Superliner trains' removal and restoration of cars 2024-2025

[FrozenSwitch]

Isn't there a couch opposite the sinks (that could be used to lay down on)? I may be remembering incorrectly though...

The superliner I has a “couch” in the women’s lounge just to the left of the door. It’s about as wide as one of the booth seats, but you’d have to scrunch up pretty good to lay down.

 

[UserNameRequired]

The superliner I has a “couch” in the women’s lounge just to the left of the door. It’s about as wide as one of the booth seats, but you’d have to scrunch up pretty good to lay down.

So, in the video a post or two back, shows pedestal stools in that room. Did the Superliner 1 have a couch, and the Superliner 2 have the pedestal stools? Were some of the coach cars modified over the years so they are all a little different? Either way, it is my favorite room on a Superliner Coach.

 

[FrozenSwitch]

So, in the video a post or two back, shows pedestal stools in that room. Did the Superliner 1 have a couch, and the Superliner 2 have the pedestal stools? Were some of the coach cars modified over the years so they are all a little different? Either way, it is my favorite room on a Superliner Coach.

I can't recall if I've seen pedestal stools in the Superliner 1. I know for a fact that the couch is feature of the Superliner 1 and that it was omitted in the design for the space on the Superliner 2. Honestly though, these things have been around so long, each one is a bit of a hodgepodge if you look hard enough

 

[railiner]

I can't recall if I've seen pedestal stools in the Superliner 1. I know for a fact that the couch is feature of the Superliner 1 and that it was omitted in the design for the space on the Superliner 2. Honestly though, these things have been around so long, each one is a bit of a hodgepodge if you look hard enough

Kind of like anything old…vehicles, houses, etc. Thru the years, mechanics, electricians, carpenters, and plumbers doing repairs often have to be “creative” and use whatever they can find to make repairs, and any way that works…

 

[Tom C]

Sightseer Lounge Returning To Eagle
By Jim Mathews / President & CEO

Some good news for passengers on the long-beleaguered Texas Eagle – we learned this week that Amtrak’s Spring 2025 consist plan includes putting a Sightseer Lounge back on that train after a very, very long absence.

The car should be back on the Eagle consist by March 3.

“That’s confirmed,” an Amtrak manager told me this week. “That’s good news, since it’s been such a long-standing request.”

It’s part of a larger effort this Spring to add as much capacity and as many amenities to the network nationwide as possible, responding to all-time record-high ridership and demand that far, far outstrips supply. The Eagle also got some attention last Summer in time for the Fall schedule, when Amtrak was able to scrounge up a Sleeper and a Coach as dedicated Sunset Limited through-cars.

In Amtrak’s five-season schedule, “Spring” runs from March through mid-May.

Another big and very welcome change is coming courtesy of the California Zephyr, which will be operating a third full Sleeper and a third Coach. It’s a much bigger consist than Amtrak has been able to operate in previous years, and it should make a difference since last year that train was sold out more often than not.

These and a few other additions are all possible thanks to Amtrak finally catching up with the backlog of laid-up coaches and Sleepers parked during the COVID pandemic. There are still 33 more cars that need to be put back in service, but those are all either coming back now or will be re-entering service during the Spring season. And importantly, Amtrak notes, the COVID-era mothballed cars are all back in play.

In other Spring additions, the Cardinal will get a third coach, the Floridian will get a third sleeper, the Coast Starlight will get a third coach, and Empire Builder gets a fourth coach, and the Southwest Chief will get a second sleeper and a third coach added to the consist. Also, as is typical, the Heartland Flyer will get its third coach as the season begins.

 

[Cal]

Extremely pleased!

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

Management has made more positive announcements and presentations the past 3 days than they have made in the last few years. Interesting how things change when you’re about to go under a microscope.

 

[Tom C]

While I don’t want to venture too far into the political black hole I don’t suspect if Amtrak goes under the microscope that the DOGE folks are going to be too concerned with the consists of long distance trains. Any negative focus will be on the simple fact that Amtrak doesn’t make a profit. The last time the house GOP proposed gutting Amtrak in a THUD bill their reason for doing so was that Amtrak isn’t profitable and that it is a “Democrat priority”. Expecting them to thoughtfully look further than that is in my opinion probably giving them more credit than they deserve, but hey maybe I’ll be wrong.

 

[Brian Battuello]

The only thing that has kept Amtrak alive all these years is that they have Senators in 46 states with constituents that care.