Eastern LD train staffing and equipment discussion

[west point]

Not enough sleepers for at least 3 years as none have been ordered yet.

 

[John Bredin]

Not enough sleepers for at least 3 years as none have been ordered yet.

As I understand it, several sleepers (and other cars) were mothballed during Covid. As Amtrak hires to fill openings at its shops, many will come out of mothballs a lot sooner than new cars can be ordered.

Maybe I'm recalling badly from the relatively short time between 65/66/67 having sleeper service restored and its suspension, but didn't each trainset have only one sleeper? That's not so many that would have to be fixed (aren't Viewliner I cars being remodeled?) to restore sleeper service.

 

[west point]

I believe all single level eastern trains except Cardinal had 2 sleepers. V-2s will only give 3 sleepers per train set. Remember how many train set for each service + spares. Did we have a figure of 41 sleepers on east coast? Not Cardinal did have 2 sleepers summers. Now the Bag dorms can provide additional space on Crescent and Cardinal.

 

[jis]

I believe all single level eastern trains except Cardinal had 2 sleepers. V-2s will oly give 3 sleepers per train set. Not Cardinal did have 2 sleepers summers. Now the Bag dorms can provide additional space on Crescent and Cardinal.

Silver Meteor and Lake Shore Limited have generally had 3 Sleepers. Silver Star, and Crescent had 2 Sleepers and Cardinal generally had one Sleeper with occasional periods with 2 Sleepers.

Immediately after frequency restoration the situation will be:

Silver Meteor 3
Silver Star 2
Lake Shore 3 (2NYP + 1 BOS)
Crescent 2
Cardinal 1 (+Bag-Dorm)

My speculation is that over the next several years as Mothballed V1s come out of hibernation with refurbishment, Silver Star, Silver Meteor and Lake Shore NY Section will get one additional Sleeper each. This speculation is based on observed demand on the routes. This will still leave some additional Sleepers for use in Cardinal and/or 65/66/67.

If my speculation comes to pass then net net Virginia will most likely get additional Sleeper capacity on the Star and the Meteor and maybe occasionally on the Cardinal. No idea if they will ever extend Sleeper service on the overnight NEC Regional into Virginia. That will depend on the desires of VDOT I suppose and equipment availability of course. Naturally additional capacity on LSL has no bearing on Virginia.

Of course Virginia northwards all Sleeper capacity can be used only as day rooms. Southbound they naturally can be used as sleepers.

 

[west point]

jis: your information is probably more up to date. How long it will take Amtrak to restore all the mothballed cars single level cars is an unknown. Just checked my cache of Amtrak car repair persons from the first of May. Only openings were mainly RVR, WASH, PHL, NY, Bos, Albany, CHI, SEA - a lot, Oakland, and LAX. Only one or 2 for CLT, ATL-0, NOL-1, JAX, 0-Sanford, MIA-2, Wilmington -1. Appears Gardner is trying to sink east coast single level trains. Figures are approximate.

 

[jis]

jis: your information is probably more up to date. How long it will take Amtrak to restore all the mothballed cars single level cars is an unknown. Just checked my cache of Amtrak car repair persons from the first of May. Only openings were mainly RVR, WASH, PHL, NY, Bos, Albany, CHI, SEA - a lot, Oakland, and LAX. Only one or 2 for CLT, ATL-0, NOL-1, JAX, 0-Sanford, MIA-2, Wilmington -1. Appears Gardner is trying to sink east coast single level trains. Figures are approximate.

East Coast single level trains will pretty much be upto pre-COVID capacities by the end of the year as far as I can tell. What I was speculating on is deployment of capacity beyond pre-COVID levels, and that will be a few years for sure. Now what will happen to service (non-rev) cars is another matter. I have no idea what is going and there and why. But the picture should become clearer as we head into the next FY.

 

[west point]

Note OBS opening are sparse as well for east coast OBS. Now an exception appears many openings for NEC OBS.

 

[jis]

Note OBS opening are sparse as well for east coast OBS. Now an exception appears many openings for NEC OBS.

At least for Florida service there appears to be no obvious shortage of OBS, since the capacity of the Super Star is the same as that for the two Silvers running as separate trains, modulo one LSA per trip.

I do not see any compelling reason to believe that Eastern LD capacities will not be restored to pre-COVID levels by September.

I also think trying to guess the overall staffing situation by occasionally reading through job notices is of relatively dubious value. But as usual that is IMHO only.

 

[rs9]

For we relative newcomers to Amtrak...how frequently are sleepers removed from service for general upkeep, given that sleeping quarters probably need greater cleaning than a coach car? Ignoring maintenance needs that arise.

 

[Dakota 400]

For we relative newcomers to Amtrak...how frequently are sleepers removed from service for general upkeep, given that sleeping quarters probably need greater cleaning than a coach car? Ignoring maintenance needs that arise.

Along with this poster's question, what is involved in taking a Sleeper out of mothballs and preparing the car for re-entering service?

 

[Palmland]

I was surprised on my ill fated Auto Train trip to see 6 Am2 coaches sitting on a siding in the Jacksonville station.. It's not just sleepers that need to come out of storage.

 

[user 14106]

They are hiring and there is no obvious plot to sink east coast trains. Keep in mind that some postings for agreement employees on Amtrak careers are not singles….like an LSA Job at Chicago posting May be looking to fill multiple positions.

 

[user 14106]

They are hiring and there is no obvious plot to sink east coast trains. Keep in mind that some postings for agreement employees on Amtrak careers are not singles….like an LSA Job at Chicago posting May be looking to fill multiple positions.

Additionally - where the most debilitating shortages are reside in skilled craft positions at the mechanical shops.

 

[joelkfla]

At least for Florida service there appears to be no obvious shortage of OBS, since the capacity of the Super Star is the same as that for the two Silvers running as separate trains, modulo one LSA per trip.

I do not see any compelling reason to believe that Eastern LD capacities will not be restored to pre-COVID levels by September.

I also think trying to guess the overall staffing situation by occasionally reading through job notices is of relatively dubious value. But as usual that is IMHO only.

At least as far as SCA's are concerned, you are right. I asked my SCA whether they were still handling 1.5 to 2 cars on a trip, and he said they are thankfully back to 1 car per SCA.

 

[jis]

I was surprised on my ill fated Auto Train trip to see 6 Am2 coaches sitting on a siding in the Jacksonville station.. It's not just sleepers that need to come out of storage.

I too saw them several weeks back and was surprised that they had not already been moved to Hialeah or Delaware. My vague recollection is that they were dropped off from a Super Star after a grade crossing altercation damaged the running gear on several cars in the front of the train. But as I recall that was many moons ago and I thought those would be recovered and fixed by now.

 

[west point]

Maybe Amtrak is still short persons to repair the cars or worse parts are backed up. 6 cars would enable at least one more coach on one route. Star, Meteor, Crecent would need 4 for any route, LSL 3,or 6 if one more both NYP and BOS and Cardinal 2.