No bedrooms available on Empire Builder

[Rasputin]

The problem is the word "simply". It took about four years to extend the Albany/Rensselaer platforms....

In terms of complexity, it was obviously one of the greatest engineering projects of all time. I don't know how many Boston sleeper reservations I had cancelled year after year as the complexity of the project became apparent. Certainly deserves a major PBS documentary or a U.S. commemorative stamp. The new Albany yard - the Eighth wonder of the world.

 

[jebr]

Report from Everett today, 7/1.

The second sleeper is BACK. Still only one Seattle coach, though.

Transdorm (832)
Sleeper (831) (Superliner II)
Sleeper (830) (Superliner II)
Diner
Coach

Truly baffling that there's only one Seattle coach car. Coach has been sold out for quite a while at peak periods on the train - I have a trip this weekend and coach is completely sold out MSP - MKE tomorrow (I did a bid-up and was upgraded to a roomette for $80, and the two coach seats were released last night but are gone this morning already.) Coming back there's only one seat left on the 7 car, and one other seat left on the 27 car. We opted for the Jefferson Lines bus as we want to be home before 10 PM, but the Builder desperately needs, at a minimum, the 807/808 MSP-CHI cutoff coach again.

 

[Bob Dylan]

This is definitely a great idea, I agree it would print money. And, as other posters have mentioned, they need to allow coach customers to purchase food from the dining car if they want to. I would, if I were in coach.

I'd rather see the Bar opened Upstairs in the Lounge for Drinks and Bar Snacks, it would be another source of Revenue for Amtrak, and let the Cafe passengers not have to wait in such long lines downstairs!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Truly baffling that there's only one Seattle coach car. Coach has been sold out for quite a while at peak periods on the train - I have a trip this weekend and coach is completely sold out MSP - MKE tomorrow (I did a bid-up and was upgraded to a roomette for $80, and the two coach seats were released last night but are gone this morning already.) Coming back there's only one seat left on the 7 car, and one other seat left on the 27 car. We opted for the Jefferson Lines bus as we want to be home before 10 PM, but the Builder desperately needs, at a minimum, the 807/808 MSP-CHI cutoff coach again.

Hopefully the missing coach cars (on all the western trains) are being refurbished....

 

[danasgoodstuff]

This is definitely a great idea, I agree it would print money. And, as other posters have mentioned, they need to allow coach customers to purchase food from the dining car if they want to. I would, if I were in coach.

I was able to do this on my last (2017) trip on VIA RAIL and it was well worth it to start my day with a real breakfast. Made sleeping in coach much more bearable.

 

[nuger93]

The Builder is currently operating with its winter consist (only one Seattle sleeper) even though it is summer - whether this is covid leftovers, or due to equipment being withdrawn to be refurbished, or some other reason, I do not know.

could this be part of the random Empire Builder cancellation? Withdrawal for refirbishment combined with being on the winter consist, combined with the crew relief interuptions from the NB Coast Starlight?

 

[zephyr17]

could this be part of the random Empire Builder cancellation? Withdrawal for refirbishment combined with being on the winter consist, combined with the crew relief interuptions from the NB Coast Starlight?

Well, as of yesterday, at least, the second sleeper is back in the consist.

I find it difficult to believe they'd withdraw a whole train for refurbishment at all, let alone in the high season. They typically withdraw cars on a rotating basis one at a time and maintain normal service.

My money is something to do with BNSF. If anything, the annulment of the Starlight through July 14 should free up more operating crews assuming they are qualified to run both to Portland and Wenatchee/Spokane.

 

[nuger93]

Well, as of yesterday, at least, the second sleeper is back in the consist.

I find it difficult to believe they'd withdraw a whole train for refurbishment at all, let alone in the high season. They typically withdraw cars on a rotating basis one at a time and maintain normal service.

My money is something to do with BNSF. If anything, the annulment of the Starlight through July 14 should free up more operating crews assuming they are qualified to run both to Portland and Wenatchee/Spokane.

But that only gets you one train of consists. since the other starlight is stuck below the border. I wonder if they had planned to do the refurb and then send the balancing consists out of LA with the NB Starlight (if memory serves, LA and Chicago are the big viewliner hubs for the western side)

You may get a glut of staff and just not enough consists.

Honestly, even the Amtrak CSR seemed confused about why that was suddenly cancelled for multiple days.

