Amtrak consists 2023

[zephyr17]

There was BC on the Coast Starlight on the 12/26 departure from lax. They were allowed to eat in the diner after the sleepers were served

The suspension of BC started in early January.

 

[Steve4031]

The suspension of BC started in early January.

I stand corrected. I did not read carefully.

 

[user 14106]

Business Class on the Starlight is currently "suspended" (it is supposed to return in March, but it's Amtrak, so who knows?).

The diner on the Starlight apparently opened to coach passengers in December. Space available like it was for BC.

I’m assuming suspended is in quotes because you believe this to be permanent?

 

[zephyr17]

I’m assuming suspended is in quotes because you believe this to be permanent?

I put it in quotes because I do not trust the competence of Amtrak's planning and equipment management in the slightest bit. They have amply demonstrated their incompetence.

While I hope it returns, I will be wholly unsurprised if it doesn't.

 

[ParanoidAndroid]

Business Class on the Starlight is currently "suspended" (it is supposed to return in March, but it's Amtrak, so who knows?).

The diner on the Starlight apparently opened to coach passengers in December. Space available like it was for BC.

On #14 of Jan. 3rd this year, I rode in a business class car (34512), booked as coach class. No BC car for BC class, and still only 2 coach class cars total. Maybe a temporary equipment shortage of some cause? #11 of Jan. 2nd, which I saw the same day, had a business class car and 2 coach cars.

The consist of 2 locos, 2 sleeper, diner, lounge, and 2 coach was disappointing. Around this time 3 years ago, I saw multiple CS runs with 2 locos, baggage, transition sleeper, 4 sleepers, diner, BC, lounge, 3 coach...

Edit: Sadly did not know the diner was (maybe) open to coach class, and it was never announced AFAIK.

 

[BowlerMan3]

The mention of TV Dinners with the Texas Eaglette brings to mind the ZZ Top song by the same name:

TV Dinners

Right now the small portion of the Texas Eagle from Chicago to San Antonio has no dinning or observation car, but when they had the Sunset Limited to it in San Antonio there is a dinning car and an observation car for all passengers and in the part is traditional dinning for everybody in the sleepers.

 

[Rasputin]

Edit: Sadly did not know the diner was (maybe) open to coach class, and it was never announced AFAIK.

Very typical of Amtrak.

 

[mackinaw chief]

Thus my responses to the builder thread. There should be a lounge car and cafe car on the Eagle. The two lounge cars and cafe cars would continue to LAX keeps things separate. This is why the cafe car runs out of food you get stocked in NOL sunset limited passengers yet in SAS that train gets about another 300 passengers. Does the CHI food get added to the NOL cafe? Additional provisions added in SAS??? 600 passengers eating from one cafe is bad move.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Right now the small portion of the Texas Eagle from Chicago to San Antonio has no dinning or observation car, but when they had the Sunset Limited to it in San Antonio there is a dinning car and an observation car for all passengers and in the part is traditional dinning for everybody in the sleepers.

It's actually a 33+ Hour Trip on the Eaglette between Chicago and San Antonio,,so a Second Sleeper( the current Sleeper mostly Sells Out @ High Bucket), plus the Lounge Car and Traditional Dining in the CCC are really not a Luxury for this Route!

 

[Cal]

Thus my responses to the builder thread. There should be a lounge car and cafe car on the Eagle. The two lounge cars and cafe cars would continue to LAX keeps things separate. This is why the cafe car runs out of food you get stocked in NOL sunset limited passengers yet in SAS that train gets about another 300 passengers. Does the CHI food get added to the NOL cafe? Additional provisions added in SAS??? 600 passengers eating from one cafe is bad move.

Doubt it’s 600 passengers and the Sunset is never more than two sleepers and two coaches I don’t think, even pre-covid. When adding the two transfer cars it gets you a standard consist of the CZ and Chief. EB usually ran with 9-10 cars pre-covid (3 sleepers + transdorm, 3-4 coaches, 2 service).

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Thus my responses to the builder thread. There should be a lounge car and cafe car on the Eagle. The two lounge cars and cafe cars would continue to LAX keeps things separate. This is why the cafe car runs out of food you get stocked in NOL sunset limited passengers yet in SAS that train gets about another 300 passengers. Does the CHI food get added to the NOL cafe? Additional provisions added in SAS??? 600 passengers eating from one cafe is bad move.

300 passengers? One sleeper and one coach are added from the TE - that equates to max 118 passengers.

 

[Cal]

300 passengers? One sleeper and one coach are added from the TE - that equates to max 118 passengers.

