# "IF ONLY I COULD HAVE ONE WISH!"



## had8ley (May 2, 2010)

If you could have one wish concerning Amtrak's service just might would it be ???


----------



## KurtisB (May 2, 2010)

My wish would be to have Superliners or similar double-decker cars on all long-distance trains, including east coast routes.

Kurtis


----------



## Rail Freak (May 2, 2010)

For all train sets to offer "Pacific Parlor Cars"!!!

Have'nt experienced the CCC, but would like to see "Diner Cars" on all sets, also!!! 

But that's 2 Wishes. Oh Well,   !!!!

RF


----------



## Long Train Runnin' (May 2, 2010)

Amtrak to serve my hometown on the former CNJ Southern Division :lol:


----------



## Bob Dylan (May 2, 2010)

had8ley said:


> If you could have one wish concerning Amtrak's service just might would it be ???


Updated equipment, properly staffed so all LD trains could run @least 2 trains a day so as to ensure guaranteed connections which would give us a true National Passenger network! (Real Diners, Dome and Lounge cars would be a cherry on the sundae!   :lol: )


----------



## NorthCoastHiawatha (May 2, 2010)

The restoration of the Northcoast Hiawatha over its original route over Homestake Pass.


----------



## railiner (May 2, 2010)

That Amtrak provide the overall travel experience satisfaction that one would receive on the likes of say Singapore Airlines....


----------



## Sam31452 (May 2, 2010)

A real chef preparing fresh and decent food in every dining car.

(Or maybe the return of the Floridian Chicago-Miami)


----------



## JayPea (May 2, 2010)

NorthCoastHiawatha said:


> The restoration of the Northcoast Hiawatha over its original route over Homestake Pass.




And that the restoration of the North Coast Hiawatha would involve scheduling so as to give Spokane daytime service and that it would restore service to Yakima and Ellensburg on its way to Seattle via Stampede Pass.


----------



## jphjaxfl (May 2, 2010)

That all Amtrak trains would run as close as possible to realistic published schedules that give Amtrak trains priority over freight trains taking into consideration things that are beyond Amtrak's control such as weather, derailments or line blockage.


----------



## Guest (May 2, 2010)

couchette cars or some other kind of non-first-class accommodation where I can lay flat at a reasonable rate.


----------



## mfastx (May 2, 2010)

I wish for travel time from Houston to New Orleans to be less than 9 hr 45 mn.


----------



## stntylr (May 2, 2010)

I wish I could travel every Amtrak route in my deluxe private car.


----------



## roomette (May 2, 2010)

Plumbing the never fails.


----------



## icbrkr (May 2, 2010)

I'd be happy not to drive 3-5 hours to the nearest train station.


----------



## Ryan (May 2, 2010)

A guaranteed, stable budget that's 10 times what it gets now. With a healthy, stabile funding stream, then most of the wishes above could be satisfied.


----------



## girly25 (May 2, 2010)

my wish is that maybe my train will one day have full crew.


----------



## Bill Haithcoat (May 2, 2010)

A train from Chicago to Florida, preferably via ATL.


----------



## uptheirons29 (May 2, 2010)

For Amtrak to really be on time with their performance, and for the freight trains to be more lenient in their ownership of the tracks.


----------



## Big Iron (May 2, 2010)

More Frequency, More Frequency, More Frequency, oops thats three wishes.


----------



## pennyk (May 2, 2010)

More routes to and from Florida - maybe Chicago, Atlanta or New Orleans (or all of them).


----------



## MattW (May 2, 2010)

Since Bill already said CHI-FL via ATL, I'll go with #2 on my list 

Corridor-like intercity service through ATL such as ATL-JAX, ATL-Chattanooga, ATL-CLT, ATL-Montgomery, ATL-Augusta.


----------



## rtabern (May 2, 2010)

If I had 1 wish... I'd wish for 3 wishes. (Yes, I'm greedy) And then I'd wish for:

(1) The end of Horizon equipment on Midwest trains... and replacement with Superliner coaches and Sightseer lounges

(2) The Pacific Parlour Cars and Amtrak's last dome NOT to be sold off in 2012 like the plan calls for

(3) The Pioneer and Desert Wind to begin again


----------



## darien-l (May 2, 2010)

I wish for every major American city to have intercity train service. Las Vegas and Phoenix should be at the top of that list.


