Silver Service consists

[joelkfla]

I'm curious about Star Service consists.

• How many sets are there for each of the 2 trains?
• Do they generally spend 1 night at each terminal before being turned?
• Are the cars shuffled at both terminals, or do they usually return from 1 of the 2 in the same consist as they came in?
• Where is light & heavy maintenance done on the cars?

Thanks.

 

[jis]

I'm curious about Star Service consists.

I presume you mean Silver Service, not Star service, since the Silver Star is just one train

How many sets are there for each of the 2 trains?

4 sets for each of the two trains

Do they generally spend 1 night at each terminal before being turned?

Yes

Are the cars shuffled at both terminals, or do they usually return from 1 of the 2 in the same consist as they came in?

At Sunnyside mostly turn around as is unless there is some need to change out something, or maybe shuffle a consist with LSL or something like that.

At Miami anything is possible since it is the maintenance base

Where is light & heavy maintenance done on the cars?

Major maintenance is at Hialeah. Sunnyside will do some light maintenance which they find they cannot avoid Enough to shuffle the cars back to Hialeah.

 

[joelkfla]

I presume you mean Silver Service, not Star service, since the Silver Star is just one train

Sorry about that. And Thanks.

 

[Cal]

Surprised they don't want to do it in Sunnyside, as it also has the LSL, Crescent, and Cardinal and they could have one maintenance base.

 

[jis]

Surprised they don't want to do it in Sunnyside, as it also has the LSL, Crescent, and Cardinal and they could have one maintenance base.

Sunnyside has no spare space. Even less so after ESA.

 

[Cal]

Sunnyside has no spare space. Even less so after ESA.

So is the Crescent handled in NOL? What about the LSL and Cardinal?

 

[jis]

So is the Crescent handled in NOL? What about the LSL and Cardinal?

Maintenance of all single level LD rolling stock is in Hialeah. Minor fixup and scheduled inspections are done at all terminal stations

 

[GaSteve]

So is the Crescent handled in NOL? What about the LSL and Cardinal?

The Crescent is serviced at Sunnyside just like the Silver Service. NOL maintenance is minimal, mainly turning the train if necessary, depending on whether it was backed in or headed into the station, and re-stockiing.

 

[joelkfla]

Maintenance of all single level LD rolling stock is in Hialeah. Minor fixup and scheduled inspections are done at all terminal stations

So they deadhead to Miami for their periodic maintenance? Or are they swapped with a car in a Silver, and a ready car swapped in at Miami the day after they arrive?

 

[Ryan]

Depends on what's broke. If it can be shuttled there in service, do that. If the defect requires a deadhead move, do that.

 

[Cal]

The Crescent is serviced at Sunnyside just like the Silver Service. NOL maintenance is minimal, mainly turning the train if necessary, depending on whether it was backed in or headed into the station, and re-stockiing.

So… do I believe you or @jis?

 

[Cal]

Maintenance of all single level LD rolling stock is in Hialeah. Minor fixup and scheduled inspections are done at all terminal stations

Weird… Miami’s not exactly a central location. But hey, if it works it works.

 

[Ryan]

There are multiple meanings of "serviced". NOL does the bare minimum to get the train back to NY. NY can do a little more, but for actual real maintenance that would take a car offline, it's going to Miami.

 

[jis]

So… do I believe you or @jis?

Both. See @Ryan's explanation above.

 

[jis]

So they deadhead to Miami for their periodic maintenance? Or are they swapped with a car in a Silver, and a ready car swapped in at Miami the day after they arrive?

They are usually rotated in service via the Silvers, or deadheaded as individual deadhead cars on the Silvers.

 

[PVD]

In the earlier VL sleeper days they used to have issues with freezing plumbing. It was very important to regularly rotate the LSL cars onto the Silvers. I believe that has been improved upon. But they still have to get there for maintenance that is beyond the scope of line maintenance.

 

[Seaboard92]

And Beech Grove is only for major overhauls. I think there are a few in the shop right now getting something done to them. Beech Grove is the main shop for the supers or anything super major.

 

[PVD]

I think they can do some pretty heavy work on Amfleets at Bear

 

[Cal]

What can the LA yards do?

 

[GaSteve]

So… do I believe you or @jis?

I have worked as a Trails and Rails volunteer on the Crescent ATL-NOL and back. I know what they do and don't do with the consist at NOL because I have seen it. The crew rests overnight and they restock the train and do minor maintenance. There are no Crescent train sets stored at NOL. Not as extensive as what is done at Sunnyside.

 

[Cal]

I have worked as a Trails and Rails volunteer on the Crescent ATL-NOL and back. I know what they do and don't do with the consist at NOL because I have seen it. The crew rests overnight and they restock the train and do minor maintenance. There are no Crescent train sets stored at NOL. Not as extensive as what is done at Sunnyside.

Okay. I'd be interested in learning more about Trails and Rails.


And what do they do at NOL, for the Sunset, Crescent, and CONO, respectively?

 

[Seaboard92]

I saw the Silver Star the other day on the drive to work. Two locomotives, two Amfleet II Coaches, One Amfleet II Cafe, One Viewliner II Diner, 2 Sleepers one a Viewliner I the other a Viewliner II, and a Viewliner II Baggage.

 

[joelkfla]

I saw the Silver Star the other day on the drive to work. Two locomotives, two Amfleet II Coaches, One Amfleet II Cafe, One Viewliner II Diner, 2 Sleepers one a Viewliner I the other a Viewliner II, and a Viewliner II Baggage.

Yeah, I've been watching it on the VR Ashland camera for the past week, and that's what it's been every day that it was visible, except one day when it had 2 VL II Sleepers.

And the Meteor has been the same, except for having 3 sleepers: VL II, VL I, and VL II.

 

[OBS]

Okay. I'd be interested in learning more about Trails and Rails.


And what do they do at NOL, for the Sunset, Crescent, and CONO, respectively?

They clean, refill water, inspect wheels and brake shoes, make minor repairs (add freon, unclog toilet, repair broken latches, etc) and send the train back out.

 

[Palmland]

Yesterday the Star, 91, had Chapel Hill on the rear in Florida. Quite a classic car and would be fun to charter. My thumb got in the way of the departing shot with GW on the drumhead!