Passenger Trains > San Joaquin Comet II Test Train Today

Last night I received an email from my contact in CalTrans Rail Division that the "new" Comet II equipment would be on a test train today. Sure enough, the equipment showed up in Modesto this morning on Train 712 and will be returning tonight on Train 717.

While it's neat to see the cabbage car in the original CalTrans CalTrain paint scheme, the equipment is a definite downgrade to the California Cars passengers have become used to. Still, I want to ride these refrub cars just to say I did. Not sure when they go into regular service.

BTW, the train was 15 minutes late into Modesto. I'm wondering if it was due to the new equipment being slower to load or some other reason.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/13 17:01 by CrudPunko.

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Awesome that they kept the structure (if not the colors) of NJT's "disco" stripes on the Comets!!

For all you left-coasters, have fun looking out those gun slits doubling as windows - us easterners had to live with them (and still do with Amfleet coaches) for decades!!

We have a set of Horizon / Amfleet cars running around as a Surfliner set most of the year.

John Gezelius
Tustin, CA

717 left Fresno 11 minutes late, not too bad...

I would rather look out those so-called "gunshot windows" hen those little
peep holes on any airliner any time!

What happened to the worms in love????

rbenko Wrote:

> For all you left-coasters, have fun looking out
> those gun slits doubling as windows - us
> easterners had to live with them (and still do
> with Amfleet coaches) for decades!!

...been looking through them on Amfleet San Diegans for years (until Surfliners came)

Well, 717 arrived in Modesto about 6 minutes late. Late enough to allow the Stockton Sub dispatcher to let a local roll through to West Modesto-Empire with a shiny Warbonnet GP60M on the point.

From what I understand from my contact at CalTrans Rail Division, this equipment will be around until the new California Car order is completed and online. Then I imagine CalTrans will sell the trainset as they won't really need it any longer.

CrudPunko Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From what I understand from my contact at CalTrans
> Rail Division, this equipment will be around until
> the new California Car order is completed and
> online. Then I imagine CalTrans will sell the
> trainset as they won't really need it any longer.


They'd be smart to hold onto it for new service, special service, and as spare capacity for heavy ridership periods (such as Thanksgiving).

Does anyone know for sure which consist this equipment will replace first? Last I heard it was going to be 718/711, and then when more Comet cars arrive 712/717 will receive them as well.

ThumbsUp Wrote:
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> Does anyone know for sure which consist this
> equipment will replace first? Last I heard it was
> going to be 718/711, and then when more Comet cars
> arrive 712/717 will receive them as well.

They will run on 712/717 first. That's also the run they were on today.

Posted from iPhone

Ricky Courtney
Seattle, WA

CrudPunko Wrote:
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> From what I understand from my contact at CalTrans Rail Division, this equipment will be around until
> the new California Car order is completed and online. Then I imagine CalTrans will sell the
> trainset as they won't really need it any longer.


john1082 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We have a set of Horizon / Amfleet cars running
> around as a Surfliner set most of the year.


ThumbsUp Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> They'd be smart to hold onto it for new service,
> special service, and as spare capacity for heavy
> ridership periods (such as Thanksgiving).

===============================================


Well, there you have it. RETAIN the State-owned equipment and return the leased Horizon/Amfleet set running
round as a Surfliner set, thus saving the money paid to Amtrak for leasing the set; assuming ridership doesn't
rise so as to justify keeping it anyway.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, there you have it. RETAIN the State-owned
> equipment and return the leased Horizon/Amfleet
> set running
> round as a Surfliner set, thus saving the money
> paid to Amtrak for leasing the set; assuming
> ridership doesn't
> rise so as to justify keeping it anyway.


Small problem, the Surfliners are run by Amtrak. The San Joaquin is a Amtrak California service.
There has been very little mixing of equipment in the past.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Small problem, the Surfliners are run by Amtrak.
> The San Joaquin is a Amtrak California service.
> There has been very little mixing of equipment in
> the past.


You do understand that officially as of yesterday all routes under 750 miles must be State-run? The Surfliners are only 350 miles.....

My understanding is that these cars are to be kept as a surge fleet once the new order goes live.

OTG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PHall Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Small problem, the Surfliners are run by
> Amtrak.
> > The San Joaquin is a Amtrak California service.
> > There has been very little mixing of equipment
> in
> > the past.
>
>
> You do understand that officially as of yesterday
> all routes under 750 miles must be State-run? The
> Surfliners are only 350 miles.....
>
> My understanding is that these cars are to be kept
> as a surge fleet once the new order goes live.


No, I did not understand, but thanks for informing me.

Does this mean the Surfliners will soon be sporting a Bear on a Surfboard logo soon? ;-)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/13 11:24 by PHall.

Is what this set is lacking now is a DOME CAR. Why did Amtrak get ride of such a neat invention anyway?

My contact informed me last night that the Comet II trainset is expected to come online around October 14.

OTG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PHall Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Small problem, the Surfliners are run by
> Amtrak.
> > The San Joaquin is a Amtrak California service.
> > There has been very little mixing of equipment
> in
> > the past.
>
>
> You do understand that officially as of yesterday
> all routes under 750 miles must be State-run? The
> Surfliners are only 350 miles.....
>
> My understanding is that these cars are to be kept
> as a surge fleet once the new order goes live.

Here's the problem:
As I understand it, Amtrak owns 40 of the 50 "Surfliner" cars used on the Pacific Surfliner. There is no plan to sell these cars to Caltrans.

Caltrans owns 66 "California Cars" (Northern/Central California fleet) and 22 "Surfliner" cars (12 in Northern/Central California, 10 in Southern California)

Posted from iPhone

Ricky Courtney
Seattle, WA

> For all you left-coasters, have fun looking out
> those gun slits doubling as windows - us
> easterners had to live with them (and still do
> with Amfleet coaches) for decades!!

Amfleet coaches have Amslit windows.

Just a bit of info, the cars are actually Comet IB's formerly Arrow I's
The Comet II's are the traditional Bombardier built cars and are still in service on Transit.