Passenger Trains > Southwest Chief Consist

Here's Amtrak 4, the eastbound Southwest Chief passing through Bernalillo, New Mexico today with a reduced consist.  

---

That train, 4(25) has one Sleeper and no Transition Sleeper.  3(25) is still running both a Transition and a full Sleeper and has its Baggage in the usual position behind the power.

3(26) has a transition sleeper, sleeper, dining, lounge, and two coach cars.  No baggage car.  

most baggs will be sidelined it was said on another post

Great photo, thanks for taking the time to be track side and sharing.

Northridge Switcher

"...most baggs will be sidelined it was said on another post..."


Reasonable, since there are more than enough Coach-Baggage cars to go around.  Note that in the photo, there is no access to the baggage car by crew from the main body of the train.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/20 16:30 by GenePoon.

And sleeping car passengers can enjoy diesel fumes if the front door remains uncapped.

3(26) has one Transition Sleeper, one Full Sleeper, Diner, Lounge, one Full Coach, one Coach-Baggage. No Baggage Car.4(26) has the same consist that ran as 3(24) with no Transition Sleeper and the Baggage on the rear.

jeff56 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And sleeping car passengers can enjoy diesel fumes
> if the front door remains uncapped.

TAPE PERHAPS IF THERE ISN'T A GOOD SEAL?

Thank you!

The reason train 4 has the reduced consist and train 3 does not is because the Chief originates in Los Angeles and only turns around in Chicago.  Train 3 of the 27th should be the first reduced consist departing Chicago since the 4 that arrived Thursday the 26th was the reduced consist. 

jeff56 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And sleeping car passengers can enjoy diesel fumes
> if the front door remains uncapped.

This refers to the winter of 2015 when consists were reduced to the minimum, and the Southwest operated with 6 cars, no bagg, still 2 units due to Raton/Glorieta and 90 MPH.  There were two sleepers with one being used partially as a crew dorm.  A plastic cover was fitted over the front door to keep the exhaust fumes out.

I wonder if Amtrak still has these in stock, or will it be necessary to reinvent the wheel?  BSB

Amtrak is using plugs on the high level end doors to seal against the exhaust.  Bag cars had to go on the rear to avoid damaging or removing the plugs with the low level diaphragm.

Pig-Mauler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Amtrak is using plugs on the high level end doors
> to seal against the exhaust.  Bag cars had to go
> on the rear to avoid damaging or removing the
> plugs with the low level diaphragm.

Why is the baggage necessary if they had been getting by with just the coach-baggage? And while they’re at it, put the sleepers on the rear since no transition car. Ok, so I just want the railfan window!

Posted from iPhone

they had been adding a coach at KC, they wanted the coaches together, maybe if there is a need they still do?

It's too bad you couldn't retrofit a a transdorm car with a couple of bedrooms.
That would almost suffice with the current demand levels.

palmland Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pig-Mauler Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Amtrak is using plugs on the high level end
> doors
> > to seal against the exhaust.  Bag cars had to
> go
> > on the rear to avoid damaging or removing the
> > plugs with the low level diaphragm.
>
> Why is the baggage necessary if they had been
> getting by with just the coach-baggage? And while
> they’re at it, put the sleepers on the rear
> since no transition car. Ok, so I just want the
> railfan window!
>
> Posted from iPhone

Bag car is necessary for regular express service customers shipping palletized loads.  That seems to have changed though, five car sets look to be the new norm for the foreseeable future.