Passenger Trains > AAPRCO special through Dale NY...Friday

Here is the AAPRCO passenger special passing through Dale NY Friday afternoon. Dale is about 40 miles east of Buffalo NY. Trackage is former Conrail, now the NS southern tier route between Buffalo NY and Binghamton NY. The train is heading to Portland Maine for a convention.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/14 12:55 by biff.

It's interesting that Amtrak can come up with three units to run this train but not two units for the Eagle.

Nice! Too bad it wasn't Dale, WY.

And 3 washed units at that.Good catch Biff.

And 22 probably still sitting somewhere with all his power dead,or with a UP leader.These $5000/head or more PV pax are worth more than coach pax on 22 didn't ya know that?

Dispatcher68 Wrote:
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> And 3 washed units at that.Good catch Biff.
>
> And 22 probably still sitting somewhere with all
> his power dead,or with a UP leader.These
> $5000/head or more PV pax are worth more than
> coach pax on 22 didn't ya know that?

There are many on TO who think Amtrak exists for the indulgences of the private car owners.

AAPRCO is a customer like any other entity, individual or group. AAPRCO signed a contract with Amtrak (and paid a high cost)for three serviceable and clean units with crew. Just like every other group if you so desired. So are you trying to make a point with your statement?

kdrtrains Wrote:
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> AAPRCO is a customer like any other entity,
> individual or group. AAPRCO signed a contract with
> Amtrak (and paid a high cost)for three serviceable
> and clean units with crew. Just like every other
> group if you so desired. So are you trying to make
> a point with your statement?

The passengers who ride the Texas Eagle when it breaks down are also customers, and expect serviceable units, etc., for which they have paid for through their tickets. They are not getting them; the private car owners are. That is the point.

So are you saying it is the fault of the one customer that some other customer is shorted?

A seven car train only needs one unit.

kdrtrains Wrote:
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> So are you saying it is the fault of the one
> customer that some other customer is shorted?

I'm just not convinced that Amtrak should be in the business of supporting peoples' hobbies, especially if that is to the detriment of the travelling public, and regardless of how much they pay.

Amtrak is a business delivering a service to the public. AAPRCO snd PV owners are the public and have the same rights as any customer. By your thinking, no person should be able to ride Amtrak because they like trains.

Now are you really just jealous because you are not aboard the train? Are you upset with the folks that are riding the train?
Do you get upset when a nicer car passes you on the road? Do they really deserver a nicer car? How dare they have a nicer car on your road! WHAA WHAA!

The Chessie Dome is extraordinary! It is amazing that car still exists and is Amtrak compliant. Go to the July 1970 or 71 of Trains Mag for a full story of the Chessie. Well done to the owners!

kdrtrains Wrote:
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>
> Now are you really just jealous because you are
> not aboard the train? Are you upset with the folks
> that are riding the train?
> Do you get upset when a nicer car passes you on
> the road? Do they really deserver a nicer car? How
> dare they have a nicer car on your road! WHAA
> WHAA!


I'm missing something here. Why should I be jealous? Are you jealous of my hobbies? For me, trains are transportation, not hobbies. I rode many of the private cars of today when they were in regular service, and that gives me enough memories for the rest of my life.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/14 21:02 by Ptolemy.

How is the selection made for the rear car on the train?

Can passengers from other cars ride that rear car?

The rear car is usually for the convention chairman or his choice if the chairman does not own a car.

Ptolemy Wrote:
-----------------------------------------------------

> I'm missing something here. Why should I be
> jealous? Are you jealous of my hobbies? For
> me, trains are transportation, not hobbies. I
> rode many of the private cars of today when they
> were in regular service, and that gives me enough
> memories for the rest of my life.


So what you are saying is, I rode those cars I'm satisfied, nobody else needs to discover the experience I had. If trains are not hobbies why are you here?

vcrail Wrote:
-
>
> So what you are saying is, I rode those cars I'm
> satisfied, nobody else needs to discover the
> experience I had. If trains are not hobbies why
> are you here?

For me trains are transportation, not a hobby. I fly a lot, but no one would suggest that flying is a hobby. No one who rides those cars today can come close to experiencing what it was like to ride them in regular service: today it's an affection, then it was transportation.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/14 19:02 by Ptolemy.

Ptolemy Wrote:
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> I'm just not convinced that Amtrak should be in
> the business of supporting peoples' hobbies,
> especially if that is to the detriment of the
> travelling public, and regardless of how much they
> pay.

How is what you're bellyaching about any different than, say, American Airlines offering for charter one of their MD-80s to a political candidate or the Rolling Stones? After all, something that heinous removes a valuable aircraft from service where it could otherwise be performing useful service to the "Great Unwashed."

If you don't want Amtrak to provide that type of service, then offer a suggestion as to who, in your opinion, SHOULD provide it. Your suggestion must go on the assumption, probably erroneous, that the freight railroads are interested in stepping up to the plate and offering crews and motive power, all the while being in compliance with the legislation that gave us Amtrak.

Or are you saying that AAPRCO should buy its own motive power and employ its own operating crews?

Let's be realistic.

AAPRCO pretty much operates TWO, count 'em, TWO big trips like this per year. Is that excessive in your mind?

If they're stepping on anyone's toes or ruffling anyone's feathers, I doubt if it involves anyone other than you.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/14 21:35 by CA_Sou_MA_Agent.

Ptolemy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> vcrail Wrote:
> -
> >
> > So what you are saying is, I rode those cars
> I'm
> > satisfied, nobody else needs to discover the
> > experience I had. If trains are not hobbies why
> > are you here?
>
> For me trains are transportation, not a hobby. I
> fly a lot, but no one would suggest that flying is
> a hobby. No one who rides those cars today can
> come close to experiencing what it was like to
> ride them in regular service: today it's an
> affection, then it was transportation.

Trains can be both a hobby and a form of transportation, as it is with PV owners, and so too with a lot of Amtrak riders. I just took a train from LA to Chicago just to do it. I paid for a deluxe bedroom. It cost a lot more than a coach ticket, but I just wanted to try it along with my son.

The PV owners and passengers paid a lot more than I did to take a trip back East. Sometimes, they pay to be attached to a regular train, and sometimes they pay to make up their own train. When they do, they can also pay for an extra locomotive. You know what, the regular train can run with more locomotives too, and all the passengers can be surcharged accordingly. Most would rather take the risk of running one less locomotive for a cheaper fare. But, if you own a PV and want to make certain you get there by a certain time, you would rather pay extra and attenuate the risk.

I'm actually surprised I have to explain this in the United States of America. I'll make a deal with you: I won't question your choice of traveling coach class and you don't question me when I charter a train or a jet.

Andre

PS Planes can be hobbies, too. People like to watch them, and there are a lot of people who just use their miles to fly around the world, never leaving an airport.