Return of Daily LD Service

I was lucky on my June trip on #4 to be in the rear private room car. On #449 on my first leg out I was in the Boston sleeper in one of the rooms on the locomotive facing end. That was a noisy night to say the least. Somehow I did manage to sleep.

Mr. Lord, at least my experience with such has been limited to daytime.

This goes back to '12 traveling CHI to ARB on #352. I had a client (now deceased) who resided in Michiana Shores IN and whose house was within "sound" (winter sight) of the Amtrak line. In Business Class on the head of the head of the train, I decided to call him up passing over El Portal Dr (Mr. Dunville, if you are still around these parts, you know where that is). The first thing he said when the KSLA gave it's blast was "I wouldn't put up with that for one second".

Yes, trains must whistle at grade X-ings away from designated Quiet Zones; but why Amtrak must subject their Premium passengers to such escapes me.

I agree, why do the western LD's put the sleepers right behind the locos. When on #3 and #4 back in June I was assigned roomette #2 on both trains right behind the P-42's. One cannot believe how many farm crossings there are in Kansas. The horn symphony plaid all night. On #49 and return on #48 to NY the sleepers were on the back, much better sleep.

On 8/28 leaving Portland 25-Aug-21, the single Portland superliner sleeper was on the rear, Sightseer lounge on the head end. I didn't look closely, but I believe that the two Seattle sleepers arrived Spokane on the head-end, separated from the locomotives by a Superliner baggage. I think the idea is to avoid coach passengers having to walk through the sleepers, while minimizing the complexity of switching at Spokane.

J.D. Lang wrote: ↑Sat Aug 28, 2021 9:14 am I agree, why do the western LD's put the sleepers right behind the locos. When on #3 and #4 back in June I was assigned roomette #2 on both trains right behind the P-42's. One cannot believe how many farm crossings there are in Kansas. The horn symphony plaid all night. On #49 and return on #48 to NY the sleepers were on the back, much better sleep.

This is due to the way the average western train is made up.

The first car is a single level baggage car usually in the 61000 series.
The second car is usually the Trans-dorm sleeper in the 39000 series.
This is followed by the sleeping cars.

The trans-dorm sleeper has a connection at one end at the lower level to access the baggage car. I guess it would be possible to place the Superliner sleepers at the end of the train. Running the consist in reverse has been done but this brings up a problem. That being diesel fumes entering the exposed upper end of the first car directly behind the diesels. Even though the door at that end is locked closed fumes still tend to leak in. This of course isn't a problem with the Trans-dorm sleeper in front of the sleepers deflecting the diesel fumes around and over the train.

I have only found it to be really noticeable and sleep affecting if you are in the car right behind the P42s. When I was on #4 in the second car it wasn’t really a problem - I’m sure it is for those up front on the first car. On the other trains I took (Zephyr and Coast Starlight) you have the baggage and trans dorm as a buffer so much less of a problem. 448/449 also used to be less of an issue when they had the Boston baggage car as a buffer. When I came home on 448 I was also in the Boston sleeper but I was in one of the furthest back roomettes facing the cafe car so it wasn’t as bad coming east.

Because I had booked the trip during the height of Covid lockdowns and demand was zippo I got really low buckets and the best rooms on the train on the Superliner trains - we got rooms D/E both ways in the car closer to the diner.

I have only found it to be really noticeable and sleep affecting if you are in the car right behind the P42s.

That was the problem that I had on 3 & 4. I was in the first sleeper behind the P-42's in roomette 2 which was the first forward roomette in the car. Although the bedrooms were ahead of me the horns were still quite noticeable especially at night. On 3 and 4 they have been putting the V-II bag at the end of the train. The only time we smelled any fumes was when we where going over Raton Pass but that was barely noticeable.

Maybe the fumes won't be as much of an issue with the ALC-42s.

The fumes do help you get a good night's sleep once they kick in though!

No real Foamer would complain.

Observed; bizarre!!!

