Sleeper Car Numbers?

[piedpiper13]

:unsure: Does anyone know if you can figure out the car # by looking at the info on the Amtrak tix??? :huh: I was looking at OTOL's section on car numbering trying to match up with no success.

 

[Anthony]

I don't believe so, since equipment can be switched around at the last minute or even a substitute consist run on the day of your trip.

 

[AlanB]

:unsure: Does anyone know if you can figure out the car # by looking at the info on the Amtrak tix??? :huh: I was looking at OTOL's section on car numbering trying to match up with no success.

No, there is absolutely no way to know what equipment number you will get for your sleeper. The car number that Amtrak prints on your ticket is a number that meerly indicates where in the consist the car is located. It's also used by the computers for booking purposes.

However it has no releation to the actual pyhsical car number that Amtrak would use for inventory purposes, and you see displayed on the OTOL website.

In fact most Amtrak equipment numbers are five digits, where most car numbers listed on your tickets are 3 or 4 digits. The first two numbers of you sleeper car number on the ticket are the actual train number. Example if you are traveling on the Sunset Limited going east, then you car number will start with 2. The next two digits indicate which sleeper within the consist you are in, the first, second, or possible the third.

 

[Anthony]

Thanks for explaining that more clearly

 

[AlanB]

Just as a PS, here's a little more info.

The number on your ticket, will be displayed on a variable number sign located right next to the door where you board the car.

The OTOL numbers are actually painted on the side of the car, usually up higher and near the ends of the car. Although some cars have the inventory numbers in the middle, especially a lot of the single level cars.

 

[Amfleet]

Although some cars have the inventory numbers in the middle, especially a lot of the single level cars.

With the new Phase IVb paint the roster numbers are located at the corner of the two end windows.

 

[GG-1]

In fact most Amtrak equipment numbers are five digits, where most car numbers listed on your tickets are 3 or 4 digits.  The first two numbers of you sleeper car number on the ticket are the actual train number.  Example if you are traveling on the Sunset Limited going east, then you car number will start with 2.  The next two digits indicate which sleeper within the consist you are in, the first, second, or possible the third.

Aloha

Horay just received my tickets and looking at them, and reading your description, if my ticket on the Zepher is car 0632. Then the 06 is the train but the 32 means 32 cars in train? Boy that will be impressive but I think I don't quite understany AllanB's explanation. What did I mis?

Mahalo

Eric

I decided to add if my Connection to 59 reads 5900 I am in the first car behind the poney's and baggage?

 

[AMTK@AUS]

If your sleeper is 0632, then you should be in the 3rd sleeper on your train.

Brandon

 

[bratkinson]

Wouldn't we -wish- for trains with 30 or more passenger cars on them!

sigh...

But, as indicated in the posts above, all the sleepers are numbered in the 30-series. The first sleeper being xx30, the second, xx31, and so on. The exact positioning of the sleepers on the train varies depending on the train..either they are in the front or the rear. However, trains that split enroute, such as 48/448-49/449 will have sleepers both front and rear, depending on endpoint cities.

Coaches start in the 10-series. Once upon a time, I think the parlor cars were in the 20s.

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

OK that make sense, but then what is the meaning of my third train #59? The Car # is 5900 room 004. If all sleepers are in the 30 series then what does 00 mean?

Mahalo

 

[AlanB]

Aloha
OK that make sense, but then what is the meaning of my third train #59? The Car # is 5900 room 004. If all sleepers are in the 30 series then what does 00 mean?

Mahalo

Actually I'm not at all sure that there is indeed a rule stating that all sleepers are in the 30 series, it seems to vary from train to train. However all sleepers on a train will be in the same series, unless it's a train that splits.

Here's a rundown of the numbers that I've seen in my travels.

00's - Capitol Limited, Cardinal, 3 Rivers, City of NOL, (former Federal & Twilight Shoreliner).

10's - Crescent, All Silver Service (including the former Palm)

10's - Lake Shore Limited (New York Sleepers only)

20's - Lake Shore Limited (Boston sleeper)

30's - Sunset Limited, Chief

40's - Auto Train

So based upon that sampling, I'm not sure just how Amtrak decides what the car numbers should be. There may be a method to the madness, but I haven't found it.

 

[railman]

The "car number" that appears in a reservation and on your ticket is called a LINE NUMBER. It is a very old railroad tradition from the earliest days of the private railroads and the Pullman Company. It is an accounting number and indeed has no required bearing on your car's position in the train or even which train the car operates on.

All cars in a consist which carry revenue space have a line number. That means that the coaches, Business class and First class cars all have line numbers. The line numbers for these other types of cars do not appear on your ticket because Amtrak does not assign specific seats within a car to its passengers as part of making a reservation. Back when there was seat assignment on Acela Express, tickets for those trains did have a line number and a seat number on them. But look at any long-distance train and you'll see a line number by the doorway for every car (except non-rev cars like lounges, diners and baggage cars).

It is coincidence that the first numbers of the LINE NUMBER coincide with your train's number. The reservations systems is very capable of having line number "1234" operating on train 49 as the first sleeper from the forward end of the consist. Amtrak Ops folks choose to have the first two numbers attempt to represent the train number where practical, but look what happens when the train number has more than two digits (e.g., 421-422). Likewise, the last two digits do attempt to reflect the car's position amongst the sleepers in the consist, but there is no hard and fast requirement that it does so. And it does not indicate car's position in correlation to the total number of cars in the train's consist.