Not to mention the Sunset is always short(er than other LD trains).

 

[zephyr17]

Not to mention the Sunset is always short(er than other LD trains).

Isn't the standard consist for the Sunset between LA and San Antonio these days:

Sleeper (NOL
Diner (NOL)
Sightseer (NOL
Coach/Bag (NOL)
Coach (NOL)
Coach (CHI)
Sleeper (CHI)

That's nowhere near a max capacity of 600 passengers

 

[Cal]

Isn't the standard consist for the Sunset between LA and San Antonio these days:

Sleeper (NOL
Diner (NOL)
Sightseer (NOL
Coach/Bag (NOL)
Coach (NOL)
Coach (CHI)
Sleeper (CHI)

That's nowhere near a max capacity of 600 passengers

Something like that. Although even Pre-Covid the consist only had one sleeper and a transdorm, along with two coaches.

 

[zephyr17]

Something like that. Although even Pre-Covid the consist only had one sleeper and a transdorm, along with two coaches.

Yeah, agreed.

 

[mackinaw chief]

Isn't the standard consist for the Sunset between LA and San Antonio these days:

Sleeper (NOL
Diner (NOL)
Sightseer (NOL
Coach/Bag (NOL)
Coach (NOL)
Coach (CHI)
Sleeper (CHI)

That's nowhere near a max capacity of 600 passengers

My numbers came from the passenger load that the SWC had in the Missouri crash news outlets reported 300 passengers on that train. So I doubled it for the combined Texas eagle/ Sunset limited. I could be wrong. I welcome correct numbers from someone with a higher pay grade.

 

[zephyr17]

My numbers came from the passenger load that the SWC had in the Missouri crash news outlets reported 300 passengers on that train. So I doubled it for the combined Texas eagle/ Sunset limited. I could be wrong. I welcome correct numbers from someone with a higher pay grade.

There are just two LA cars on the Texas Eagle, one sleeper and one coach. The Sunset consist currently contains one sleeper (no transdorm), one full coach, and one coach/bag. It is not two Southwest Chiefs put together. That was a poor assumption.

The entire capacity of the Sunset/Eagle combined consist, if every seat and every berth were filled is 298 (44 for each of the two sleepers 74 for each of the two full coaches, 62 for the coach/bag). Subtract out roomettes for two SCAs, two Coach TAs, the cafe LSA, and an LSA, SA, and chef for diner and that reduces the capacity by 16 (8 roomettes). So the absolute maximum passenger capacity is 282.

I welcome any corrections to my math.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

For car capacity: On Track On Line - Amtrak Passenger Equipment Roster - Rolling Stock

 

[Anderson]

There are just two LA cars on the Texas Eagle, one sleeper and one coach. The Sunset consist currently contains one sleeper (no transdorm), one full coach, and one coach/bag. It is not two Southwest Chiefs put together. That was a poor assumption.

The entire capacity of the Sunset/Eagle combined consist, if every seat and every berth were filled is 298 (44 for each of the two sleepers 74 for each of the two full coaches, 62 for the coach/bag). Subtract out roomettes for two SCAs, two Coach TAs, the cafe LSA, and an LSA, SA, and chef for diner and that reduces the capacity by 16 (8 roomettes). So the absolute maximum passenger capacity is 282.

I welcome any corrections to my math.

Also, don't forget that per-train ridership numbers may be higher...but with a few exceptions, that involves a lot of intermediate turnover (e.g. a given seat on the Builder or Zephyr could turn over 3-5 times...CHI-OMA, OMA-DEN, DEN-GJC, RNO-EMY).

 

[zephyr17]

Also, don't forget that per-train ridership numbers may be higher...but with a few exceptions, that involves a lot of intermediate turnover (e.g. a given seat on the Builder or Zephyr could turn over 3-5 times...CHI-OMA, OMA-DEN, DEN-GJC, RNO-EMY).

True, but the cafe and diner only have to serve the folks onboard at any given time, which is limited by capacity.

 

[user 31979]

I put it in quotes because I do not trust the competence of Amtrak's planning and equipment management in the slightest bit. They have amply demonstrated their incompetence.

While I hope it returns, I will be wholly unsurprised if it doesn't.

Coast Starlight lost its BC because the cars have been moved to the WPE in CO, so I would expect they will be back after the WPE season is over in March.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Coast Starlight lost its BC because the cars have been moved to the WPE in CO, so I would expect they will be back after the WPE season is over in March.

Don't bet any money in Vegas on it!