Amtrak cutting power, downgrading service

[Superliner Diner]

This is reported by the Louisiana Association of Railroad Passengers, an affiliate of NARP in their May/June newsletter:

This month (June) the SUNSET LIMITED is supposed to begin running with just one engine (down from two). There is growing concern that the need to cut costs will cause problems with trains getting stuck should the lone locomotive fail. This could be quite an issue in Texas in the summer. The P-42 fleet has not been totally reliable. A train that breaks down in the middle of nowhere will infuriate passengers, make it difficult to get buses near the train, cost AMTRAK either the expense in sending passengers to their destinations by bus or air, or the expense of putting people up in hotels. It will make passengers say "never again", and anger the host railroad whose single track mainline is blocked by the disabled train. So LARP asks, it is really worth it to run with one engine instead of two?

In a related story, the TEXAS EAGLE will be carrying just one sleeper 7 days a week. This train also will have just one engine. The loss of the second sleeper is partly the result of decreased power, and partly the result of an equipment shortage. AMTRAK may sell 8 standard rooms in the transition sleeper (normally only used as a crew dorm) to make up for this, although that cannot equal the revenue lost by not running a regular sleeping car. AMTRAK may also downgrade the food service on the TEXAS EAGLE to microwave meals. In short, the diner and sightseer lounge will be taken off this train, and in their place a Superliner "Bistro" car will be added.

This change may be made on the CITY OF NEW ORLEANS as well, which seems plausible since the EAGLE and CITY now share run-through equipment at Chicago.

 

[Viewliner]

This is not good, what next, Tri-Weekly Service? Hope these changes can be reversed before serious damage results as far a ridership on these routes.

 

[Amfleet]

I think these are just temporary changes for the summer as the Southwest Chief and California Zephyr reviece an additional third sleeper. No I'm pretty sure the microwaved meals and no dining car are just rumers, but It may be true that Eagle and the City will loose their Sightseer Lounges and get a Snack Coach. That it would be really nice if Amtrak could get the Cardinal back to Superliners (maybe after the termination of the K-Card???).

 

[Viewliner]

I think these are just temporary changes for the summer as the Southwest Chief and California Zephyr reviece an additional third sleeper. No I'm pretty sure the microwaved meals and no dining car are just rumers, but It may be true that Eagle and the City will loose their Sightseer Lounges and get a Snack Coach. That it would be really nice if Amtrak could get the Cardinal back to Superliners (maybe after the termination of the K-Card???).

Yes, I'd like to see the Cardinal go Superliner again, as well as the Palmetto go Silver Palm (Viewliner) again. Once we repair enough cars, we have to get funds to get more Viewliners, and after to replace the Budd Cars (50+ Years, I mean c'mon, sure they're built with Budd quality, but even that can't last forever).

 

[sonny]

I just got off the Texas Eagle from SAS - DAL this evening, and I'll give you my first hand view:

1 transition sleeper and 1 sleeper (as well as one coach) from the Sunset Limited from LAX. Waiting for that hookup took until after 10am this morning. No dining car meal service until after Fort Worth (as the dining car crew gets on there). Cold and/or Microwaved Breakfasts, and massive rushes to both breakfast and lunch - long lines, and not many supplies.

When we got lunch, they had 4 sandwiches left, a few packages of White Castles, and not much else.....and no more food until after FTW per the Lounge Car personnel. Wine was supposed to be complimentary, but alas, none to be had. We were grateful to get 2 of the last Pepsi Colas the guy had, though he had a lot of Diet Sierra Mists available as well as Skittles!

However, we had 2 engines. In order, we had 2 engines, transition sleeper, dining car, lounge car, coach, coach, coach, and sleeper at the end.

 

[AlanB]

That it would be really nice if Amtrak could get the Cardinal back to Superliners (maybe after the termination of the K-Card???).

Well remember the K-Card isn't really going away. It's just being cut back from Louisville to Indianapolis. Therefore the shortened train will still combine with the Cardinal on the days that the Cardinal runs. So whatever they may decide to call the shortened K-Card, the equipment will still need to be compatible with the Cardinal.

 

[Superliner Diner]

Well remember the K-Card isn't really going away.  It's just being cut back from Louisville to Indianapolis.  Therefore the shortened train will still combine with the Cardinal on the days that the Cardinal runs.  So whatever they may decide to call the shortened K-Card, the equipment will still need to be compatible with the Cardinal.

My guess for the name is returning to the Hoosier State name. Or.... the Cardinal is the state bird for seven states, and if Indiana is one of them, then the train could be named the Indiana Cardinal.

I would guess that the Chicago-Indy daily train, whatever it's called, will operate with the standard Horizon coaches and Horizon cafe, the workhorses (although glorified commuter coaches) of the Midwestern routes. I believe these are compatible with the Amfleet II equipment the parent Cardinal train now uses, although there may be a slight step up or down where the different models are connected.

I'm thinking that they should experiment with running the Chicago-Indy train earlier Indy-bound and later Chicago-bound on the days the Cardinal does not operate, as it definitely would be helpful to business to have human hours in Indianapolis. Of course this would sacrifice the connections on the Chicago end, but alas, the people along the Cardinal route don't have Chicago connections anyhow on the days it does not operate.

 

[jccollins]

Diner: You mention that this will affect the Sunset Limited in your title, but then don't mention it in your post. How will the Sunset be affected? :huh: Thanks!

 

[Superliner Diner]

Diner: You mention that this will affect the Sunset Limited in your title, but then don't mention it in your post. How will the Sunset be affected? :huh: Thanks!

jccollins,

Thanks. The first paragraph was supposed to have referred to the SUNSET LIMITED, not the TEXAS EAGLE, and I've changed it accordingly above.

FWIW, the SUNSET has already operated with one engine between Florida and New Orleans, and two engines west of New Orleans. So those risks they are now taking west of New Orleans were already standard procedure east of New Orleans.

 

[Superliner Diner]

Personally, I can't wait to ride the Texas Eagle and purchase some microwaved Chef-Boy-Ar-Dee Spaghettios for dinner! Ut-oh. :blink: :blink: :blink:

 

[jccollins]

Thanks for the update, Diner. I have my fingers crossed that my coast to coast LAX-ORL rountrip experience on the Sunset this July will be uneventful! Leaving LAX July 4th, leaving from ORL to return west on July 15th. B)

 

[sutton8596]

so, can anyone tell me: does this mean the City of New Orleans will, in future, be running without a diner and sightseer lounge, or does it mean the lounge will be replaced by the bistro (whatever that is) but retain the lounge?

Scott

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

I loathe about hearing any more problems, or downgradings for the Texas Eagle and the Sunset....or, incidentally the City of NO. THose trains, esp. the first two, need all the help they can get. That one engine thing is really pitiful.

 

[Guest_carknocker51]

:huh: Is this change on The City of New Orleans happenning right now,this week?I'll be on it Sunday,in a standard sleeper...I hope.....Sure hope we git regular home cooked meals for the price of the ride.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

I hope you get your sleeper and real meals, too, carknocker. I hate this news.

 

[socalsteve]

We will be taking the Sunset Limited from LA to Orlando the middle of July. I guess I'll have to keep my fingers crossed for the health of our lone engine!

Since I'm a newbie, I guess I'm allowed to ask a stupid question: Will this affect the speed of the train or the power in the train (like, in the diner)?

 

[battalion51]

Nope. The one area where you may notice a difference is in load time, in this case the amount of time it takes you to get up to speed. The HEP is usually only run off one engine anyway, with both providing traction power. So, in short no major differences will be seen.