Lastly, as posted, the LINE NUMBER is shown near the car's doorway in a changeable electronic LED display to help passengers find their assigned car. Before the electronic displays were available, these little windows had changeable vellum or fabric scrolls (like a bus' destination sign over the windshield), which were backlit to show the line number for nighttime boardings.

The room designation is much easier -- all rooms within the sleeping car have their number (or letter) posted on or near the door, and these will match what is printed on your ticket. A bit of history: in the earliest days of the Superliner fleet, the designation for the Family bedroom that was displayed near the doorway of the room did not match what the reservations system placed on the tickets!

 

[AlanB]

Back when there was seat assignment on Acela Express, tickets for those trains did have a line number and a seat number on them.  

I must admit that I never noticed that my Acela First Class tickets had a car number on them, so after reading your post I went back and checked and indeed there it was clear as day.

Of course only first class had assigned seats, they never got the business class seating assignments setup. After the experiement failed in FC, many passengers revolted, coupled with a few other problems, they gave up on BC assignments.

It's kinda sad though, as had the system been viable and properly implemented, it could have lead to increased revenue from the Acela trains.

A bit of history:  in the earliest days of the Superliner fleet, the designation for the Family bedroom that was displayed near the doorway of the room did not match what the reservations system placed on the tickets!

What used to be printed on the tickets? :unsure:

 

[Amfleet]

The family room used to "15" and now it is refered to as "F"

 

[AlanB]

The family room used to "15" and now it is refered to as "F"

No, the family room on my tickets is refered to as 15 and the number in the ceiling is 15. Most recent ticket was from May 03.

Maybe you've got that backwards? :blink:

 

[Trogdor]

Car 0632 would be the second sleeper from the dining car. The numbers start at the dining car and go outward. Depending on the orientation of the Zephyr, it will either be at the very front or very back of the train.

There is no 0630 car on the Zephyr (well, there wasn't recently). 0631 is the first car after the dining car, and 0632 is the second car after the dining car. For the coaches, either 0610 or 0611 (not sure which) is closest to the diner/lounge, then 0611, 0612, 13, etc.

Also, the Empire Builder sleepers are 0730, 0731, and 2730 (replace 7 with 8 for the eastbound counterparts). For example, a full consist on the Empire Builder would have line numbers: 0710 (crew dorm to Seattle), 0731 (sleeper to SEA), 0730 (sleeper to SEA), dining car, 0711 (coach to SEA), 0712 (coach to SEA), sightseer lounge, 2714 (coach to Portland), 2715 (coach to PDX), 2730 (sleeper to PDX), 0709 (coach to St. Paul).

Also, for the Texas Eagle, if the car continues on to Los Angeles (tran 421), the number is 2130. If it terminates in San Antonio, then it is 2120. I believe the transition sleeper/dorm car is number 2119.

The Sunset Limited has a weird numbering system for coaches. The first coach behind the lounge is 0213, and the second coach is 0212 (eastbound, it would be 0113 and 0112 westbound). West of San Antonio, there is also coach 2215/2115 for the Texas Eagle through-car.

That said, it should also be pointed out that often crewmembers "forget" to change the line number, so it may have a number completely unrelated to what it is supposed to be.

 

[GG-1]

Aloha And Mahalo,

for all the car numbering information. This information has made me curious, I haven’t had close to enough trips to decide where the car placement in a train effects the ride quality.

For example I have come to the conclusion I find the heritage cars most comfortable, next comes the economy bedroom upstairs, then the economy downstairs followed by the deluxe room. Have never tried the family or handicapped room.

Eric

 

[AlanB]

Well car placement IMHO does have a bit to do with comfort. I prefer sleepers that are in front of the diner. I have been in a sleeper that was on the rear of the train and I found the ride to be a bit more bumpy/bouncy, especially if there are no box cars/freight on the rear. Although the view is great out of the rear of the sleeper in that case.

Beyond that, I suppose that being closer to the diner is a bit better, since you are just a little bit further from the horn. As much as I love the horn, it's not the greatest thing to be hearing while sleeping. Mind you it doesn't really bother me too much, no matter where my sleeper lands.

As for bedrooms, it's typically best to have a bedroom in the middle of the car. This get you further away from the wheels and doors, and therefore is quieter. On a Viewliner, I don't mind having a standard room at all. On the Superliner, I prefer having a deluxe room. However my reason for that is simply the fact that I like having a room with a bathroom in it. I sleep equally well in either a standard or a deluxe.

I've also sleep in a family room and a lower level bedroom. A little less sway, along with far less foot traffic. However there is a little more road noise, but again IMHO, nothing intolerable. Never done the handicapped room.

 

[Anthony]

The family room used to "15" and now it is refered to as "F"

No, the family room on my tickets is refered to as 15 and the number in the ceiling is 15. Most recent ticket was from May 03.

Maybe you've got that backwards? :blink:

Superliner I cars have room number 15 on the door, while Superliner II cars have room number F on the door.

Come to think of it, I don't think the Superliner I cars have "H" on the special bedroom, though I could be wrong. (Don't they say "For Disabled Passengers only"?)

 

[battalion51]

I believe the SI's do have H on the door of the Handicap Room.