Passenger Trains > Clean windows on the Southwest

When in Albuequerque on Monday I noticed the Southwest in both directions had its windows cleaned at the station stop.  Crew used long-handled squeeges.   Also both P42s fueled from a truck and  engine crew changed.  Total stop was about an hour. Trains were a bit late in both directions that day.

They have washed the windows in ABQ for as long as I can remember.

I think the dirty window problem is going away, fortunately. I rode out of Chicago to St. Louis about a week ago, and every train consist or cut of cars we passed in the yards south of Union Station were all very clean and fresh looking, save for one cut being switched. First time I had seen that in months. And the one dirty cut was on a track adjacent to the washer, perhaps on its way through the washer, I would guess.

As for the consist on #21 Texas Eagle that I was on, it was sparkling clean and fresh on the outside. And the interiors of my coach, and two others I walked through to the cross-country diner, appeared clean and fresh on the inside too. It all helped to make for a pleasant trip on a beautiful fall afternoon.

It was a lousy spring and summer for passengers with all of the dirty cars. It should never have happened. All of the heat Amtrak took for the dirty cars - including from me - was entirely deserved and to the point. But the problem seems to be on its way to being solved, if not actually solved. And that is all to the good.

Onward.

MC

Rode several Amtrak trains in September and October. Sunset, City of New Orleans, Lakeshore, Maple Leaf, Empire Builder, Coast Starlight and San Joaquin. Only the San Joaquin had clean windows.

Posted from iPhone

Iron mountain

I hope you are right on the cleanness of the trains. I guess I was on the last very filthy Eagle last week going from Fort Worth to St Louis.


ironmtn Wrote:
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> I think the dirty window problem is going away,
> fortunately. I rode out of Chicago to St. Louis
> about a week ago, and every train consist or cut
> of cars we passed in the yards south of Union
> Station were all very clean and fresh looking,
> save for one cut being switched. First time I had
> seen that in months. And the one dirty cut was on
> a track adjacent to the washer, perhaps on its way
> through the washer, I would guess.
>
> As for the consist on #21 Texas Eagle that I was
> on, it was sparkling clean and fresh on the
> outside. And the interiors of my coach, and two
> others I walked through to the cross-country
> diner, appeared clean and fresh on the inside too.
> It all helped to make for a pleasant trip on a
> beautiful fall afternoon.
>
> It was a lousy spring and summer for passengers
> with all of the dirty cars. It should never have
> happened. All of the heat Amtrak took for the
> dirty cars - including from me - was entirely
> deserved and to the point. But the problem seems
> to be on its way to being solved, if not actually
> solved. And that is all to the good.
>
> Onward.
>
> MC

Posted from iPhone

It sounds hopeful. Ironmtn.  And yet there seem to be quite a few dirty trains still rolling around.  It does sound as though the Chicago washer is operating, which is great news.  

 

Chessie1963 Wrote:
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> It sounds hopeful. Ironmtn.  And yet there seem
> to be quite a few dirty trains still rolling
> around.  It does sound as though the Chicago
> washer is operating, which is great news.  
>
>  
I’m not so sure about that, people on the ground in the Chicago area still are taking pictures of the Empire Builder leaving Chicago with windows so dirty that people have written things in the dirt on them. As recently as in the past week. I’m looking forward to the day when you can take an Amtrak trip and see out the windows again! Plus the trains just look terrible on the outside. It makes them look old and rundown. Washed stainless steel pretty much looks new no matter how old it is.

Posted from iPhone

If all the windows were kept clean from today forward,  we'd still never know how many potential  pasengers have been put off by the dirt.  If dirty windows marred someone's  first Amtrak trip,  I don't think that person would be too eager to try it again.  

Magritte55 Wrote:
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> If all the windows were kept clean from today
> forward,  we'd still never know how many
> potential  pasengers have been put off by the
> dirt.  If dirty windows marred someone's  first
> Amtrak trip,  I don't think that person would be
> too eager to try it again.  

