Why Dome Cars Are COOL

[WhoozOn1st]

This is NOT a trip report in the wrong place. It is merely a collection of links presented as a public service to dome car-challenged Amtrak Unlimited members and guests. Placement of this post is designed to achieve maximum educational impact for the widest range of those Amtrak Unlimited viewers who eternally ask of themselves, and of others, perhaps the deepest, most personal, and ultimately the most mysterious question of modern passenger railroading: "Why are dome cars COOL?" (Also here because people who as a rule don't read trip reports, but have an interest in dome cars, would miss out if this post were to be so categorized)

Weatherwise, the day (Sunday, 5-24-09) was damnably dark, dank, dreary, dismal, detestable, and disappointing. I tellya, from Mother Nature I don't get no respect. No respect at all.

Nevertheless, myriad questions remained to be answered. However, since I'm too lazy to take questions, but not too lazy to go to great lengths to get out of answering them, I hit on the idea of foisting upon the masses some kinda mixed media claptrap that might at least shut 'em up for awhile.

These short videos were taken before, during, and after a jaunt from Oxnard to Santa Barbara aboard Amtrak's Great Dome, running in the Pacific Surfliner 799/798/792/592 consist, 5-24-09. Voices during videos are mostly those of a couple railfans encountered on the run who were doing the same thing as me.



Finally, no media mix without some pics:

Why Dome Cars Are COOL is a comprehensively captioned Picasa album.

 

[Ryan]

Thanks for sharing!

Link to the CS video is busted, though.

 

[MrFSS]

Thanks for sharing!
Link to the CS video is busted, though.

I fixed the link for Whooz - can't take him anywhere!

 

[Larry H.]

Great videos! Good quality shots. One thing about it as mentioned is how nice it is to see the whole range of scenery approaching instead of only in passing from either side. The biggest issue here, and one Amtrak had trouble constantly with is that those front windows were usually so dirty or discolored that you could barely see forward most of the time. When railroads prided them selves in clean equipment an domes were a real draw they were wonderful. A shabby one left with crummy windows isn't quite as much fun, but still has a nice lure.

I personally liked riding up there at night and seeing the stars and lights passing by, usually the night time lighting in the car was very low so you got a really good view out. Usually only small lights lining the floor where you stepped up in to the seats.

Another feature I liked was the variety that the domes allowed below also. Usually a few steps down were necessary to get under the dome, and often it was a place or rest rooms or on better trains game rooms of some sort. A very cozy place to play cards or read a book. Nothing like seeing a nice train with three or four dome cars spread out though its consist. (well thats the whole consist on some trains now!). I rode the City of St. Louis Domeliners, The original Empire Builder with multi Domes, and some of the mixed consist trains that Amtrak put together after they took over like on the Panama Limited, and St. Louis Chicago runs. Canadian National Across Canada had lots of great domes including the full length dome car. Although I never got to ride the original, (I always wanted to), who can forget the wonderful scenery shots of the California Zephyr when it was a true Dome Liner. The Capitol Limited was I think the last regular train that had them that I rode before they made it Superliner Equipment.

When people were talking about these domes recently I wondered what Amtrak had managed to do with all the cars they inherited, since someone mentioned they were trying to buy them from Via Rail. As usual cars that the public might have enjoyed meant nothing when it came to managment for a long period. Its all about cost cuts.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Great videos! Good quality shots. One thing about it as mentioned is how nice it is to see the whole range of scenery approaching instead of only in passing from either side. The biggest issue here, and one Amtrak had trouble constantly with is that those front windows were usually so dirty or discolored that you could barely see forward most of the time. When railroads prided them selves in clean equipment an domes were a real draw they were wonderful. A shabby one left with crummy windows isn't quite as much fun, but still has a nice lure. I personally liked riding up there at night and seeing the stars and lights passing by, usually the night time lighting in the car was very low so you got a really good view out. Usually only small lights lining the floor where you stepped up in to the seats.

Another feature I liked was the variety that the domes allowed below also. Usually a few steps down were necessary to get under the dome, and often it was a place or rest rooms or on better trains game rooms of some sort. A very cozy place to play cards or read a book. Nothing like seeing a nice train with three or four dome cars spread out though its consist. (well thats the whole consist on some trains now!). I rode the City of St. Louis Domeliners, The original Empire Builder with multi Domes, and some of the mixed consist trains that Amtrak put together after they took over like on the Panama Limited, and St. Louis Chicago runs. Canadian National Across Canada had lots of great domes including the full length dome car. Although I never got to ride the original, (I always wanted to), who can forget the wonderful scenery shots of the California Zephyr when it was a true Dome Liner. The Capitol Limited was I think the last regular train that had them that I rode before they made it Superliner Equipment.

