Siemens Caltrans/IDOT Venture design, engineering, testing and delivery (2024)

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Interesting about Auto Train. I didn't know that. Actually, I've wondered why Amtrak prefers 800-series units to regular P42s on Auto Train. I assume it's the upgraded 800s they like.
I think it’s because of their older braking system. Despite the P40s being up to P42 standards now, I believe they’ve held on to the older braking system which is more compatible with the Autoracks. That’s why the P40s dominate the Auto Train, however a few P42s started showing up.

In the future, they want to use ALC-42s which have a braking system like the P42s, which could be why they’re running P42s since they’re already approved to run on the Auto Train unlike the ALC-42s. That way, they can still run that specific braking system while they wait to try again with the Chargers some time later on. Running ALC-42s would allow for longer Auto Trains since they can provide more HEP.
 
Interesting about Auto Train. I didn't know that. Actually, I've wondered why Amtrak prefers 800-series units to regular P42s on Auto Train. I assume it's the upgraded 800s they like.

I think it's because the P40s don't have electronic brakes, and are better suited to handle a train the length of the Auto Train. P40s have 26L airbrakes versus the Knorr EAB (Electronic Air Brakes) found on the P42s.

One of the main reasons they were assigned to the Auto Train when they debuted in 1993. Auto Train is technically a freight train with passenger cars in the consist after all.
 
I think it's because the P40s don't have electronic brakes, and are better suited to handle a train the length of the Auto Train. P40s have 26L airbrakes versus the Knorr EAB (Electronic Air Brakes) found on the P42s.

One of the main reasons they were assigned to the Auto Train when they debuted in 1993. Auto Train is technically a freight train with passenger cars in the consist after all.

The Dash 8-32BWH locomotives also have the 26L airbrakes, and are sometimes used as a subsitution (if available) for a P40 if it gets taken out of service.
 
San Joaquins Venture cab car testing has been pushed to June 3rd due to issues with the host railroad. Late announcement but better than never.
San Joaquins Venture cab car testing has once again been pushed to June 17th due to STILL waiting on the host railroad, BNSF, to approve the test. Amtrak can never rely on host railroads to do anything right away as showcased in previous examples, such as Charger testing on the Auto Train. 🤦‍♂️
 
Why do they have to wait for a host railroad to approve a test? Why can't they just run their trains whenever they want.
 
Why do they have to wait for a host railroad to approve a test? Why can't they just run their trains whenever they want.
Because it’s still the freight operator’s tracks, so everything still needs to run through them. The same issue happened with the Auto Train and CSX that I previously mentioned, so Amtrak ended up sending the Chargers off somewhere else.
 
If there's other services using the track that would be used for testing, you have to have clear track and presumably a plan to remove a broken down/badly failed test train from the main line. If they essentially need to run an additional round trip for testing (e.g. pull into every station, approach every signal, etc) then finding a clear time slot could be a significant obstacle.
 
If there's other services using the track that would be used for testing, you have to have clear track and presumably a plan to remove a broken down/badly failed test train from the main line. If they essentially need to run an additional round trip for testing (e.g. pull into every station, approach every signal, etc) then finding a clear time slot could be a significant obstacle.
They've got 2x the amount of slots they are using now with 6RT running but they have 12RT slots.
 
Because it’s still the freight operator’s tracks, so everything still needs to run through them. The same issue happened with the Auto Train and CSX that I previously mentioned, so Amtrak ended up sending the Chargers off somewhere else.
Does that mean that they can't run Chargers on the Silver Service, Capitol Limited, and Empire Service west of Hoffmans, which are all CSX tracks?
 
Videos are available of ALC’s leading the Cap and Silver trains. I could not find one for the LSL. I believe it’s a matter of physical territory and not ownership. The AT is probably it’s own category as a mixed train.
 
Does that mean that they can't run Chargers on the Silver Service, Capitol Limited, and Empire Service west of Hoffmans, which are all CSX tracks?
No, Amtrak was trying to test a Charger duo (346/347) on the Auto Train, which needed CSX approval since it was a test on their tracks. Complications with CSX pushed the test back on top of train-involved incidents, so Amtrak sent them somewhere else. The Chargers are still running on the other services, nothing is happening to them.
 
Currently waiting on an announcement about San Joaquins Venture cab car mainline testing tomorrow. BNSF has approved the tests; however, Union Pacific must also approve, as some of the track is operated by them.
 
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And I remember reading that there are a couple more now in Chicago. Maybe we're finally getting them into service. By my little informal count, they can't start the New Orleans-Mobile service before they free up some Horizon or Amfleet food service cars from Chicago. The two Borealis sets took the last two Amfleet/Horizons available. They do, or will shortly, though, have enough Horizon coaches for the New Orleans-Mobile service.
 
The Venture cafes have finally started to roll out in Midwest service:
https://www.trains.com/trn/news-rev...look-midwest-states-venture-coach-cafe-debut/
Certainly an interesting choice to include coach seating in the cafe car, but no tables for anyone to sit and hang out. I'm still curious to see how the vending machine / maybe eventually a full cafe saga plays out on the San Joaquins.

