"I am surprise that Amtrak has not reduce the long-distance trains to three times a week in each direction."Gosh, is that where they got the idea?
Stephen Karlson, DeKalb, Illinois
Electroliner, I, too, have enjoyed the view from the front of the sleeper on the Pioneer. My wife and I, if we talked at all while standing there kept put voices down.
By the way, the San Francisco Zephyr did not go through Salt Lake City, but went west from Ogden (I rode it in the fall of 1971) until the arrangement to go to Salt Lake City from Denver was put into effect.
Perhaps the occupant of Room A was also unhappy because that room is smaller than the other bedrooms?
Johnny
Deggestycalzeph I agree with you 100 per cent that the sleepers belong in the back of the train. Not only that but i also believe very strongly that the baggage car belongs at the very front of the train. If I were the president of Amtrak I'd mandate this. I certainly enjoyed walking back from my bedroom to watch the landscape unfold behind the train. I wonder if some unwary passenger was injured when there was a sudden jolt back there.
I agree with you 100 per cent that the sleepers belong in the back of the train. Not only that but i also believe very strongly that the baggage car belongs at the very front of the train. If I were the president of Amtrak I'd mandate this.
I certainly enjoyed walking back from my bedroom to watch the landscape unfold behind the train. I wonder if some unwary passenger was injured when there was a sudden jolt back there.
Johnny, When AMTRAK started in 1971, the Rio Grande started its triweekly RGZ train. And Amtrak's train, the San Francisco Zepher ran via UP between Denver & Salt Lake City until 1978 when the Rio Grande terminated the RGZ. In 1996, when Amtrak started talking about killing the Desert Wind & the Pioneer, I used the All Aboard America farefor a big trip riding all three trains (CZ, Pioneer, DW)+ Coast Starlight + Chief.
On my only trip on the Pioneer, the cars arrived as the last cars on the train. The Desert Wind and the CZ left them at Denver and a diner and coach were added at the rear with the consist being the FP40, sleeper, coach, coach, diner. I and another railfan found that the front door of the sleeper gave a great view forward over the loco as we went through Wyoming & the Idaho mountains. But the occupant of the end bedroom took umbrage at our talking in the hallway and let us know he would like us to respect his desire for peace & quiet and to know that he had paid big $$. We didn't argue. Not a Vista Dome but a great view. Miles and miles of scenery. I like looking forward better than backwards but either is good.
calzeph I agree with you 100 per cent that the sleepers belong in the back of the train. Not only that but i also believe very strongly that the baggage car belongs at the very front of the train. If I were the president of Amtrak I'd mandate this.
CMStPnPPretty sure the Amtrak P-42's have volume control on their horns
Valved stages. Google YouTube for the P42 orientation video where you will see it described.
When I rode Amtrak's Zepfyr westbound in 1987, the train was split 3 ways in Salt Lake City: Zephyr to Oakland; Desert Wind to LA; and Pioneer to Seattle. There were sleepers at both ends (and adjacent coaches), making up the different sections. It took about an hour for the switching. During that time a food truck pulled up to the platform, and despite the midnight hour, there were several patrons, including some Amtrak attendants.
I continued on the Pioneer, and a dining car was added to the thru sleepers and coaches. Half the dining car served as the diner, and the other half served as the lounge.
[quote user="JEFFREY PLETCHER"]
In pre-Amtrak days, many if not most passenger trains carried sleeping cars that were handed off (or picked up) at various points along the journey, sometimes running through to/from other trains and even railroads. I always thought this was at least one reason why the sleepers were carried at the rear, i.e., to facillitate switching at intermediate points by local switchers that were more numerous than today. This is not much of a consideration today since Amtrak has very few interline operations of this type.
Regarding slack action, that should be minimal, or almost none, due to titelock couplers on passenger equipment, right?
You are correct about a lot of switching moves being made on some trains, even coaches. When I rode UP City of St. Louis, we boarded Armour Yellow cars at St. Louis Union Station, complete with dome car and diner. Got to KC and UP engine put on the head end, cutting the Wabash and later N&W. But when we got to Ogden, train had to be broken up, going to San Francisco switched over to SP and going to LA and Vegas, stayed with UP. When parents and I went, Dad and I got off at Ogden station to look around and Mom stayed on to ride with the switches, she said she was supposed to be riding a train and that is what she was doing. I remember Dad and I waving to her a couple of times as she rolled past us. So not sure how they broke it all up, with part staying with UP coaches and sleepers and part going to SP. We were usually there at least one hour, as it took time to sort it out. But it worked as we never had a problem with our destination. The neat thing about SP was going across the Lucin cutoff on Great Salt Lake.. I once on the wooden trestle and another time on the land fill. Good times for sure.
