Mail Bag, 07/03/1996

Date: Wednesday, July 3, 1996  7:08pm                         Electronic Mail
From: INT:MNK@mass.es.hac.com                                    Msg#: 883806
  To: Steveg
  Re: Happy 4th of July

Steve

Hope you and yours have a great 4th of July.

This week/month I received Passenger Train Journal magazine, N-scale
magazine, MTA (Metropolitan Transit Authority) Review, and Pacific Railroad
Society's newsletter Wheel Clicks (this is a great newsletter and one
of the reasons I joined).  Lots of rail reading material!

Last Friday, inspired by your Metrolink trip reports, I decided I would
use one of the two four trip promotional tickets Metrolink sent me
(good only on the Orange County line and expired 6/30) to take
my first ride on Metrolink.  I was planning on riding from Irvine
to San Bernardino, then San Bernardino to Los Angeles, get lunch,
ride Red Line, ride Angels Flight, then return via my free
voucher to Irvine via Metrolink.

Unfortunately, I woke up too late for my around the city Metrolink ride.
Instead, I had an errand to run in Irvine.  After the errand I went to
the Irvine depot to watch southbound San Diegan #776 and to catch the
next northbound San Diegan #779.  Was the usual fun ride into LA.  This
time I took my Thomas Brothers map so I could keep track of exactly
where we were.  That was nice to have.  Sat in the last (cab) car.
Back of the cab car was strapped off with "staff only" written on
it.  Enjoyed passing through Santa Fe's yard and the tight curve
at Redondo Junction as we crossed the LA River.  It's always neat
to see all the Amtrak engines and rolling stock in the Amtrak
yard.  Saw a couple of B32-8WH's on the roundtable, a few
Genesis and F40PH's, the Pacific Parlor Car, etc.

Arrived at Union Station and went directly over to Phillipe's for
a beef dip sandwich.  Yum!  Next I came back to Union Station and
caught the next Metro Red Line (25 cents each way) and rode it to
the Pershing Square station.  Quickly made my way to street level
and proceeded to walk toward Angel's Flight.  Whoops, wrong direction,
turned around and rode Angel's Flight (25 cents) up to the top.
Wonderfully restored cars!  Walked down and then noticed that the
Red Line station entrance opposite from where I exited is *right* next
to Angel's Flight.  I should have exited from this side.

I hurried down and jumped on the next Red Line.  Whoops again,
this was heading away from Union Station.  Got off at the next
station and caught the next Red Line back to Union Station.
Validated my promotional 4 trip Metrolink ticket and hurried
to the train.  Got there with about 5 minutes to spare.

The Metrolink was being pulled by a F59PHI.  I decided to
get into the last car (a cab car) so I could watch the train
around bends.  This was pretty long.  I think it had six cars.
Seating is very close together.  Half facing backwards.
You get a nice view though from upstairs and the ride is nice.
We pulled out of the station but then we headed north through
CP Chavez instead of south through CP San Diego Jct.  I thought
"OH NO, I got on the wrong train".  Over the PA the conductor
announced that they were having trouble with the brake controls
in the engine and so they were turning the train and would use
the cab car to control the train.  Not to worry, everything's
fine.

Well this allowed me to see where we were going since I was
in the cab car!  The engineer drove with the door open and talked
to another staff person.  This allowed me to watch him operate
the controls and hear the dispatching (good since my scanner
batteries had given up).  It was interesting to watch when throttle
changes were made, when dynamic braking was used, and when/how
the air brakes were used.

Was a fun ride back to Irvine and my first on Metrolink.
Irvine station is adjacent to the El Toro air base and
I saw a fighter jet (I think a F18) taking off and a big
plane (C130?) performing touch and goes.  Was a real fun day!

Mike

Date: Wednesday, July 3, 1996  7:29pm                         Electronic Mail
From: INT:MNK@mass.es.hac.com                                    Msg#: 883840
  To: Steveg
  Re: Amtrak Transition Sleepers

Steve

Hi.  You mentioned in your SW Chief trip report about how Amtrak is
using a Transition Sleeper and how there's a lounge area on it
downstairs.

I just received Pacific Railroad Society's http://www.lam.mus.ca.us/~prm/
monthly newsletter "Wheel Clicks" (I recently joined).  In the
Amtrak section written by Charles Varnes there's a section called
"Sleeping Cars" in which he wrote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Sleeping Cars

    To accommodate high demand for sleeping car space Superliner II
transition sleepers are now in service on the following trains.

Train                   Tr. No. Dates                   Car Line No.
Southwest Chief         3       May 20-Sept. 9          0332
Southwest Chief         4       May 21-Sept. 9          0432
Cardinal                29      May 17-Sept. 17         2902
Cardinal                30      May 15-Sept. 15         3002
Capitol Limited         50      May 30-Sept. 14         5001
Capitol Limited         51      June 2-Sept. 18         5101

    Superliner II transition sleepers come in two versions: cars
3900-39011 have 17 economy bedrooms on the upper level and
no sleeping rooms on the lower level; cars 39012-39046 have 16
economy bedroom on the upper level and a disabled accesible
bedroom on the lower level.  Both types of car have a small
lounge located on the lower level which will be available to first
class passengers.  Smoking is not permitted in the lounges.
Passengers holding space in the cars will receive all first-class
ammenities.

    Amtrak has replaced its peak and off-peak sleeping car fares
with a three-level Sleeper Revenue Management system (SRM).
Sleeping car space will now be sold at full rate, a discounted rate,
or a more deeply discounted rate.  The SRM will control the
sleeping car space inventory and adjust fares to match the demand
for space on each train and direction of travel.  Prices can be
adjusted daily.  Sleeping car revenue should increase because
fewer, less-profitable discounted accommodations will be sold.
The new fare program went into service on June 18 for travel
commencing on or after June 21.

     (Info. from Jerome Sheldon, Ed VonNordeck)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thought you would enjoy reading this.

Mike