I'm definitely hoping the Airos are built to a more standard cafe floorplan with general seating/tables included.
 
I'm still curious to see how the vending machine / maybe eventually a full cafe saga plays out on the San Joaquins.
I believe the San Joaquins will be receiving cafe cars eventually as they saw the backlash against the vending machines. I don't think it will be anytime soon though.

Why would they want the business class car at the end? I personalyl like the way the Surfline has it set up, with it being Engine - Business - Cafe - Coach
 
The design I'm seeing in the Midwest cars is consistent with what I've heard the Cascades Airos will have. One thing I'm wondering is how the cars will be married now. It doesn't look the the original marriage plan, which I think was "Cafe/Business Class - Coach/Coach - Coach with standard couplers on both ends" will work now. Another thing I'm wondering is how fast these cafe cars will come into service. I hope it's faster than the one-a-month, if that fast, rate that I'm reluctantly expecting.
 
Indulge me in a reshare of my Trains Unllimited comments on this.

Trains' Bob Johnson reports in today's " Trains Newswire" that 3 of the 17 cars for the Chicago hub have entered into revenue service, initially on Chicago-St. Louis runs.

But the car design seems disappointing. There are no tables at all for passenger use! A single small crew table is a sensible restoration of an amenity the railroads almost routinely provided their conductors (although not always in the diner/lounge), but all riders must buy their stuff and go back to their seats.

The deletion of all tables solves the problem of crew taking over all the seats that haunts too many Amtrak trains like the TEXAS EAGLE. But what a degradation of a benefit of train travel–the lounge car. But mercifully a full cafe menu with hot meal options survives. An Amtrak cafe burger may not be a gourmet item, but it beats just a bottle of water (see below).

This will be truly deep downgrade if it impacts the coming Siemens Airo cafe cars to be assigned to the Washington/Oregon Cascades Corridor. Much better has long prevailed there. For decades the Cascades Corridor food-service standard was the Talgo’s take-out counter menu in one car, with at least a few mini tables along the passageway in that car, but more importantly with that "take-out" car adjacent to a full table car which could be used to eat, socialize or even do work.

Using a superb local caterer, this Talgo table car was for a few years used on the Seattle-Vancouver, B.C. cross-border runs to provide a true dining car experience–with food brought on-board fresh (not frozen) and heated to serving temperature in the cafe car’s food prep area. The dinner menu actually featured prime-rib! To maximize seatings/food revenue, the Talgo “diner” opened an hour before departure each evening in Vancouver–making three seatings possible on a four hour run. I had the privilege of several trips using using this offering. For a corridor train it was amazing!

WashDOT at the time claimed the diner option was profitable on the Vancouver runs, but as with so many things it vanished after what was supposed to have been a temporary suspension while a Talgo set was serviced. For that time Superliners (with a Sightseer Lounge) covered the Vancouver run without the table service. When the Talgos eventually returned the “diner” offering was not restored.

For whatever reason the full diner option was only very briefly offered on the Seattle-Oregon runs, but to this day a fine offering of local treats like Ivars’ Clam Chowder is on the Cascades Corridor menu.

Obviously the full Talgo cafe/diner option was largely lost when the Series Six Talgo fleet was scrapped after the tragic Dupont, WA derailment (although the two Oregon-owned Series 8 Talgos remain in service with the take-out counter cafe and the full table seating car). The replacement Horizon cafes as least have tables for passengers (if not hogged by the crew and supplies).

The cafe situation of course is vastly worse in California on the San Joaquin Corridor. There the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority, which contracts with Amtrak to provide the SAN JOAQUIN trains, plans to offer only a vending machine option when their long-delayed Venture cafes someday appear. Rumor is this is because the Joint Powers chief objected to the perceived high cost to keep Amtrak food. Ridership and ticket income will pay a steeper cost when passengers experience the newly embarrassing “food” (water-only on some frequencies) on a six hour run.

At present, in the absence of the delayed new California Venture cafe cars, all riders on the (still mercifully few) Venture-equipped SAN JOAQUINs get is a bottle of water and according to some reports a snack-pack. This on a route that had long used the handsome “California Car” bi-level diners and which a few years back also offered actual sit down service at table. In recent years it was an extensive and locally focused snack, sandwich, salad, beverages offering.

Now you won’t even be able to get a beer when the full California Venture cafe car fleet arrives. This makes the SP Automatic Buffet (vending machine) cars that debauched the once magnificent SP Daylights look exquisite by comparison! SP Automats even offered hot entrees. They weren’t great, but they put the coming Venture California cafe cars with only vending machine food to shame.

And let us not forget that the Airo cafe cars are also coming to the NEC and to regional runs including both Vermont trains, the Empire Corridor, the ADIRONDACK, the multiple Virginia services, the western Pennsylvania route, and the CAROLINIAN/PALMETTO. Will we too find no tables?
 
These changes makes me wonder if it would be cost effective for Amtrak to introduce cart service outside of their Acela business cars. More labor is required, sure, but you could solve crowding in cafe cars (or hypothetically shrink the cafe in cars, giving more revenue seating for the bean counters). Would maybe need some sort of order-ahead to heat up warm food, which does sound like a hassle.
 
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