----------



## Amtrak839 (May 2, 2010)

Simple: that the idiotic politicians we elect gave the same amount of funding to passenger rail as they pour out for the damn highways every year.


----------



## sunchaser (May 2, 2010)

The return of all old routes, with new equipment for all!


----------



## Green Maned Lion (May 3, 2010)

That human beings would stop being so idiotic as to submit to the intolerable indignities perpetuated upon them, wasting so many man hours, so many billions of man hours, so as to completely waste more statistical lifetimes than the number lost in all terrorist losses of life in U.S. Transportation history.


----------



## Everydaymatters (May 3, 2010)

There's talk around here that Amtrak might run a line to Dubuque with a stop in either Huntley or Marengo, Illinois. Because either one of those would be within 15 minutes of my home, my wish would be that this talk becomes a reality.


----------



## dlagrua (May 3, 2010)

A new generation of Viewliners that have more than two bedrooms per car. This way the Crescent and LSL can offer more than two bedrooms per train or a refurbished Viewliner sleeper that is all bedroom.


----------



## Guest (May 3, 2010)

dlagrua said:


> A new generation of Viewliners that have more than two bedrooms per car. This way the Crescent and LSL can offer more than two bedrooms per train or a refurbished Viewliner sleeper that is all bedroom.


It would be nice it they had a car for only bedrooms and cars for only roomettes. That twist in the hall gets annoying when you are trying to move luggage around.


----------



## sunchaser (May 3, 2010)

Guest said:


> dlagrua said:
> 
> 
> > A new generation of Viewliners that have more than two bedrooms per car. This way the Crescent and LSL can offer more than two bedrooms per train or a refurbished Viewliner sleeper that is all bedroom.
> ...


Amtrak does have a few "Deluxe Sleeper Cars" (Superliner) which have only bedrooms upstairs. Downstairs they have the usual 4 Roomettes, Family Bedroom & H Bedroom. They are used on the Auto Train.

I don't know if there are any "Roomette Only" cars, other than the old Slumber Coaches.


----------



## Greg (May 3, 2010)

My one wish is for the return of passenger rail service across the Florida panhandle to connect to New Orleans.


----------



## gswager (May 3, 2010)

My wish is add more locomotives, Superliners and Viewliners cars to its fleet. That'll lead to add more routes, make tri-weekly schedule into daily, or more frequencies.


----------



## AAARGH! (May 3, 2010)

I wish there was (or will be) at least one 200+ MPH route.


----------



## rrdude (May 3, 2010)

I wish I was smart enuff to understand what GML posted............

And that every LD train had a dome, diner, full sleeper, and PPC. And ran twice a day.

And we had Auto Train-like service to Florida from the midwest, and X the country too.

And everything that Ryan said too. 'Cause then even some of these "fairy tale wishes" might come true.

And AAAAAARGH!'s wish too, at least ONE 200+ mph train would be kinda nice, in the country that landed 12 men on the moon, and returned them safely to earth.........


----------



## Bill Haithcoat (May 3, 2010)

sunchaser said:


> Guest said:
> 
> 
> > dlagrua said:
> ...


Amtrak does not have any all roomette cars. Slumbercoaches did not count as such since they had both single rooms and double rooms (however narrow and small).

The private railroads before Amtrak had many more types of sleeping car rooms and floor plans than we have today. And there were several types of all roomette cars back then.

Also keep in mind that the preAmtrak word "roomette" always meant a room for one, unless, perhaps,it carried a mother with a small child.


----------



## had8ley (May 3, 2010)

Bill Haithcoat said:


> sunchaser said:
> 
> 
> > Guest said:
> ...


Yes Bill you are absolutely correct about the pre-Amtrak roomettes. I don't recall seeing married couples in anything smaller than a bedroom and really envied those in the compartments, drawing rooms and that grand daddy of them all~ the Master Room.


