Amtrak consists

Hi,

Hopefully this isn't a request for "sensitive information" like a request for diagrams of yards and stations in the wake of 9/11, but I was wondering where would be a good source of information on what equipment is used on different Amtrak trains?

As some on this forum may or may not know already, I model Amtrak and I like to mirror it's trains as best as I can.

Anyway, if anyone has any information regarding what equipment is used on what trains I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!

PS: One answer I've come up with is by looking at timetables and observiving the accomodations listed. Is that a good start?

Thanks again!

Unfortunately, Amtrak trains aren't as varied as you might think. For me, this has become really apparent during extended coast-to-coast trips, when I've traveled on seven or eight different routes in a row.

Trust me, when you've seen one single-level or hi-level consist, you've basically seen 'em all. The California Zephyr looks exactly like the Southwest Chief.

Naturally, the railroad tries to keep consists together -- it's less work. Still, a particular train can have minor variations from day to day (number of cars, type of cars, paint jobs, car sequence, interior configurations). It's subject to the time or year, the anticipated passenger load, and (literally) which cars are railworthy at departure time.

A train might run "all Amfleet" on Tuesday, and then a mix of Amfleets and Horizons on Wednesday. Or run with two sleepers westbound and only one sleeper eastbound. Stuff breaks down. Last minute changes happen. The formula isn't set in stone.

With that said, most East-of-Chicago trains are single-level. They're hauled by one or two Genesis locomotives (except on the all-electric NEC). Typically, they include:

1) two to five Amfleet 1 or II coaches (with the occasional Horizon)

2) one AmCafe car (or occasional Horizon cafe)

plus on the overnight trains. . .

3) one or two Heritage baggage cars

4) one to three Viewliner sleepers

5) one Heritage diner (AmCafe or Horizon dinette on the Three Rivers and the Federal)

6) one Heritage crew dorm when needed

The eastern exceptions are the Capitol Limited, City of New Orleans, and the super-sized Auto Train. All use hi-level Superliners. The Acelas, naturally, are in a class all their own.

Amtrak's West-of-Chicago routes are split between:

1) short and medium-haul coach trains (one or two Genesis locomotives and the single level cars mentioned above, minus the sleepers and diner).

2) overnight sleeper trains (two, three, or even four Genesis locomotives pulling bi-level Superliners -- sleepers, coaches, diner, sightseer lounge, crew dorm -- with single-level baggage cars).

The Sunset Limited, which serves both coasts, uses Superliners. The Cascades uses Talgos. The Pacific Surfliners use their own distinctive hi-level cars. The Heartland Flyer uses hi-levels. And the Coast Starlight usually sports the Pacific Parlour Car (ex-Santa Fe) for first class passengers.

Generally, the western trains haul the same number of coaches and sleepers as their eastern counterparts. Additions or deletions are made according to the season and car availability.

My advice on your train modeling endeavors? Invent your own consists. They'll be entirely accurate at least part of the time.

First, I totally concur with the underlying thought of Mr. Cleveland's message in that "variety is the anathema of life" on Amtrak.

I can often time an afternoon walk so that "the fleet" i.e. #3-6, can be observed passing by BNSF Aurora Sub MP 18.34 and if all are "more or less" on time (reasonable probability of that) they will pass in less than one hour. Incidentally, I have observed Amtrak Superliner "meets"; and often my late Newfoundland got "two shorts" from the Amtrak engines (never mind our no blow municipal ordinance).

With that having been said, the off season passenger consist of both the Zephyr and Chief is simply Baggage, T-Dorm, 3 Coaches, Lounge, Diner, 2 Sleepers. The differences are that the Chief usually has 3 P-42 and some 10-15 Mail cars/roadrailers, while Zephyr has 2 P-42's and 4-7 Mail cars. Despite the Express phaseout, I have yet to observe a "blind" Superliner end. During peak travel periods, both will add one Coach and Sleeper; the Chief's peak Sleeper will be placed on the rear.

The only "variety" is that the consists are often reversed i.e. Coaches forward, Sleepers rear; the rhyme or reason to that I know not.

Other consists I have observed on my recent trip to Orlando included the Capitol. While it is my understanding that the Capitol #30 takes the same consist as #4 arriving CHI the previous day, my recent trip, Feb 18, suggested the consist was same as found on either the City (58) or the Eagle (21). That consist is 2 P-42, Baggage, T-Dorm, Diner, Lounge, 3 Coaches, Sleeper, 5 Boxcars.

I also observed i.e. rode the Sunset which had an S-II consist of Baggage, T-Dorm, 2 Sleepers, Diner, Lounge, 2 Coaches (no express). The same for the Silver Star #91 which, pn my day Feb 19, was ONE P-42, Baggage, Heritage Dorm, 2 Viewliners, Diner, A-II Lounge, 4 A-II Coaches. I also observed three other Silver trains at Orlando, and the consists (other than a Deadhead Diner) appeared identical.

The Midwest Corridor consists all appear to be 1 P-42, 3-4 Horizon Coaches, A-I Food Service.

As for the Empire Builder, Hiawathas, or Coast Starlight, can't help you there but otherwise hope the preceeding helps.

Thanks Mr. Norman!

Your mention of equipment on the Capitol Limited brings up another issue I was curious about. I remember discussing with a railfan on the Southwest chief that the Southwest Chief and Capitol limited may or may not share equipment. I think I even recall the conductor mentioning that the train would be used on the Capitol limeted (That same evening I think). We ended up backing into Union Station and as a result the train was facing East (well South technically). Is this common or was that a one time thing? This was back in '97.

