YoHo19752 wrecked sets? Cascades has 2 wrecks? I thought just 501? I had heard one of the sets at Beech grove was going.
Remember the set that got damaged when it ran through a split rail derail on the approach to a drawbridge.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Talgos are still stuck at Beech Grove though one set went to TTC for PTC testing a month or so back. A superliner set is filling in for one of the two wrecked sets.
YoHo1975Also, I guess they're bringing the surplus Talgo sets down? Is that still true? Or are they going up to the Cascades now?
Is that set still surplus after the 501 wreck?
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
CSSHEGEWISCH The California cars are in different colors because they are owned by California DOT, same as the equipment on the "San Joaquins".
The California cars are in different colors because they are owned by California DOT, same as the equipment on the "San Joaquins".
Thanks for the information. Since the cars are still in Amtrak's color scheme, does this mean that they are leased to California DOT and, therefore, could be reclaimed by Amtrak if it needed the equipment?
One of the Surfliner schedules consists of Amfleet I or II cars. It appears that they make just one roundtrip a day between LAX and San Diego. Presumably these cars are owned by Amtrak and used to supplement the California cars. Is this correct?
Rio Grande Valley, CFI,CFII
David Lassen On the verge of locking this one down because it's gotten a long way from the original topic. Thoughts? Objections?
On the verge of locking this one down because it's gotten a long way from the original topic. Thoughts? Objections?
Before you lock it, here are a few additional thoughts regarding my recent trip on Pacific Surfliner # 774 from Santa Barbara to San Diego.
The train was approximately 15 minutes late getting into Santa Barbara, but we went into LAX pretty much on time. From LAX to San Diego the train was on-time.
I had a very comfortable seat in the business class car. The car was squeaky clean, and the ride was smooth. The crew was friendly, courteous, and helpful. I have ridden with the conductor before; she always answers my questions in a cheerful and friendly manner.
Portions of the trip from Santa Barbara to LAX and from LAX to San Diego run along the coast. February 28th was a sunny albeit chilly day in southern California; the scenery was spectacular.
Business class passengers get a snack, which can be enough for lunch, plus a drink. And the drink can be a glass of wine or a beer. It is included in the price of the business class ticket.
I grabbed a bite in the café car. As shown in the link, the menu is decent for an Amtrak café car.
https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/menus/routes/Pacific-Surfliner-Cafe-Menu-0616-r.pdf
Most of the Surfliners have an Amtrak coach in the consist. In most instances, I believe, it is the quite car. The Amtrak cars are painted in its colors as opposed to the scheme for the California cars. Does anyone know why?
Everything that needed to be said has probably been said.
And a whole lot of things that didn't.
David Lassen On the verge of locking this one down because it's gotten a long way from the original topic. Thoughts? Objections? Do it Dave.
Do it Dave.
zugmann CMStPnP ........you no longer have to be a career politician to run for President and that by itself has motivated a LOT of higher quality people to run for office. We have not seen this since JFK's time in office. It's about time, in my view. Maybe some day someone of higher quality *will* run.
CMStPnP ........you no longer have to be a career politician to run for President and that by itself has motivated a LOT of higher quality people to run for office. We have not seen this since JFK's time in office. It's about time, in my view.
Maybe some day someone of higher quality *will* run.
A thread displaying a lot of contrafactual statements.
CMStPnP........you no longer have to be a career politician to run for President and that by itself has motivated a LOT of higher quality people to run for office. We have not seen this since JFK's time in office. It's about time, in my view.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
CMStPnP BaltACD With our current politics we are well on our way to be the Divided States of America. Instead of being 'one for all and all for one' we have become 'what's in it for me and screw you'. Nah, I think we are going through a period of change here. I think there will be bumps in the road here and there but overall the change will turn out for the better for the country. Amongst the changes or precedent we have just established is..........you no longer have to be a career politician to run for President and that by itself has motivated a LOT of higher quality people to run for office. We have not seen this since JFK's time in office. It's about time, in my view.
BaltACD With our current politics we are well on our way to be the Divided States of America. Instead of being 'one for all and all for one' we have become 'what's in it for me and screw you'.
Nah, I think we are going through a period of change here. I think there will be bumps in the road here and there but overall the change will turn out for the better for the country. Amongst the changes or precedent we have just established is..........you no longer have to be a career politician to run for President and that by itself has motivated a LOT of higher quality people to run for office. We have not seen this since JFK's time in office. It's about time, in my view.
The bar for the Presidency has been lowered so far that Otis the town drunk from Mayberry would be a excellent candidate.
We all have seen the changes that were made in the 60's - what we see now is that not that kind of change.
BaltACDWith our current politics we are well on our way to be the Divided States of America. Instead of being 'one for all and all for one' we have become 'what's in it for me and screw you'.
BTW, if one of you guys were on this Surfliner train, would you let your kids go to the Snack Car without an adult? I have issues with that. I think I would have taken the whole family off the train at the next stop to get something to eat, then reboard the next train and continue the journey. We are not talking a huge hit to the wallet and they would probably eat better at a normal restaurant than in the Cafe Car.
Electroliner 1935 blue streak 1 Hope this does not mean the USA is becoming like the Balkans before WW-1 ? Too close to that political situation. Remember the archduke ! And remember what happened to Yogoslavia when it came apart in the 90's. I don't want that here.
blue streak 1 Hope this does not mean the USA is becoming like the Balkans before WW-1 ? Too close to that political situation. Remember the archduke !