I agree. As far as the corridor trains go most of the people probably aren’t too shook up about dirty windows since they have their nose stuck in their phone or tablet. But the western trains are being taken for people to see scenery, and I’m sure they are not too happy when they’re looking through dirty windows. Also in either case the exterior of the trains looks old and rundown. That’s why the vast majority of transportation companies keep their equipment clean. Anybody ever seen a dirty charter bus? I haven’t, in fact most of them look like you could eat off of them.

Posted from iPhone

The Chicago wash is not fixed. As of yesterday when I shot the PV trio it was closed. There was repair equipment parked inside of the building and nobody was around during my visit. The Building does look to have a fresh coat of paint though. The City of New Orleans was sparkling clean when it wyed. I guess the New Orleans wash is working? Anyone seen the Crescent or the Sunset lately? 

I saw the Chief and Zephyr today in Naperville and both trains were sparkling clean, as both the Oakland and LA washers are said to be working. The Builder is completely filthy on the outside on the daily. I see that train frequently on my way home from work. 

This is inexcusable.

Next trip on the Builder I will get a lower bedroom so I can wash it at some point!

sethamtrak Wrote:
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> The Chicago wash is not fixed. As of yesterday
> when I shot the PV trio it was closed. There was
> repair equipment parked inside of the building and
> nobody was around during my visit. The Building
> does look to have a fresh coat of paint though.
> The City of New Orleans was sparkling clean when
> it wyed. I guess the New Orleans wash is working?
> Anyone seen the Crescent or the Sunset lately? 
>
> I saw the Chief and Zephyr today in Naperville and
> both trains were sparkling clean, as both the
> Oakland and LA washers are said to be working. The
> Builder is completely filthy on the outside on the
> daily. I see that train frequently on my way home
> from work. 

sethamtrak Wrote:
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> The Chicago wash is not fixed. As of yesterday
> when I shot the PV trio it was closed. There was
> repair equipment parked inside of the building and
> nobody was around during my visit.

I'll take you at your word. You get through there more often than I do and, and so far as I can gather, live in the Chicago area. But something has changed. I'm not kidding or exaggerating in the slightest. Every made-up consist or cut of cars, save for one being switched as I mentioned above, that I saw when leaving on the Eagle early on Saturday afternoon 10/19 was clean and fresh on the exterior. Some cars were even wet - on a bright, sunny, dry, rainless day - like they had just been through the washer.

And this included plenty of Venture cars and regional Chargers, which are captive in Midwest service, and aren't going to go through a washer somewhere else like Superliners might (say, in New Orleans). And neither St. Louis, Carbondale, Pontiac, Port Huron, Grand Rapids, or Quincy, all terminal points in the Amtrak Midwest service network in which the Ventures and regional Chargers are operating and sit overnight, have washers.

So how does that happen? Has Amtrak finally gotten smart and hired an external washing service? Or is the Chicago washer running, but only intermittently? Or has Amtrak finally contracted with Metra to use their Chicago washer, as has been suggested in this forum previously? Or has the coach yard finally been brought to heel by management, and trains are being washed by coach yard staff? Even with hoses, buckets and brushes? The way they used to be (as I have mentioned in a previous post) years ago in St. Louis overnight between trips?

And if in fact the Chicago washer isn't running yet, or isn't running full time yet, then why the hell not? Amtrak started working on it back in the spring. I realize that its location is extremely constrained, with very poor access for construction work, entirely surrounded by active yard trackage and backed up against the Chicago River. But a good construction manager should have been able to fix it and install new washing equipment - even in tough conditions - in seven months' time. This job is far from rocket science.

Or???????

Something's not adding up here. Or there is a rational explanation that we don't know about, or someone is just not stating? Or is just more anti-Amtrak axe-grinding going on?