When people were talking about these domes recently I wondered what Amtrak had managed to do with all the cars they inherited, since someone mentioned they were trying to buy them from Via Rail. As usual cars that the public might have enjoyed meant nothing when it came to managment for a long period. Its all about cost cuts.

And, as to VIA, we can still ride them there. I have such similar memories as the above. One of the best was one of the most recent when I was on the e.b. Canadian, 30 cars long seeing that huge creature ahead of me going around curves. That is living, And at night, also, as Larry pointed out.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Thanks for sharing!
Link to the CS video is busted, though.

I fixed the link for Whooz - can't take him anywhere!

Thanks, Tom; much appreciated. Thanks also to SoCal AU member and pal chuljin (Chris), who on Saturday gave the heads-up that the dome was in town.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

great series of videos what a great excuse to ride

 

[the_traveler]

great series of videos what a great excuse to ride

As if I need one!

 

[PetalumaLoco]

This is NOT a trip report in the wrong place. It is merely a collection of links presented as a public service to dome car-challenged Amtrak Unlimited members and guests...

Say, that's not a Fez, what hat are you wearing?

 

[Shanghai]

Excellent Photos!!

We lived in Amsterdam for three years and your photos brought back pleasant memories. Centraal Station, Netherlands Rail, ICE Trains and of course the Amsterdam Trams. We lived in Bautinveldert section of Amsterdam on the Number 5 Tram. Our stop was Bois Van Hausinstraat. I also recognize the sites of Koln and your trip down the Rhine. I also recognized most of the pictures in Vienna. We traveled there several times and stayed at the Bristol Hotel on the Ringstrasse. We took a cruise from Vienna to Bratislava and on New Years Day, we took a bus to Budapest. The following morning, we boarded the Orient Express in a double bedroom for an 18 hours trip to Paris. What pleasant memories!!

Any more pictures??

 

[sportbiker]

Is there any rhyme or reason governing when the dome makes an appearance?

 

[sunchaser]

This is NOT a trip report in the wrong place. It is merely a collection of links presented as a public service to dome car-challenged Amtrak Unlimited members and guests. Placement of this post is designed to achieve maximum educational impact for the widest range of those Amtrak Unlimited viewers who eternally ask of themselves, and of others, perhaps the deepest, most personal, and ultimately the most mysterious question of modern passenger railroading: "Why are dome cars COOL?" (Also here because people who as a rule don't read trip reports, but have an interest in dome cars, would miss out if this post were to be so categorized)
Weatherwise, the day (Sunday, 5-24-09) was damnably dark, dank, dreary, dismal, detestable, and disappointing. I tellya, from Mother Nature I don't get no respect. No respect at all.

Nevertheless, myriad questions remained to be answered. However, since I'm too lazy to take questions, but not too lazy to go to great lengths to get out of answering them, I hit on the idea of foisting upon the masses some kinda mixed media claptrap that might at least shut 'em up for awhile.

These short videos were taken before, during, and after a jaunt from Oxnard to Santa Barbara aboard Amtrak's Great Dome, running in the Pacific Surfliner 799/798/792/592 consist, 5-24-09. Voices during videos are mostly those of a couple railfans encountered on the run who were doing the same thing as me.

Thanks Whooz!! Great pics n vids! Thanks for adding the Starlight too! Where's your Fez?

 

[mercedeslove]

man I loved the PC when I rode the CS. It's such a fun car. The_traveler had his netbook and gps set up, and it was cool too watch. I loved the wine tasting also.

 

[gswager]

Is there any rhyme or reason governing when the dome makes an appearance?

Memorial weekend rush?

 

[WhoozOn1st]

This is NOT a trip report in the wrong place. It is merely a collection of links presented as a public service to dome car-challenged Amtrak Unlimited members and guests...

Say, that's not a Fez, what hat are you wearing?

Thanks Whooz!! Great pics n vids! Thanks for adding the Starlight too! Where's your Fez?

Since neither the videos nor the pics contained any images of me, I have no idea to what you folks might be referring.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Excellent Photos!!
We lived in Amsterdam for three years and your photos brought back pleasant memories. Centraal Station, Netherlands Rail, ICE Trains and of course the Amsterdam Trams. We lived in Bautinveldert section of Amsterdam on the Number 5 Tram. Our stop was Bois Van Hausinstraat. I also recognize the sites of Koln and your trip down the Rhine. I also recognized most of the pictures in Vienna. We traveled there several times and stayed at the Bristol Hotel on the Ringstrasse. We took a cruise from Vienna to Bratislava and on New Years Day, we took a bus to Budapest. The following morning, we boarded the Orient Express in a double bedroom for an 18 hours trip to Paris. What pleasant memories!!

Any more pictures??

