Save Our Trains Michigan
Conductor
I got an e mail from an Amtrak engineer i know out of NOLA and the Sunset looks like it will go to 4 times a week.april 15 the sunset is going to start running four days a week.
Sunset LTD 4 times a week
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battalion51
Engineer
I still don't buy it. Management in Florida still hasn't heard jack about this, so until I see something official it seems to good to be true. Have you heard what days the Sunset will run Matt?
Save Our Trains Michigan
Conductor
No i will find out from the engineer i know he is the reg engineer on 1&2 runs NOLA to Lafayette.battalion51 said:
Save Our Trains Michigan
Conductor
Also rember Michigan is going to lose a train set in April that will free up some cars i would rather see the Sunset gain a day then put the superliners back on the trains that had them.
Yeah, but the Superliners on the International would be going back in April regardless of whether or not the International was being canceled. During t winter months the International borrows the cars needed to handle the peak summer months on the Chief, the Builder & the Zephyr.BNSF_1088 said:Also rember Michigan is going to lose a train set in April that will free up some cars i would rather see the Sunset gain a day then put the superliners back on the trains that had them.
If they give those cars away to the Sunset, then they are going to loose a lot of business this summer on those three trains.
battalion51
Engineer
Don't forget though that Beech Grove is still turning out repaired cars, so that is probably contributing heavily to making this move possible.
No doubt that too has helped. At last count, as of Feb 23, here's how things stood with regard to Superliner equipment returned to service.battalion51 said:
4 - Diners
2 - Super Smoker cars
3 - Trans/Dorms
7 - Sleepers
3 - Lounges
3 - Coaches
Probably about 60% of the cars are Superliner I's, while the rest are II's.
battalion51
Engineer
22 cars is a fair number of cars, with the biggest winner being the number of sleepers coming out. But with the numbers they've turned out so far that's more than enough to put together two trainsets, which would make this Sunset move possible. I'd still rather see it go to the Cardinal, and send the Cardinal's equipment back to the Palmetto bug, but that's just me.
Viewliner
Engineer
I couldn't agree with you more, I'd rather see the Cardinal go Superliner, and the Palmetto go Silver Palm. If there were enough Superliners to add an additional frequency on any route, I think it'd better served on the Cardinal than the Sunset in terms of a fourth frequency. (or going daily)battalion51 said:
I think it would be better now if amtrak brought back train spliting in Jax. They could offer sleepers to pax from ny-jax then use a club car and cut a few coaches off the end. a sample consist could be like so.
P42
P42
baggage
dorm
viewliner
viewliner
diner
lounge
amcan
amcan
amcan
amcan-tampa
amcan-tampa
club/lounge-open only from jax-tampa
roadrailers
it is definatley a possibility except the flaw with baggage and sleeper pax having to move.
P42
P42
baggage
dorm
viewliner
viewliner
diner
lounge
amcan
amcan
amcan
amcan-tampa
amcan-tampa
club/lounge-open only from jax-tampa
roadrailers
it is definatley a possibility except the flaw with baggage and sleeper pax having to move.
Save Our Trains Michigan
Conductor
Here is what the Sunset has on it today out of Housto TXengine999 said:
OS Houston TX Amtrak #2 3/21/2004
#2 ar Houston 1:30 PM.
#2 dp Houston 2:34 PM. And then sat
at first signal east of depot until 3:05 PM.
118 Engine (cab leads)
1 Engine (cab leads)
207 Engine (cab leads) added in Houston. Pilot removed 3/20.
31508 Coach (deadhead)
33024 Lounge (deadhead)
1212 Baggage
39022 Transition sleeper
32095 Sleeper
32113 Sleeper
38066 Diner
33032 Lounge
34107 Coach
34134 Coach.
On private car track: "Intrepid".
battalion51
Engineer
Actually if the train split you would probably see something like this:engine999 said:
TPA P42
MIA P42
MIA Bag
MIA Dorm
MIA Sleeper
MIA Sleeper
MIA Club Car
MIA Diner
MIA Amfleet II Lounge
MIA Amfleet II Coach
MIA Amfleet II Coach
MIA Amfleet II Coach
TPA Amfleet II Coach
TPA Amfleet II Coach
TPA Amfleet I Dinette
TPA Sleeper
TPA Baggage
No one just sticks an extra bag on the bottom and maybe a Viewliner, much like they do with the Lake Shore under normal circumstances. A typical consist would then look like this.engine999 said:
P42
P42
bag
dorm
Viewliner
diner
lounge
amcan
amcan
amcan
amcan - Tampa
amcan - Tampa
club/lounge - Tampa
Viewliner
bag
Express Trak.
Then at Jax, you whack off the Tampa section along with the Express. The Orlando section leaves, while they pull off the Express Trak. Then toss on a new P42 onto the head of the Tampa section and away you go.
Which is esentially what I was busy typing at the same time. The only differences being that I put a Viewliner thru to TPA and I'm adding a new engine at JAX to the Tampa section.battalion51 said:
While the Viewliner to TPA would be optional, one doesn't want to split the power at JAX. Its simply one more move and will only make things take longer in the station.
