The RFP requires the responses to be for bi-level based on the document that we have seen here earlier.
Early '30s starts at 2030. No need to take the most pessimistic narrative. Actually this is not new. The original timeline said the same thing as it appears in the RFP plan. 6 years to deployment is not completely off the scale for something that is far from off the shelf. It took Brightline a bit over 4 years to get their initial delivery. Of course no one noticed because their track was not quite ready yet, which again was as they planned since they knew they would have to do extensive testing to get FRA approval. And those cars were about as off the shelf as one can get. Standard European cars mapped to modified Tier I with CEM.
Is that something that's likely or even possible?
Are you referring to the Venture/Airos that will replace the Horizons and Amfleets? The Horizons and Amfleet 1s are set up for corridor service, not long-distance service. limited seat pitch and recline. While one could certainly survive a 30 hour trip in one, it wouldn't be ideal. Of course, Amtrak could refurbish the interiors for long-distance service, but that would cost money and require a complicated procurement process, too. And the Amfleet 1s are close to 50 years old, the Horizons aren't much younger.
Aren’t some of those Venture/Airos slated to replace the long-distance Amfleet II’s?
Not the current order. Those are all Amfleet I replacements. There could be a future order using options attached with thee Airo order for additional cars - some 450 or so, variously furnished, to replace the Amfleet IIs, but that is likely to come after the Bi-level order is in process (not delivered, but in process i.e. the order is placed and in progress).Aren’t some of those Venture/Airos slated to replace the long-distance Amfleet II’s?
If so, they would be configured for long distance service. And when you look at a 50 year old Amfleet car, their Budd built construction should be good to last another 10 - 20 years. Just look how well the older VIA Rail Budd cars are holding up at age 70.
I know what you meant, but I had this image of "converting" Superliner trains to single level by running them through a few east coast tunnels...
Do you have any credible documentation to support your conjecture that the Superliners cannot be kept alive for another ten years?
If that’s the case, when Airo cars come on line why not retrofit Amfleet I cars as Am II since the cars should have as long a life as Budd’s cars in Canada (sorry about the windows but passengers are ok with them now used as BC cars).
Are those the trucks on SL-1s? What are on SL-2s? Probably not able but could a different truck be applied to any of the present cars? Both single and 2 level cars?
SL-2s are GSI as are all Viewliners.
Yep. SL2 run on GSI 70T, same trucks found under viewliners, California cars, Surfliners and more. You could try a truck swap but its a lot of cost and work to do it. Especially in the modern regulatory state.
I thought the reason the Heritage cars went sway was the cost of installing retention toilets.
There have been no additional new leases. The cars in the California fleet are long term leases from Amtrak, long enough to justify California paying for their repair from the back lot at Beech Grove. They are not about to give those up after paying to bring them back from dead.
