Amtrak Consists

[Anonymous]

Hello from sunny California:
The S.W. Chief currently consists of:

2 P42 locos
1 baggage car (standard level heritage type)
Superliner Transition dorm / crew car (low level on forward end for access to baggage)
3 Superliner sleepers (sometimes 2 depending on availability)
1 Superliner Diner
1 Superliner Lounge-Cafe (now labeled as Sightseer Lounge)
3-4 Superliner Coaches (again depending on time of year and availability)
You wont see any more Roadrailers or express boxcars on the end but you still may see an Expresstrak reefer or two tacked on as the contract for those still exists, but this is not a daily occurrence.

[Anonymous]

Hi from England, anyone know what the consist of Amtraks present era Southwest Chief run as?

[TomDiehl]

It's been a GREAT help. I'm putting together an HO model of the Empire Builder, and possibly some other Amtrak long distance trains and wanted to get the consist to be at least believable. I have two Athearn P42's but one of them will easily pull the 11 car train I have currently, even on the 2% grade helix at the train club.

Also, I have reservations to ride the Empire Builder at the end of August. It will be my first long distance train trip, something I've wanted to do for a long time.

[passengerfan]

The baggage car is usually an old CB&Q or similar. The transition Dormitory car is a Superliner with one end next to the baggage car having a door at the low level and the other end of this transition dormitory car has the door at the high level to access the rest of the train. Two P42 units running elephant style are the power both directions westbound at Spokane they are seaparated with one P42 assigned to the the Seattle Section and the other P42 assigned to the Portland Section and come together again in Spokane eastbound.
The Coast Starlight operates a similar consist with the addition of an old Santa Fe Hi-Level Lounge car in addition to the Superlioner Lounge. The former Santa Fe Hi-Level Lounge is knaown as a Pacific Parlor Car and is for first class passengers only and offers wine tasting and other amenities not found in coach class.
Hope this helps.

[TomDiehl]

Thanks Passengerfan, this is just the kind of info I'm looking for. Just another detail question or two, The Transition Crew Dorm, is that the one that is the same height as the other Superliners witha low level door at one end, or the height of the older style cars with a higher section at one end? The full baggage, is that a low level car, too? How many and what type locomotives do they use to haul it? I'm sure there's probably one just to provide head end power for the train.

[passengerfan]

The Empire Builder carries one transition Crew Dorm two sleeping cars four coaches one is a combination Baggage Coach one diner and one lounge all superliners They also carry a full baggage car . The EB splits westbound at Spokane with one sleeper 1 coach 1 combination coach baggage and the Lounge car going to Portland. The rest of the consist runs to Seattle. The EB is the only Superliner train that splits into sections.

[TomDiehl]

I posted this on the Trains side too, hoping for a response.

Is there a website somewhere, or other reference that would list the average consist of Amtrak's long distance trains, like the Empire Builder or the Coast Starlight? Do they run material handling cars with these?

I'm looking at this from a modeler's point of view.