 

[zephyr17]

You are correct in that the main maintenance and base hubs for Superliners are LA and Chicago, but Chicago is the maintenance base for the Empire Builder. I would think that additional cars would be dead headed west from Chicago to start service from Seattle (since 7/8's OBS crew are Seattle based, the additional car wouldn't likely be crewed out of Chicago) than come up from LA.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

According another post in the topic about cancelled Empire Builder, the Empire Builder IS NOT CANCELLED and will run as scheduled. According to a conductor on the EB there was to be a bus bridge for track work on the hi-line but the Empire Builder scheduled time is outside the track work hours thus will operate as scheduled without a bus bridge.

 

[Triley]

It is interesting, as I noticed same thing. Was working on traveling to either Sea or Rno, so two different trains in late August, and no Bedrooms on either train on several dates......

SEA, so you can see me again? I'm about to be bumped off the Builder any day now, though...time to go hold the Cascades again.

Have a great trip, wherever you end up going!

 

[Triley]

The Builder does not use a fixed number for the transdorm (or didn't as of a year ago, anyway - I'll squint and try to see the number card next time I see it go by in whitefish.)

In a short consist, the full sleeper is 0730 and the transdorm is 0731.
In a long consist, the full sleepers are 0730 and 0731 and the transdorm is 0732.

If you have a roomette reservation in the 31 car, look at the room number. Normally they sell only transdorm rooms 17-24 to passengers (and make you board through the 30 car and walk forward on the upper level.) If you have a number 1-8 you are almost certainly in a full sleeper, and if 9-14, certainly in a full sleeper.

That's part of the problem here with the yield management system. The available number of rooms jumps from 5 bedrooms and 14 roomettes, to 5 rooms and 22 roomettes (transdorm open), and only then to 10 bedrooms and 28 roomettes (2nd sleeper added, transdorm closed) or 10 bedrooms and 36 roomettes. If the yield management system works when the transdorm is closed, it is out of whack when it is open, and vice versa.

I believe the Arrow Computer system is programmed so that it knows the 40 car is a dorm car and will sell only that type of room if opened for sale. If a train has one sleeper and a Dorm is should be a 30 car and a 40 car.

The Builder always uses XX32 as the denotation of the dorm. XX30 and XX31 are regular sleepers. During the short consist season (like during the "Covid times"), the Builder will remove the XX31 car from the consist. So from from the diner it would be XX30, then XX32.

I've never understood why the Builder uses XX32 instead of XX40, but...we do!

 

[Cal]

SEA, so you can see me again? I'm about to be bumped off the Builder any day now, though...time to go hold the Cascades again.

Have a great trip, wherever you end up going!

Oh, you work for Amtrak, didn't realize that (or don't remember). If you don't mind me asking, what position?

 

[Triley]

Oh, you work for Amtrak, didn't realize that (or don't remember). If you don't mind me asking, what position?

It's been a looong time since I've been active on AU, so that'd be why we haven't met.

I started as an LSA in Boston, working Regionals and Acelas. I'd occassionally see OBS around, before he retired. I ended up transferring to Seattle almost 4 year ago.

 

[zephyr17]

It's been a looong time since I've been active on AU, so that'd be why we haven't met.

I started as an LSA in Boston, working Regionals and Acelas. I'd occassionally see OBS around, before he retired. I ended up transferring to Seattle almost 4 year ago.

I didn't know either, otherwise I would not have questioned you about your source on the other thread.

 

[Siegmund]

The Builder always uses XX32 as the denotation of the dorm. XX30 and XX31 are regular sleepers. During the short consist season (like during the "Covid times"), the Builder will remove the XX31 car from the consist. So from from the diner it would be XX30, then XX32.

I've never understood why the Builder uses XX32 instead of XX40, but...we do!

This is a new, and very sensible, change. I rode five offseason Builders in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Four of those the transdorm was 31 (the fifth I was in the Portland sleeper and didn't get a chance to see.) The first time I remember thinking "wow, wonder why we have two Seattle sleepers in the middle of November" - and we didn't.

I don't know exactly when the change happened - the "transdorm always 32" post in this thread was the first I heard of it, but I saw very few 2020 Builders, and wasn't lingering among the crowds in Whitefish to see it stop.

