Coast Starlight Restart and Pacific Parlour Cars?

[ceblack]

The article also mentions full meal service at seats for coach passengers. I hadn't yet heard of that service as being part of the upgrade. (I think I've read somewhere that sleeper passengers will have the option of taking meals in the PPC instead of the diner).

Has any other source mentioned the at-seat meal service for coach pax? I'm thinking this may be another case of a reporter misinterpreting what was said.

Clark

 

[AlanB]

The article also mentions full meal service at seats for coach passengers. I hadn't yet heard of that service as being part of the upgrade. (I think I've read somewhere that sleeper passengers will have the option of taking meals in the PPC instead of the diner).
Has any other source mentioned the at-seat meal service for coach pax? I'm thinking this may be another case of a reporter misinterpreting what was said.

Clark

The same thing was promised when the EB was relaunched a few years ago. I'm not sure how many people actually use the service on the EB, much less if they still offer it. I guess however that it is at least somewhat successful, since they plan to offer it on the CS. And I have seen it mentioned elsewhere.

And yes, sleeping car pax are supposed to have an option of getting meals in the PPC. I don't think however that those meals are coming from the dining car, I think that it will be more like a cafe car type of service, just free for sleeping car pax, unlike the normal cafe car where they have to pay.

 

[JimInVa]

I was told by Amtrak officials this week that they hope to have five Pacific Parlour Cars in service on the CS in "late May or early June."

Does this timeline depend on the refurbishment of the cars, or the reinstatement of full service through Oregon? One would hope that Amtrak has the PPC cars ready, & is simply waiting to "relaunch" when they can send a complete train LAX-Seattle. After all, they were supposed to relaunch on May 10th. If the refurbishment isn't done and the relaunch is behind schedule, & they would have missed the May 10th date anyway, Amtrak certainly has found the mudslide to be a convenient "scapegoat".

They told me they had five cars ready and were waiting on UP to give mgmt the thumbs-up...I gotta believe, though, it takes more than five cars to run the service?

 

[AlanB]

I was told by Amtrak officials this week that they hope to have five Pacific Parlour Cars in service on the CS in "late May or early June."

Does this timeline depend on the refurbishment of the cars, or the reinstatement of full service through Oregon? One would hope that Amtrak has the PPC cars ready, & is simply waiting to "relaunch" when they can send a complete train LAX-Seattle. After all, they were supposed to relaunch on May 10th. If the refurbishment isn't done and the relaunch is behind schedule, & they would have missed the May 10th date anyway, Amtrak certainly has found the mudslide to be a convenient "scapegoat".

They told me they had five cars ready and were waiting on UP to give mgmt the thumbs-up...I gotta believe, though, it takes more than five cars to run the service?

Nope, 5 PPC cars is all they have. Four cover the normal service, one for each of the four trainsets needed to cover the run, and one spare. This allows the cars to be rotated out for routine maintenance and inspections.

Amtrak used to have 6 cars, but they sold one off several years ago now.

And I concur with Rafi's info, I haven't heard that all 5 cars have been released from Beech Grove. I've only heard about two of the five being released so far.

 

[jackal]

So if four are required for 100% coverage of revenue runs, and two have been released and will be placed into service towards the end of May, and my northbound run is May 25 (with the train that continues on and arrives in SEA the evening of May 26) and my southbound run is May 27 (with the train that left SEA on the morning of May 26--in other words, my northbound and southbound trains will be different consists), then there's a 50% chance that one of my trains will have the PPC (assuming they are running the two they have now by then)?

With those odds, I think I'll go ahead and keep my reservation with the roomettes booked both northbound and southbound!

 

[AlanB]

Well again, that assumes that the info is correct, that Amtrak will gradually place them back into service rather than holding them in the yard until all are ready and the relaunch occurs.

Not trying to put a damper on things for you Jackal, but until it actually happens, one never knows what will happen with Amtrak.

 

[jackal]

Well again, that assumes that the info is correct, that Amtrak will gradually place them back into service rather than holding them in the yard until all are ready and the relaunch occurs.
Not trying to put a damper on things for you Jackal, but until it actually happens, one never knows what will happen with Amtrak.

Indeed...

Well, the drop-dead date for canceling the sleeper reservations is 5/18 (or maybe 5/17, or maybe 5/18 by 10:14:59am--I'll probably do it 5/17 just to be safe), so I have another couple of weeks to wait for that "official announcement" to come from Amtrak...

 

[Eris]

So if four are required for 100% coverage of revenue runs, and two have been released and will be placed into service towards the end of May, and my northbound run is May 25 (with the train that continues on and arrives in SEA the evening of May 26) and my southbound run is May 27 (with the train that left SEA on the morning of May 26--in other words, my northbound and southbound trains will be different consists), then there's a 50% chance that one of my trains will have the PPC (assuming they are running the two they have now by then)?
With those odds, I think I'll go ahead and keep my reservation with the roomettes booked both northbound and southbound!

Well, IF it is so that there will be two PPCs operating, your odds are better than 50% that one of the trains will have a PPC. In fact, I think they're at least 2/3. You've got a 50% chance that the train you take northbound will have it, and if it does you also have a 33% chance that the southbound train will as well (you'll have been on one with, and one more of the other three trains will have it, too). If your northbound train doesn't have it, then you've got a 67% chance that the southbound one will!

If the PPCs are deadheading to Los Angeles, maybe that will mean that they'll head out two in a row with them, then two in a row without. That will mean that you're stuck back at 50% (but in that case if you get one with it NB, you'll also get it SB).

