Baggage cars on Amtrak

[cbtrower]

Ive seen on youtube that there is now baggage cars on some of the MI Amtrak trains? Why, and how long will this be so, i wanna see one!!

[Ypsi]

Regularly on trains 350 and 355 for axel count on CN

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=34425

Looks like it will be that way for a while.

[Todd Cline]

If that is the only reason (axle count), why not put on an extra coach instead? I ride these trains now and then and some more seats seems more prudent than hauling a car of air. BTW, the only Amtrak trains in Michigan that travel on CN more than the less than one mile in Battle Creek are #364/365. Those trains go to Port Huron east of B.C.

Todd

[Saturnalia]

BTW, the only Amtrak trains in Michigan that travel on CN more than the less than one mile in Battle Creek are #364/365.

While it is joint MDOT/CN trackage, it's under CN rules, and hence the additional car.

I'd hazard a guess that Amtrak doesn't have enough single-levels to keep an extra on 350/355 because the fleet is stunningly thin these days combining wrecks and strong demand elsewhere. The new bilevels are needed BADLY, but of course that's tied up in engineering snafus and government funding.

There's a reason why I see myself in the private side of this industry some day, and not Amtrak or some other government agent. It must absolutely kill to wait a decade or more to get an obviously needed project done due to all the tape that needs cutting and legislators who need lobbying.

All this circles around to say that yeah it's pretty lame overall, but that's what the rule says so that's how the trains will be operated.

FWIW most railroads have a rule for lite power movements under a certain number of axles to be restricted to a lower speed for the same reason...worries that the trains might not shunt the signals 100% of the time, which is a cornerstone of the system. Can't have trains disappearing from the dispatcher's screen and the CTC machine!

[Todd Cline]

Thanks for that insight saturn.. Just goes to show that when the "Rules" are interpreted literally, common sense goes out the window. I hope that when the "High-Speed" service finally gets up and running, there are some brains actually functioning SOMEWHERE.....
Lives are at stake!!!!!!!

Todd

[Saturnalia]

I hope that when the "High-Speed" service finally gets up and running, there are some brains actually functioning SOMEWHERE.....

Hopefully, when we get an extension of the higher-speed rail to the east, those new bilevels will be here and in service, which should be populous enough to not worry about the axle count requirements.

This all having been said, I wonder what CN's specific rule is for axle count on trains. My hunch is that it'd be a 30-mph limit for trains under so many axles, but then it shouldn't matter in Battle Creek since trains don't go faster than at anyways. I'll have to look into that when I get the chance.

[ConrailDetr​oit]

If that is the only reason (axle count), why not put on an extra coach instead? I ride these trains now and then and some more seats seems more prudent than hauling a car of air. BTW, the only Amtrak trains in Michigan that travel on CN more than the less than one mile in Battle Creek are #364/365. Those trains go to Port Huron east of B.C.

Todd

Trains 350-355 are on CN Trackage for approximately 30 Miles from Federal Jct in Detroit to Pontiac.

[Saturnalia]

Trains 350-355 are on CN Trackage for approximately 30 Miles from Federal Jct in Detroit to Pontiac.

*splat*

D'oh...totally forgot about that segment. So yeah, they do need the axle count, in reference to my preceding statement:

This all having been said, I wonder what CN's specific rule is for axle count on trains. My hunch is that it'd be a 30-mph limit for trains under so many axles, but then it shouldn't matter in Battle Creek since trains don't go faster than at anyways. I'll have to look into that when I get the chance.

[Ypsi]

Here is how I understand the situation of why not use a coach:

Amtrak single level cars are in short order because a number of horizon cars were downgraded to 65mph because of lateral movement. These cars were apparently giving too much on the 110mph portion. That is why we have seen ILL amfleets for the last couple months.

Most days 350/355 do not "need" an extra coach (Monday-Thursday in particular) as a couple weeks ago 355 only had 30 TOTAL riders for the evening, and I'm sure this happens every so often during weekenights.

The baggage as stated is an axel count car. Before the baggage car, two locomotives would get the train to the correct axel count.