As to slack never noticed in our Pullman bedroom when I rode the same train with friends. But parents and I were on NYC coming back from Niagara Falls and for some reason in the night sleepers were cut off and diner was rear car. There was some sway back there but never noticed any slack. Same thing with Amtrak sleepers on the rear, more sway with double decker, but still no slack that I ever noticed.
[quote user="Deggesty"]
Sunnyland, for rough track, you should have ridden through Grenada between Memphis and North Jackson; the only freight was the local. As to the horn, many of the towns had so many crossings that it was impossible to blow a proper signal for each crossing as the train ran at full speed; often the last blast for one crossing would be the first blast for the next crossing. I doubt that much, if any, relocation had been made of the original track as it snaked through the hills. This was the way the City ran when it was a day train.
Deggesty, I did ride that route with parents on old IC not on the City of course, as pass no good on that one. I did not remember a rough ride but maybe did not really notice on a coach. It was a day run, we boarded at Memphis after getting off a train from St. Louis and arrived in NOLA later that afternoon. Coaches were always noisy at night, never slept much, people constantly walking up and down the aisles going to smoking car or lounge, my Dad was one of them. And conductors came thru yelling the next stop and making sure everyone got off OK. It is so different now as I rode my first Amtrak coach last year on CZ to Denver where we picked up rental car for drive to Utah for Golden Spike party. Coming home we boarded at Glenwood Springs for a longer scenic ride. Lights go dim at night with just a blue light , no announcements and of course no smokers. I have passed thru towns in IL where the horn needs to be blown constantly as so many crossings, but always in daytime so not trying to sleep. Parents and I just rolled with it and expected not to be sleeping much. I did not realize that part of MS would have been that rough as my sleeper guy blamed it on the Delta area where the route now goes.
1702 You must have been wearing full-cover ear protection! I was an Amtrak OBS employee for 19 years, sleeping in the old ex-Santa Fe coach-dorms and then the new Superliner II transition dorms, always behind the baggage car. To not hear the sometimes almost-continuous sound of the locomotive horn one would have to be severely hearing-impaired.
You must have been wearing full-cover ear protection! I was an Amtrak OBS employee for 19 years, sleeping in the old ex-Santa Fe coach-dorms and then the new Superliner II transition dorms, always behind the baggage car. To not hear the sometimes almost-continuous sound of the locomotive horn one would have to be severely hearing-impaired.
No hearing impairment at all, I'm just a very sound sleeper that's all, though I don't think I could sleep through a shot gun going off within 3 feet of me like my mother could, but I can sleep through a lot of noise once I'm asleep, including the sounding of a diesel horn.
DeggestyGood one, Mr. D! Reminds me of the scene in "Witness for the Prosecution" where the murder victim's former maid is testifying and is extremely hard of hearing. The defense tricks her into demonstrating this and she complains to the judge about the long time it's taking the health service to fit her with hearing aids, to which the judge replies that there is so much BS (paraphrasing him) that passes for conversation that she may be lucky not to have them. 1702 You must have been wearing full-cover ear protection! I was an Amtrak OBS employee for 19 years, sleeping in the old ex-Santa Fe coach-dorms and then the new Superliner II transition dorms, always behind the baggage car. To not hear the sometimes almost-continuous sound of the locomotive horn one would have to be severely hearing-impaired. You could say that my hearing protection consists in my taking my hearing aids out before going to sleep. I can still hearing people talking, but it is difficult to understand what they are saying.
You could say that my hearing protection consists in my taking my hearing aids out before going to sleep. I can still hearing people talking, but it is difficult to understand what they are saying.
I can't understand what they are saying with them in!
Apologies....this is a reply to Gerald L. McFarlane Jr.'s post about not hearing the locomotive horn.
CSSHEGEWISCH There were exceptions. The "Silver Meteor" started as an all-coach streamliner and the observation car was laid out accordingly. When sleepers were added, they were placed ahead of the dining car.
There were exceptions. The "Silver Meteor" started as an all-coach streamliner and the observation car was laid out accordingly. When sleepers were added, they were placed ahead of the dining car.
