Passenger Trains > A few Auto-Train observations

The Sight-Seer lounge has been back in the rotation for a few days.  It went south tonight as the sleeper class lounge.  In the past, it rotated in with two weeks in the sleeper side, two weeks in the coach side, then a month or longer in reserve. I believe there's only one assigned to the Auto-Train pool.

The number of auto carriers is changing day by day, as volume demands.  In the past few weeks, there have been as many as 25, and as few as 19. It's not unusual for a 52 to bring 22 carriers north in the morning, and return with 19 in the evening.  Lorton usually has a string of carriers visible from the terminal.

The number of people carriers also changes daily, although the two consists tend to have the same number of passenger cars.  Today was an exception as 52 brought 15 passenger cars north, and returned south with 14. 

Both Sanford and Lorton have switchers bustling about, rearranging the trains during the layover. 

there were  4 special lounges for auto train made from old diners at auto train 20 years ago 2 for 1 train and 2 for the other 1 for sleepers and 1 for coach's if there only using 1 were are the other 3 now  i worked there then  and i worked on making the cars from old dinners .



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/19 18:48 by steamboat.

steamboat Wrote:
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> there were  4 special lounges for auto train made
> from old diners at auto train 20 years ago 2 for 1
> train and 2 for the other 1 for sleepers and 1 for
> coach's if there only using 1 were are the other 3
> now  i worked there then  and i worked on making
> the cars from old dinners .

There are 5 of these cars - 33100 - 33104.

When renovating these diners, what happened to the kitchen?
Was it removed and a "Cafe" added like the lower level of
a Sightseer - with some additional tables?

The kitchens were removed and replaced with a smoking lounge and some extra tables. 

The glass enclosed smoking louge is still in place but you can no longer smoke in it.

Thanks for that detailed description.  The lounge can be a delight, although it gets very hot in the summer.  Lots of glass.

This monring's 52 brought 16 passenger cars north, up from the 15 which has been more common. Yesterday's 53 (south) only brought 14 of its 15 cars south.  Left one at Lorton.

I'm curious to see if the 53 of tonight leaves more cars at Lorton, or if it picks up the left behind car from yesterday, or makes no changes. I'd love to see Amtrak put some of the seasonal surplus cars to use on other lines for a few months.  I'm guessing they could redeploy 12-14 cars and still maintain a reserve in Sanford.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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>  I'm guessing they could redeploy 12-14 cars and still maintain a reserve in Sanford.

Yikes!
Since they don't have 50 cars between the 2 trains now, what would they use for regular service when 12 cars were redeployed?

DevalDragon Wrote:
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> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >  I'm guessing they could redeploy 12-14 cars
> and still maintain a reserve in Sanford.
>
> Yikes!
> Since they don't have 50 cars between the 2 trains
> now, what would they use for regular service when
> 12 cars were redeployed?

They can run 20-22 cars in peak season on each consist. And hold several of each in reserve in peak season.

In an ideal world, they would transfer a few cars in the Auto-Train low season to another route in their sold out season. And get them back in October...

Posted from Android

Do you have a list of cars that are assigned to the Auto Train? How do we Amtrak isn't doing this already?

DevalDragon Wrote:
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> Do you have a list of cars that are assigned to
> the Auto Train? How do we Amtrak isn't doing this
> already?

That's a good question.

I haven't been on the Auto-Train this year, but the Sanford lot was overflowing with unassigned cars in previous Summers.

Posted from Android