Passenger Trains > Extra cars on corridor trains

Believe it or not another forum has reported an additional coach on some Chicago Pontiac WOLVERINES. Have any Virginia, Empire or other Chicago trains had an additional car?
Happy Thanksgiving
Andy

Posted from Android

twropr Wrote:
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> Believe it or not another forum has reported an
> additional coach on some Chicago Pontiac
> WOLVERINES. Have any Virginia, Empire or other
> Chicago trains had an additional car?
> Happy Thanksgiving
> Andy
>
> Posted from Android

They added a sleeper to the Zephyr and Chief prior to Thanksgiving. Not confirmed if this is a permanent restoration or if it was for holiday period only.

Towards the beginning of November, there were some Horizons that reportedly came up from Beech Grove. When passing through Chicago I did see a small string of Horizons at the far south end of Chicago Union Station (the old post office section I believe). They hadn't been there a month ago - about six or so cars - so possible they were the ones that came up from Beech Grove. They seemed a bit out of place, but the side doors and lights to some cars were open and on, so maybe they were doing some work on them and needed cover......PURE speculation on my part. They were just hanging out there and seemed to be in an odd location from what one normally sees in this general area........The new Venture cars had previously been in this general location............And speaking of Venture cars, all seemed to largely be cleared out from underneath Chicago Union Station, or at least from what I saw. I did see them there in Jan and May of this year.........now they seem to be taking up residency in Beech Grove - with a LOT of other cars - as seen from the drone posting........ 

The amtrak company line, as parroted by local
TV newsreaders was that "amtrak was handling the
rush of last minute holiday travelers".

I don't know if there were any facts behind the news reports.

 

The baggage cars have returned to the Pennsylvanians (43 & 44) and this week one or two extra coaches have been added to the trains. I wonder if this is simply Amtrak responding to anticipated holiday travel increases or if the State of Pennsylvania required the additional capacity?

DaleR

I don't think Amtrak adds anything to a PRIIA-209 train unless it is in the state's contract. 

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> I don't think Amtrak adds anything to a PRIIA-209
> train unless it is in the state's contract. 


Amtrak can't comply with the PRIIA-209 contracts now. Adding an extra car or two would bring them up to standard...

SpringedSwitch Wrote:

> Amtrak can't comply with the PRIIA-209 contracts
> now. Adding an extra car or two would bring them
> up to standard...

Except for the baggage car, not true.

Pennsylvanian's "standard" is 1 baggage car, 1 dinette, 4 coaches, one of which is sold as Business class, which they have been doing all along. That means they will do nothing voluntarily for a PRIIA-209 train unless they have to. I suspect they want to make nice with Penn DOT given state election results for the governorship and state House chamber. They can scrape up 2 cars when they want to, especially in a branch off the NEC, which seems to have no problem running 9 car Regionals, now more common that 8 cars as before the pandemic.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/26/22 11:15 by joemvcnj.

Englewood Wrote:
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> The amtrak company line, as parroted by local
> TV newsreaders was that "amtrak was handling the
> rush of last minute holiday travelers".
>

Is telling them to go away "handling?"

TAW

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SpringedSwitch Wrote:
>
> > Amtrak can't comply with the PRIIA-209
> contracts
> > now. Adding an extra car or two would bring
> them
> > up to standard...
>
> Except for the baggage car, not true.
>
> Pennsylvanian's "standard" is 1 baggage car, 1
> dinette, 4 coaches, one of which is sold as
> Business class, which they have been doing all
> along. That means they will do nothing voluntarily
> for a PRIIA-209 train unless they have to.
> I suspect they want to make nice with Penn DOT
> given state election results for the governorship
> and state House chamber. They can scrape up 2 cars
> when they want to, especially in a branch off the
> NEC, which seems to have no problem running 9 car
> Regionals, now more common that 8 cars as before
> the pandemic.

I was talking of trains in the Midwest. Sorry for not being clear.

TAW Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Englewood Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The amtrak company line, as parroted by local
> > TV newsreaders was that "amtrak was handling
> the
> > rush of last minute holiday travelers".
> >
>
> Is telling them to go away "handling?"
>
> TAW

Yes it is !!!!!!

Extra cars for the holidays - not much, but some - and then they go back to storage??? Lets see what happens. Hopefully the expanded consists - corridor and LD trains - stays. Amtrak needs the expanded capacity badly, as we all know.