Shanghai, it appears you posted mistakenly in this thread. I have plenty more pictures (as AU members and guests are painfully aware), but I've not been to Europe (YET). Hope you've located the thread you really had in mind and reposted there accordingly.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Is there any rhyme or reason governing when the dome makes an appearance?

Memorial weekend rush?

It's been my understanding (confirmed by our Amtrak shop tour guide during last year's AU Gathering at L.A.) that the Great Dome these days spends much of the high season running with the 799/798/792/592 Surfliner consist. You guys weren't paying attention, huh?

Otherwise, I know it runs with the Adirondack, Albany-Montreal-Albany, for a time during fall leaf-peeper season. Beyond that I don't know, and guess we'll have to wait for Alan to fill us in, which he surely will if he can.

 

[AlanB]

I'm not aware of any other times or places where the dome regularly pops up, beyond the two you've listed Patrick.

 

[GoldenSpike]

Many memories going across Canada, and on the pre-Amtrak SP's Shasta Daylight day and night

Think how cool it was for the old dome cars set up for dining!

 

[ruudkeulers]

We lived in Bautinveldert section of Amsterdam on the Number 5 Tram. Our stop was Bois Van Hausinstraat.

You're probably referring to the Van Boshuizenstraat in Buitenveldert

 

[Long Train Runnin']

This is NOT a trip report in the wrong place. It is merely a collection of links presented as a public service to dome car-challenged Amtrak Unlimited members and guests...

Say, that's not a Fez, what hat are you wearing?

Thanks Whooz!! Great pics n vids! Thanks for adding the Starlight too! Where's your Fez?

Since neither the videos nor the pics contained any images of me, I have no idea to what you folks might be referring.

I had the same thought I watched all the videos earlier in the morning before finding this thread then I went throught the picsa album and there were no shots of you :huh: leaving me wondering how did they know he wasn't wearing a fez?

 

[PetalumaLoco]

This is NOT a trip report in the wrong place. It is merely a collection of links presented as a public service to dome car-challenged Amtrak Unlimited members and guests...

Say, that's not a Fez, what hat are you wearing?

Thanks Whooz!! Great pics n vids! Thanks for adding the Starlight too! Where's your Fez?

Since neither the videos nor the pics contained any images of me, I have no idea to what you folks might be referring.

shows WhoozOn1st as the contributor, with a photo.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

This is NOT a trip report in the wrong place. It is merely a collection of links presented as a public service to dome car-challenged Amtrak Unlimited members and guests...

Say, that's not a Fez, what hat are you wearing?

Thanks Whooz!! Great pics n vids! Thanks for adding the Starlight too! Where's your Fez?

Since neither the videos nor the pics contained any images of me, I have no idea to what you folks might be referring.

I had the same thought I watched all the videos earlier in the morning before finding this thread then I went throught the picsa album and there were no shots of you :huh: leaving me wondering how did they know he wasn't wearing a fez?

Dude, I put my on my thinking cap (aka fez), and may have figured it out: I think they're referring to the pic of me which appears with the YouTube videos. That shot was taken in June, 2006, aboard the S.S. Lane Victory, a restored WW II-era Merchant Marine freighter (Victory Class - steam turbine - hence the name; other main class, Liberty ships - steam reciprocating - were built in far greater numbers) which operates several day cruises each year out of Long Beach, CA. My cruise that year was a birthday gift from my sister - from Long Beach out past Catalina Island and back. VERY cool!! We were all over the ship, including engine room, propulsion gear, living quarters, and bridge tours. On the return leg there was a staged aerial dogfight between "German" and "American" planes - T-6s and SNJs flying out of Van Nuys.

As for the photo, the chapeau is a GI helmet - pretty standard for wartime merchant ships, plus Lane Victory was lightly armed against air attack and carried a small military contingent to man the guns. The shot was posed at an on-deck conning station forward of the bridge, and the full photo shows me at the helm (scary thought, no?). A couple old salts - volunteer crew members - were hanging out. They offered the helmet and encouraged photos, so we took turns getting pics of each other. The result was one of the VERY few pictures of myself that I actually like, and in addition to YouTube it's used at Picasa and here on my AU profile.

EDIT: I was right! PetalumaLoco posted while I was pecking out this post.

 

[PetalumaLoco]

As for the photo, the chapeau is a GI helmet - pretty standard for wartime merchant ships, plus Lane Victory was lightly armed against air attack and carried a small military contingent to man the guns. The shot was posed at an on-deck conning station forward of the bridge, and the full photo shows me at the helm (scary thought, no?). A couple old salts - volunteer crew members - were hanging out. They offered the helmet and encouraged photos, so we took turns getting pics of each other. The result was one of the VERY few pictures of myself that I actually like, and in addition to YouTube it's used at Picasa and here on my AU profile.

Yeah, that's the pic. Thanks.

 

[MrFSS]

I like this one: