PJS1 BaltACD In the pre-Amtrak world of passenger trains in many of the larger terminal locations it was customary for the trains to back into the stations. In backing in, the sleeping cars on the rear were the nearest to the station. I remember backing into St. Louis on the Spirit of St. Louis in 1960 or thereabouts. What other major terminals required backing prior to Amtrak? On the three different occasions that I rode Amtrak's CZ, if I remember correctly, it backed into Denver. I don't know if trains had to back into Denver before the arrival of Amtrak.
BaltACD In the pre-Amtrak world of passenger trains in many of the larger terminal locations it was customary for the trains to back into the stations. In backing in, the sleeping cars on the rear were the nearest to the station.
I remember backing into St. Louis on the Spirit of St. Louis in 1960 or thereabouts. What other major terminals required backing prior to Amtrak?
On the three different occasions that I rode Amtrak's CZ, if I remember correctly, it backed into Denver. I don't know if trains had to back into Denver before the arrival of Amtrak.
I do not know how the California Zephyr was handled in Denver pre-Amtrak; perhaps in the same way that it is now handled? Though when there were through cars to/from Colorado Springs, it headed in westbound?
As to the operation in Chicago, I have no idea as to why the CZ should be backed in.
When I have ridden Chicago-New Orleans the train has backed out and backed in because of the current arrangement to reach the station from the former IC.
Johnny
I don't recall any back-ins of arrivals at any of the stations in Chicago. Except for the wye south of Chicago Union Station, the track arrangements didn't allow for it.
Rio Grande Valley, CFI,CFII
Quoting Mr. McFarlane "One is the slack action and another is the walking distance for first class passengers, making coach passengers walk further to their cars than sleeping."
This does not always hold--when #6 comes into Salt Lake City, the rear of the train is closer to the access to the tracks from the station than the front is. Also, when a train backs into a station such as Denver or New Orleans, the coaches are closer (the last two times I went east, #6 backed into Chicago).
GERALD L MCFARLANE JRAs for the roar and horn blowing, you don't hear them and I know, I've been on the sleeping car behind the engine
You're certainly entitled to your own opinion based on your experience.
But in my experience, the night the wife and I spent in a similarly situated bedroom aboard a constantly horn-honking Three Rivers from Akron to Chicago was the worst night. Ever. And it came with a very expensive "first class" (lol) ticket!
Nope. Sleepers go on the rear of the train.
alphasMail, express, and baggage cars at the end of a train were extremely rare until the steam locomotives were gone. As the years passed, they began to appear sometimes at the rear to avoid switching moves which were only necessary to put add-ons at the head--the diesels weren't changed at division points like steam engines usually were.
In the pre-Amtrak world of passenger trains in many of the larger terminal locations it was customary for the trains to back into the stations. In backing in, the sleeping cars on the rear were the nearest to the station.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Mail, express, and baggage cars at the end of a train were extremely rare until the steam locomotives were gone. As the years passed, they began to appear sometimes at the rear to avoid switching moves which were only necessary to put add-ons at the head--the diesels weren't changed at division points like steam engines usually were.
RailSpike It appears Amtrak has omitted the Transition Sleeper from most, if not all LD trains during this virus cut-back period. Probably a smart move due to reduced staff and reduced consists. However, I had to chuckle when I realized they have positioned the highest-paying customers right behind the locomotives. That roar and horn blowing should keep them up all night! Looking at the current positioning of the consists with the baggage car at the rear behind the coaches, how difficult would it be to flip it? At least there would be a baggage car between the coaches and the locomotives and the Sleeper passengers might actually be able to sleep being at the rear of the train. Nah. It makes too much sense to accommodate the customer paying a premium. How foolish of me.
It appears Amtrak has omitted the Transition Sleeper from most, if not all LD trains during this virus cut-back period. Probably a smart move due to reduced staff and reduced consists. However, I had to chuckle when I realized they have positioned the highest-paying customers right behind the locomotives. That roar and horn blowing should keep them up all night! Looking at the current positioning of the consists with the baggage car at the rear behind the coaches, how difficult would it be to flip it? At least there would be a baggage car between the coaches and the locomotives and the Sleeper passengers might actually be able to sleep being at the rear of the train. Nah. It makes too much sense to accommodate the customer paying a premium. How foolish of me.
The sleeping cars being behind the motive power on Amtrak LD trains is nothing new, it's actually been that way for quite some time and there's a couple of reasons. One is the slack action and another is the walking distance for first class passengers, making coach passengers walk further to their cars than sleeping. As for the roar and horn blowing, you don't hear them and I know, I've been on the sleeping car behind the engine before, though usually there's a baggage car and transition sleeper in front, depending on the train.
I did a follow up check this evening - April 15th - on Number 21, the southbound Texas Eagle at Temple, TX.
The transition sleep was gone. The train had one regular sleeper, a dining car, a lounge car, two coaches, and a baggage car at the rear. I saw one person in the the lounge car and no one in the second coach.
I am a bit of a traditionalist. I don't like seeing baggage cars at the back of a train. No class!
It used to be that when I rode between Sal Lake City and Chicago, the full-length sleepers were at the rear, and the transition sleeper (which has roomettes for passengers) was, of course, at the front so the baggage car could be accessed from the passenger cars. I did have a roomette in the transition sleeper once.The last two years, all of the sleepers were together; I never had trouble going to sleep.
RailSpikeIt appears Amtrak has omitted the Transition Sleeper from most, if not all LD trains during this virus cut-back period. Probably a smart move due to reduced staff and reduced consists. However, I had to chuckle when I realized they have positioned the highest-paying customers right behind the locomotives. That roar and horn blowing should keep them up all night! Looking at the current positioning of the consists with the baggage car at the rear behind the coaches, how difficult would it be to flip it? At least there would be a baggage car between the coaches and the locomotives and the Sleeper passengers might actually be able to sleep being at the rear of the train. Nah. It makes too much sense to accommodate the customer paying a premium. How foolish of me.
Amtrak is just creating the rail fan sleeper!
RailSpikehow difficult would it be to flip it?
Isn't slack action cumulative?
RailSpike It appears Amtrak has omitted the Transition Sleeper from most, if not all LD trains during this virus cut-back period.
I saw No. 21, the Texas Eagle, yesterday in central Texas. It had the transition sleeper, regular sleeper, dining car, lounge car, and two coaches.
Based on what I could see of the people in the dining and lounge cars, it did not have many passengers.
I am surprise that Amtrak has not reduce the long-distance trains to three times a week in each direction.
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