Passenger Trains > On-board #6 with impressive Consist.

Hello from California Zephyr Eastbound Train No. 6!

I am writing this from Sacramento where we have a special train today.It's been a LONG time since I've posted here.  There are four Amtrak LL cars on the back of this train for President Joe Boardman. I'm in Car 32 and these are the four cars on the back. Boardman was in SAC yesterday for this:
http://www.kcra.com/news/sacramento-company-delivers-last-of-70-electric-locomotives-to-amtrak/39875442

It's unclear why they needed 4 LL cars if it's only him or if there are several members in his party. 

(Transition Sleeper...sleeper #32...then...)
Amtrak Heritage Sleeping Car #10021
Amtrak Viewliner Sleeping Car #62033
Amtrak Dome Car Car #10031
Amtrak President's Car #10001

The cars are supposedly being detached in DEN.

 Anton



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/05/16 10:00 by coaststarlight99.

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#6 is an eastbound train, not westbound!

Dick

Indeed you are on an impressive train:

2 regular P42DC
P42DC 150
P42DC 4
ACS64 670
P42DC 156
Regular 6 Consist
​4 OCS

​6 Engines on 6, what a coincidence

Joe  should  visit the  coaches. Or maybe try to sleep in one!!

He probably sleeps in the Budd sleeper; and who could blame him.
I'd take a roomette anyday over a Viewliner or Superliner room.
Nothing beats laying in bed - level with the window - as the country passes by.

I think he has his own room in the Observation car.
It would be nice if they could reupholster back in the wings on either side of the coach seat backs. It kept your head from rolling aside when you slept. They had them at first in the purple and brown era of the 1980's.

From the pictures it looks like they spotted the train so that all the passengers had to walk an extra 4 car lengths.  Or am I missing
some piece of the puzzle.

Also looks like no dress code on the office car.

Englewood Wrote:
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> From the pictures it looks like they spotted the
> train so that all the passengers had to walk an
> extra 4 car lengths.  Or am I missing
> some piece of the puzzle.

No, they did just fine. At EMY, they have to spot the train this way so as not to block the outer platforms. You've got inbound/outbound Capitols, San Joaquins, and sometimes, a tardy #11 that need to be accessible to non-Zephyr pax. 

Another question.  Are there any announcements made as to what location to stand at for
boarding?  I see there are boarding location signs.  I know my mind is stuck in the old days but
that is how it was done at numerous stations around the country.  The process  cut down on what
is now referred to as "dwell time".

There's a bedroom in the 10001 "President's Car" on the very back. 
(The one with the platform on the back etc). Howvever, because he has 4 cars this time, there are supposedly "20 Amtrak executives on-board" per one of the Conductions yesterday.
We're about two hours late now. Will be interesting to see what they do with these cars in Denver where I detrain as well. 

coaststarlight99 Wrote:
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> There's a bedroom in the 10001 "President's Car"
> on the very back. 
> (The one with the platform on the back etc).
> Howvever, because he has 4 cars this time, there
> are supposedly "20 Amtrak executives on-board" per
> one of the Conductions yesterday.
> We're about two hours late now. Will be
> interesting to see what they do with these cars in
> Denver where I detrain as well. 

Plenty of room - if all 20 are going to Denver - they got at least 13 roomettes in the Viewliner sleeper + 3 bedrooms (including handicap) and then as many as 10 roomettes in the Heritage sleeper. The 6 bedrooms were removed from the Heritage sleeper, but I believe this one still as 10 roomettes in it (from even when they were transitioned to Crew Dorm Cars). And then Joe's got his own room. Plenty of room - plus the dome!!!! 

Englewood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Another question.  Are there any announcements
> made as to what location to stand at for
> boarding?  I see there are boarding location
> signs.  

No, but some pax would walk up the narrow platform and stage themselves up along it. Mostly those who knew the train and where it stopped. Sleeper pax would probably know if the sleepers were on the front or rear (or if you were in the 40 car) as that would be a nightmare if you got that wrong (i.e. swimming against a sea of pax on a narrow platform). But it's mostly moot now for most folks. There is almost always a volunteer station docent, usually a bit overzealous, who will try to stop people from walking up the platform in the name of safety. If you need to be up there, just walk with purpose up the platform and don't let the docent deter you.

I am one of those "overzealous" Station Hosts as you say (though I personally don't think I fall into that category) and my shift happened to be the morning of that arrival though I don't stop anyone who walks up the platform. However, it is a safety concern and the Amtrak station employees prefer people remain behind the sign (which is where I position myself to answer questions). It would be polite to ask if you could walk past the sign that says to wait until the train comes to a complete stop instead being one of those people who just pretends I'm not even a real person standing there I'd really appreciate the courtesy. I can't speak for the other hosts or the association but that is just my personal take on it. A lot of the people do not know where the cars are positioned (I verbally call it out as the train pulls in). If I'm at Emeryville I'm more than happy to answer any questions or have a friendly coversation so feel free to stop on by anytime. Hope to see anyone who posts here to stop by if you happen to see me. Amtrak Junior Conductor Book is on me :)

And my profession (I am one of the hosts who is not retired or anywhere close to it) is in transportation industry as a train controller and dispatcher so I can attest that signs and requests usually are there for a reason and safety is the main concern because the end result is often not pretty.

But on to the point of this post... the consist was very impressive and many people asked what the added cars were on the train. There was about a 30 minutes delay out of the yard but it was worth the wait (for some) to see the consist. Quite a crowd on the train as well. Glad to see 670 making the trip east.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/06/16 21:52 by roadman3313.