Passenger Trains > CZ Boosting Consist to Meet Demand

From Amtrak's John Busbee on the Friends of the California Zephyr Facebook page:
"The normal California Zephyr winter consist is two coaches and two sleepers, diner, lounge, transition sleeper, and baggage car (8 cars).  Due to increased demand this winter between Reno-Sacramento and Denver-Glenwood Springs we have added a third coach that will run Denver-Emeryville only.  This car will be cut off #6 each night at Denver and added to #5 the next morning."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/20 06:46 by ccn511.

Shows they can deal with cut cars at Denver when they want to.
The 2010 PIP said to add 2 cut coaches west of Reno in the winter. I don't think that is feasible. 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/20 08:48 by joemvcnj.

Switching at Reno for the Donner Pass winter riders is impossible and UP does not want switching done at Sparks. Denver-Glenwood Springs is always a popular experiential (deep bow in the direction of PropellerHead) ride, so that need is being filled, too. 😀

Adding/subtracting a Coach at Denver is pretty easy for them since the have to back into the station anyway.
No extra moves needed. Just make and break the connections during the station stop.

-------------------------------------------------------
> Shows they can deal with cut cars at Denver when
> they want to.
> The 2010 PIP said to add 2 cut coaches west of
> Reno in the winter. I don't think that is
> feasible. 

add them somewhere if they can't do it at sparks, just make sparks work  cal trans and nevada need to help persuade UP, in SFZ days 3 coaches would be added or more weekends, I know the gambling market isn't probably what it used to be, but everyday travel demand  should be up.  Anderson should try and develop a little demand there Caltrans is reluctant to send a  train to  the Biggest Little city in the World is that what it is?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/16/20 00:16 by dan.

Will they ever put the sleepers back on the rear ?

Posted from iPhone

Pioneer2526 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Will they ever put the sleepers back on the rear ?

Not while they have cut coaches.
In Summer 2010, the 3rd sleeper and 4th coach were cut from running west of Denver. 
 

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pioneer2526 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Will they ever put the sleepers back on the rear
> ?
>
> Not while they have cut coaches.
> In Summer 2010, the 3rd sleeper and 4th coach were
> cut from running west of Denver. 
>  

Not while you have the Transition Sleeper up front.

PHall Wrote:

> Not while you have the Transition Sleeper up front.

It had nothing to do wit the trans-dorm. The cut coach and sleeper were at the rear. 

Someone is going to be on #8 and decide they want to move to the last car  The make the move, the train departs and they get left,  

John

Thanks joe for answering my question

Posted from iPhone

Pioneer2526 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Will they ever put the sleepers back on the rear ?

Literally who cares?  Why is this even an issue.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Shows they can deal with cut cars at Denver when
> they want to.
> The 2010 PIP said to add 2 cut coaches west of
> Reno in the winter. I don't think that is
> feasible. 

I’m confused, you insist on citing PIPs but you constantly argue that Amtrak’s financial accounting is bogus, the very same financial accounting that the so called PIPs relied upon. You need to make a choice, if the PIPs make sense than so does the accounting system on which they were based.

Posted from iPhone

another_view Wrote:

> I’m confused, you insist on citing PIPs but you
> constantly argue that Amtrak’s financial
> accounting is bogus, the very same financial
> accounting that the so called PIPs relied upon.
> You need to make a choice, if the PIPs make sense
> than so does the accounting system on which they
> were based.

There were 15 PIPs. Some PIP's made sense physically and financially, some did not. Cutting cars at Atlanta and Sparks are not  feasible. 

That has nothing to do with accounting, whose cost allocations are bogus. 

Of course you are confused. You need to learn the difference between fully allocated cost and incremental accounting. The PIPs were more about incremental accounting, had you read them rather than bash them because they didn't fit your philosophy. A daily Cardinal was not financially feasible. You don't see me standing up for that. The Capitol Ltd/Pennsylvanian one was, was operating budget neutral, which was the only one they took seriously. That is one reason why the 6 hour later Sunday eastbound Pennsylvanian went away at the time.  
 

Has the new coach on  #5 added yet?  If not, when will it begin?  My sister and brother-in-law want to go Denve-Granby on Feb 6, but website shows coach seats sold out.  Interestingly, Denver-Glenwood Springs shows 2 coach seats available that day.  How does that work?

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> another_view Wrote:
>
> > I’m confused, you insist on citing PIPs but
> you
> > constantly argue that Amtrak’s financial
> > accounting is bogus, the very same financial
> > accounting that the so called PIPs relied upon.
> > You need to make a choice, if the PIPs make
> sense
> > than so does the accounting system on which
> they
> > were based.
>
> There were 15 PIPs. Some PIP's made sense
> physically and financially, some did not. Cutting
> cars at Atlanta and Sparks are not  feasible. 
>
> That has nothing to do with accounting, whose cost
> allocations are bogus. 
>
> Of course you are confused. You need to learn the
> difference between fully allocated cost and
> incremental accounting. The PIPs were more about
> incremental accounting, had you read them rather
> than bash them because they didn't fit your
> philosophy. A daily Cardinal was not financially
> feasible. You don't see me standing up for that.
> The Capitol Ltd/Pennsylvanian one was, was
> operating budget neutral, which was the only one
> they took seriously. That is one reason why the 6
> hour later Sunday eastbound Pennsylvanian went
> away at the time.  
>  

Batting 1 out of 15, not bad

abyler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pioneer2526 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Will they ever put the sleepers back on the rear
> ?
>
> Literally who cares?  Why is this even an issue.

For people who are bothered by the sounding of the horn throughout the night, it's an issue--but not for me!