USA's Coast Starlight's typical consist - doesn't have to be, but around mid-1990s

R

Red_Rattler

Since 09 May 2003
What would have been a typical consist, (without the locos or the private/special carriage at the end) for the Coast Starlight say around mid-1990's (even slightly later will do, such as very early 21st Century), as shown in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yD-KnVJnWo.

And did/do Amtrak trains have the different Phrases in the one consist?

Also what's the typical length of a Superliner car?

If you wanted to have a Coast Starlight on a Trainz HO model railway, how many carriages would be say suitable to compress the train's consist for a Trainz HO model route?

Would this seem too short (for the train & starting from behind the locos): Sleeper, sitter (Yes I know their called coaches), lounge &/or diner, maybe a baggage car either at the front or rear (it may need to be left off).
 
That seems far too short for my taste, but then again, when I do HO, I do full length trains. I run my California Zephyer with 2-3 Engines, 85' Baggage, Transition Sleeper, 2 Sleepers, Dining Car, Lounge, and 4 coaches

My Generic Single Level Viewliner is 2-3 engines, the same 85' baggage car (I only have 1) 3 Viewliners, Vista Dome, Diner, 4 Amfleet Coaches, and a Business car at the end
 
Klinger said:
That seems far too short for my taste, but then again
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I know it's short, but when you're trying to do a Trainz version of a layout, with restricted room, . . .

The California Zephyer?? Don't you mean Zephyr? :hehe: Hey but you can call it want you want!

By the way, you must have a big layout to run full length trains.
 
What Klinger said is a typical Coast Starlight consist except that there is a parlor car (not old fashioned but a hightop) between the sleepers and the dining car for first class ticket holders. It has a complimentary wine tasting in the afternoon which is quite nice, complete with a marble top bar, easy chairs that swivel and sofas. First class pasengers can eat there meals from the diner in there also.

Cheers

AJ
 
Red_Rattler said:
And did/do Amtrak trains have the different Phrases in the one consist?
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The different Amtrak paint schemes are called Phases not Phrases.

Also what's the typical length of a Superliner car?
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Superliner & California Cars are 84'6" long.

The current Coast Starlight Consist is as follows (all Amtrak trains varry somewhat depending on: time of year, equipment available, etc)
P42, P42, Heritage Baggage, Transition Sleeper, Sleeper, Sleeper, Pacific Parlor Car, Diner, Sightseer Lounge, Coach, Coach, Coach, Coach. Private cars are added to the end and generally do not have access to the Revenue portion of the train. This consist has been fairly consistent, if you wanted you could add another coach or sleeper or take one away.

The Majority of Amtrak's fleet of cars is now in Phase IVb (big blue stripe little red ones, red bar on the bottom) however some equipment is still in phase IV (black and while bottom line), and even fewer are in Phase III (Red, White & Blue stipes). Almost all engines are now on Phase Vb (Acela-style swoops, red bottom bar), with a few being in Phase V (red & blue bottom strips), and again even fewer in IV & III. The Coast Starlight can also see Engines (although very rarely) in Cascades, Surfliner & AmCal.
Amtrak does not put cars on trains based on paint scheme. The only two exceptions to this are the Acela & Cascades Trains, and that is because they are not swappable with regular Amtrak cars.

peter
 
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PerRock said:
The different Amtrak paint schemes are called Phases not Phrases.
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Oops, I knew what they were called, but I didn't noticed the spelling mistake until you told me.


Superliner & California Cars are 84'6" long.

The current Coast Starlight Consist is as follows (all Amtrak trains varry somewhat depending on: time of year, equipment available, etc)
P42, P42, Heritage Baggage, Transition Sleeper, Sleeper, Sleeper, Pacific Parlor Car, Diner, Sightseer Lounge, Coach, Coach, Coach, Coach. Private cars are added to the end and generally do not have access to the Revenue portion of the train. This consist has been fairly consistent, if you wanted you could add another coach or sleeper or take one away.

Phase 1, 2, & so on & so on: Amtrak can't make up their mind of how fat or thin the stripes need to be, huh? :hehe:

PS: Slightly off topic, okay way off topic, but Amtrak timetables are one of the only ones left that don't seem to use the 24 hour clock.
 
I think that generally the change in paint scheme occurs when Amtrak gets a set of new equipment. They then hire a graphic designer (or company) who come up with a paint scheme for the new equipment and then it gets applied to all the other stuff. I believe there are only 4 or 5 places where Amtrak equipment can be repainted, and two of them have restrictions. The Seattle yard, is exclusively for Talgos. And the Bear shops are electric & so no Super liners can get there.

On topic of the CS consist; in 2012 the consist will be changing to have a Viewliner II Baggage car instead of a heritage. However we don't know what the Viewliner IIs look like (presumably similar to the Viewliner Is) nor do we have any for TRS.

peter
 
Red_Rattler said:
I know it's short, but when you're trying to do a Trainz version of a layout, with restricted room, . . .

The California Zephyer?? Don't you mean Zephyr? :hehe: Hey but you can call it want you want!

By the way, you must have a big layout to run full length trains.
Click to expand...

ahh, one letter must have slipped in there. I don't actually own a layout, I run all my stuff on our Club Modular system, which can grow to about 30x20 when we have everything
 
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