The Empire Builder (leaving Chicago) generally runs:

2 locos, baggage, transition sleeper, 1 or 2 Seattle sleepers (depending on time of year), dining car, regular Seattle coach, Seattle coach smoking (for the next month or so, anyway), Portland sightseer lounge, Portland coach, Portland coach baggage, Portland sleeper, St. Paul "short" coach (seasonal, may be Hi-Level car), followed by mail and express cars (boxcars, refrigerated cars, roadrailers).

If you're really nerdy and into line numbers, they are:
0710 (Dorm car)
0731 (Seattle Sleeper - seasonal)
0730 (Seattle Sleeper)
0711 (Seattle Coach)
0712 (Seattle Coach)
2714 (Portland Coach)
2715 (Portland Coach)
2730 (Portland Sleeper)
0709 (St. Paul coach - seasonal)

The Hiawathas run: Locomotive (facing north/west), four Horizon coaches (sometimes an ex-metroliner cab mixed in there), cabbage car (facing south/east, sometimes replaced with 2nd locomotive depending on availability of cabbage cars).

The Chicago-Pontiac trains generally run with a locomotive, four coaches, Horizon cafe/business class, and a cabbage (350/355 may have a different arrangement).

Coast Starlight has 2 locos, baggage, transition sleeper, 2 or 3 sleepers (depending on season), Hi-Level lounge (Pacific Parlour), Dining Car, Sightseer Lounge, 3 to 5 coaches (depending on season). The Starlight tends to run with mostly Superliner II equipment.

In the Pacific Northwest, the Cascades corridor trains use the Spanish Talgo trainsets, which have a power car, 2 business class cars, a dining car (used as a lounge car south of Seattle, and "real" diner north of Seattle), Bistro (cafe), and 7 or 8 regular Talgo coaches, then a small baggage car (I think the "Cascades" Talgos run with 7 coaches, and the "Las Vegas" one has 8, but I'm not 100% sure of that). These are sandwiched between a loco (usually F59) and a cabbage (or 2nd loco).

The green and brown Talgos run Seattle-Portland-Eugene service, and the blue and grey "Las Vegas Talgo" (which has probably never even been to Las Vegas) runs Seattle-Vancouver.

Out east, the Silver Service (and Crescent) run with locos (1 or 2), baggage, dorm, Viewliners (1 to 3 depending on train and time of year), Heritage diner, Amfleet lounge, Amfleet II coaches. This arrangement used to be found on the Cardinal as well, but now it just runs with a loco, Viewliner, dinette, coaches (no baggage car, and frequently no dorm). That is also found on the Three Rivers, except that train might have a baggage car (not sure), and usually has a few thousand express cars on the rear (though that number may have been reduced recently).

When I rode the Lake Shore last year, it ran with 2 locos, baggage, Boston coaches, lounge, diner (to New York), New York coaches, New York sleeper, dorm, baggage, express. If there had been a Boston sleeper, it would have run forward of the coaches (but it was blanked for both trips, even way back in January 2003). Now the Boston section runs as a connection in Albany, until May. The Lake Shore train matches the silver service trains now, Chicago-New York. I don't know what the Boston train looks like, but I'm guessing it's a loco, cafe, and two coaches.

A few Midwest corridor trains run with Superliners in the winter (International, and I think Illinois Zephyr), for various reasons (including the fact that two dozen Horizon coaches get sent to Florida in January for special trains).

The Heartland flyer uses 1 loco, Hi Level coach, Superliner Coach/Cafe, Hi Level Coach, and another loco.

There are a few other trains out there, but that's what I can think of off the top of my head.

[quote="Gilbert B Norman"]First, I totally concur with the underlying thought of Mr. Cleveland's message in that "variety is the anathema of life" on Amtrak.

I can often time an afternoon walk so that "the fleet" i.e. #3-6, can be observed passing by BNSF Aurora Sub MP 18.34 and if all are "more or less" on time (reasonable probability of that) they will pass in less than one hour. Incidentally, I have observed Amtrak Superliner "meets"; and often my late Newfoundland got "two shorts" from the Amtrak engines (never mind our no blow municipal ordinance).

With that having been said, the off season passenger consist of both the Zephyr and Chief is simply Baggage, T-Dorm, 3 Coaches, Lounge, Diner, 2 Sleepers. The differences are that the Chief usually has 3 P-42 and some 10-15 Mail cars/roadrailers, while Zephyr has 2 P-42's and 4-7 Mail cars. Despite the Express phaseout, I have yet to observe a "blind" Superliner end. During peak travel periods, both will add one Coach and Sleeper; the Chief's peak Sleeper will be placed on the rear.

The only "variety" is that the consists are often reversed i.e. Coaches forward, Sleepers rear; the rhyme or reason to that I know not.

Well, I suspect that the reason that the consists are reversed is because at one end of the line, the locomotives are coupled at one end of the train, while at the other end of the line, the locmotives are coupled at the other end of the train.

It's worth mentioning that some Amtrak trains also haul private passenger cars, particularly during the summer months.

They're a less common sight on the eastern routes, probably because the scenery is less of a tourist draw. But western trains like the Coast Starlight, Southwest Chief, and Empire Builder often have a vintage Pullman Standard or Budd sleeper, lounge, or dome car tacked onto the end. I've taken trains that hosted as many as three, all bearing the colors of various fallen flag railroads.

I photographed Amtrak 40, The Pennsylvanian, with Bennett Levin's Warrior Ridge and Pennsylvania 120, in Altoona last July.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/414 ... 5595ooVYmt

Then I ran forward past the two cars and Amtrak's cafe car to ride the train to Philly, photographing 120's observation deck in Harrisburg.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/414 ... 6374fzgSVp