----------



## Bob Dylan (May 3, 2010)

Bill: Do the Superliner Trandorms count as all roomettes since thats all they have upstairs? I only rode in a slumbercoach once, on the old Crescent from WAS to Greenville,S.C.,found them uncomfortable due to my height

but the price was sure right!  Two days until I catch the Eagle N by NE on my trip to PHL for NTD!(Wonder if Eva Marie Saint will be in the diner!  ) See you @ 30th St. when the Crescent pulls in, looking forward to meeting you, picking your brain about Southern Trains and the old days!   

Should be a blast with a large group there, wonder if Amtrak will lay on extra Security cause of AU? Jim :lol:


----------



## Bill Haithcoat (May 3, 2010)

jimhudson said:


> Bill: Do the Superliner Trandorms count as all roomettes since thats all they have upstairs? I only rode in a slumbercoach once, on the old Crescent from WAS to Greenville,S.C.,found them uncomfortable due to my heightbut the price was sure right!  Two days until I catch the Eagle N by NE on my trip to PHL for NTD!(Wonder if Eva Marie Saint will be in the diner!  ) See you @ 30th St. when the Crescent pulls in, looking forward to meeting you, picking your brain about Southern Trains and the old days!
> 
> Should be a blast with a large group there, wonder if Amtrak will lay on extra Security cause of AU? Jim :lol:



Good point. I was thinking of a full length car devoted all to passengers. Guess it is a matter of semantics


----------



## jis (May 3, 2010)

Bill Haithcoat said:


> Good point. I was thinking of a full length car devoted all to passengers. Guess it is a matter of semantics


Bill, at some point in time weren't there full length Section cars? Admittedly no rooms but if there were such they would be a car full of cheap sleeping accommodation.


----------



## Bill Haithcoat (May 3, 2010)

jis said:


> Bill Haithcoat said:
> 
> 
> > Good point. I was thinking of a full length car devoted all to passengers. Guess it is a matter of semantics
> ...



Yes, indeed. There were many many different floor plans,incuding cars which were all section. 16 sections was one of them.


----------



## GG-1 (May 3, 2010)

jis said:


> Bill Haithcoat said:
> 
> 
> > Good point. I was thinking of a full length car devoted all to passengers. Guess it is a matter of semantics
> ...


Aloha

This idea, or comment, makes me think about and wonder if a section sleeper and Dome car could be combined and be a successful combination. something like 30 bunks and 30 seats upstairs. Or other numbers depending on real space needs.


----------



## Rail Freak (May 3, 2010)

Greg said:


> My one wish is for the return of passenger rail service across the Florida panhandle to connect to New Orleans.


AMEN, BRAATHA!!!! 

RF


----------



## AlanB (May 3, 2010)

I hiope that all those wishing for domes realize that a dome mixed into a Superliner consist is useless. You won't be able to see over the Superliner cars, so most of the charm of the dome would be wasted. And a dome that could see over the tops of the Superlier cars is a dome that won't make it through many of the tunnels out there.


----------



## Big Iron (May 3, 2010)

Amtrak839 said:


> Simple: that the idiotic politicians we elect gave the same amount of funding to passenger rail as they pour out for the damn highways every year.


Airports too


----------



## amamba (May 3, 2010)

I would love for true high speed rail to exist such that I could get from BOS - NYP in something like 2 hours, or from BOS - WAS in four hours. That would be AMAZING. But it would still need to make major stops like PVD along the way :lol:


----------



## TransitRider (May 3, 2010)

My one wish is for Florida to have statewide rail service by restoring Silver Palm, Sunset Limited and FEC line and run more often instead one daily train.


----------



## Sue in KY (May 4, 2010)

Easy. For my ENTIRE STATE to have a decent stop, with a station building where a daytime train stops, instead of (or, shoot, even in addition to!) the four unmanned shelters at its extreme eastern and western edges, at each of which a single train stops in the middle of the night, sometimes only three times a week!


----------



## jis (May 4, 2010)

AlanB said:


> I hiope that all those wishing for domes realize that a dome mixed into a Superliner consist is useless. You won't be able to see over the Superliner cars, so most of the charm of the dome would be wasted. And a dome that could see over the tops of the Superlier cars is a dome that won't make it through many of the tunnels out there.


