farecard wrote: ↑Sat May 27, 2023 7:36 am The Capital Limited is getting more limited.Even worse today. Westbound at Elkhart only had 4 cars. One baggage, one sleeper, diner and one coach. Amtrak is starving this train to death.
I took #29 WAS-CLE on the 15th, and #30 on the 26th. In both cases, the trains were 90% full, which was a surprise.
When I boarded #29, I found out why. There was one and only coach car. The conductor announced the locked down one behind it was being taken to Chicago for repairs,
On #30, the train was bass-ackwards; the sole coach was first, then the un-dining car, and last the sleepers.
So who stole the rest of the fleet?
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Amtrak Capitol Limited Thread
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Cap Limited 30 arrived yesterday (so it was 30(15) ) only with a sleeper, cafe, and coach, off a transit Telegram channel I'm in. 29(16) was a full 6 cars. Are we getting these consists going nuts?
No baggage? Unless the coach was one of the Superliner coach-baggage units.
Since my friend continues to chain smoke nonstop, she is probably an Alco.
I see the Capitol Limited nearly every day and have not seen a three car consist. The baggage car is easy to overlook. The Capitol Limited cannot run without either a second coach (one coach and one coach-baggage) or a baggage car with the single coach being a full coach. They need to have the ADA seating on the lower level of at least one coach in the consist.
The Capital Limited is used to carry dead cars to and from Chicago (some taking the trip from Chicago to Beech Grove for repair). That may explain some of the days with extra cars. Otherwise I have seen a lot of minimum four car consists ... with either a baggage car or two coaches (one being a coach-baggage). 30(17) which is usually 29(16) turned had the baggage car and three superliners last night when it passed where I was. That supports the thought the extra cars were deadheads.
BTW: 29(17) was baggage and three superliners.
The Capital Limited is used to carry dead cars to and from Chicago (some taking the trip from Chicago to Beech Grove for repair). That may explain some of the days with extra cars. Otherwise I have seen a lot of minimum four car consists ... with either a baggage car or two coaches (one being a coach-baggage). 30(17) which is usually 29(16) turned had the baggage car and three superliners last night when it passed where I was. That supports the thought the extra cars were deadheads.
BTW: 29(17) was baggage and three superliners.
justalurker66 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 18, 2023 4:03 am I see the Capitol Limited nearly every day and have not seen a three car consist. The baggage car is easy to overlook. The Capitol Limited cannot run without either a second coach (one coach and one coach-baggage) or a baggage car with the single coach being a full coach. They need to have the ADA seating on the lower level of at least one coach in the consist.I asked the observer if he missed the baggage car.
The Capital Limited is used to carry dead cars to and from Chicago (some taking the trip from Chicago to Beech Grove for repair). That may explain some of the days with extra cars. Otherwise I have seen a lot of minimum four car consists ... with either a baggage car or two coaches (one being a coach-baggage). 30(17) which is usually 29(16) turned had the baggage car and three superliners last night when it passed where I was. That supports the thought the extra cars were deadheads.
BTW: 29(17) was baggage and three superliners.
Edit: Yes, it had a baggage car, so nothing truly missing from that save for an extra coach.
Hopefully they'll extend them on 30/29 between the 27th and July 4th.
ALC42 315 is on the point of 30 (11) with a P42 tucked inside for insurance. This is the first one to run east of Chicago in revenue service if I'm not mistaken.
"It's not even a railroad anymore, it's a circus act."
So unlike the Lake Shore Limited I took to Chicago last weekend, the way back was done on the Capitol Limited, 30(4). There, I met the most professional room attendant so far: Carlos. Even gave me his card at the end of the trip.
That said, it was a decent trip. Sleeping was... well, I did sleep, but for how much I don't know. I think I was woken up by the Pittsburgh stop and when it had to do a cross-track move for handing off to CSX and make a "sharp right". The mattress was firm, firmer than expected, so I was a bit uncomfortable and the lower back wasn't all too happy if I laid on my back.
The food... is described on the relevant thread.
At least nobody tried to run into us. Two sleepers, a cafe diner, two coaches, and a baggage car, with a single P40 or P42 up front... and nobody bothered the train with a car. The trip did serve a bit of double-duty because I was able to experience what the MARC Brunswick line was about for most of it's length (haven't done the Fredrick branch yet).
That said, it was a decent trip. Sleeping was... well, I did sleep, but for how much I don't know. I think I was woken up by the Pittsburgh stop and when it had to do a cross-track move for handing off to CSX and make a "sharp right". The mattress was firm, firmer than expected, so I was a bit uncomfortable and the lower back wasn't all too happy if I laid on my back.
The food... is described on the relevant thread.
At least nobody tried to run into us. Two sleepers, a cafe diner, two coaches, and a baggage car, with a single P40 or P42 up front... and nobody bothered the train with a car. The trip did serve a bit of double-duty because I was able to experience what the MARC Brunswick line was about for most of it's length (haven't done the Fredrick branch yet).
Took #30 from CLE to WAS.
It was 2.5+ hours late leaving Toledo, The reason was the prime mover, Amtrak #60, was ill. Amtrak borrowed N-S 7609, an ES40-DC. Besides the 2.5 hour delay departing TOL, they announced on the PA noted as a freight prime mover, it was slower speed than the passenger ones.
It also occurred to me that a ES40-DC likely lacked HEP. When we arrived, i looked and saw no familiar cordset, so I assume whatever part of '60' generates the 480 was still working.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/LhRsKhGTRbzb4MFo6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/fF65x3Phs3pGHwBz9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/6Eu9CWYBjniT7DcDA
It was 2.5+ hours late leaving Toledo, The reason was the prime mover, Amtrak #60, was ill. Amtrak borrowed N-S 7609, an ES40-DC. Besides the 2.5 hour delay departing TOL, they announced on the PA noted as a freight prime mover, it was slower speed than the passenger ones.
It also occurred to me that a ES40-DC likely lacked HEP. When we arrived, i looked and saw no familiar cordset, so I assume whatever part of '60' generates the 480 was still working.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/LhRsKhGTRbzb4MFo6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/fF65x3Phs3pGHwBz9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/6Eu9CWYBjniT7DcDA
