As of late I have noticed that the Southwest Chief has been running with what appears to be 2 sleepers next to the diner. I was wondering if the first sleeper is a regular sleeper or whether it is Dorm/Sleeper? I also noticed that the west bound number 3 was running with 3 and not 2 coaches when it arrived in Galesburg and a short time ago today at Fort Madison (August 2, 2022) the eastbound 4 was also running with 3 coaches which is good news because it shows that at least somedays they are trying to expand the passenger capacity on the Southwest Chief.
Southwest Chief discussion
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trimetbusfan
Lead Service Attendant
Summer consist for the SWC has been a bag car, one Dorm/Sleeper, one full sleeper, diner, SSL, and 3 coaches.
Thanks. Its good to know that the Southwest Chief is running with 3 Coaches regularly as opposed to the California Zephyr which is only running with 2. It is disgusting to see how Amtraks management is still shortchanging their long distance service. At least Anderson is gone. I still have to see how well Gardner does.
A Trans-Dorm can be identified by the small window on the upper level at the front of the car. Someone said it's the conductor's office.
The Superliner sleeper behind it has full-width windows to both ends of the upper level.
Does anyone have information as to when the second full sleeper will be returned to the SWC's consist?
Normal pre-COVID consist was at least baggage, transform, 2 standard sleepers and 2 coaches year round. 3rd coach in summers, but no 3rd sleeper.
trimetbusfan
Lead Service Attendant
Maybe once Amtrak’s ‘fall’ changes kicks in. (September or October for Amtrak)
That's what we're counting on. (Last June, Amtrak sold us SWC bedrooms in the second sleeper. We'll be traveling on No. 4 the latter part of September and No. 3 in early October.)
When they start getting that 80 car backlog out of Beech Grove, and who knows when that'll be.
trimetbusfan
Lead Service Attendant
Not nessicarily. For the summer they took some sleepers off the SWC and allocated them to other routes. Right now the Coast Starlight and Capitol Limited are running with more sleeper cars than they were before.
Starlight is not up to its pre-COVID summer consist even so. It was a transdorm and 3 standard sleepers in the summers before COVID.
Root cause is the full fleet still is unavailable. That is why they are robbing Peter to pay Paul.
njdon
Train Attendant
Thanks for the info.
I am on the #3 right now as we just crossed over Raton Pass. So far a very pleasant trip. Dining excellent, bathrooms clean, cars are kept cool, we are reasonably on time…
it’s a very full train.
one of the onboard staff told me the baggage and one of the coaches will be removed in September and the transdorm will remain. Also it will be a 5, perhaps 3 day a week train.
Perhaps this is normal after peak season?
anyway a pleasant trip
it’s a very full train.
one of the onboard staff told me the baggage and one of the coaches will be removed in September and the transdorm will remain. Also it will be a 5, perhaps 3 day a week train.
Perhaps this is normal after peak season?
anyway a pleasant trip
That 11 car starlight was a beast, really miss it.
not normal, at all. This is very sad news, I hope it’s false.
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The baggage removal isn’t surprising. I think the last couple years they’ve added the full baggage on the Chief in the summer mainly due to the Boy Scouts. Rest of the year I think they make do with just the coach baggage.
Well pre-covid every LD train except the CONO IIRC had a baggage car…
Thanks for the info. I'll be boarding in ABQ, so not sure if that would still qualify as early on.
Here's a ridiculously specific question. For the last coach car in the consist, at the back door that would be the vestibule to another car, is there still a light on overnight?
Seems like if there is no light and virtually no foot traffic, that would be a really desirable area.
There's enough light anywhere in a Superliner coach that some passengers bring sleep masks. I wear a hat with a brim and just pull it down.