Actually Plate H (double stack) or Plate K (triple auto rack) clear 20' 3", or so, which gives you a couple of feet or three worth of room above the roof of Supers for a dome. Supers fit within Plate F (17') I believe.


----------



## Donctor (May 5, 2010)

For Amtrak to order some Viewliners with a layout like this.


----------



## chuljin (May 6, 2010)

rtabern said:


> (2) The Pacific Parlour Cars and Amtrak's last dome NOT to be sold off in 2012 like the plan calls for


Oh my...where did you hear/read that?


----------



## Green Maned Lion (May 6, 2010)

chuljin said:


> rtabern said:
> 
> 
> > (2) The Pacific Parlour Cars and Amtrak's last dome NOT to be sold off in 2012 like the plan calls for
> ...


Boardman's fleet strategy. Boardman publicly backed off of the get rid of part of it, though.


----------



## sunchaser (May 6, 2010)

Green Maned Lion said:


> chuljin said:
> 
> 
> > rtabern said:
> ...


Boardman did say they would replace the Parlor Cars with other Bi-Level Cars, but no other details were included.


----------



## Donctor (May 6, 2010)

Amtking said:


> For Amtrak to order some Viewliners with a layout like this.


Will Amtrak be able to sell roomette space in the new baggage/dorms on routes with fewer crew members?


----------



## AlanB (May 6, 2010)

Amtking said:


> Amtking said:
> 
> 
> > For Amtrak to order some Viewliners with a layout like this.
> ...


I'm not aware of any such plans and with most runs having at least 6 crew members needing rooms and only 9 rooms in the Bag/Dorm, I think it unlikely. There is no real seperation like there is the Superliner Trans/Dorm where the stairs & bathroom sort of make a dividing line. And short of the Cardinal, which has the fewest crew members, most other runs typically during peak times run with 7 to 10 crew members needing rooms which would max out the car anyhow.

As an aside, your drawing while interesting, is not what the finished product will look like.


----------



## MisterRick (May 6, 2010)

had8ley said:


> If you could have one wish concerning Amtrak's service just might would it be ???


Restoration of service to Tallahassee for those of us who need or would like to travel to the Capitol building, especially when our legislature convenes for their annual session. Would be easier and less expensive then travelling from Orlando International to Tallahassee Regional.


----------



## had8ley (May 6, 2010)

MisterRick said:


> had8ley said:
> 
> 
> > If you could have one wish concerning Amtrak's service just might would it be ???
> ...


One of the lounge car LSA's trivia questions used enroute from L.A. to Miami used to be; "What is the ONLY state capital that the Sunset Limited travels to?" I won a bottle of decent wine !


----------



## dlagrua (May 6, 2010)

AlanB said:


> I hiope that all those wishing for domes realize that a dome mixed into a Superliner consist is useless. You won't be able to see over the Superliner cars, so most of the charm of the dome would be wasted. And a dome that could see over the tops of the Superlier cars is a dome that won't make it through many of the tunnels out there.



I believe that the Capital Limited runs a dome on a Superliner train. It may be located behind the low baggage car but it is there.


----------



## Ryan (May 6, 2010)

No, it doesn't.

It ran a dome when I took it in 1994, but that was back when it was single level.


----------



## Monon81 (May 6, 2010)

Only one wish?

Twice a day frequency between CHI and major cities ca. 400 miles out: Twin Cities, Omaha, KC, Louisville, Cincinnati, Cleveland (i.e. a day train).


----------



## Green Maned Lion (May 6, 2010)

sunchaser said:


> Boardman did say they would replace the Parlor Cars with other Bi-Level Cars, but no other details were included.


Boardman's fleet strategy was to replace all Amtrak cars continuously on a rotating 20-30 year cycle. It was an ambitious plan that will never make it, and Boardman knows politics enough to realize that. Its what's known as posturing. Amtrak can use new single level coaches and cafes, but they don't need them at present. Between the Hiawatha change over and the stimulus cars Amtrak will have enough single levels ready for quite some time.

