California Zephyr Service question.

[Kamome]

I picked up the Kato California Zephyr 106-055B set last week. I've never had a huge fascination with American stock but always liked some of the designs from the 40s and 50s. I had some D&RGW F3s (A-B-A) that had nothing to pull so now they have.

 

How did they turn this train around at each end? It has a baggage car at the front and a vista car at the rear. Did they use a reverse loop for this kind of service or rearrange the cars/ use a turntable to change from eastbound to westbound?

[spacecadet]

Chicago has a wye and in fact you ride it even today on the Amtrak version of this train. I'm not sure about on the other end, but I'd guess there was/is a wye somewhere around SF or Oakland. I know Emeryville, where the train terminates now, has a wye, but I don't think that's where the original CZ terminated.

 

Most terminal stations in the US have a wye somewhere. In New York, they do a loopback instead. Turntables are really uncommon.

Edited February 1, 2016 by spacecadet

[kvp]

In Oakland the 16th street station (Oakland central station) had the other wye, as the original set was a single ended streamliner and had to be reversed in one piece. Later separate cars and locomotives were used (this is what Kato modelled). Nowdays, the Amtrak trains terminate at Emeryville as the old Oakland station was closed and the new is missing the wye, so you have to take a bus to Oakland and since the ferries are not running anymore, you have to take the bus to San Francisco too.

[Kamome]

Thanks Space Cadet.

 

I don't know why I didn't consider that. It makes a lot more sense. This track design is less common in the UK so I obviously overlooked it.

[Kamome]

KVP

 

That's what I love about this forum. Despite my google searches, I came up with little answers to my question. I knew someone would know the answer here.

 

Many thanks

[cteno4]

In Oakland the 16th street station (Oakland central station) had the other wye, as the original set was a single ended streamliner and had to be reversed in one piece. Later separate cars and locomotives were used (this is what Kato modelled). Nowdays, the Amtrak trains terminate at Emeryville as the old Oakland station was closed and the new is missing the wye, so you have to take a bus to Oakland and since the ferries are not running anymore, you have to take the bus to San Francisco too.

There are still ferries! They leave from jack London square where the Oakland station now is and the San juaquin ends. One of the few places you get to have the train coming down the middle of a street around here!

 

Jeff

[spacecadet]

In Oakland the 16th street station (Oakland central station) had the other wye, as the original set was a single ended streamliner and had to be reversed in one piece. Later separate cars and locomotives were used (this is what Kato modelled).

I think they still must have wyed the separate car train too, though, right? Otherwise the observation car would be facing the wrong direction. Unless they just wyed that car individually, but they'd still need to break up the train so the formation was right. Seems a lot of work vs. just doing a wye for the whole train.

Edited February 2, 2016 by spacecadet

[kvp]

I think they still must have wyed the separate car train too, though, right?

Yes they did and still do it with the Amtrak train. This is why they had to move to Emeryville, since it still has access to a wye. Personally i would say this arrangement is fine as the first car behind the locomotives is usually a baggage car and having two locomotives pulling is more economical than one pulling and one pushing or a cab car on one end and both locos pushing half the time.

 

 

There are still ferries! They leave from jack London square where the Oakland station now is and the San juaquin ends.

Except the Amtrak train can't go to the new Oakland station, because reversing a train through the streets is considered dangerous. At least that's what is said. Currently you have to take a bus from Emeryville either so San Francisco or to downtown Oakland. Personally i would say that attaching a shunter locomotive at the back in Emeryville would allow the train to continue to Oakland and then get pulled back to the wye near 18th street and then back to Oakland by the shunter, then it would be detached in Emeryville on the return trip.

[cteno4]

yes only a few trains get into the jack london station. it is a very short hop to get from emeryville to jack london and if the bus is there and ready to go probably easier and faster than shunter and the very slow roll down the streets to jack london.

 

ferries are still doing pretty well on the bay actually. really nice way to get across!

 

jeff