Passenger Trains > AmCal Superliner "Oak Grove" in Service

Refurbished Superliner coach AMTK34943 "Oak Grove" was in service today in Capitol service, the third of its type now working out of Oakland. Tucked just ahead of the power(train in push mode) as seen on train #534 at Emeryville at 15:00 this afternoon. As seen in the third shot this train also had the AMTK35003 just behind the cab car--ever been a Capitol or San Joaquin set run with two Superliners before?

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Beautiful pix and beautiful paint scheme. Now maybe Amtrak will repaint the five superliners assigned to Surfliner service 31018, 31021, 31046, 31047, and 34059 as their contribution to standardization and beauty.

To answer the question about more than one Superliner on a Capitol/San Jacko... The answer is yes. Recently had it on #547 with the Superliner Diner and a AmCal Superliner Coach.

SMW

Amtrak's Beech Grove facility did do a nice job on restoring/repairing these cars for California service. I wish I could say the same for other Superliners - course they are subject to finding Amtrak funds to refurbish/repair, as opposed to money supplied by California.

Would the refurbished Superliner cars used in the AmCal service make sense to serve as business class cars? Do they offer more room and such than the regular AmCal cars in the Capitol Corridor and down to Bakersfield. Course this would mean they would have to be on permanently assigned trains and loose some "flexibility" on what trains or train sets they are part of etc.

As for the Superliners on the Pacific Surfliner service - I just hope Amtrak is not sacrificing running these Superliners on corridor service rather than on long distance trains. Superliner coaches seem to be more applicable for long distance trains. If Amtrak needed additional cars for the Pacific Surfliner, perhaps they should convert one set into a single level consist of Amfleets (pulled out from storage etc.). Or perhaps they shouldn't have retired the Hi-Level coaches so quickly!

I realize the deal in place with AmCal - to refurbish wrecked Superliners from Beech Grove for leasing to California. I doubt the Superliners on the Pacific Surfliner are part of the lease, but rather just "filling in." Could some of these Superliners be from the Sunset or Coast Starlight Superliner pool? Some Superliners got freed up when "Sunset East" was discontinued I believe.

It will be nice when California can finally procure more "California Cars" for its Pacific Surfliner, Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin trains. Then its a question of these renovated Superliner cars (being used for California service) being returned to the regular Amtrak Superliner pool. But I wonder if California will - or just extend the lease - in addition to keeping a new order of cars in order - especially considering increasing patraonge/service on these corridors.

jp1822 Wrote:
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> Would the refurbished Superliner cars used in the
> AmCal service make sense to serve as business
> class cars? Do they offer more room and such than
> the regular AmCal cars in the Capitol Corridor and
> down to Bakersfield.


I've thought the same thing. I'd sure pay a higher price to sit in the Superliner...

I was on a Surfliner once with the Superliner and lot's of pax were confused and thought it actually *was* the "business class" car and didn't take seats in it...

The superliner bag-coaches have been assigned to the San Diego service for some years now, even before the 2nd batch of Surfliner cars were delivered. They have nothing to do with reduced consists in the past 2-3 years on other Long Distance Trains.

Remember most of the cars on Surfliners are Amtrak owned, only a hand full are state owned.

Great. lets create a business class that will run empty while passengers are turned down because even the 5 car peak hour trains are running at standing room only...

For advisement, Business class does sell out with the one car on weekend for most trains.
580 and the majority of the 700 series trains that go north beyond Los Angeles.

In past years, when they operated an extra business class car it would sell out, as long as the inventory was open several days before departure.

You don't think people who would be in a "standing room only" situation would pay the extra money for a guaranteed business seat? How does one apply this to people who are in standing room only on the NEC during some peak period trains? Those who book business class are at least guaranteed a seat! Not sure if I follow the logic of a five car train where such a business class car would go unoccupied. And why the Pacific Surfliner gets the added benefit of a second business class car is interesting. Surely a second business class car on the NEC would sell at peak periods!

The original four Superliner I cars working on the Surfliners were arranged with Amtrak California to serve as Business Class cars when AmCal supplied two bilevel trainsets for San Diegan Express Service. The cars were MU equipped at the time. They did then and still do protect the Long Distance fleet and often head out of Los Angeles on an LD train to fill in for a Bad Ordered Coach when available, but are usually rounded up by the national pool and sent back toin LA after a week or so.

Ad for two business class cars on the Surfs... hasn't happened in a while except for Thanksgiving week. There are a few trains which could likely stand to use it (along with an extra coach) though.

I'm thinking the Capitols may benefit from a Business Class service as popular as they've gotten, and these nine cars may eventually become a testbed for Business class on the line (stranger things have happened)... just sit back and relax for now though.

Mundo

Where does this 34059 fit into this Surfliner equation? It is a Superliner I coach that has spent most of this winter (and others) on Surfliner trains. It must have been rebuilt for MU operation at some time.