The Amfleets are not over the hill, and most within Amtrak know that. If the Feds want to fund their replacement, that's jes' fine. The Amfleets will go into service as backup equipment and peak-period services and so on.

What Amtrak NEEDS RIGHT FREAKIN NOW PREFERABLY SOONER! is new diners and baggage cars, because the Heritage cars aren't over the hill. Oh, no, they are rolling down the road dead and biodegrading. The Pacific Parlour cars aren't in the same status as the other cars. The other cars are being rode into the ground, have always been road into the ground. Most of them are not ex-Santa Fe, they are ex-eastern and ex-Burlington. They are in poor shape, and they are probably quite a bit older than you are, Sunchaser.

Some of that equipment ran down the road under Truman. Its been neglected since the 1950s or 60s, over run, over used, beaten up, down and sideways. And have not received major refurbishment since the HEP conversions 30 years ago.

Just as an example:

8502 _Silver Diner_: 

*1948:* Built for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy for service on the _California Zephyr_.

*3/2/1970:* Transferred to ownership of Burlington Northern.

*4/16/1970:* Roster renumber to 1294- number never applied.

*5/1/1971:* Transferred to Amtrak as part of buy in.

*6/3/1971:* Renumbered for Amtrak service as #8051. Carries name.

*2/21/1973:* Receives mildly updated interior for service on the _Broadway Limited_

*10/12/1979:* Converted to Head-End-Power, gets then common Amtrak brown interior refurb, trucks replaced.

Its trucks were replaced, obviously, again in 2009. Other than that, and repairs, it has received no major overhauls. Under Amtrak, it has averaged about 180,000 miles a year, or 7,020,000 miles... Seven Million, Twenty Thousand Miles. If it averaged half that under Burlington, it has travelled about 9 million miles in its life.

By asking the world, Boardman and others within Amtrak are probably hoping that they can get these methuselahs replaced.

Comparatively, the PPCs have been used a lot less, have recieved major refurbishments in 1973, 1981, 1996, and 2008, and have travelled many less miles. And were built in 1956. And served on the better maintained western routes, especially much under light use on the Coast Starlight as first class lounge cars for the past 15 years. They are in much better shape.



dlagrua said:


> I believe that the Capital Limited runs a dome on a Superliner train. It may be located behind the low baggage car but it is there.


If you saw one, it was either a private car or 10031 _Ocean View_ deadheading somewhere.


----------



## Donctor (May 7, 2010)

AlanB said:


> As an aside, your drawing while interesting, is not what the finished product will look like.


Thank god. If the finished product looked anything like my 4-minute sketch, I would be thoroughly appalled.

According to photographic evidence and my grandfather's memory (I rode many a train with him as a child), the interior of the Heritage bag/dorms wasn't much like that of the 10-6 sleepers.


----------



## sunchaser (May 7, 2010)

Green Maned Lion said:


> sunchaser said:
> 
> 
> > Boardman did say they would replace the Parlor Cars with other Bi-Level Cars, but no other details were included.
> ...


GML, they indeed are older than I am. I personally do not want the Parlor Cars to go away. I know it's kind of selfish on my part, since I am so new to trains I really want to be able to experience them at least for a few more years. Since we would at most ride them once a year, that narrows our time on them. As I have said before, hubby & I really enjoyed using them, & they are a big reason for us taking the train again. Hubby really likes the Coast Starlight, so do I!


----------



## Donctor (May 7, 2010)

Green Maned Lion said:


> What Amtrak NEEDS RIGHT FREAKIN NOW PREFERABLY SOONER! is new diners and baggage cars, because the Heritage cars aren't over the hill. Oh, no, they are rolling down the road dead and biodegrading.


That is, when they're rolling at all.


----------



## WICT106 (May 7, 2010)

I'd wish for the Empire Builder to be re-routed through Madison, on its' way between Chicago and Saint Paul. The project that is on the boards now does not offer that.


----------



## AlanB (May 7, 2010)

Amtking said:


> AlanB said:
> 
> 
> > As an aside, your drawing while interesting, is not what the finished product will look like.
> ...