As to Amtrak, it does seem strange, but there is rationality for the Chicago-Emeryville train. With the high level cars, you need a stepdown car next to the baggage car, and the stepdown car has sleeping space for on-board service crew, a lounge for crews, and roomettes for passengers. Once I had a roomette in this car--and at that time, the coaches were between it and the passenger lounge, the diner, and the rest of the sleepers. I have the impression that a coach attendant also had to take care of those roomettes. Now, on this train, all of the sleepers are together.
As to the Chicago-Seattle/Portland train, which is split/combined in Spokane, I do not doubt that it is made up in such a way as to reduce switching moves; the same applies to the Chicago-San Antonio/New Orleans-Los Angeles train, with the necessary switching in San Antonio.
I do wonder why the baggage cars are now on the rear of the eastern overnight trains--fear that passengers who enjoy looking back at where they have been may be hurt as they stand there?
CSSHEGEWISCHThere were exceptions. The "Silver Meteor" started as an all-coach streamliner and the observation car was laid out accordingly. When sleepers were added, they were placed ahead of the dining car.
The Silver Meteor, the Champion and the City of Miami were all 'all coach' streamliners when the trains were created in the 1930's.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
From the 1st time I clearly recall seeing a passenger train (late 50's) til the last time I rode one pre-Amtrak, sleepers were at the rear of the train just ahead of the obsv. When/why did Amtrak flip the consists? I do not recall.
Speaking of the Texas Eagle, it has been running pretty much on time in Texas since the COVID-19 outbreak. The reduction of freight traffic on the BNSF and UP, together with the light loads on the Eagle, probably are contributing factors.
Sunnyland, for rough track, you should have ridden through Grenada between Memphis and North Jackson; the only freight was the local. As to the horn, many of the towns had so many crossings that it was impossible to blow a proper signal for each crossing as the train ran at full speed; often the last blast for one crossing would be the first blast for the next crossing. I doubt that much, if any, relocation had been made of the original track as it snaked through the hills. This was the way the City ran when it was a day train.[/quote]
Johnny:
" Sunnyland, for rough track, you should have ridden through Grenada between Memphis and North Jackson; the only freight was the local. As to the horn, many of the towns had so many crossings that it was impossible to blow a proper signal for each crossing as the train ran at full speed; often the last blast for one crossing would be the first blast for the next crossing. I doubt that much, if any, relocation had been made of the original track as it snaked through the hills. This was the way the City ran when it was a day train.Add Quote to your Post Post . [/quote]
In reference to the speed of the Southbound Panama Ltd. was that many of the Delta towns were so small;that the locomotive was blowing for the last crossing in towns before the hammer on the first crossing's crossing bell gong got to a half-cocked position.
Speeds through the 'Delta' were so fast, they used to say the train was sucking the trash out of the ditches on both sides of the ROW.
Here is a link to the famous(?)(A)'Lonzo' Billups Siren and Flashing Lights Crossing at Grenada, Ms. [junct of ICRR/MS Hwy 322, north side of Grenada] The concrete that held the sign up was present for years.
@http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1675680
Degggesty: Atlanta's Pegram shop was the maintenance location for almost all passenger locos. More often than not at Atlanta Terminal station SOU RR locos were switched out for all trains just for watering and fueling at Pegram if nothing else.
It was interesting when 10 - 12 Alco RSs would lead one or 2 F units for the afternoon Piedmont north out of Terminal station.
Duplicate
If those droplets and particles stay in the air long enough to reach the AC intake vents, you'll possibly breathe them. This was happening with some Metra engines at CUS and Ogilivie.
[quote user="blue streak 1"]
SOU RR always ran their sleepers at the rear. SOU RR;s Southern Crescent and the Southerner both backed into ATL's terminal station when traveling north and backed out of Terminal station when traveling south out of Terminal going to Birmingham. Usually SOU used some yard switcher for the backing but not always.
SAL's Silver Comet also did back the same way at ATL terminal station for BHM. However it used a GP-7 to pull the train. It worked well for SAL as extra cars on the Comet came off in ATL and were pulled north past Howell CP by usually a GP-7 with the off cars going to SAL's maintenance yard. Opposite system for northbound .
In 1968, the Southern changed the procedure--instead of backing the SB out of Atlanta, the engine was moved to what had been the rear after the rear sleepers were taken off, the coach seats were turned by the porters, and the train continued to Birmingham (and backed out of the Birmingham Terminal Station). Northbound the process was reversed.
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