Amtrak has an agreement with VIA to lease two sets of five coaches plus a Dome Observation “Park Car” for the next couple of weeks for use on the Adirondack. Cars won’t run south of Albany and will require an across the platform change there to continue on to/from New York Penn.
Posts: 239 | Registered: Feb 2004
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While the progress that NJTransit Had made in the restoration of its post-Sandy service can only be described as phenomenal as only their DL&W Gladstone and their ERIE Port Jervis line remain out of service, they nevertheless have lost many a car that otherwise would have been leased to Amtrak for Thanx service. A-I's assigned to Empire service can be used in their place.
As reported on other sites, there may be a lease of VIA equipment sufficient to protect 63-64 Maple Leaf Toronto-Albany. Post Thanx, this should result in A-I cars that can indefinitely be leased to NJ Transit to replace some of their equipment lost.
Oh well, I guess there is a silver lining in that VIA is retrenching - Amtrak certainly is not. Also fortunate that Amtrak, CSX, and SOO Line (that's CP US Subsidiary encompassing all US operations) are agreeable to accepting their equipemnt.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: Also fortunate that Amtrak, CSX, and SOO Line.....are agreeable to accepting their equipemnt.
You make it sound like VIA is peddling something sub-standard here. It’s Amtrak that needs the equipment and FYI....it was built by Budd in Philadelphia.
(Really GBN.....from your usual replies here and on other forums.....what is your problem with VIA? For someone who says they haven’t been on VIA since the ‘80s.....how can you comment? My last trip on Amtrak was a couple of months ago and I found everything just fine!)
This is a great opportunity for VIA to introduce a type of car to Americans they would have on a Canadian transcontinental trip. Hopefully Amtrak can provide the level of service consistent with that normally found on a “Park Car”
quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: .....a lease of VIA equipment sufficient to protect 63-64 Maple Leaf Toronto-Albany.
Above NARP report identifies the equipment going to #68-#69 The Adirondack between Montreal and Albany.
Posts: 239 | Registered: Feb 2004
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There will be two sets leased and assigned 68-69 Adirondack ALB-MTR and that leased equipment does not concern 63-64, Maple Leaf, as was reported at other sites.
But I must acknowledge that having "--Park" Dome-Obs-Lounge cars on the route will be quite the nostalgia journey - such as ones I can recall from the '60's aboard The Laurentian. Of interest, must wonder if the Bedrooms and Drawing Room will be sold as revenue space (nah, the Conductor "needs" an office).
Now to continue, I've learned from "reliable reports elsewhere" that 20 cars will be withdrawn from the ALB "pool" to handle additional business on the Corridor during Thanx. It would appear that the ten or so (you have a "better fix", Mr. GH?) cars from VIA for The Adirondack is not exactly a "quid pro quo".
Once Thanx is out of the way, will the 20 Albany A-I's remain on the Corridor to handle NJTransit NYP-TRE service to enable additional NJT MU's to be reassigned to the DL&W lines (to my best knowledge, the voltages are compatible). There is a Thanx-Xmas lull and the Xmas travel is not as compressed as is that for Thanx. Possibly, and hopefully, NJT will have enough equipment repaired so that the A-I's can be returned to the ALB pool and the VIA cars "sent back where they came from".
Finally as of a few moments ago, it does not appear the website reflects any change to the Adirondack. So far as the site is concerned, it remains a through New York-Montreal train.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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A special led by Amtrak 822 followed the Adirondack south this morning. Consist included 2 Amtrak P-42s, 8 HEP-1 Coaches, 2 HEP-2 Coaches and Park Cars “Treedsmuir Park” and “Evangeline Park”
HEP-1 Coaches are long distance cars with leg rests.....same as you would find on the Canadian.
HEP-2 Coaches are corridor coaches with a galley for food service (by trolley cart...airline style)
Nice shot of the special departing Montreal on Railpictures.net
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Maybe this equipment will wind up on the Adirondack all winter.
If so, I think I can shake loose for a quick roundtrip to Montreal the end of January.
-------------------- 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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The Evangeline Park was the Park car my wife and I rode from Montreal to Halifax on the Ocean in September. Its "large cabin for two" was the most luxurious accommodation we ever enjoyed on a train. Amtrak oughta use the Park bedrooms for Business Class accommodations.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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quote:Originally posted by Henry Kisor: The Evangeline Park was the Park car my wife and I rode from Montreal to Halifax on the Ocean in September. Its "large cabin for two" was the most luxurious accommodation we ever enjoyed on a train. Amtrak oughta use the Park bedrooms for Business Class accommodations.
