Passenger Trains > Sleepers Used as Axle Count Cars

I was out this afternoon and noticed an early 390, I decided to go shoot it and I saw something pretty disturbing. Not one but two sleepers (bad orders) being used as axle count cars. 32022 and 32065. You would figure these would be the first two cars to hit the shop since they can generate a lot of revenue (especially this summer with small consists). 

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For those of us rookies who are uninformed, what is an "axle count car" and what are the implications of using bad-ordered cars for this purpose? 

Thanks.

cars that are just there to make sure the signals get activated properly, with a new wheel profiles and humid areas have rust build up on the rail resulting in some signals not operating correctly, some railroads require x amount of cars, like seven, on what should be a three car train, is now 7 with 4 cars along for a joy ride.

"... You would figure these would be the first two cars to hit the shop since they can generate a lot of revenue (especially this summer with small consists). "

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"Not the Northeast Corridor. Not interested. Bedides, it is a lot easier to make up excuses why it can't be done, than to get on the ball and DO IT!!! And I still get my bonus!!! "

-Stephen Gardner, with a nod of the head ftom NARP/RPA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/22 12:56 by GenePoon.

There ought to be a better way to activate signals...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

I agree Bill, this is the reason why most of us in our right minds aren't too happy with Amtrak right now, even though that situation is because of CN which I don't get since for years the Sandburg and Saluki Trains never had that issue under the Illinois Central, what's up with CN's rule after they took over!

Cars awaiting repair parts from China that are in a container aboard a ship awaiting dock space to unload at LA/Long Beach?  

MojaveBill Wrote:
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> There ought to be a better way to activate
> signals...

Amtrak was testing new shunts recently on that line. Perhaps a solution is in order.

Posted from iPhone

The UP has required "tag-a-long" cars for the Missouri
River Runners for several years

Posted from Android

Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/22 07:01 by livesteamer.

People complain when it’s 7 coaches, they complain when there is a transdorm or a diner, or a sleeper. The cars are bad orders. HVAC issues and what not. It was a lounge car a month or two ago and people complained about that. The state pays for 5 coaches, the balance is axle count, always rolling bad orders. Pointing out the cars used as axle count is no different than going down to 14th street and pointing at cars in the RIP Tracks and saying, THAT SHOULD BE IN REVENUE SERVICE!

Posted from iPhone

Well, the purpose of a RIP track is to repair cars, so….

Posted from iPhone

The RIP yard in Chicago is essentially storage till it’s moved to the shop unless it’s a light repair. There is plenty of other cars needing attention, I guarantee you there is zero mechanical employees twiddling their thumbs waiting for these cars to be cut off and switched into the the RIP.

Posted from iPhone

I think one of the underlying issues ought to be fixing the signalling system so there is no need for "axle count" tag-a-long cars on any Amtrak schedule service.

Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/22 07:02 by livesteamer.

I'm pretty sure Amtrak has surplus operational sleepers at the moment, and the primary reason they're not on revenue trains is a shortage of staff.

livesteamer Wrote:
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> I think one of the underlying issues ought to be
> fixing the signalling system so there is no need
> for "axle count" tag-a-long cars on any Amtrak
> schedule service.

That's kind of what I thought too.

TAW

Correct, but that is a host railroad problem that has turned into federal & state regulators/equipment manufacturers/passenger railroads/host railroads working together to fix it.  Long story short; nothing happens fast.  More tests to come.

dendroica Wrote:
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> I'm pretty sure Amtrak has surplus operational
> sleepers at the moment, and the primary reason
> they're not on revenue trains is a shortage of
> staff.

It's not ALL due to a shortage of staff.........

Nearly ALL the Western LD trains are running with VERY little available sleeper capacity for the summer and early fall months. Worse yet - the Capitol Limited has TWO sleepers assigned to it now, but come October, it's going back to just ONE sleeper. Try to book sleeper car space in October on the Capitol Limited...... Where do those extra sleeping car attendants go when that sleeper comes OFF the Capitol Limited? Where did the extra sleeping car attendants go when the Empire Builder was operating with a second Seattle sleeper last year, AND even had an extra attendant assigned to the Superliner Trans-Dorm Sleeper? I know the answer to the Empire Builder question, and it's not a good answer......

Bookings are EXTREMELY tight. It's a bit bewildering to me that Amtrak actually had MORE sleeper car capacity in operation last year (2021) for the summer than what they do right now.

Whether short term or long term, I've long stated that Amtrak should be looking at revised operating/staffing model for its overnight LD trains. People complain that the traditional Diner model is stuck in the 1950's - well the same can be said about the labor model - in many respects. They had pilot programs in place to try out for the onboard staff, but never did. In the current labor crunch when demand is now running high - they should be looking at different models now more than ever. And I am talking overnight LD train service only.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/22 14:59 by jp1822.

Cutting back to 1  sleeper on the CL in October goes to show they unable to find enough staff is a fake excuse. Sleeper car attendants are not summer jobs provided by law school students. Gardner is playing games in preparation for the flip in Congress in January.  

RPA strongly insinuated that in last Friday's hotline. Changes will be coming with new Congress. Unfortunately Congress isn't the problem Amtrak management is. 

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> Cutting back to 1  sleeper on the CL in October
> goes to show they unable to find enough staff is a
> fake excuse. Sleeper car attendants are not summer
> jobs provided by law school students. Gardner is
> playing games in preparation for the flip in
> Congress in January.  

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cutting back to 1  sleeper on the CL in October
> goes to show they unable to find enough staff is a
> fake excuse. Sleeper car attendants are not summer
> jobs provided by law school students. Gardner is
> playing games in preparation for the flip in
> Congress in January.  

One can certainly choose to believe that there is no staffing shortage and that it's a fake excuse. That doesn't make it so however.

A new Congress may want to try to claw back some of the money or get rid of Amtrak funding and I certainly expect some jostling around - but the chances of them completely defunding Amtrak while Biden is still in the White House are slim to none. There's cerainly a discussion to be had about management competency and what their priorities are and whether they are correct - but the idea that they would root for a hostile Congress is quite preposterous. Most people aren't that cynical despite what our crazy news and politics may lead one to believe. I also don't see any sign lately of Amtrak pointing to ridership statistics to justify cuts. They are in fact saying publicly they haven't been able to operate at normal levels of capacity due to mechanical and OBS staffing as an explanation for ridership and revenue numbers this summer - they aren't trying to pin this on lack of demand they are directly acknowledging that they can't proivide the demanded supply. Given that they are acknowledging that publicly I'm not sure how they then turn that around a couple months later to say people just aren't riding anymore let's cut the trains. Conspiracy theories are often times a more satisfying explanation of problems when we are frustrated and tempting given you can't really prove a conspiracy one way or the other - but there's a reason they don't get much mainstream attention.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/22 12:59 by lordsigma.