Amtrak Cascades Service discussion

[trimetbusfan]

Easy question: do the Talgo and / or Horizons have at-seat charging? I *think* it'll be a Talgo round trip, doing 519 & 516 next week. Thanks!

They all have power outlets at the seats. On the horizons they are next to the window, and on the Talgos they are either in between seats (under the arm rest) or under the seat.

 

[zephyr17]

Based on Business Class seat counts from railsforless.us, 516-519 is running Talgos next week, at least Sunday (22 open BC seats), Monday (31 BC seats), Friday (17 BC seats) and Saturday (24 BC seats). Tuesday (2 BC seats), Wednesday (2 BC seats), and Thursday (4 BC seats) are questionable. Those represents a nearly sold out BC. That’s easy with the Horizons, I think they only have 18 BC seats, harder with the Talgos with much higher BC capacity.

I've been watching it recently because I am traveling on it on Sunday, 11/3 and will do a coupon upgrade to BC if it's a Talgo. BC hasn't been generally getting that close to sold out recently, which makes me think that might indicate Horizons midweek next week. Or it just may mean BC sales have been good.

EDIT: rechecked the prices and they're at lower buckets than the top $111 bucket for those midweek trains. Since, for BC, railsforless.us shows only the inventory in the current bucket that means it isn't the remaining inventory. It actually means sales are low those days and probably does not indicate Horizons are running midweek, given Talgos are running other days.

I don't have any clue to the logic behind the assignments of the two ODOT Talgo sets on the Cascades. Based on physical observation at EVR, 516-519 were running Talgos in July, but they got reassigned and 516-519 were running Horizons in August. Recently it's been back to Talgos 7 days a week. While I haven't seen a pattern varying day by day, they've running consistently either one or the other, but, as I said, Talgo Cascades assignments are a mystery.

 

[Harmon Shay]

The SP&S had extra equipment in Portland, including heavyweights. As I've mentioned before in some other thread, I've seen Train 2 leaving Portland with heavyweight diner "Willamette" - complete with crystal flower vases - and the rest of the consist turned on the regular cycle. Presumably turning the dining car was the most stressful part of the process.

The scheduled turn in Portland for years was eight hours.

Actually, the diner Willamette wasn't a heavyweight. According to an all-time passenger equipment roster produced by the SP&S Railway Historical Society, it was actually a lightweight from the KATY acquired in 1966 to retire an old heavyweight, the 404.

 

[Willbridge]

Actually, the diner Willamette wasn't a heavyweight. According to an all-time passenger equipment roster produced by the SP&S Railway Historical Society, it was actually a lightweight from the KATY acquired in 1966 to retire an old heavyweight, the 404.

Thanx. It was the heavyweight on that occasion.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Based on Business Class seat counts from railsforless.us, 516-519 is running Talgos next week, at least Sunday (22 open BC seats), Monday (31 BC seats), Friday (17 BC seats) and Saturday (24 BC seats). Tuesday (2 BC seats), Wednesday (2 BC seats), and Thursday (4 BC seats) are questionable. Those represents a nearly sold out BC. That’s easy with the Horizons, I think they only have 18 BC seats, harder with the Talgos with much higher BC capacity.

I've been watching it recently because I am traveling on it on Sunday, 11/3 and will do a coupon upgrade to BC if it's a Talgo. BC hasn't been generally getting that close to sold out recently, which makes me think that might indicate Horizons midweek next week. Or it just may mean BC sales have been good.

EDIT: rechecked the prices and they're at lower buckets than the top $111 bucket for those midweek trains. Since, for BC, railsforless.us shows only the inventory in the current bucket that means it isn't the remaining inventory. It actually means sales are low those days and probably does not indicate Horizons are running midweek, given Talgos are running other days.

I don't have any clue to the logic behind the assignments of the two ODOT Talgo sets on the Cascades. Based on physical observation at EVR, 516-519 were running Talgos in July, but they got reassigned and 516-519 were running Horizons in August. Recently it's been back to Talgos 7 days a week. While I haven't seen a pattern varying day by day, they've running consistently either one or the other, but, as I said, Talgo Cascades assignments are a mystery.

I’m sitting in a Talgo BC car right now. I was able to use upgrade vouchers this morning for 516 & 519.

 

[Harmon Shay]

That guess on the Horizon Business Class capacity was close. Actually Horizons have only 14 Business Class seats. Talgos are close to 42. It must drive the Amtrak folks crazy dealing with those extreme differences.

 

[TheMalahat]

Tuesday (2 BC seats), Wednesday (2 BC seats), and Thursday (4 BC seats) are questionable. Those represents a nearly sold out BC. That’s easy with the Horizons, I think they only have 18 BC seats, harder with the Talgos with much higher BC capacity.

Interesting post, thanks. Too bad, I was hoping for Talgo. Looks like Horizon for me! Ah well.

 

[zephyr17]

Interesting post, thanks. Too bad, I was hoping for Talgo. Looks like Horizon for me! Ah well.