I meant in the sense that you have a H-room and a Bedroom in your drawing. The proposed Viewliner Bag/Dorm will not have those rooms.


----------



## Green Maned Lion (May 7, 2010)

AlanB said:


> Amtking said:
> 
> 
> > AlanB said:
> ...


That was his wish list. I have a wish dream for a round-tail observation Viewliner that Congress would permanently approve of. Never happen, I know, but I dream.


----------



## Donctor (May 7, 2010)

AlanB said:


> I meant in the sense that you have a H-room and a Bedroom in your drawing. The proposed Viewliner Bag/Dorm will not have those rooms.


Oh, I wasn't assuming so. If the car is going to be 100% crew, having such rooms would not be utilizing the space to its fullest potential.


----------



## MattW (May 7, 2010)

And one of my dreams is 500mph 4-level trains connecting every major city to every other major city (mesh topology) 

Sorry, but I couldn't resist


----------



## Bill Haithcoat (May 7, 2010)

Green Maned Lion said:


> AlanB said:
> 
> 
> > Amtking said:
> ...



I have a thing about round tail observation cars also. Our coach reservations were screwed up on the first train I ever rode, age three. So we had to ride in the observation car for the beginning of the trip until some coach space opened up. Whether I actually remember that-- no sure. But the attraction has to come from somewhere.


----------



## Joel N. Weber II (May 9, 2010)

I wish Amtrak owned as many route miles of 500 MPH double track as there are route miles of Interstate Highway in the US.


----------



## Joel N. Weber II (May 9, 2010)

AlanB said:


> I'm not aware of any such plans and with most runs having at least 6 crew members needing rooms and only 9 rooms in the Bag/Dorm, I think it unlikely.


If the BOS section of the LSL gets a Bag/Dorm and the NYP section of the LSL also gets a Bag/Dorm, there will only be two crew members in the BOS dorm (the coach attendant and cafe attendant), assuming that the sleeper attendant stays in the sleeper, and assuming that the BOS section stays at two coaches and continues to not have its own dining car. So you'd be proposing that Amtrak should lose probably over $1000 a day in revenue from the 7 roomettes that would be wasted in each daily departure in this scheme.



AlanB said:


> There is no real seperation like there is the Superliner Trans/Dorm where the stairs & bathroom sort of make a dividing line.


There's no separation with the crew in the revenue sleepers today, though.


----------



## Joel N. Weber II (May 9, 2010)

jis said:


> Actually Plate H (double stack) or Plate K (triple auto rack) clear 20' 3", or so, which gives you a couple of feet or three worth of room above the roof of Supers for a dome. Supers fit within Plate F (17') I believe.


You would need to be careful to not make a 20' passenger car too top heavy, though. Having double stack freight roll over is somewhat less unacceptable than having a passenger car roll over.

But if you're going to make taller cars, the other possibility to consider is whether you could make either three level cars, or sleepers with compartments that have more vertical space (somewhat like Viewliner compartments).


----------



## Donctor (May 9, 2010)

Joel N. Weber II said:


> I wish Amtrak owned as many route miles of 500 MPH double track as there are route miles of Interstate Highway in the US.


I wish that there was enough funding to actually operate trains over all that trackage.


----------



## Green Maned Lion (May 10, 2010)

Joel N. Weber II said:


> I wish Amtrak owned as many route miles of 500 MPH double track as there are route miles of Interstate Highway in the US.


I wish your wish never comes to be.



Joel N. Weber II said:


> If the BOS section of the LSL gets a Bag/Dorm and the NYP section of the LSL also gets a Bag/Dorm, there will only be two crew members in the BOS dorm (the coach attendant and cafe attendant), assuming that the sleeper attendant stays in the sleeper, and assuming that the BOS section stays at two coaches and continues to not have its own dining car. So you'd be proposing that Amtrak should lose probably over $1000 a day in revenue from the 7 roomettes that would be wasted in each daily departure in this scheme.


If Amtrak ever runs two bag/dorms on the LSL, I'll be at Mass. Ave. giving the person who decided such a dressing down you wouldn't believe. They wouldn't do it. It simply makes no sense.