Tweedsmuir Park was the car in which my wife and I had the drawing room (I insist on using the traditional term) also in September.
Posts: 216 | From: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jul 2000
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If anyone gets info that Amtrak is extending the lease of the Park cars, please post details. Two weeks isn't enough time to put together a visit to the Northeast.
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Mr. Kisor, while a marketing savvy outfit could well be looking for a way to offer a deluxe service with the leased "--Park" cars, government agencies are not into marketing their product - as distinct from the agency itself.
Likely the three Bedrooms will be occupied by parties of four with regular Coach tickets (Biz class is not offered on The Adirondack); the Drawing Room - hey the Conductor needs an office.
Likewise, once NJT "stabilizes" its post-Sandy operations, the 20 A-I's withdrawn from the Albany pool will be returned and those VIA cars will be making a one way trip Northward. After all, why pay for 'em if you have your own equipment available.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Why can't the Canadian coaches run south of Albany? The Park car (dome?) can be coupled to the rear of the train at Albany. I think that would be better than having passengers doing an across platform change. It seems that would be a better service for passengers.
Posts: 498 | From: New Hope, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2003
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From the perspective of a passenger, Mr. 20th Century's question is certainly a fair one, but aside from the obvious of the "--Park" cars clearances, there are likely other clearance issues to address (edit: have learned there would be third rail clearance issues).
But even if not, I'd dare say that VIA mechanical personnel are having to set up shop at ALB "for the duration". This means meals and lodging are far less expensive than they would be in NYC - and with the Xmas season at hand, available at all.
Of further interest and I wholly defer to our Canadian members on this point, I have to wonder what kind of Food & Beverage can be provided in the VIA equipment. Are the "--Park" cars equipped with microwaves and refrigeration, or does VIA use them only as a bar facility? Will F&B be reduced to the "panic box"?
While, I realize many, especially here, are even considering trips out there solely to ride this equipment, regular passengers will consider the "change at Albany" an inconvenience. Somehow, amongst Mechanical and Operations people at ALB, I think it will be happy days when that "one trip" I noted at my immediate posting comes to pass. The days of forty years ago when Marketing (populated by railfans) would decide "wouldn't it be great to have a Dome here" or "how about an Obs here" are over and replaced with the standardized fleets of today.
These VIA cars are certainly square pegs in round holes.
quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: Of further interest and I wholly defer to our Canadian members on this point, I have to wonder what kind of Food & Beverage can be provided in the VIA equipment. Are the "--Park" cars equipped with microwaves and refrigeration, or does VIA use them only as a bar facility? Will F&B be reduced to the "panic box"?
There’s been some discussion on several of the Canadian forums that a “Skyline” Dome instead of the “Park” Dome Obs would have been a better fit for the Adirondack. The Skylines have full meal and lounge facilities where the Parks have a limited snack service along with coffee, tea and cold beverages.
The HEP-1 Coaches are the long distance variety with leg-rests but there will also be one HEP-2 Corridor Coach in each consist which has a Galley to provide an at-your-seat airline style trolley service throughout the coaches.
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However, we must accept that Amtrak Service Attendants, beyond these assigned to Acelas, are not trained to provide "at seat" meal service.
"Panic Boxes" they are of course trained to deal with, but this is rudimentary, if not emergency, F&B service.
You note that the Skylnes would have been a better "fit", and likely such would be the case, as Amtrak prefers to have their F&B cars "mid-train" to the extent possible. While a round end obs is ecstasy to the railfan community, railroads have learned over the years that a mid-train F&B car results in more sales of that high markup liquid stuff.
But then, Amtrak was of course bound by what VIA was prepared to offer for the (what I think will be the case) short-term lease. Somehow, ten (what?) 52 seat cars do not really replace 20 76 seaters.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Well the first “VIA Adirondacks” are on the road right now in revenue service so there should be some railfan reports in shortly on just what type of food service is being provided.
And for nostalgia....a leased CPR (future VIA) Skyline in service on the Adirondack back in the summer of 1974....the year it was inaugurated.
Last revenue trip of the VIA equipment will be Northbound 68(27) on Tuesday Nov 27.
Again, no surprise to me that they were not going to be on the property any longer than necessary; dreams of Amtrak establishing an "excursion class" train over the route can be put back oin the wishing well..
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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