trains had back in the Day? And nice Memories for sure ^_^ , hopefully #66 and #67 will get their Sleepers back when the New Viewliners come on Line! :help: Unfortunately the Days of Cut Out Sleepers are Long Gone!!

 

[OBS]

I never rode this Train but remember when it still ran! Could it have been a Slumber Coach which lots of Eastern Trains had back in the Day? And nice Memories for sure ^_^ , hopefully #66 and #67 will get their Sleepers back when the New Viewliners come on Line! :help: Unfortunately the Days of Cut Out Sleepers are Long Gone!!

No, not a slumbercoach. It was a standard "heritage" or 10-6 sleeper (10 roomettes, 6 bedrooms).

 

[FriskyFL]

Was this equipment retrofitted with retention toilets? Otherwise, were the sleepers allowed to flush when parked?

 

[jphjaxfl]

I remember that it was a 10 roomette 6 Double Bed Room Heritage Sleeper with standard hopper toilets. That ran before the ban on such toilets was implemented. So yes, you could flush while the car was parked at NYP, much as you could on any set out sleeping car for many years before they were banned.

 

[railiner]

When the first Viewliner sleepers were delivered, they were used on this service, until it ended....

 

[Acela150]

95-96. Around there. The train that the Viewliner ran on still runs.. As a matter of fact, I'm currently sitting on BC on it. 66/67 had to cease sleeper operations due to, well a handful of reasons. One is the Cardinal was using Superliners, and shortage of Superliners meant the Cardinal lost its SL's in favor of single level equipment which meant a VL was needed. IIRC there are 2 sets for the Card. There are 2 sets that run on 66/67 on a daily basis. So those 2 VL's were sent to the Card. That's the main reason. There's a few more. But I honestly can't think of them off the top of my head.

 

[wevdap]

I thought that the Viewliner sleeper version of 66 and 67 had continued later than the 90s, and http://www.timetables.org/catalog/?dec=00 confirms that it was still active as of 2003. I recall arranging a round trip from BOS-BWI, southbound on one of the then-new Acelas with a sleeper return on 67. I was disappointed to find that it wasn't possible to recreate that itinerary a few years later.

 

[Acela150]

I was responding to the question of when the cars were delivered.

 

[amamba]

I seem to remember someone suggesting that with the new viewliner sleepers we might see a return of them on the 66/67.

 

[NS VIA Fan]

The Executive Sleeper was a great option and I used it several times. Have a nice meal or see a show and when you were ready to board from about 9:30pm on, check in at station services and someone would take you down to the car. They would radio ahead to the Attendant to let him know as the car was kept locked along the platform. Southbound #67 would pick-up us up at 3am.

I also took #67 from Boston to Washington. I’d go to bed as soon as I boarded in Boston and set my alarm for 2:30AM (around New Rochelle) so I’d be awake for the climb up over Hells Gate and the night time views of Manhattan......fascinating!......Then lay awake in the dark roomette as we raced down the corridor!

 

[Acela150]

I seem to remember someone suggesting that with the new viewliner sleepers we might see a return of them on the 66/67.

That's correct Amamba.

 

[NE933]

I could not understand why the Night Owl used 2 AEM7's instead of a single E60; this train was deliberately leasure in speed so as to not arrive too early.

 

[Acela150]

E60's couldn't handle the phase changes.

 

[trainman74]

So yes, you could flush while the car was parked at NYP, much as you could on any set out sleeping car for many years before they were banned.

Amtrak did have stickers on the Heritage toilets, "Flush After Use Except When Train Is in Station." Nothing prevented that sticker from being ignored, though.

 

[railiner]

So yes, you could flush while the car was parked at NYP, much as you could on any set out sleeping car for many years before they were banned.

Amtrak did have stickers on the Heritage toilets, "Flush After Use Except When Train Is in Station." Nothing prevented that sticker from being ignored, though.

Not entirely sure, (it was a long time ago), but they may have placed "honey buckets" under each toilet while the car was parked at NYP....

 

[jphjaxfl]

That would have been very time consuming to place 16 honey buckets under the toilets. Before retention toilets, all train restrooms had signs asking passengers to refrain from flushing the toilets when the train was standing in the station. There were many many set out sleepers around the country. How many passengers actually followed the railroads request?

 

[railiner]

They also could have simply turned the air pressure to the water system off while the car was setout. I maybe wrong, but without that air pressure, I don't think the toilets would flush..

 

[battalion51]

Running with two AEM-7s could have been for power balancing purposes. With mail trains and the like back in the day its possible you could've had engines only running "one-way."

As for the sleeper coming back to 66/67 part of me has to wonder if that could spell the demise of the WAS-NPN side once again. Don't forget there was a point in time where the train switched from "Twilight Shoreliner" to "The Federal" and had a connecting train that went WAS-NPN. IIRC, this was done to entice folks on both ends of the trip with the early boarding concept before the 10 PM departure. I don't believe the "linger longer" principle was provided on the other end though since they called WAS and BOS at good times.

 

[cuppb001]

If the Cardinal used to run with Superliners and now it runs with single level, does that mean that clearance issues are not a problem on that train? If thats the case then with the shortage of VL sleepers, couldnt a transdorm be outfitted to work with the Cardinal?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I believe I read here on AU that Superliner Cardinal originated in WAS, not NYP.

 

[Eric S]

Right, Superliner-equipped Cardinal operated CHI-WAS, not CHI-NYP.

 

[cuppb001]

Ok, Thank you for clarifying.

 

[R30A]

If Amtrak had the Transdorms, I think that would be a great idea- Add them with the engine change at WAS, and you could use some of the rooms in the car for passengers too.

Unfortunately, the Transdorms are one of the most stretched fleets IINM.

 

[George Harris]

That would have been very time consuming to place 16 honey buckets under the toilets. Before retention toilets, all train restrooms had signs asking passengers to refrain from flushing the toilets when the train was standing in the station. There were many many set out sleepers around the country. How many passengers actually followed the railroads request?

Reasonably sure they did place honey buckets under each toilet outlet. I know this was done elsewhere, as I have seen them hanging on the Panama Limited's Memphis set out sleeper. That was in the late 1950's.