Inquiring minds seek an answer, quite naturally, when what they have witnessed with their own eyes in direct observation is apparently so at odds with the statements made by others. But maybe I shouldn't be surprised. In any case, the situation has got to be fully and completely resolved, and all consists regularly washed. Period. And it better happen soon. Winter isn't far off, and there will be further seasonal constraints on construction and putting the washer into service. In a season when it is particularly needed.

MC



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/24 08:45 by ironmtn.

Yes, the regional trains have been getting washed by a contract company that comes to the yard. I guess the state actually did something about the complaints of dirty windows. 

As for what's taking the wash so long, I don't know. And why Amtrak wouldn't have that company come wash the Builder (and other long hauls that don't touch a wash), I don't know. 

What I can tell you is that the Builder goes out filthy on the regular. Attached is a photo of the Hiawatha and Builder from last week. 

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ironmtn - I think some of it is perspective/frame of mind.  I was in Cary NC for a rail industry meeting a couple weeks ago and caught the southbound Carolinian making it's station stop on it's way to Charlotte.  Overall, they train did not appear to be overly dirty, windows all looked clean.  Once coach in particular was nice and shiny and riding on four brand new wheel sets.  Even with the dent about the first and second windows, the car looked nice.  Posted a video of the train on a local board down here and mentioned that the train appears fairly clean and had what appear to be a refreshed coach in the consist and got attacked by the grouchy boomer crowd.   Train is the filthiest pos they've ever seen, if that's what passes off as refreshed, Amtrak is worse off that I thought, Graham Claytor is rolling over in his grave, the Southern would have never allowed something like this, and on, and on, and on.   

Yes, there is still dirty equipment out there.  But it certainly appears to be improving over the past coupe month, at least in some corridors.  Just don't tell anyone, cause of course you are wrong!  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/24 12:00 by scraphauler.

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This is the Passenger Board, Amtrak is ALWAYS wrong. So sayeth the self appointed Train Orders "experts".

sethamtrak Wrote:
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> Yes, the regional trains have been getting washed
> by a contract company that comes to the yard. I
> guess the state actually did something about the
> complaints of dirty windows. 

Well that's very good news. Thanks for letting us know. I've been traveling for the last few weeks, and seldom had time to look at TO, so if that was previously reported and I missed it, my apologies. Again, good news, and whomever is responsible in the Amtrak Midwest coalition for this action in getting the equipment washed by a contractor deserves credit for paying attention - and most of all - for taking action!

> As for what's taking the wash so long, I don't
> know. And why Amtrak wouldn't have that company
> come wash the Builder (and other long hauls that
> don't touch a wash), I don't know. 
>
> What I can tell you is that the Builder goes out
> filthy on the regular. Attached is a photo of the
> Hiawatha and Builder from last week. 

If the Venture cars and engines owned by the states can be washed by a contractor, then why not Amtrak's own equipment?

The photos you've posted of the equipment on the Empire Builder show an absolutely unacceptable condition. How was it that the equipment on the Eagle I rode on Saturday 10/19 was clean and bright, and the equipment on the Builder is absolutely filthy and in deplorable condition like that? Such wild inconsistency in service is completely intolerable and absolutely unacceptable.

Somebody at Amtrak has "got a lot of 'splainin to do". About the Chicago Washer situation in general. About why in the hell it has taken seven months - and the clock is still apparently running - to get it back into service. About how some equipment can get washed, and other cars don't get touched and are filthy beyond belief. About such a totally uncaring, callous attitude toward customer service.....and....so, so, so much that is so, so, so wrong.

Our politicians are all occupied now with elections. They hardly have a free brain cell to give any attention to anything except election politics. But when the next congress is seated in January, and there's a new occupant in the White House, the time will come to let our representatives and leaders know in no uncertain terms how completely, totally, abjectly screwed up Amtrak management is. And to demand change.

I'll be in my congreesspersons' faces, and crawling all over their phones, mail and e-mail. I've gotten their ear before, and they've paid attention. And this time they will get an ear-full from me. The time for this endless utter incompetence at Amtrak to end has surely come.

MC