If you looked at my "EDIT" I realized that I initially misinterpreted the data. I overlooked price. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are at lower bucket and there are relatively few seats in lower buckets. So it didn't show the inventory in high bucket, where most of it is. I couldn't see it, but it's untapped. So it means there's lots of seats and, given it's Talgo on Monday and Friday, it's likely it'll be Talgo Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, too.

 

[TrimetWESFan1003]

The Talgo assignments seem to change a lot, but I haven't been able to find out why the Talgos aren't running south of Portland anymore. One person told me something about mileage requirements affecting the equipment rotations. I've also been wondering if the Oregon Talgos might stay in the rotation once the eight Siemens sets arrive because, unlike Washington, Oregon is happy with its Talgo arrangement and the trains won't be aged out at that time. If the Oregon Talgos stay, that could help with protection and even allow for service expansion, admittedly with a little less overall capacity on the Talgos. There is that third Seattle-Vancouver BC round trip that I think is still possible, though last I heard BNSF was getting butterflies about it.

What about more Portland-Eugene runs. Since the Talgos are ODOT trains, they could keep them on Cascades trains that only serve Oregon, leaving Venture sets to serve all other cascade services.

 

[Willbridge]

What about more Portland-Eugene runs. Since the Talgos are ODOT trains, they could keep them on Cascades trains that only serve Oregon, leaving Venture sets to serve all other cascade services.

True, but setting up servicing for just the two sets would be an expense. And one of the selling points on the Cascades is the through service.

 

[trimetbusfan]

What about more Portland-Eugene runs. Since the Talgos are ODOT trains, they could keep them on Cascades trains that only serve Oregon, leaving Venture sets to serve all other cascade services.

With the way the current equipment rotations work, it is impossible to have a Talgo to Eugene on every train, every day.

 

[railiner]

Interesting post, thanks. Too bad, I was hoping for Talgo. Looks like Horizon for me! Ah well.

That's funny...I would rather the opposite...much rather ride a Horizon than a Talgo...

An Amfleet would even be better...

 

[willieweed]

I'm planning a trip from Tacoma to Emeryville in December or January. I'm looking at Amtrak Cascades to Eugene and the Starlight to Emeryville. How early should I book to ensure Business class?

 

[TheMalahat]

That's funny...I would rather the opposite...much rather ride a Horizon than a Talgo...

An Amfleet would even be better...

I had just never been on the newer generation Talgo and wanted to knock it off the list. Mission accomplished. And yeah, I could pass on them in the future. Several flat wheels, broken speakers, only one working bathroom, and those seats could use a refresh!

Riding tomorrow and based on a service notice I just got a few minutes ago it'll be Horizons, I think.

 

[Cal]

I'm planning a trip from Tacoma to Emeryville in December or January. I'm looking at Amtrak Cascades to Eugene and the Starlight to Emeryville. How early should I book to ensure Business class?

Why don't you just take the Starlight the whole way? Do you just want to tick the Cascades off the list?

 

[willieweed]

I've ridden the Starlight a dozen times and only used the Cascades once so to save a few bucks on a Starlight bedroom, the Tacoma-Eugene leg in Business class makes sense and long ride on the Cascades. The Eugene-Emeryville leg will be Starlight bedroom.

 

[Willbridge]

I'm planning a trip from Tacoma to Emeryville in December or January. I'm looking at Amtrak Cascades to Eugene and the Starlight to Emeryville. How early should I book to ensure Business class?

Holiday peaks excepted, Business Class in the through trains is usually available up to a couple of weeks before travel. Then with the small number of seats it gets chancy.

 

[Asher]

With the short window on the Cascade business and the possible lack of availability in bedrooms when starting in the middle of a trip I see some issues. Otherwise starting in Eugene should get you in the dinning room for dinner.

 

[Northwestern]

I'm planning a trip from Tacoma to Emeryville in December or January. I'm looking at Amtrak Cascades to Eugene and the Starlight to Emeryville. How early should I book to ensure Business class?

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Good question. Also, are single seats, in business class, available on the Cascades? This summer I plan on a Cascade train from Portland to Seattle, then another Cascade from Seattle to Mt. Vernon. If single seats are available in BC. can you ask for one when you book?

 

[trimetbusfan]

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Good question. Also, are single seats, in business class, available on the Cascades? This summer I plan on a Cascade train from Portland to Seattle, then another Cascade from Seattle to Mt. Vernon. If single seats are available in BC. can you ask for one when you book?

They are available on a first come first serve basis upon boarding. Since you are boarding at the terminal station (Portland) you should be able to snag one pretty easily.

 

[zephyr17]

Business Class seating on the Cascades is 2+1 on both the Talgos and Horizons. The primary difference is capacity, with Horizons having very few BC seats in half the cafe and the Talgos having many more in two cars.

Like any other Business Class outside the Northeast Corridor, you cannot select seats in advance.