Amtrak East Coast single level consist possibilities

[ctim2]

Given the size and consist of the late '70s and '80s eastern Amtrak trains, Silver Service, Crescent, Lake Shore Limited, Cardinal, etc., with an appropriate or unlimited availability of passenger cars and types, why would those trains look like today? That is to say, how many cars, what types, and how utilized? Your thoughts?

An example of what I mean is the Crescent of the late 1980s, which appeared to have good car utilization, including sleeper and coach pickup and drop-off in Atlanta, which reflected and accommodated its higher traffic and demand to and from Atlanta north.

 

[John Bredin]

At a minimum, the (FRA, I think) workshops & planning on new long-distance routes should be complete before Amtrak orders new LD fleets, single-level or bi-level.

Ideally, Congress should adopt a dedicated revenue source for Amtrak capital investments so multi-year planning can be done with confidence.

My belief is that Amtrak upper management is neither anti-(passenger, LD, non-NEC, whatever) nor particularly incompetent but skittish, and IMHO understandably so. Even when the President supports Amtrak and Congress votes Amtrak reasonable funding, a few years and a new election can change that tune to the old Profit!-and-Waste! Rag. Ambitious equipment orders having to be pared back for lack of funds is not unknown in Amtrak history.

Either way, Amtrak has to know (1) how many routes, trains (will some routes have 2 or even 3 services a day?) and thus trainsets it will be operating, and (2) how much firm, no-backsies, funding it has for new equipment, before it can make a firm contract for an appropriate number of cars/trainsets.

 

[west point]

The Silvers and Palmetto would all originate at MIA. They would be 18 cars -= 2 diners, lounge,^ bag. The 14 revenue cars would split coach / sleeper between even to a 9 and 5 mix.. At WASH or PHL 4 cars will be removed to allow a 14 car fit at NYP. The Crescent would arrive northbound at ATL with about 7 cars and have the same layout as the Silvers northbound to WASH with 4 removed at WASH.

The only problem would be the present ATL station as the platform is way too short for 18 cars. However, maybe most passengers boarded before on the additional cars before inbound arrival and stick them on the front of #20.

BTW Palmetto probably would only have one diner serving 24/7.

 

[railiner]

At WASH or PHL 4 cars will be removed to allow a 14 car fit at NYP.

They used to run 18 car Silver trains to New York. Have they shortened some platforms?