----------



## AlanB (May 10, 2010)

Green Maned Lion said:


> Joel N. Weber II said:
> 
> 
> > If the BOS section of the LSL gets a Bag/Dorm and the NYP section of the LSL also gets a Bag/Dorm, there will only be two crew members in the BOS dorm (the coach attendant and cafe attendant), assuming that the sleeper attendant stays in the sleeper, and assuming that the BOS section stays at two coaches and continues to not have its own dining car. So you'd be proposing that Amtrak should lose probably over $1000 a day in revenue from the 7 roomettes that would be wasted in each daily departure in this scheme.
> ...


No worries GML, you won't have to protest that one.

Boston will get a straight bag most likely, while NY will get the bag/dorm. Slight chance that Amtrak could reverse things and go the other way, with a full bag out of NYP and the bag/dorm out of Boston. But they won't put two dorms on the train, unless they add more coaches and more dining car staff.


----------



## AlanB (May 10, 2010)

Joel N. Weber II said:


> AlanB said:
> 
> 
> > There is no real seperation like there is the Superliner Trans/Dorm where the stairs & bathroom sort of make a dividing line.
> ...


True, but that is not what's preferred.


----------



## MattW (May 10, 2010)

Will the Viewliner II order include pure baggage cars? I was under the impression that every new baggage car would be a bag/dorm.


----------



## Green Maned Lion (May 10, 2010)

The option numbers skip my mind, but the basic order is:

25 Sleepers

25 Diners

25 Baggage Dorms

50 full Baggage


----------



## Donctor (May 10, 2010)

Joel N. Weber II said:


> If the BOS section of the LSL gets a Bag/Dorm and the NYP section of the LSL also gets a Bag/Dorm, there will only be two crew members in the BOS dorm (the coach attendant and cafe attendant), assuming that the sleeper attendant stays in the sleeper, and assuming that the BOS section stays at two coaches and continues to not have its own dining car. So you'd be proposing that Amtrak should lose probably over $1000 a day in revenue from the 7 roomettes that would be wasted in each daily departure in this scheme.


I do not disagree with what you're saying. My current thought is that such a car could run _in addition_ to the current sleeper on the BOS section. As I understand it, there is usually very little in the baggage car. Something like my fantastical sketch could provide the amount of baggage space that is actually needed and increase revenue space.

But hey, I'm just trying to defend my sketch. I recognize that it's entirely unrealistic, and every few months I allow myself to be momentarily unrealistic. I don't believe the thread initiator required the wishes to be realistic. If I can award my (admittedly bad) suggestion even the tiniest merit, I will attempt to do so (though it's clearly futile in this case).

Realistically, my wish is for Amtrak to have significantly greater fleet flexibility, which will only come with time (and consistent funding). Two bag/dorms would make little sense on the LSL, but there's no reason I can't say/sketch something pointless every now and again. Especially when "wishes" are involved.


----------



## Donctor (May 10, 2010)

Green Maned Lion said:


> If Amtrak ever runs two bag/dorms on the LSL, I'll be at Mass. Ave. giving the person who decided such a dressing down you wouldn't believe. They wouldn't do it. It simply makes no sense.


It actually doesn't. Illogical things have happened before, but I can't imagine Amtrak running two in service on the Lake Shore. If one was a deadhead, I can imagine seeing two (though, of course, that's not what you mean).


----------



## jis (May 12, 2010)

Joel N. Weber II said:


> jis said:
> 
> 
> > Actually Plate H (double stack) or Plate K (triple auto rack) clear 20' 3", or so, which gives you a couple of feet or three worth of room above the roof of Supers for a dome. Supers fit within Plate F (17') I believe.
> ...


3 more feet won't give you a third level 

How many double-stack or triple auto rack rollovers are you aware of to date. Spending too much time on your HO set lately? 

The Alaska RR bi-level obs cars are actually taller than Supers anyway.


----------



## Tennessee Traveler (May 12, 2010)

I simply wish Amtrak would restore service to Nashville, TN. Tennessee is probably the most underserved State in the USA except for those States were there is no Amtrak service at all. Bah! Humbug!

