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WHAT EXACTLY IS THE SUPERLINER TRANSITION SLEEPER CAR? I HAVE ALSO HEARD IT REFERRED TO AS THE DORM.
Posts: 45 | Registered: Apr 2002
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The Transition sleeper is for the on-board train crews. It has rooms in it similar to the upper level of a regular sleeper. It also has a lower end door for easy access into the baggage car, so the baggage crew (if on-board), can get to it at station stops without de-training, or while the train is moving.
Posts: 553 | From: Flagstaff, AZ USA | Registered: Apr 2001
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As already reported, the main feature of the superliner transition sleeper is that on one end the door is on the upper level, like all other superliner cars. At the other end, the door is on the lower level, enabling one to make the "transition" from superliner cars to single level cars. And it is the crew dorm. A car attendant once gave me a tour of the transition sleeper. Anyone who's curious might ask for a tour at convenient time. As I recall, it had no "deluxe" bedrooms, only standard bedrooms, a lounge downstairs, one or two of the bedrooms were made into offices, one for the conductor, and of course an extra stairway at one end of the upper level down to a lower level door. Generally, it looked a lot like any other superliner sleeper. I've never heard of a crew member actually using the transition feature to get to the baggage car, but maybe they do.
Posts: 5 | Registered: Jun 2002
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I remember when the Southwest Chief (I think it was called the Super Chief/El Capitan at the time) used hi-level coaches (older style "Superliners") and low level sleepers. The last coach was just like what is described above. The front was high level, and at the back, the stairs went down to get to the lower level sleepers.
Could today's transition sleepers be those old coaches that have been converted, or are they newly built Superliners?
------------------ Elias Valley Railroad (N-scale) www.geocities.com/evrr
quote:Originally posted by Konstantin: Could today's transition sleepers be those old coaches that have been converted, or are they newly built Superliners?
They are Superliners, not Santa Fe Hi-Levels. While the Hi-Levels were the basis for Superliner design, they were slightly shorter. The Pacific Parlor Car on the Starlight is a genuine Santa Fe Hi-Level lounge. It is visibly shorter on the outside, and the doors between cars are also a few inches lower. One must step down slightly to get from a Superliner to a Hi-Level Parlor car.
Here is a photo of the Parlor car. You can easily see the difference in height. At the front of this train is the transition sleeper, just behind the low level baggage car.
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
[This message has been edited by Mr. Toy (edited 06-10-2002).]
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Mr. Toy - good photo!! I saved that for my potential "desktop wallpaper" file on the computer -- I have a whole bunch of AMTRAK photos from different sources, and every few weeks, I change my desktop -- everyone in the office knows I'm a train fan!!
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Amtrak did used to use ex-Santa Fe Hi-levels as transition sleepers (I remember seeing them on the Southwest Chief). As far as I know, all of them have been retired or stored. I haven't seen one in use since Amtrak started taking delivery of the new Superliner II sleepers.
Posts: 246 | From: Anaheim, CA | Registered: Apr 2002
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I am curious, what is the configuration or floor plan of the stairwell and doorway at the low end of the transition sleeper? Does the hallway simply become a straight stairway down, or what?
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
I am sorry if I was a little vague up above. I did not mean to confuse you. I know the difference between the old Hi-Level Santa Fe cars and Superliners, but I thought that maybe the transition sleepers were old Hi-Level transition coaches that had been converted. It seems that Amtrak would phase in the Superliners for the passengers and phase out some of the older cars on the employees.
You did post a very nice picture of a Superliner train.
------------------ Elias Valley Railroad (N-scale) www.geocities.com/evrr
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As I recall from my "tour" of a transition sleeper several years ago, there is a normal superliner "spiral staircase" in the center of the car, and the same kind of three section spiral stairway on one side of the car at the low door end. Definitely not a straight stair right down the middle of the car, I am very sure of that.
Posts: 5 | Registered: Jun 2002
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I was fortunate enough(if you can call it fortunate) to use the Transition on the Southwest Chief for bathroom use. Both Sleepers bathrooms did not work. Thats right all of them and both sleepers were Superliner II's!
The transitions upper level is basicaly all standard sleeping rooms. The transition end has a stairwell similar to the center stairwell on all Superliners. It spirals down to meet up with lower level cars. The Transitions are all new cars! The Hi-Levels were not modified! The transitions came with the Superliner II order from Bombardier.
Posts: 579 | From: San Bernardino Subdivison | Registered: Dec 2001
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How many Santa Fe Hi-Level cars received conversion?
Were they Hi-Level Coaches or Lounges?
Assuming they were coaches (since to my knowledge there were less than 10 Hi-Level lounges ever built), which cars were they (I'd prefer either original AT&SF numbers or Amtrak 9900 series numbers...)
When did Amtrak convert the cars?
Which shop did Amtrak use to convert the cars?
What was the fleet disposition?
NOW, if you are talking about the El Capitans Hi-Level conversion car (that had the streamlined roof that brought the trainset from standard to Hi-Level height), that is a horse of a different color.
John
quote:Originally posted by JeffDavis: Superliner trains used to use hi level cars for transition sleepers. They were called dorm cars.
------------------ The City of Saint Louis (UP, 1967) is still my standard for passenger operations
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