On My last trip on the Coast Starlight there were no pacific parlor cars on the one going to or from L.A., and all the starlights that past us. But on the cover of the Fall 2003 issue of the Amtrak system timetable it shows genesis locomotives pulling what looks like supper linner coaches, but there hight appears to be only about 6 inches above the genisis'es hight. And since parlor cars are made from the old Santa Fe hi rise lounges that are about 6 inches shorter than actual supper linners. And if you turn to page 93 you'll see a genisis pulling supper linners, but the first one is a little shorter just like the pacific parlor cars and you can see the difference in hight and I think that Amtrak may have painted over the parlor car paint sheame to make them look like supper linners to make the ad on the cover look better, and also they dont actualy say supper linner on the side. Maybe they will return them to normal service, thats only if thats what realy happend to the Pacific Parlor car. The End.
------------------ JONATHON D. ORTIZ
Posted by CoastStarlight99 (Member # 2734) on :
its for sleepign car guests, if you were in a sleeper iw ould ask an attendant---
Posted by wigwagfan (Member # 664) on :
I was on the Coast Starlight southbound on the 8th/9th from PDX to SAC and northbound on the 15/16th from LAX to PDX, the Pacific Parlour car was in operation both ways. It's positioned next to the dining car, opposite the Sightseer Lounge car (which is for the coach passengers).
Posted by Southwest Chief (Member # 1227) on :
If the first car, in the photo, was a Hi-Level it most certainly is an older photo of a coach/dorm. Before the Superliner II's arrived (Transition Dorm), Amtrak used the ex-Santa Fe Hi-Level step up coaches as the dorm. Several were converted into dorms with sleeping rooms occupying one end of the car.
Not sure, as I have not seen this brochure, but Amtrak is known for using very old stock photos and this could explian why a Hi-Level is up front.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
The Pacific Parlours were converted from ex-ATSF Hi-Level Lounges and were delivered during 1956. That of course places them right there along with VIA's rather geriatric LD fleet.
Things will happen.
Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :
The Starlight always has one Sightseer Lounge, which would account for your seeing one on every passing Starlight.
In addition it usually has one Parlour Car for sleeping car passengers. Amtrak has only one spare Parlour Car, but it was out for repair and I don't know if it has returned to service. So sometimes a second Sighteer Lounge is substituted when a spare is needed.
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
[This message has been edited by Mr. Toy (edited 11-22-2003).]
Posted by espeefoamer (Member # 2815) on :
JONATHON, The cars on the cover of the new Amtrak timetable are Superliners.If you notice,there are no numbers on the locomotives.This cover went through a heavy overhaul in photoshop.
------------------ Trust Jesus,Ride Amtrak.
Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :
quote:Originally posted by espeefoamer: The cars on the cover of the new Amtrak timetable are Superliners.If you notice,there are no numbers on the locomotives.This cover went through a heavy overhaul in photoshop.
That's for sure. There's no baggage car on the timetable cover.
The Amtrak America 2003 travel planner had similar work done. It has the same photo that was on page 51 of the 2002 Travel Planner. The original photo had four genesis locomotives in Phase III colors, but they pasted in two Phase V locomotives and Phase IVb Superliners.
quote:Trust Jesus,Ride Amtrak.
That would make a good bumper sticker, I think.
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
In September, I rode a CS back to LA without a parlour car too. The attendant shared the following explanation: During the late summer and early fall the pacific parlour cars were sent back east for a major overhaul, one at a time. During this period there was no extra car to fill in when one of the 4 went out of service. The good news is all five were back in LA in October. In November I rode on two of them and saw two more along the route. They are the highlight of the CS and they will be in full service for the holidays.
Posted by Amtrak207 (Member # 1307) on :
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm..... Supper liners. Are those nothing but dining cars?
Just like on the other topic, does a typical Amrider really care that there are numberless engines on the cover of the timetable? Some things need to be changed with Amtrak, and this is definitely NOT one of these things. Go pick up a timetable from the late '80s- it's a SYMBOL! The nose is too big to be an F40 and THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY NUMBERS EITHER. What do you want for 1.2 Bill?
Posted by JONATHON (Member # 2899) on :
"Nose is to big to be an F40" do you mean an SDP40F?
Posted by The Chief (Member # 2172) on :
Jonathon / SW Chief: The timetable pg 93 photo is of the Heartland Flyer from / to OKC to Fort Worth. It uses mostly ATSF Hi-Level coaches, which is why the first one is shorter. I haven't ever seen a baggage car on the Heartland.
paulr, thanks for the update on refurbishing of Pacific Parlour Cars.