That's a long test. I mean, the Diner moved to BG months ago. Wouldn't the modules have been prepared by now?
That would depend on a lot of things. For example, the general situation concerning the Viewliner II project. To be completely honest, there is no reason on earth why Amtrak would bother putting the wreck that is 8400 on the road unless it was to serve as a rolling prototype.
If the Viewliner II project in general is on hold (and a lot of things point that way, including no submission of bids by Alstom, Bombardier, Talgo, or Kawasaki!), then ordering modules for the Viewliner IIs to be built would be a waste of time and money. They aren't going to order modules for the one Viewliner Diner in existence until they are damned sure there are going to be more.
I've heard a lot of reports, including the various builders holding out to wait and see if there is more to the Viewliner II project than a handful of baggage, diner, dorm, and sleeper cars. If the Viewliner project includes replacement of the entire Amtrak single-level fleet, it changes a lot of things.
My understanding is that the Viewliner shell is intended to form the basis for the replacement of not only the Heritage cars but also the Amfleet I, Amfleet II, and Horizon cars. Plus perhaps form a loose basis for the Acela II. If I can pick up that information, I'm sure the major rail car builders can pick that up, too.
Now, the company who has already set up the assembly line for the Viewliner II sleepers, diners, baggage, and baggage dorm cars is probably going to be able to under-bid and still profitably fulfill the contract for the LD lounges, coaches, SD coaches and SD cafe cars.
If that is the true case, than whoever wins this 125 car order isn't winning an 125 car order. They are de facto winning the contract for the entire 600 SD coaches, 150 LD coaches, 100 SD cafes, 30 LD lounges, plus a likely additional order of sleepers and diners. Not to mention 240 cars worth of high-speed equipment and 80 locomotives or so if they get the Acela II order, too.
If this is a 125 car order alone, they will bid based upon their belief of making a profit on a small contract bid- that is, they'll bid what they think they can profitably take this for. But... if they think they are really bidding on a 1100-1400 car long-term assembly contract, well they'll be bidding based on that. They'll bid lower and more competitively because winning this isn't winning a 3 year profit venture. It's winning a 20 year constant workload and profit.