By the way, May 1-2 Nashville and most of Middle and West Tennesee surffered the most devastating and historic rainfall and flooding exceeding 15+ inches and $1.56 billion damage just in Nashville alone. 1,000's of home were flood damaged and over 23,000 individual family units have already registered with FEMA for flood damage assistance. Over 25 lives were lost just in Tennessee. And we were basically ignored by the national media. Why? Because Tennesseans began neighbor helping neighbor rescuing and recovery and now rebuilding. There was no significant incidences of looting and absolutely no rioting. Nashville is still the music capitol of the world and the music plays on. We will recover, rebuild and be greater than ever. WE ARE NASHVILLE!


----------



## Ryan (May 12, 2010)

You weren't ignored, it was all over the news here.


----------



## George Harris (May 12, 2010)

Ryan said:


> You weren't ignored, it was all over the news here.


Yeah. Mostly as high altitude aerial pictures. There were several railroad washouts as well. Remember, the railfall was over TWICE the previous record.


----------



## Donctor (May 12, 2010)

Tennessee Traveler said:


> By the way, May 1-2 Nashville and most of Middle and West Tennesee surffered the most devastating and historic rainfall and flooding exceeding 15+ inches and $1.56 billion damage just in Nashville alone. 1,000's of home were flood damaged and over 23,000 individual family units have already registered with FEMA for flood damage assistance. Over 25 lives were lost just in Tennessee. And we were basically ignored by the national media. Why? Because Tennesseans began neighbor helping neighbor rescuing and recovery and now rebuilding. There was no significant incidences of looting and absolutely no rioting. Nashville is still the music capitol of the world and the music plays on. We will recover, rebuild and be greater than ever. WE ARE NASHVILLE!


I suppose there would have been more coverage if there were claims of racism (which, in NOL, were actually valid).


----------



## Green Maned Lion (May 12, 2010)

jis said:


> 3 more feet won't give you a third level
> How many double-stack or triple auto rack rollovers are you aware of to date. Spending too much time on your HO set lately?
> 
> The Alaska RR bi-level obs cars are actually taller than Supers anyway.


Iunno, Jishnu, the NJT Multilevels are 14'6" and are bi-level. 5' 6" more... if you were to remove 2 inches from each of the other two floors... You'd have a tri level that would fit only the shorter Asian people. But a tri level nonetheless.


----------



## DAWall (May 12, 2010)

That Amtrak over the years, could have come up with a uniform profile for it's single level cars. Between the Amtubes, Horizon, Heritage, and Viewliner, P40/42's, smooth side, fluted side, there trains just seem pieced together.


----------



## Guest (May 13, 2010)

Tennessee Traveler said:


> By the way, May 1-2 Nashville and most of Middle and West Tennesee surffered the most devastating and historic rainfall and flooding exceeding 15+ inches and $1.56 billion damage just in Nashville alone. 1,000's of home were flood damaged and over 23,000 individual family units have already registered with FEMA for flood damage assistance. Over 25 lives were lost just in Tennessee. And we were basically ignored by the national media. Why? Because Tennesseans began neighbor helping neighbor rescuing and recovery and now rebuilding. There was no significant incidences of looting and absolutely no rioting. Nashville is still the music capitol of the world and the music plays on. We will recover, rebuild and be greater than ever. WE ARE NASHVILLE!


Same crap happened in Mississippi after Katrina. Mississippians didn't cry like babies and started working so New Orleans got all the attention. Mississippi got a hell of a lot worse beating from that storm.


----------



## jis (May 13, 2010)

Green Maned Lion said:


> Iunno, Jishnu, the NJT Multilevels are 14'6" and are bi-level. 5' 6" more... if you were to remove 2 inches from each of the other two floors... You'd have a tri level that would fit only the shorter Asian people. But a tri level nonetheless.


That is true. But I was making the reasonable assumption that we were talking about something that would be acceptable to Amtrak in the US 

Along those line we could even do a quadri-level sleeper which provided accommodation like in those coffin hotels in Tokyo too


----------

