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Does anyone know why the SW chief has been running its viewliner baggage car on the bottom of its consist in both directions? This seems like an odd choice as every other train runs it at the headend. This has been a thing since covid basically.

Because they aren't using a transition sleeper, they put a plug in the door on the sleeper next to the engine to keep out the fumes.
The story goes the plug isn't compatible with the diaphragm on the baggage car.

The next question is why isn't Amtrak using the transition sleeper of the SWC.
Some believe it's a deliberate move to help eliminate the SWC.

DaveO wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 12, 2021 2:32 pm

Because they aren't using a transition sleeper, they put a plug in the door on the sleeper next to the engine to keep out the fumes.
The story goes the plug isn't compatible with the diaphragm on the baggage car.

The next question is why isn't Amtrak using the transition sleeper of the SWC.
Some believe it's a deliberate move to help eliminate the SWC.

This

I would guess that the lack of a transition/crew dorm has more to do with equipment availability than some attempt to nuke the Chief.

Saturnalia wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 12, 2021 2:44 pm

I would guess that the lack of a transition/crew dorm has more to do with equipment availability than some attempt to nuke the Chief.

I would agree with that. I would then point out the seemingly endless woes of the Chicago maintenance base.
But then I go back and read a comment posted on Train Orders that the SWC is Los Angeles based

DaveO wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 12, 2021 3:29 pm

Saturnalia wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 12, 2021 2:44 pm

I would guess that the lack of a transition/crew dorm has more to do with equipment availability than some attempt to nuke the Chief.

I would agree with that. I would then point out the seemingly endless woes of the Chicago maintenance base.
But then I go back and read a comment posted on Train Orders that the SWC is Los Angeles based

Overall, Amtrak's equipment has been on the ropes for years. From aging equipment to stuff damaged in grade crossing collisions and derailments, they have had a hard time keeping up. They lose a few cars a year just to wrecks, and they have nothing coming in to replace them, at least until the new Midwest cars come in, freeing up the Amfleets and Horizons currently in use. Likewise, the P42 fleet was stretched to the absolute max until the Chargers freed up much needed motive power.

Throw in a pandemic wherein I assume they let a lot of equipment sit unservicable rather than get ahead on repairs, and now a significant manpower shortage, and well you get the picture. It sounds like a lot of the crewbases are also near rock-bottom, with many of those furloughed last year not returning.

It appears the Southwest Chief has regained the transition sleeper.
And lost the baggage car.
Maybe due to HEP (head end power) issues going over Raton? It's been an issue in the past.

Note: the coach-baggage is still there.

The Chief isn’t the only one with a baggage car now being towed at the rear. Pretty much all of the single level LD trains with sleepers are now running in that configuration with the baggage or bag-dorm bringing up the markers. I’m not sure why the preference has changed. Actually, fewer stations are offering checked baggage now as more stations go unstaffed. South Bend has been without an agent for over a year unless someone was recently hired there.

Other trains, like the Capitol Limited, have been running with a coach/baggage superliner using the smaller baggage compartment for what is needed for the run.

GP30M4216 wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 17, 2021 9:07 pm

Other trains, like the Capitol Limited, have been running with a coach/baggage superliner using the smaller baggage compartment for what is needed for the run.

The Capitol is still super stubby, usually only 5 Superliners per train, even now that most long distance trains are back to their pre-pandemic consist lengths. Usually a Dorm, a Sleeper, a Diner and two Coaches, one of them with the baggage compartment. Usually only one P42, as well.

Obviously with DC still basically shut down, the ridership just isn't there on that train. Amazing how different certain parts of the country are right now...some places are still like April 2020, others are essentially back to normal, and have been for months now. But I digress.