#3(2) "more or less" OT
#5(2) 50ML

#5 was on the 2 Track and #3 was on the 1. There was not more than 100yds separation with #5 in the lead.

Naturally, once arriving at NPV, there need be more separation. Once there, #5 best be in the lead as #3 has two stops to make that #5 does not. Also at GBB, the switches must be lined so that #3 can access the ATSF at Cameron

Single level LD trains - those operating "East of the Mississippi" except Capitol Limited - there's really no reason why Amtrak can't have the locomotives lead off (of course), then the baggage car, then the coach cars, Cafe, Viewliner II Diner, and Viewliner Sleepers on the rear. Pre-Amtrak and even VIA sees that value in putting premium paying passengers at the "rear" of the train. There's a debate about the rear most car "fishing" a bit. Amtrak could stick the baggage on the rear (and have) if so. This never seemed to be an issue for the Pre-Amtrak era and VIA Rail Canada.

There seems to be a couple of options for the Superliner LD train sets:

1) Reverse the consist and install the plug (which Amtrak does have) on the upper level door of the first coach....
2) Leave the baggage car and Superliner Trans Dorm/Sleeper upfront and put regular sleepers on the rear (that was done for a few summer seasons on the CA Zephyr).

As Mr. Norman puts forth - there's absolutely no reason to have the premium paying passengers - THOUSANDS of dollars a night on long distance sleepers - listening to the horn all night. And it is blasted all the way from Chicago to Pittsburgh especially on the Capitol Limited. Had that one first hand with this new Capitol Limited consist. And with the current Capitol Limited's pathetic consist, there's absolute no reason why the two coaches and two sleepers couldn't be swapped......

Don't get it.

jp1822 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 02, 2021 6:09 pm There seems to be a couple of options for the Superliner LD train sets:

1) Reverse the consist and install the plug (which Amtrak does have) on the upper level door of the first coach....
2) Leave the baggage car and Superliner Trans Dorm/Sleeper upfront and put regular sleepers on the rear (that was done for a few summer seasons on the CA Zephyr).

As Mr. Norman puts forth - there's absolutely no reason to have the premium paying passengers - THOUSANDS of dollars a night on long distance sleepers - listening to the horn all night. And it is blasted all the way from Chicago to Pittsburgh especially on the Capitol Limited. Had that one first hand with this new Capitol Limited consist. And with the current Capitol Limited's pathetic consist, there's absolute no reason why the two coaches and two sleepers couldn't be swapped......
Don't get it.

I think too many are complaining abut the locomotive's horn and not enough are complaining about the squeaking and rattling coming from the room and roomette doors. The tooting of the horn can be romantic and are infrequent, but the rattling and squeaking from the doors are irritating and constant. Luckily, placing something in the door helps in reducing the loudness of the rattling, but that is something passengers should not have to do.

As for changing the order of the consist of the Superliner trains, how do you plan to do that? Just about every train is configured differently as is. The Zephyr can have coaches added midway over the divide and in Reno, the Builder is split and reformed in Spokane, the Eagle and Sunset Limited are split and reformed in San Antonio, the Chief can have coaches added in Kansas City, the All of them can have private cars added to the end of the trains in many locations along their routes.

A simple fact remains, it is far easier a task to accomplish adding and removing a coach car from the end of a train than from the front of the train. There are always valid reasons why Amtrak does what it does. After 50 years, give them some credit that they know what they are doing.

I also doubt Amtrak owns enough plugs to use on the six (6) trainsets for just one named train like the Zephyr, much less enough plugs for all Superliner trains.

I'll add another thought, but with the caveat, that I've never found the horn to be an issue while in a sleeper near the front of the train.
But there's also a reason not to put them at the end of a train, especially a longer one. While most Amtrak engineers are good and the trains short enough and the couplers tight enough it's not much of an issue, but I've found starting/stopping creates a bit more of a jerk at the end of the train. Some don't like that. I'd prefer to have the sleepers at the front.

Honestly, you'll never find a happy compromise here.