Midwest Venture introduction

[GDRRiley]

Yeah, I’m not fully sure what happened to all the equipment. A few trainsets went west to cover the Talgo retirement, but I don’t know how many cars total that is. I know a few Horizon cars were also retired (saw pictures of them with some other reporting marks). Then there’s probably the overall reduction in availability from when Amtrak parked a bunch of the fleet and laid off mechanical staff at the start of COVID, which they still haven’t recovered from.

California gave up 19 horzion, 1 amfleet cars in 2020. 14-15 of the horizons were coach cars with the rest being cafe.
Beach grove had at least 20 horzions being stored summer of 22 including 3 former CA cafe cars.
There is enough cars amtrak just needs to find a way to get them out of the shop

 

[moselman66]

Thanks again, everbody, for the Hiawatha + Venture info. Very much hoping car #4 is restored soon. The Kennedy in Chicago is an absolute nightmare with a long-term construction project just launched, and that helps the Hiawatha. Google Maps estimates from downtown to downtown are as high as 2:40 during peak rush, versus the 89 minutes the Hiawatha typically takes. Bad traffic always helps the train!

 

[west point]

Speculation. Could it be that more cars are hitting the 4 year brake mandatory rebuild? COT&S?. Venture cars delay deliveries maybe more cars going dead on law than are being delivered?

 

[TransitTyrant]

The recent High Speed Rail Alliance webinar on the progress in Michigan revealed that all Venture coach and business class cars are now delivered. Cafe cars should being entering service in 2024; unclear if that’s fiscal year 24’.

 

[pennyk]

To continue the Midwest Venture discussion, please post your comments in the "current" thread on that topic:

https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/midwest-venture-discussion-2023-q3.85481/#post-1011903
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