It's far easier, a bigger time saver, and more cost effective to simply send the Orlando section on with both locos. Then keep and extra 42 in JAX for the run down to TPA. It comes back north on the next train and waits for the next southbound split.
The same happens with the LSL, they don't split the power. It runs through Albany from Boston to Chicago. Only the NYP section looses or gains an engine.
Sorry, I couldn't answer that one. The Silver Palm did, but I have no idea about the older trains that split.engine999 said:
battalion51
Engineer
Sorry Alan bout my missing the TPA sleeper (I knoew it didn't look right). There's one thing that sets the LSL apart from Silver Service though, you need a different type of engine to go into NY. Down here in these parts it's the same stuff no matter which way you go. As far as it "Being more moves" is concerned, it's two extra throws of a switch in JAX to do this. Here's what would happen:
Combined train (let's say 87 is the JAX-ORL-MIA side and 97 is the JAX-LAK-TPA side) 87/97 pulls into JAX on track 1. Fuel up both ponies while mechanical seperates cables between the two engines and the coaches of 87 and 97. Once fueling is completed whack the lead engine (for 97) have it pull down to the 2 to 1 switch. Throw the switch, back the engine up past the switch. 87 departs. Throw the switch back to let the engine for 97 back onto Track 1. Restore the switch 1 to 1, back up, do your brake test and then depart. It's not much more complicated. Also, this way you only need two ponies to do the job instead of three. It would also require to wye the engine nightly so it's pointing in the right direction the next day. This is just a lot easier for all parties.
Combined train (let's say 87 is the JAX-ORL-MIA side and 97 is the JAX-LAK-TPA side) 87/97 pulls into JAX on track 1. Fuel up both ponies while mechanical seperates cables between the two engines and the coaches of 87 and 97. Once fueling is completed whack the lead engine (for 97) have it pull down to the 2 to 1 switch. Throw the switch, back the engine up past the switch. 87 departs. Throw the switch back to let the engine for 97 back onto Track 1. Restore the switch 1 to 1, back up, do your brake test and then depart. It's not much more complicated. Also, this way you only need two ponies to do the job instead of three. It would also require to wye the engine nightly so it's pointing in the right direction the next day. This is just a lot easier for all parties.
I realize of course that there is a need for a different style of engine out of NY. That however isn't the only reason though that the Boston power runs through.
Yes you are right, it's really not that big a deal to cut the power in half, no argument there. But it still is one more move and a bigger delay for the train. The Cardinal back when it used to split off the K-Card ran the same way. Two engines ran through, they whacked off the K-Card and attached new power from the Indianapolis pool.
AFAIK, the same is also true with the Empire Builder. The Seattle section retains all the power that came from Chicago, while the Portland section gets new power out of Spokanne.
Yes you are right, it's really not that big a deal to cut the power in half, no argument there. But it still is one more move and a bigger delay for the train. The Cardinal back when it used to split off the K-Card ran the same way. Two engines ran through, they whacked off the K-Card and attached new power from the Indianapolis pool.
AFAIK, the same is also true with the Empire Builder. The Seattle section retains all the power that came from Chicago, while the Portland section gets new power out of Spokanne.
NativeSon5859
Conductor
If true...this is great news! The Sunset has always deserved increased service in my opinion. Just look at the cities it serves on the route....Orlando, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Houston, San Antonio, El Paso, L.A etc...those are all highly populated areas to say the least. There is a lot of people living along the route of the Sunset, more so than along some other long distance routes.
This is a route which ultimetely deserves daily service in my opinion, but before that happens, I'd like to see the train split in NOL as some have suggested....perhaps LAX-NOL-ORL (or hopefully MIA) thru sleeping car and coach service, but have it run as a seperate train. I'm sure this would help operational performace.
Anyway, I hope this comes to pass. In this day in age, it's good to see ANY kind of service enhancement from Amtrak.
This is a route which ultimetely deserves daily service in my opinion, but before that happens, I'd like to see the train split in NOL as some have suggested....perhaps LAX-NOL-ORL (or hopefully MIA) thru sleeping car and coach service, but have it run as a seperate train. I'm sure this would help operational performace.
Anyway, I hope this comes to pass. In this day in age, it's good to see ANY kind of service enhancement from Amtrak.
EmpireBuilderFan
Lead Service Attendant
Now, I know this is a pipe dream, especially while Sen. McCain continues to fight Amtrak, but I think one of the best things that could be done is to return the SL to Phoenix instead of Maricopa. Unfortunately, that would involve Amtrak, the State of Arizona, or UP replacing the track out of Phoenix that UP (or was it still Southern Pacific at that time) abandoned several years ago. That would provide even more incentive to making the SL a daily train, since it would be another major metropolitan area with a stop in the center of the city. Like I said, however, it's definitely a pipe dream right now.
G
Guest
Guest
April 15th would not make sense for four days a week, since the new Amtrak timetable and all the changes are effective on April 27th. Also there is nothing planned for marketing this type of change in schedule.
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