 

[jackal]

So if four are required for 100% coverage of revenue runs, and two have been released and will be placed into service towards the end of May, and my northbound run is May 25 (with the train that continues on and arrives in SEA the evening of May 26) and my southbound run is May 27 (with the train that left SEA on the morning of May 26--in other words, my northbound and southbound trains will be different consists), then there's a 50% chance that one of my trains will have the PPC (assuming they are running the two they have now by then)?
With those odds, I think I'll go ahead and keep my reservation with the roomettes booked both northbound and southbound!

Well, IF it is so that there will be two PPCs operating, your odds are better than 50% that one of the trains will have a PPC. In fact, I think they're at least 2/3. You've got a 50% chance that the train you take northbound will have it, and if it does you also have a 33% chance that the southbound train will as well (you'll have been on one with, and one more of the other three trains will have it, too). If your northbound train doesn't have it, then you've got a 67% chance that the southbound one will!

If the PPCs are deadheading to Los Angeles, maybe that will mean that they'll head out two in a row with them, then two in a row without. That will mean that you're stuck back at 50% (but in that case if you get one with it NB, you'll also get it SB).

Thanks! I deliberately avoided taking Statistics, so thanks for clarifying...

Let's just hope they're in revenue service on or before 5/25...will be watching here and Amtrak.com closely between now and 5/17...

 

[TWriter]

Thank goodness for this website of rail afficionados! Without this, I'd never get any information about reinstatement of the Coast Starlight. I originally booked a CS trip from LA to Seattle that was supposed to take place in March, but had to cancel due to the Frazier slide. It's now booked for May 23rd and I hope everything works out (Parlour Car and all). I log onto the Amtrak site every day looking for information, but find none.

 

[chuljin]

So if ... my southbound run is May 27 (with the train that left SEA on the morning of May 26...)

Me too, I'll keep my fingers crossed for both of us!

 

[chuljin]

I've eaten a bagel there before. Tasty but not much different than bagels from anywhere else. I prefer to experience unique cuisine when I travel...Phillippe's it is!

I know prepackaged salads are usually considered neither haute- nor unique cuisine, but I have a special fondness for that same shop (Union Bagel)'s 'Creamy Bowtie Pasta' salad. I made many light dinners of that between Metrolink 118 and Amtrak 785 back during my crazy point-running days in January.

 

[socalsteve]

And I concur with Rafi's info, I haven't heard that all 5 cars have been released from Beech Grove. I've only heard about two of the five being released so far.

I saw one this morning as my Metrolink went past. Willamette Valley.

 

[yarrow]

And I concur with Rafi's info, I haven't heard that all 5 cars have been released from Beech Grove. I've only heard about two of the five being released so far.

I saw one this morning as my Metrolink went past. Willamette Valley.

sanat lucia highlands and willamette valley. do we know the names of the others?

 

[printman2000]

39970 Columbia Valley

39972 Apple Valley

Reported elsewhere.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

39970 Columbia Valley 39972 Apple Valley

Reported elsewhere.

So we've got five cars and four names - Santa Lucia, Columbia Valley, Apple Valley, and Willamette Valley. What's the fifth name? I, like, totally think it should be the San Fernando Valley. That would be, like, awesome.

 

[gswager]

39970 Columbia Valley 39972 Apple Valley

Reported elsewhere.

So we've got five cars and four names - Santa Lucia, Columbia Valley, Apple Valley, and Willamette Valley. What's the fifth name? I, like, totally think it should be the San Fernando Valley. That would be, like, awesome.

San Fernando Valley? What a beautiful view of houses, cars, and smog!

 

[jackal]

39970 Columbia Valley 39972 Apple Valley

Reported elsewhere.

So we've got five cars and four names - Santa Lucia, Columbia Valley, Apple Valley, and Willamette Valley. What's the fifth name? I, like, totally think it should be the San Fernando Valley. That would be, like, awesome.

San Fernando Valley? What a beautiful view of houses, cars, and smog!

Like, totally!

At least you can, like, totally see the mall across from the downtown Burbank station...

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Are they going to give all of the sleepers there names now?

 

[AlanB]

Are they going to give all of the sleepers there names now?

All of the sleepers have names, they're just not painted onto the vast majority of the Superliner I fleet.

 

[socalsteve]

39970 Columbia Valley 39972 Apple Valley

Reported elsewhere.

So we've got five cars and four names - Santa Lucia, Columbia Valley, Apple Valley, and Willamette Valley. What's the fifth name? I, like, totally think it should be the San Fernando Valley. That would be, like, awesome.

I saw it today. It's . . . Napa Valley

 

[jackal]

39970 Columbia Valley 39972 Apple Valley

Reported elsewhere.

So we've got five cars and four names - Santa Lucia, Columbia Valley, Apple Valley, and Willamette Valley. What's the fifth name? I, like, totally think it should be the San Fernando Valley. That would be, like, awesome.

I saw it today. It's . . . Napa Valley

Gag me with a spoon! As if...

Fer shur---we're like, totally disappointed.

...

But at least the name "Napa Valley" has that bit of class that "San Fernando Valley" lacks...

 

[Green Maned Lion]

What I meant was make their names publicly known. I have the list in my notebook, but I wish they'd put them on the sides of the cars.

 

[AlanB]

You can also find the list over at OTOL.

 

[sechs]

Many of the Superliner IIs seem to still have their names on the sides, and, certainly, on their end doors.