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Coast Starlight/Parlour Car permanently removed as of 2/4/18


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#1 KevinKorell

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Posted 11 January 2018 - 06:48 PM

Coast Starlight Parlour Car Temporarily Removed for Maintenance

 

Effective through March 14, 2018


Pacific Parlour car has been removed from the Coast Starlight for maintenance. This change will be in effect beginning Monday, Jan. 8 through Wednesday, March 14, 2018.

The Pacific Parlour car will remain on Train 14, departing Los Angeles on Thursdays and Fridays and Train 11, departing Seattle on Saturdays and Sundays. The Dining car and Sightseer Lounge car will continue to be available for passengers on all trains.

This work will allow Amtrak’s Mechanical team to perform maintenance on each car to increase its reliability during the peak travel periods. Each car has been evaluated for specific items that need to be addressed to increase the customers’ enjoyment of the cars when they return in March.

We appreciate your patronage and apologize for any inconvenience. For reservation and train status information check Amtrak.com, our free mobile apps, speak with station personnel or call 800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).

Thank you for traveling with Amtrak.



Kevin Korell


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#2 BillMagee

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 09:32 AM

Temporary has become permanent.  According to an an internal Amtrak notice posted at Trainorders, the Pacific Parlour cars are being retired and will be put up for sale.  The last Coast Starlight trips to include a Pacific Parlour car will be the Northbound trip from LA to Seattle leaving Friday, February 2, followed by that set's southbound trip from Seattle to LA leaving Sunday, February 4.



#3 KevinKorell

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 10:40 AM

My guess is that upon examination, problems were found that would require parts that are no longer available.  Old equipment is nice, but its components are difficult to replace.  I am glad we got to ride in a Parlor Car during the 2016 Fest, not knowing it would be the last opportunity.



Kevin Korell


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#4 pennyk

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 09:47 PM

This may be the official notice:

 

26731533_10155595376191888_2278994475606



#5 KevinKorell

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 09:59 PM

That certainly looks official to me!

 

Does this mean the end of Business Class on the Coast Starlight also?  IIRC this was offered in a section or different level of the Parlour Car.



Kevin Korell


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#6 CNJRoss

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Posted 26 January 2018 - 08:49 PM

Classic Trains 'Mileposts' blog 1/24/18:
 

Last call for Santa Fe’s celebrated Hi-Level cars

 

 

What was the greatest product of the late, great Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Co.? The Burlington Zephyr of 1934, the first successful lightweight, diesel-powered passenger train? The Vista-Dome of 1945, which forever changed the notion of what it meant to view scenery from a train? The Rail Diesel Car of 1949, the tonic (temporarily) for money-losing local and branchline service? 

 

This week, given the recent news from Amtrak, I’d be inclined to give the honor to the revolutionary double-deck El Capitan cars of 1956, the so-called Hi-Level cars, built to re-equip the Santa Fe Railway’s onetime wildly popular Chicago–Los Angeles coach train.

 

Amtrak has decided to retire its Pacific Parlour cars, five former AT&SF Hi-Level lounges used since the mid-1990s on the Coast Starlight to offer extra amenities to sleeping-car passengers.  .  .  .

 

SNIP

 

But their retirement shouldn’t be a surprise. Amtrak cites rising maintenance and repair costs, understandable considering these are 60-year-old railroad cars peeling off thousands of miles a month. 

 

It’s almost a miracle of engineering and design that the Hi-Level cars have lasted this long (as well as that other Budd streamliner, VIA’s Canadian). I say “almost” because Budd’s products were nothing if not durable, thanks to its mastery of stainless steel via its patented Shotweld process of welding with electrical adhesion.

 

More here w/photos.



#7 KevinKorell

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Posted 27 January 2018 - 03:18 PM

Changed topic title from temporarily to permanently.  According to RPA (former NARP) Amtrak really botched this one, and some sources said that Amtrak knew before the annual temporary outage announcement that the permanent retirement would be taking place.



Kevin Korell


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