Siemens Caltrans/IDOT Venture design, engineering, testing and delivery (2024)

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jis

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They really should have gone with the original concept art paint scheme for the California Ventures. Why didn't they use that paint scheme in the first place?
 
Have any of the Midwest Cafe cars been delivered yet. If so, are there any photos of them out there?
 
Have any of the Midwest Cafe cars been delivered yet. If so, are there any photos of them out there?
Yes, one was captured in the Chicago yard about a month or so ago on a Facebook post. They MAY enter service soon with the Borealis using Horizon and Amfleets as rolling stock, however it’s not 100% confirmed.

Does anybody have information about the three Amtrak Midwest Venture cab cars for the Hiawatha and when they should be in service?
 
Heads up those by the Stockton, CA ACE Yard! An Amtrak San Joaquins cab car is potentially testing today through Friday! However, I’m not from the area and only found this from a Facebook group (which has had reliable heads-ups in the past, such as with Venture cafe car spottings). The cab car will test in the yard all three days, there will be NO mainline testing.
 
Heads up those by the Stockton, CA ACE Yard! An Amtrak San Joaquins cab car is potentially testing today through Friday! However, I’m not from the area and only found this from a Facebook group (which has had reliable heads-ups in the past, such as with Venture cafe car spottings). The cab car will test in the yard all three days, there will be NO mainline testing.
Update: The testing is confirmed since the guy who posted about it is actually part of the crew operating the cab car. Look out for Venture cab car testing for San Joaquins today to Friday at the ACE Stockton Yard!
 
Update: The testing is confirmed since the guy who posted about it is actually part of the crew operating the cab car. Look out for Venture cab car testing for San Joaquins today to Friday at the ACE Stockton Yard!
I hope someone covers it in video form cause one thing that annoys my is when something like this happens and no one covers it or provide any proper videos of these things.
 
I hope someone covers it in video form cause one thing that annoys my is when something like this happens and no one covers it or provide any proper videos of these things.
The best info I can give you is Gevo J Lopez on Facebook. He’s an engineer for Caltrans and says there were some software issues but all clearance tests were passed with flying colors.
 
2nd video was good. The first one had needless talking which i don't like in these types of videos.
I also found a 3rd video.
 
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A picture has been floating around of an IDTX SC-44 receiving an ALC-42 nose attachment. This would be a great move is it’s real since the nose could be interchanged in the case of an accident. Hopefully IDTX takes this overhaul as an opportunity to align the paint with the Venture cars too.

Could this mean that the three cab cars for the Hiawatha will also be receiving an ALC-42 style cab instead of a SC-44?
 

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Noticed that the only door on the cab car appears to be the rear doors...? Doesn't seem practical.

Gevo (the engineer) has stated that the cabs look "nothing like you'd expect" on the interior, just seems a bit odd.
 
Well, spoiler alert for what you can expect, they're basically the same as the Via ones. So you can Google that and see. Joking aside nice to see delivery start on these cab cars. And I'm so curious to see that nose once the installation is done. I think it'll look better. Not particularly confident they'll fix the misaligned paint, though.
 
Thanks. 6 and 3. That's what I thought. Now I wonder when they'll be delivered, where they are in the long line. and that's only enough for four-car Hiawatha trains, assuming the current two trainset arrangement. I have a feeling that Horizons (or Amfleets, whatever)are going to be around Chicago for some time to come.
 
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