And remember what happened to Yogoslavia when it came apart in the 90's. I don't want that here.
With the rhetoric that is being spouted by various factions I harbor fears! As a country we have always looked to our leaders to lead us and pull many factions togeteher - that isn't happening. I have my fears!
blue streak 1Hope this does not mean the USA is becoming like the Balkans before WW-1 ? Too close to that political situation. Remember the archduke !
With our current politics we are well on our way to be the Divided States of America.
Instead of being 'one for all and all for one' we have become 'what's in it for me and screw you'.
Hope this does not mean the USA is becoming like the Balkans before WW-1 ? Too close to that political situation. Remember the archduke !
blue streak 1 Author on an overloaded surf line train SAN - LAX
Author on an overloaded surf line train SAN - LAX
I just returned from a four day trip to California.
I rode the Pacific Surfliner from Santa Barbara to San Diego. At the last minute I decided to change my business class reservation to an earlier train. No problem!
Over the entire trip no more than 50 percent of the seats in the business class car were occupied. Moreover, when I walked through the quite car, which was next to the business class car, as well as the coach section of the cafe car, they appeared to have plenty of seats.
I also took the train from San Diego to Oceanside and back. I bought a roundtrip Coaster ticket, which is good on select Amtrak trains, and rode Amtrak to Oceanside, but I returned on a Coaster. I did not have any difficulty getting a ticket for the trip to and from Oceanside. There were plenty of seats on both trains.
My trips were on Wednesday and Friday. The loads probably are higher on the weekend, but the reports of people standing in the aisles appear to be the exception.
According to Amtrak's January 2018 Monthly Operating Report, the average load factor on the Pacific Surfliners in January 2018 was was 28 percent. The average load factor for FY17 was 30 percent.
Amen!
_____________
"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
JL ChicagoMight want to check 3 organizations that looked at this issue: Washington Post, Economist Magazine, and Tax Foundation. WaPo is liberal, Economist is a pro business magazine, Tax Foundation a conservative anti tax think tank. So all sides of the political spectrum did studies on this issue and all reached the same conclusion. Blue states overwhelmingly with a few exceptions (Texas also gets shortchanged) support red states. So California buys water, fuel and electricity from other states? And what does California export in return? Technology, movies, engineering, entertainment, math, science, finance, defense, and agricultural products. All of the highest quality and sold around the world. It's the fifth or sixth largest economy in the world. On par with Brazil, Germany, France or U.K.
Texas already had the discussion after the Civil War and I will repeat some of the points of the Texas discussion. Your making way to many presumptions. The biggest being that California will remain unified as a territory if it did split off. Not going to happen and will more than likely split off with the majority of the land mass voting to stay with the United States. Oops! there goes your self-sustaining agriculture, along with a greater loss of your water and part of your tax base. Another presumption is existing trade and other agreements will remain the same once you exit........not going to happen as now your a foriegn competitor to other states. Another, is that California can afford to defend itself from China or other aggressors that would value the position on the Pacific. Yet another is those big companies would stake their Economic Future on staying with California when the remaining U.S. still represents the larger market. Some of them would relocate out of the state. Your economy is large as it is BECAUSE the United States stands as a guarantor of last resort to a lot of your debt as well as bails out the state when Natural Disasters hit.......thats gone once you exit and your interest rates rise.
Also the Economist is not pro-business it is pro-Europe, there is a difference there, never heard of the Tax Foundation but I am sure their analysis was equally superficial..........and we all know about the Washington Post and it's reputation.
If you present a realistic argument for seperation....you do need to be realistic. Texas was realistic when it had it's discussion because it had 10 years experience as a fully independent country to look back at. I think a lot of the base of the argument of California seperating is based on wishful thinking that will never bear out. Really, who cares if you pay in more taxes than you get back. In return your getting over 300 million person market to sell products to, you should be happy about that. Along with a National Defense that no one else can challenge seriously. The California National Guard has to import people from other states because most Californians feel military service is beneath them so California has one of the lowest enlistment rates for the Armed Forces, which does not bode well for the state militia after independence.
Expanding Amtrak service on the LA-SD corridor is up to the multi-county LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency, not Amtrak. Amtrak supplies the 'operational' resources for now.
Links to my Google Maps ---> Sunset Route overview, SoCal metro, Yuma sub, Gila sub, SR east of Tucson, BNSF Northern Transcon and Southern Transcon *** Why you should support Ukraine! ***
I heard that California is perioidically selling surplus electricity to Arizona. But don't know how it nets out.
JL ChicagoConsidering that California (like most blue states) pay far more in federal taxes than they receive in federal spending, they'd be better off financially leaving the union.
Not really, and you know why? The Environmentalists there have really done a number on the states self-sufficiency. California is now dependent on surrounding states for fuel, electricity and water. Prices of which would escalate if they left the union. Calculations for leaving the union are with horse blinders on and do not include trade or balance of payments if California were to become an indepenedent country and it goes far beyond paying taxes. In fact California would not be able to afford it's current Debt load and would collapse just from increased interest rates on that.......without the U.S. guaranteeing the debt. There would also be a little problem with selling additional bonds.
Also, would not want to live in a state myself where the only means of defense was the California National Guard.....which also has some issues from what I read in the paper.
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