Amtrak Southwest Chief

taylor_up_bnsf

taylor_up_bnsf
Does anybody know what cars usually make up this train( lounge,sleepers) other than the baggage car and 2 p42's? And the order they are usually in.:twisted:
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
The cars are all high level cars. The baggage cars and crew sleeper is in the front of the train, followed by all of the sleepers. The dining car is in the center of the train, and is as far forward as coach class passengers are allowed to go. Immediately behind the dinning car is the lounge car followed by the coaches. If there are mail cars or material handling cars on the train, they go to the rear.
 
N

nachoman

When I saw this train coming through flagstaff, there were almost always 2-4 boxcars on the end and a whole bunch of road-railers. That was 4 years ago.

Kevin
 
When I regularly rode this train in the late 80,s it frequently left San Bernardino with only two coaches and picked up the rest on the way to Chicago. I always had a sleeper but we did not pick this up until we were in Barstow. The train was always fully formed in Chicago for the return trip. The car arrangement was as described but the number of boxcars (Amtrak painted) is always in front and varied in number sometimes with none at all. The freight was Amtraks attempt to earn its way through the system and show Congress its viable. On some Western trains the sleepers are sometimes at the rear of the train however are always delineated by the dinner and sightseeing car between the first class and coaches. Buy the way Hi. I am new and just logged in tor the first time when I saw something I actually know about!! ..George
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
When I regularly rode this train in the late 80,s it frequently left San Bernardino with only two coaches and picked up the rest on the way to Chicago. I always had a sleeper but we did not pick this up until we were in Barstow. The train was always fully formed in Chicago for the return trip. The car arrangement was as described but the number of boxcars (Amtrak painted) is always in front and varied in number sometimes with none at all. The freight was Amtraks attempt to earn its way through the system and show Congress its viable. On some Western trains the sleepers are sometimes at the rear of the train however are always delineated by the dinner and sightseeing car between the first class and coaches. Buy the way Hi. I am new and just logged in tor the first time when I saw something I actually know about!! ..George

George, I think Amtrak changed their method of doing things since the 1980's. They have been putting all of the boxcars and reefers on the tail end of the train since the late 1990's at least. I rode it last year, and have watched the Southwest Chief going through Fullerton Station for quite a few years. It is always a pretty full train now with something like 4-6 sleepers on the head end and an equal number of coaches behind the diner and lounge car. The number of material handling cars varies with the size of the load they are hauling, with more being on the train around Christmas time. I have seen it run in December with as many material handling cars as there were passenger cars on it.
 

railohio

Active Member
Now that I've actually read the replies I'll add more to the discussion. For starters, Amtrak consists vary by season, so the month you model will have an impact on what the train looks like. Amtrak also dropped the freight business on the majority of their trains in the last few years. The last couple years I've seen the Southwest Chief is has not had any freight cars on it. A simple Internet search would have turned this up. Also, the "high level cars" are known as Superliners, which would help in finding more information about them.

~BS
 
Glad to know Amtrak is getting out of the freight business. They need to concentrate their attention on their primary business of moving people. Since I am brand new to zealot can anyone of you tell me where I can get information about changing the trucks for MTH Superliner cars to Proto 48 scale? I just jumped into 'O' scale and bought 10 cars and two engines but want a more realistic look than three rail. Thanks George
 

Kanawha

Member
I live in Flagstaff, there are still often 4 boxcars on the back of the Southwest Chief. Its a really nice train, I've rode it on two occasions.
 

Triplex

Active Member
Also, the "high level cars" are known as Superliners, which would help in finding more information about them.
"High level cars" are ex-Santa Fe double-deck cars, not the same thing as Superliners built new for Amtrak.
 

railohio

Active Member
That's correct, and I was pointing out the correct name to use since others hadn't mentioned it yet. The misnomer "high level cars" was used previously in this thread.
 
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