Atlantic Coast Service discussion

[user 14106]

Consist of 98(5) as observed at Ashland webcam, which was the safety patrol train, had two P42 four Amfleet 1 coaches, four Amfleet 2 coaches, lounge, diner, 3 sleepers, baggage.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Which is consistent with Amtrak employees not getting free meals.

I know that Amtrak Employees traveling on passes or on Business in Sleepers don't get Free Meals, and since the Introduction of Fresh and Contemporary/Flex Meals, aren't supposed to eat them while On Duty without paying.

In the Before times however, on Duty OBS ( but not T&E Employees) were entitled to Free Contemporary Meals in the Diner.

 

[jis]

I know that Amtrak Employees traveling on passes or on Business in Sleepers don't get Free Meals, and since the Introduction of Fresh and Contemporary/Flex Meals, aren't supposed to eat them while On Duty without paying.

In the Before times however, on Duty OBS ( but not T&E Employees) were entitled to Free Contemporary Meals in the Diner.

Yes. But the Business Roomette is about Amtrak employees traveling on business or on Pass. It is not for Amtrak OBS employees on duty in provided accommodation. As you say a different set of rules distinct from the Business Roomette rules apply to them.

 

[user 14106]

I know that Amtrak Employees traveling on passes or on Business in Sleepers don't get Free Meals, and since the Introduction of Fresh and Contemporary/Flex Meals, aren't supposed to eat them while On Duty without paying.

In the Before times however, on Duty OBS ( but not T&E Employees) were entitled to Free Contemporary Meals in the Diner.

Wouldn't be surprised if the latter is still the case. The flex meals are an inventoried item and a crew member eating those costs a lot more than the equivalent product in a traditional diner - the food costs for flex dining are higher.

 

[jis]

I was looking at the Amtrak website for trips from Chicago to Tampa on random dates over the next few months, and I noticed something odd: the Silver Star seems to run into Tampa from Washington, but the return trips all involve a bus from Tampa. For the dates I checked (which were by no means comprehensive), two-segment all-rail is an option Chicago-Tampa but only mixed service with at least three segments are the options Tampa-Chicago.

Am I misreading this, or is Tampa the "roach motel" for Silver Stars, with trains coming in but not going out?

The northbound Star has no legal connection with the Cap, that is why you are only being shown the Bus - Meteor - Cap itinerary.

 

[OBS]

Wouldn't be surprised if the latter is still the case. The flex meals are an inventoried item and a crew member eating those costs a lot more than the equivalent product in a traditional diner - the food costs for flex dining are higher.

I doubt there are any employees interested in eating the flex meals

 

[user 14106]

I doubt there are any employees interested in eating the flex meals

I'm sure you're right ESPECIALLY not for the prices they were talking.

 

[west point]

The problem with the TPA - bus - Meteor - WAS connection is that the Meteor is selling out even in this winter time.

 

[jis]

The problem with the TPA - bus - Meteor - WAS connection is that the Meteor is selling out even in this winter time.

Would you rather that no connection be presented just because it might not be available due to sold out conditions, or present it and let it be booked if available. There is a general problem of equipment that is not completing inspection due to staff shortage, and as that gets fixed this will also get fixed. Until then the itinerary may not be available as often as desired, as is the case with many other itineraries.

 

[pennyk]

I just saw 97(7) pass through Orlando. 3 coaches; cafe; dining car; 3 sleepers (10 and 12 were V2 and 11 was V1 - which appears to be the "normal" consist now).

..and it was on time.

 

[user 14106]

Would you rather that no connection be presented just because it might not be available due to sold out conditions, or present it and let it be booked if available. There is a general problem of equipment that is not completing inspection due to staff shortage, and as that gets fixed this will also get fixed. Until then the itinerary may not be available as often as desired, as is the case with many other itineraries.

And The 12 sleeper being back should help with the longer haul folks going in sleeper. And looking out the next two weeks the only day I could find where the Tampa meteor bus option was not available was the second safety patrol special which is next Thursday/Sunday.

 

[JWJD126]

What is the Safety Patrol Special? It is running today.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

What is the Safety Patrol Special? It is running today.

It’s an annual trip from Palm Beach area to D.C. for their Safety Patrol kids.
97 left NYP early today and will dwell in WAS for about 3-1/2 hours while they add additional cars and board the group to return home.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

97(8) through Newark, DE

 

[joelkfla]

It’s an annual trip from Palm Beach area to D.C. for their Safety Patrol kids.
97 left NYP early today and will dwell in WAS for about 3-1/2 hours while they add additional cars and board the group to return home.

I don't understand why this requires an extra 3 hours. Why can't they just assemble the cars behind the diesel, load the kids up, and then slap it onto the front of the train, as Amtrak does every day with the Auto Train and VIArail with the Canadian at Vancouver?

