WASHINGTON — Amtrak touted across-the-board gains compared with 2022 in each of its three business units in its recap of results for fiscal 2023. But less equipment available for long-distance trains triggered near constant sellouts on portions of those routes throughout the year. As a result, ridership and revenue growth for the inter-regional segment was less than half of what the Northeast Corridor was able to achieve with sufficient rolling stock to support hourly departures.
Here’s why: Compared to 2019 and even the summer of 2020, each Superliner-equipped train except the City of New Orleans operated with either one less sleeping car or transition sleeper and one less coach, even as the busy summer travel season approached The shortfall translates to 60 fewer sleepers and coaches to generate revenue and provide mobility. Particularly harmful to network connectivity was the assignment of only one coach to the Chicago-Washington Capitol Limited until a second was added in mid-November.
The situation was entirely foreseeable, according to former Amtrak president David Gunn. He was remarkably prescient in predicting exactly what happened if service was scaled back, employee expertise was allowed to walk out the door, and equipment was sidelined [see “Former Amtrak President Gunn sees perils in service cuts,” Trains News Wire, Sept. 8, 2020].
Equipment necessary to maintain daily capacity was stored in 2020 when all long-distance trains except Auto Train were trimmed to triweekly operation. Four-year brake inspections and renewal (known as COT&S: Clean, Oil, Test, and Stencil) ground to a halt and other maintenance functions were curtailed while the Superliners sat in the Beech Grove Heavy Maintenance Facility and single-level Amfleet II coaches and Viewliner sleeping cars were stored in Miami.
On the other hand, Amtrak was able to fulfill its rolling-stock commitment to states. Washington’s and Oregon’s Amtrak Cascades started the year with 12 Horizon coaches and cafes (in addition to two Oregon-owned Talgo Series 8 trainsets), but management was able to quickly conduct brake renewal and refurbishment of 12 additional coaches in time for an expansion of service to Vancouver, British Columbia, in early March.
In the Midwest, the company had known for more that a year that 14 Superliners would be required instead of single-level cars on the Illinois-sponsored Illini and Saluki route if speeds were to be maintained because of signal “shunt” issues. So coaches, sleeping cars, transition sleepers, and even Sightseer Lounges operated there instead of filling out trains like the Texas Eagle, which has been shorted three of those car types.
The contraction didn’t stop. Although the Southwest Chief ran with a second sleeping car and three coaches for most of the summer, and had accepted reservations based on that consist into the fall, the second sleeper was dropped in October. Those who had booked rooms that couldn’t be accommodated in the transition sleeper or other car were downgraded to coach. News Wire found on Oct. 7, 2023, that no coach seats were available on the Chief out of Chicago to Los Angeles for seven of the next 10 days; roomettes could only be booked on three of the next 20 days, and the first bedroom was available Nov. 12, for $2,233.
Looking ahead
Amtrak has made a belated commitment to address the equipment shortage. It announced at the end of August 2023 that 48 railcars would be returned from long-term storage and 15 from damage repairs by September 30, 2024. Totaling both categories, there are 40 single-level cars and 23 Superliners: 5 full or baggage and snack coaches, 3 sleeping cars, 9 transition sleepers, 1 dining car, and 5 Sightseer lounges.
In response to a News Wire inquiry, in mid-December the company said it tentatively plans restore the Chief’s second sleeping car and Empire Builder’s second Seattle coach by summer, and a transition sleeper on all western trains except the Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited by summer.
”Possible single-level long-distance capacity adjustments are still being explored, and we hope to have more information in the coming months,” Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari recently told News Wire.
Venture cars finally debut in California
California-owned Siemens Venture fleet coaches have been languishing in a Stockton, Calif., maintenance yard since early 2021 for reasons that remain elusive, but that is finally changing. A railfan has posted a video to YouTube of a Venture trainset in service on Amtrak San Joaquin train No. 710, the 7:36 a.m. departure from Oakland’s Jack London Square station, on Dec. 21, an apparent “soft launch” for the equipment.
Caltrans spokesman Edward Barrera confirmed to News Wire on Wednesday, Dec. 27, that these are the first six coaches in revenue service. The permanently coupled trainset makes a single daily round trip, returning from Bakersfield, Calif., as train No. 719 at 4:12 p.m.
“We hope to have two trainsets in service by the end of January,” Barrera says. The trains will include non-powered former F40 control units until Siemens begins delivering seven cab coaches. “The vending car is still in development,” he adds, so “interim food service is complimentary snack boxes and water.”
The Midwest Venture fleet of coaches and business class cars began carrying passengers in February 2022; the Illinois Department of Transportation says Venture cafe cars will be phased in as delivered in 2024. A California Department of Transportation official had told News Wire in a March 29 e-mail that the cars would be going into service on the Bakersfield-Oakland San Joaquins “by summer 2023.”
Why the two-year delay in providing much-needed additional capacity? Caltrans said in a Dec. 5 statement “a number of factors go into the decision of when an operator is ready to put a railcar into service, including testing, resolution of any issues, ability to accept the vehicle, and crew comfort with the vehicle operations.”
Previous News Wire coverage:
“More Midwest Venture cars enter service; California still waits,” April 14, 2023.
“Amtrak continues to provide mobility in uneven fashion: Special report,” June 1, 2023.
“Overcoming Amtrak’s equipment shortage challenges: Special report,” June 2, 2023.
“Amtrak capacity challenges continue, but some routes see improvement,” July 5, 2023.
“The quest to counteract ‘loss of shunt:’ Special report,” Sept. 5, 2023.
“Amtrak cites major ridership increases in fiscal year-end report,” Nov. 30, 2023.
Coming Thursday: Top 10 story No. 3.
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