electricron wrote:Why remove, or add, a coach in Atlanta? Are there any advantages doing so for Amtrak? The argument that it'll save Amtrak any rolling stock at all is all imagination, every Crescent departing New York City each and every day will still be sized the same as it is today whether a coach is removed at Atlanta or not.
At best, there wil be some fuel savings by saving weight for the locomotive to pull for a portion of the route. But Amtrak will see additional costs parking, guarding, and cleaning the coach while it sits idle in Atlanta. Which actually costs more?
Ron , here is Amtraks proposal from the PRIIA report.
"Consist and On-Board Service Optimization – Atlanta Cut-Off Cars
Since the train now known as the Crescent assumed its current route in 1970, ridership has
always been much lower on the portion of the route through the less densely populated areas
south of Atlanta. During most of the period from 1970 until 2003, both Amtrak and Southern
Railway (which operated the train until 1979) addressed this imbalance in ridership demand by
adding/cutting cars and locomotives at Atlanta and/or Birmingham. Prior to Amtrak’s
takeover of the Crescent route from the Southern Railway, the train also operated only three
days a week south of Atlanta.
At the present time, Amtrak operates the Crescent from New York to New Orleans without
adding or dropping any cars en route. Operating a train with the same coach, sleeper and food
service capacity on route segments with very different levels of passenger demand results in
low load factors and poor food service cost recovery that negatively impact financial
performance.
Amtrak proposes to reinstate the switching of cars in Atlanta to reduce costs and increase
revenues. The current Crescent consist of four coaches north of Atlanta is insufficient to meet
demand, while demand south of Atlanta generally requires only two coaches (three during
seasonal peak periods).
Under the plan, a fifth coach would be added to the Crescent (train 19) between New York and
Atlanta. At Atlanta, a locomotive and the last block of cars -- a lounge and two to three coaches
-- would be cut from the train. The remaining train, consisting of one locomotive, a baggage
car, two sleeping cars, the diner, and two or three coaches (depending on seasonal demand)
would continue its trip to New Orleans. The equipment cut at Atlanta would turn the same day
and be added to the northbound train 20 to New York. South of Atlanta, the dining car will
serve as the food service car for the train, providing both diner and lounge service and reducing
the on-board service staffing requirement.
The third peak period running coach south of Atlanta is projected to operate four months of the
year. Amtrak intends to operate it whenever there is sufficient ridership demand south of Crescent – Lake Shore Limited – Silver Service
PRIIA Section 210 Performance Improvement Plan
- 28 -
Atlanta to cover the costs of its operation. During special events such as Mardi Gras, Amtrak
will lengthen the train south of Atlanta if equipment is available.
The proposal to add and cut cars in Atlanta, and increase capacity north of Atlanta, will require
the reassignment to the equipment pool that serves the Crescent of one additional Amfleet II
coach during off-peak periods and two Amfleet II coaches during the peak period, and the lease
or reassignment of one switching locomotive to Atlanta. It will also permit reassignment to
other routes of one lounge car and one P-42 diesel locomotive. All single level equipment must
continue to rotate into Hialeah Yard in Miami on a regular basis for maintenance."
Link to whole report.
http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/570/756/201 ... _final.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
