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I have recently noticed at Kansas City Union Station that there have been superliner cars sitting outside the station late at night in what I assume is the Ann Rutledge waiting for its morning run to St. Louis. I seem to remember reading somewhere that the viewliner cars are switched to superliners in the Winter for the Missouri Routes. Does anyone know anything about this or have more info. Just curious as I am planning a trip to St. Louis in the next couple of weeks and would much rather ride on a superliner. Thanks.
Posts: 34 | From: Kansas City, MO | Registered: Feb 2005
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It's possible that they could've been used in place of the normal cars. However, I am not familiar with the equipment used on that train, if it is normally horizon cars, it could be due to the School Boy special, which sucks up a lot of the Horizon Coaches. Also, Viewliners are only used as sleepers, so they wouldnt be used on the Ann Rutledge, but which ever other type of single level equipment is used on this train may be plagued by the same problems in the winter as the Viewliner Fleet.
Posts: 143 | From: Richmond, VA | Registered: Jun 2004
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I errored in my choice of terminology. When I said 'viewliner', I was referring to a single level coach car. Thanks for correcting me. Whats the School Boy Special?
Posts: 34 | From: Kansas City, MO | Registered: Feb 2005
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It is a charter train that operates 3 consecutive weekends every winter/spring that brings safety patrollers from west palm beach to Wash DC. Approximately 800- 1000 each weekend. This has operated on and off every year for at least the last 25 years.
Posts: 332 | From: Long Island, NY USA | Registered: Jan 2004
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I assumed the Ann Rutlesge was an Amfleet train, but the current timetable doesn't say much except "coaches" and a "cafe car." Is it Amfleet or Horizon?
BTW, is "Horizon" equipment the same as "heritage" equipment?
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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It's usually amfleet, but I have seen horizon cars mixed in at times!
The Horizon coaches, if I remember correctly were purchased and built in the late 80's and do not look like amfleet at all. They are squarish and smooth sided. I like them better than the amfleet...seats are more comfortable and windows are bigger.
Posts: 171 | From: Aurora, Illinois | Registered: Jun 2005
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-------------------- The City of Saint Louis (UP, 1967) is still my standard for passenger operations Posts: 1404 | Registered: Oct 2001
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Every year(since about 1998 or 99) in late December to February, the KCY-STL-CHI trains operate with a superliner consist. Not sure if every train does, but for the last few years, a lot of the Ann Rutledge and KC Mule trains have run with the double level cars.
I remember hearing a while ago from the station agent at Kirkwood(back when they had station agents at Kirkwood) that it had something to do with the colder weather in Missouri and Illinois and that the single level cars don't hold up as well in it.
Usually the consist is an engine, one coach, one coach baggage and either a lounge car or another coach with the bottom made out to be the cafe car.
I've ridden on the Ann Rutledge a few times when it had a superliner consist.
Posts: 547 | From: St. Louis, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 2002
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-------------------- Heros get remembered, but Legends never die. Follow your heart and you'll never go wrong. Posts: 547 | From: St. Louis, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 2002
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quote:Originally posted by jgart56: It's usually amfleet, but I have seen horizon cars mixed in at times!
The Horizon coaches, if I remember correctly were purchased and built in the late 80's and do not look like amfleet at all. They are squarish and smooth sided. I like them better than the amfleet...seats are more comfortable and windows are bigger.
I concur that the seats in the Horizon coaches may be more comfortable but the windows, at best, are no larger than those on the Amfleet I coaches. The newer Amfleet II coaches for long-distance service have larger windows than the Horizon coaches.
Of course my opinion may be tainted. My last ride in a Horizon coach was aboard the short-lived 'Kentucky Cardinal' in July 2002. I had been booked in the Viewliner sleeper for my Chicago-Louisville trip but the sleeper was pulled off and reassigned about three or four weeks before I went.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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FWIW, I was at Kirkwood station yesterday and saw the Ann Rutledge come in. It had 3 coach superliner cars on it. The middle coach had a cafe in the bottom level.
-------------------- Heros get remembered, but Legends never die. Follow your heart and you'll never go wrong. Posts: 547 | From: St. Louis, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 2002
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