Edited to add: it occurs to me I should say it was *apparently* 31 for at least one of those times - people with 31-car tickets were being pushed through the door of the 30 car and told to walk forward, but I suppose it's possible they just held 31-car assignments on their tickets-as-originally-issued and were moved to transdorm roomettes on the fly.

 

[Triley]

This is a new, and very sensible, change. I rode five offseason Builders in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Four of those the transdorm was 31 (the fifth I was in the Portland sleeper and didn't get a chance to see.) The first time I remember thinking "wow, wonder why we have two Seattle sleepers in the middle of November" - and we didn't.

I don't know exactly when the change happened - the "transdorm always 32" post in this thread was the first I heard of it, but I saw very few 2020 Builders, and wasn't lingering among the crowds in Whitefish to see it stop.

Edited to add: it occurs to me I should say it was *apparently* 31 for at least one of those times - people with 31-car tickets were being pushed through the door of the 30 car and told to walk forward, but I suppose it's possible they just held 31-car assignments on their tickets-as-originally-issued and were moved to transdorm roomettes on the fly.

Odd. I'm pretty sure it was denoted as the 32 car when I worked the train for a few months back in late 2018/early 2019.

It does make sense to keep things consistent, which is why I wish we'd just call it the 40 car. Oh well.

Annnd the 27/28 side of the train has its own numbering. 2730/2830, and on the very rare case there's a second sleeper, 2731/2831.

 

[Triley]

I didn't know either, otherwise I would not have questioned you about your source on the other thread.

It's all good. I recognize your screen name, but it really has been a while since I've been active. Not a big deal!

 

[nuger93]

According another post in the topic about cancelled Empire Builder, the Empire Builder IS NOT CANCELLED and will run as scheduled. According to a conductor on the EB there was to be a bus bridge for track work on the hi-line but the Empire Builder scheduled time is outside the track work hours thus will operate as scheduled without a bus bridge.

I got my thread updated over there

 

[Bob Dylan]

Installing a real bar in the bottom of the lounge on Superliners could do wonders for Amtrak's revenue. Pints on draft, rotating microbrews, and hand crafted cocktails as you chat with other patrons and watch the world go by. Awkward communal dining is not a draw for many but a quality bar can print money.

Running it upstairs with Bar Snacks ( like the Empire Builder used to do in the Summer)would bring in even more Revenue, and would let the Cafe operate downstairs without such long lines when people want to get Alcohol to drink in the Lounge.

 

[zephyr17]

Running it upstairs with Bar Snacks ( like the Empire Builder used to do in the Summer)would bring in even more Revenue, and would let the Cafe operate downstairs without such long lines when people want to get Alcohol to drink in the Lounge.

I'm with you on that, and it also is consistent with the way the cars were designed to operate. Drink only service upstairs, primarily food service with drinks available downstairs.

Although they didn't operate that way for very long.

 

[Cal]

It's been a looong time since I've been active on AU, so that'd be why we haven't met.

I started as an LSA in Boston, working Regionals and Acelas. I'd occassionally see OBS around, before he retired. I ended up transferring to Seattle almost 4 year ago.

Nice to meet you, and I'm glad that you're back. Seem like a great person.

I was on 28 from PDX to CHI in October of 2020, would've been funny if we were on the same train (if you were working the Builder then).

 

[OBS]

SEA, so you can see me again? I'm about to be bumped off the Builder any day now, though...time to go hold the Cascades again.

Have a great trip, wherever you end up going!

Of course that is why I would ride!
We are doing a cruise to Alaska out of Sea, end of August. We will probably end up flying..

 

[railiner]

Of course that is why I would ride!
We are doing a cruise to Alaska out of Sea, end of August. We will probably end up flying..

Bon Voyage! (Isn't it great to be able to say that again?). We are doing our first cruise since our last one ended in March, 2020. This time a riverboat (American Empress) from Clarkston to Vancouver at the end of this month...

 

[JayPea]

Bon Voyage! (Isn't it great to be able to say that again?). We are doing our first cruise since our last one ended in March, 2020. This time a riverboat (American Empress) from Clarkston to Vancouver at the end of this month...

I'd love to do the Clarkston to Vancouver riverboat cruise some time but there are about 3,599 reasons why I can't do it. Although, I would save some money by not having to fly into Spokane to catch the bus to Clarkston as I live about 55 miles from Spokane and could drive there. The bus from Spokane to Clarkston goes right by my window and every time I see it I wish I was on it!