 

[MARC Rider]

I don't understand why this requires an extra 3 hours. Why can't they just assemble the cars behind the diesel, load the kids up, and then slap it onto the front of the train, as Amtrak does every day with the Auto Train and VIArail with the Canadian at Vancouver?

I'm not sure, but I would suspect that the trainset was the one that was being used for 98 the previous day. I mean, Amtrak's service standards aren't so low that they'd just dump everyone off 98 in Washington and put them on a bunch of Amfleet 1 coaches for the ride to New York, just so they could have the trainset positioned in Washington. It probably spends the night in Sunnyside getting the usual servicing, and then gets sent down to Washington in its usual slot.

 

[joelkfla]

I'm not sure, but I would suspect that the trainset was the one that was being used for 98 the previous day. I mean, Amtrak's service standards aren't so low that they'd just dump everyone off 98 in Washington and put them on a bunch of Amfleet 1 coaches for the ride to New York, just so they could have the trainset positioned in Washington. It probably spends the night in Sunnyside getting the usual servicing, and then gets sent down to Washington in its usual slot.

But @AmtrakBlue said they were adding cars in WAS. I don't see why it should take 3 hours to add cars.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

But @AmtrakBlue said they were adding cars in WAS. I don't see why it should take 3 hours to add cars.

It deadheaded to WAS, so maybe they just wanted to make sure everything was ready for its normal departure time from WAS so as not to lose its slot on CSX tracks.
Also, I read somewhere, I think, that they arrange the cars with coaches on both sides of the cafe & diner … to keep the girls and boys separated overnight. .

 

[Septa9739]

I watched the cam through Ashland last night. I counted 8 coaches four Amfleet I, four Amfleet II, then cafe, diner, three sleepers, and a baggage.

 

[Anderson]

It’s an annual trip from Palm Beach area to D.C. for their Safety Patrol kids.
97 left NYP early today and will dwell in WAS for about 3-1/2 hours while they add additional cars and board the group to return home.

This explains why 97 was showing up as sold out (I considered it as an option for going home from Magfest; instead, I'm indulging in a "train day" on the Acela).

 

[joelkfla]

It deadheaded to WAS, so maybe they just wanted to make sure everything was ready for its normal departure time from WAS so as not to lose its slot on CSX tracks.
Also, I read somewhere, I think, that they arrange the cars with coaches on both sides of the cafe & diner … to keep the girls and boys separated overnight. .

Oh ... I didn't know that it ran empty from NYP. So really, it's a private train. This would be a good candidate for an "extra section", if only Amtrak had enough equipment and staff to make it so.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Oh ... I didn't know that it ran empty from NYP. So really, it's a private train. This would be a good candidate for an "extra section", if only Amtrak had enough equipment and staff to make it so.

It used to be its own train years ago.

 

[Anderson]

It used to be its own train years ago.

Well, and Amtrak also used to do three trains/day NYP-Florida with some mix of splits and so on.

I'd argue that Amtrak, at a minimum, has no excuse for not having the 12 sleeper in regular play on the Meteor or the Star (I'd argue they should have it on both). They have 75 Viewliner sleepers and only 17 sets to use them on. Three sleepers on each would "only" be 51; add in three (for the Boston LSL) and that's 54. 21 spare/shop is way more than enough to cover (I think that number "should" be closer to 15).

 

[jis]

Well, and Amtrak also used to do three trains/day NYP-Florida with some mix of splits and so on.

I'd argue that Amtrak, at a minimum, has no excuse for not having the 12 sleeper in regular play on the Meteor or the Star (I'd argue they should have it on both). They have 75 Viewliner sleepers and only 17 sets to use them on. Three sleepers on each would "only" be 51; add in three (for the Boston LSL) and that's 54. 21 spare/shop is way more than enough to cover (I think that number "should" be closer to 15).

The only saving grace is that they actually have a plan to get the 12 Sleeper on both the Meteor and the Star, the Star a year or two down the line, the Meteor this year.

The Viewliner II Sleeper order was designed to allow one Sleeper to be added to each of the single level LD trains. But once they got the VL II Sleepers in service they promptly parked almost an exact equal number of Viewliner Is under some pretext or the other. Go figure.

 

[RebelRider]

Well, and Amtrak also used to do three trains/day NYP-Florida with some mix of splits and so on.

I'd argue that Amtrak, at a minimum, has no excuse for not having the 12 sleeper in regular play on the Meteor or the Star (I'd argue they should have it on both). They have 75 Viewliner sleepers and only 17 sets to use them on. Three sleepers on each would "only" be 51; add in three (for the Boston LSL) and that's 54. 21 spare/shop is way more than enough to cover (I think that number "should" be closer to 15).

Not that it makes any difference to your completely valid argument that the fleet is woefully underutilized, there are only 74 sleepers on the roster. One Viewliner I Sleeper was stricken from the roster after Cayce, SC.