Oldest Amtrak Cars

[passengerfan]

Deggesty

I intended adding that, currently, it is also possible to have a section between Montreal and Halifax--if you travel on the right day of the week. Two sets of equipment used on the Ocean are  Renaissance, which has only bedrooms and deluxe bedrooms(shower included). The third set is Budd, and the Chateau sleepers are used on it regularly (3 sections, 8 duplex roomettes {sold as roomettes, or single bedrooms}, 3 bedrooms {double bedrooms}, and 1 drawing room {triple bedroom}). Currently the Budd equipment leaves Montreal on Sunday and Thursday, and leaves Halifax on Wednesday and Saturday.

I believe the  the Chaleur (Montreal-Gaspe) also uses the Budd equipment.

We have ridden in the Renaissance sleepers and would, by preference, not ride in one again. Among other things, you have to carry a key to the door of your room.

Johnny

In the final years of RR operated passenger service in the US the last space sold on the trains with the sleeping cars were the sections. Seems passengers had turned there backs on this earlier sleeping accommodation. That was the primary reason Amtrak chose sleeping cars with roomettes and bedrooms only. VIA Rail had no other choice when it came to the Budd cars as the former Chateau and Manor sleepers were built this way with some sections in each type car. Only the Park cars had no sections. The 10-6 was the most popular type sleeping car in the US the other reason it was selected by Amtrak.

Having traveled on several trains with sections when I was young both uppers and lowers I dont think I would enjoy undressing and dressing in one today, one needed to be part contortionist. Thanks I will take todays roomettes or bedrooms over the sections. If Via Rail did not have them passengers would not ride them. I don't think todays Amtrak crews would enjoy putting them down or up on they were very labor intensive.

Al - in - Stockton

[Deggesty]

I intended adding that, currently, it is also possible to have a section between Montreal and Halifax--if you travel on the right day of the week. Two sets of equipment used on the Ocean are  Renaissance, which has only bedrooms and deluxe bedrooms(shower included). The third set is Budd, and the Chateau sleepers are used on it regularly (3 sections, 8 duplex roomettes {sold as roomettes, or single bedrooms}, 3 bedrooms {double bedrooms}, and 1 drawing room {triple bedroom}). Currently the Budd equipment leaves Montreal on Sunday and Thursday, and leaves Halifax on Wednesday and Saturday.

I believe the  the Chaleur (Montreal-Gaspe) also uses the Budd equipment.

We have ridden in the Renaissance sleepers and would, by preference, not ride in one again. Among other things, you have to carry a key to the door of your room.

Johnny

[Deggesty]

Yes, VIA still has open sections. Each of the sleepers (except the sleeper-dome-lounge-observations) built for the CP's Canadian still has three sections (#4 was removed and a shower with dressing room was installed) You can even ride in a compartment on the Canadian if you able to get a bedroom F (all of the bedrooms and compartments are sold simply as double bedrooms) in a Manor car.

Johnny

[filmteknik]

I think Amtrak could make some money by restoring and operating some sleepers with open sections.  I wouldn't sell these accomodations to unsuspecting travelers but maybe to groups and maybe leftover space could be sold with very detailed explanations (like on the web page) of exactly what that means. 

People see these things in old movies and for those who know what they are getting into it would be a hoot.  Dunno if VIA still has open sections but if not then they did up until not too long ago.  Market them with the name Nostalgia Sleeping Cars or something like that.

[AntonioFP45]

 There are also a number of 85ft. Heritage baggage cars that were actually coaches years back.

I've ridden Amtrak a number of times since the 70s, and still maintain that the Heritage Budd coaches had much better riding qualities and were more spacious than there Amfleet replacements which now , ironically, are classified as dated as well.  

I often wonder if Amtrak had taken the route that VIA did in rebuilding their Budd Heritage cars to modern standards years back, if Amtrak would not be experiencing the coach shortage it now has. 

[daveklepper]

And the remaining "long dome" that occasionally operates on the Adarondak between Albany and Montreal.

[csmith9474]

The former Santa Fe, Budd built hi level cars come to mind. It looks like those lounges will be around for a long while. I would imagine there may be some baggage cars out there that are really running up the years as well.

[passengerfan]

beagledoggg

How old are the oldest cars in Amtrak's fleet that are still in regular service and what types of cars are these?

They still operate a few Heritage diners that date from the 1950's and also a few baggage cars that are that old as well. There were a few 10-6 sleeping cars but only a couple remain and they are for Amtrak use only probably as Crew Dormitory cars.

Al - in - Stockton

[beagledoggg]

How old are the oldest cars in Amtrak's fleet that are still in regular service and what types of cars are these?