New Talgo Series 8 trainset at King Street Station

[frequentflyer]

So what new routes will be started due to the new equipment? What happens to the older equipment? Refurb? What locomotives are they going to use with the new equipment.

 

[fairviewroad]

So what new routes will be started due to the new equipment? What happens to the older equipment? Refurb? What locomotives are they going to use with the new equipment.

No new routes, geographically speaking. Both of the trainsets will be placed into service along the existing corridor from EUG-VAC.

The older equipment will remain in service. I believe most of the existing Talgo sets have undergone extensive interior refurbishing

over the past 3 years. My understanding is that the new trainsets will be powered the same way as existing trainsets...that is, a somewhat

comical mix of Amtrak engines.

Bear in mind that no additional frequencies are planned along the corridor until 2016 or 2017. The new trainsets give Oregon more control

over the schedule on the south end of the line, and will make it easier to service equipment on an ongoing basis. The upside to the

fare-paying public is minimal in the short term. Long-term, the new trainsets will make it possible to add additional frequencies once

improvements are made to the tracks.

 

[AC4400]

Good to know!

I take 5508-508 every other weekend from ALY to SEA. If 508 is extended beyond PDX, then it's great news for me!

I strongly doubt the market of the morning PDX-EUG train (UO students commute from PDX? :blink: ).

 

[fairviewroad]

Good to know!I take 5508-508 every other weekend from ALY to SEA. If 508 is extended beyond PDX, then it's great news for me!

I strongly doubt the market of the morning PDX-EUG train (UO students commute from PDX? :blink: ).

I agree. I think the new afternoon n/b run will be well used. But I just don't see a strong market for the new

morning s/b run. I think any s/b train out of Portland should originate in Seattle. I just don't see enough local demand.

True, there are commuters from the Portland area to Salem, but how many of them will be well-served by a train

that departs from downtown Portland at 6 a.m.?

 

[CHamilton]

Last I looked, Portland Union Station didn't even open until 7:30 am or so. Does anyone know if that will change?

 

[Sactobob]

So what new routes will be started due to the new equipment? What happens to the older equipment? Refurb? What locomotives are they going to use with the new equipment.

No new routes, geographically speaking. Both of the trainsets will be placed into service along the existing corridor from EUG-VAC.

The older equipment will remain in service. I believe most of the existing Talgo sets have undergone extensive interior refurbishing

over the past 3 years. My understanding is that the new trainsets will be powered the same way as existing trainsets...that is, a somewhat

comical mix of Amtrak engines.

Bear in mind that no additional frequencies are planned along the corridor until 2016 or 2017. The new trainsets give Oregon more control

over the schedule on the south end of the line, and will make it easier to service equipment on an ongoing basis. The upside to the

fare-paying public is minimal in the short term. Long-term, the new trainsets will make it possible to add additional frequencies once

improvements are made to the tracks.

I also suspect that the new trainsets could be used for the Thanksgiving and Christmas season extra trips which have been operated in recent years by an Amfleet set, on a slower schedule than the Talgo trains. This would provide for faster trips and consist consistency. I'm sure the amfleets could be put to good use elsewhere.

 

[fairviewroad]

Last I looked, Portland Union Station didn't even open until 7:30 am or so. Does anyone know if that will change?

Currently the station and ticket office open at 5:30 a.m.

I'm not sure how long that's been true. They added a s/b Thruway run to EUG earlier this year that leaves at 6 a.m. (to build

business for the new 6 a.m. train, presumably). So that might be when they started opening the station earlier.

 

[Blaine2013]

Yes that cab hit a lot of ugly tree branches on the way down. it's like a 5yr old kid drew it, much like the old Chrysler "k" car! How could that get passed all the sign off's? Still at least the train is brand new. Just need a low slung loco to match the train car height now.