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Amtrak announced that as of 1/8/10, CONO equipment will "run through" and be used for the Texas Eagle. The equipment will be cleaned stripped and restocked in Chicago. Also a full lounge will be added to CONO consist and the CC Cafe will revert to regular dining car service, but with the retention of all day menu service enhancements.
The reason given is to better utilize equipment and to prevent freeze damage.
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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I'm heading out on the Eagle next Sunday for L.A. and will report back on the consist.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Why, why, why did we spend (what was it, an M a car?) what we did on the 370XX "Cross Country Cafe" conversions that quite simply "don't please no one"?
Rep. Mica (R-FL7), weren't you the one always preaching about the waste at Amtrak? Lest you forget, whose big idea was this "simplified dining' (again I note, "Diner-Lite" is railfanese) anyway?
Finally of interest, I just learned from reviewing govtrack.us, that the formal "shorthand" identification of party, state, and district for a Member of Congress is as reported above. Previously I reported such as, in this instance, (R-7th-FL). Oh well, three characters are saved.
palmland Member # 4344
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It is surprising that the train can be 'cleaned, stripped, and restocked' in the 4 hours 45 min.between CONO arrival and TE departure.
If Amtrak did that with all trains, imagine how many more cars would be available for new or expanded train consists, especially if there was some schedule adjustments.
Some examples of turn around times:
SWC, Chicago - 24 hrs. Sunset, LA - 28 hrs. Capitol, Washington - 27hrs. Cardinal, NY - 39 hrs. CONO, New Orleans - 22 hrs.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Mr. Palmland, this equipment assignment has been done in the past. It was discontinued when New Orleans was closed out as a maintenance facility (beyond turnaround end-point work) after being damaged during Katrina.
It does save one set of equipment, lest we note.
That Amtrak is now resuming this assignment leads me to wonder if they are again establishing New Orleans as a maintenance facility. I always thought NOL made sense, given its proximity to Chicago. Save most extreme weather, equipment at Chicago needing a thaw out and being added to 59's consist will start thawing likely after leaving Memphis. It would be reasonably thawed upon arrival in NO, and with 22hours to complete whatever repairs were needed arising from the freeze up.
The repaired equipment would be back in Chicago some 60hours later, and with 58's fairly early CHI arrival would be ready to be placed in the consist of any LD train departing that day (same applies to B/O'd equipment arriving on any LD at CHI - such could be on its way to the sunny South within hours).
Finally two points involving people. It is simply not reasonable to expect the same productivity from a, say, Carman having to carry on in 0dg as it is from one at say 40dg. Secondly, while I have never had too much nice to say about any experience I have had in NO over the years (last time there Feb 04 connecting from 1 to 58, I didn't even leave the station), such does not apply to the competent and dedicated New Orleans based Amtrak employees - including a cop!
Southwest Chief Member # 1227
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I'm on the Texas Eagle sleeper (on the Sunset Limited) out of Los Angeles this Wednesday. Heading to San Antonio.
Not sure if the run through will effect our consist or not, but I'll report on it for sure.
smitty195 Member # 5102
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quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: Why, why, why did we spend (what was it, an M a car?) what we did on the 370XX "Cross Country Cafe" conversions that quite simply "don't please no one"?
I'm going to find my notes and see if I can get the actual figure. For some reason, something closer to $2M is ringing a bell with me. I can't believe how much $$$ Amtrak wastes!!!
Ocala Mike Member # 4657
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quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman:
That Amtrak is now resuming this assignment leads me to wonder if they are again establishing New Orleans as a maintenance facility.
And, if so, would this have any bearing on the resumption/addition of service NOL-Florida?
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Mike, such likely has more to do with Sunset West needing a more extensive away from home terminal (1-2 is LA based - equipment and OBS crews) to replace Sanford SFA.
Smitty, the first car 37000 may have run up $2M by the time they were prepared to place it in revenue service, but I believe $1/ea was more the number for the subsequent cars.
Ocala Mike Member # 4657
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Yes, Gil, I understand what you're saying about the Sunset, but what about NOL-Florida service WITH NOL as the home terminal? Additional service, rather than the resumption of the Sunset is what I mean.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Well Mike, if such ever were to come to pass, then having an active maintenance facility at NO would enable greater operational efficiency regardless of whether the destination for such service were to be JAX or ORL.
palmland Member # 4344
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Why would this mean they might revive the New Orleans maintenance base if it is being cleaned, etc. in Chicago?
It would seem that the only change is the equipment is going through so the maintenance crews have a shorter time. If a car needed repairs, presumably it would be set out in Chicago as would be the case now.
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