Help Chasing Down a Heritage Diner

[Anderson]

Ok, those of you who've known me for a while know that I've long had a "thing" for the old Heritage diners (let's face it, they're now effectively the last Budd equipment in regular service in the US). With the CAF diner deliveries slowly making their way through things (I'm seeing one non-V2 diner left on the Crescent and on the Meteor), is there anyone I could talk to about trying to time the equipment cycles to bag a meal in one of the Heritage diners one last time? FWIW until I saw KnightRail's post I actually thought they'd completely converted the Meteor but not the Crescent (I got 06 on the way down to FL last Tuesday and 08 on the way home this week).

 

[AmtrakLKL]

There is no set equipment cycle for the Heritage diners. They’re covering as needed.

For example, 98 leaving Miami today has 8531 in service.

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[Green Maned Lion]

Thats not true on several levels; several scenic railroads use traditional Budd streamliner equipment, while the backbone of Amtraks fleet (the ~700 Amfleet I and II and Metroliner Cabs still on property) is Budd built stuff. I believe MTA has a bunch of Budd stuff still in service, too, both on the Subways and in commuter service- although all of it will be gone soon.

Doesnt Metra have some Budd built galleries in service still, as well? And some of the oldest SEPTA Silverliners?

 

[PVD]

Subway cars R-32 are still around in quantity. when the R179 finally go into service many more will retire but some are likely to remain until R-211 order starts arriving....

MTA Budds (M3/3A) will soldier on until M-9 cars take over their work.

 

[Acela150]

GML Septa’s Budd Cars were SL II’s. They’ve been gone for almost 5 years now. The High Speed Line cars are built by ABB, Market Frankford Line Adtranz, Streetcars and Broad Street Line Kawasaki. No Budd equipment left here. Which is a sin in itself.

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[Skyline]

Thats not true on several levels; several scenic railroads use traditional Budd streamliner equipment, while the backbone of Amtraks fleet (the ~700 Amfleet I and II and Metroliner Cabs still on property) is Budd built stuff. I believe MTA has a bunch of Budd stuff still in service, too, both on the Subways and in commuter service- although all of it will be gone soon.

Doesnt Metra have some Budd built galleries in service still, as well? And some of the oldest SEPTA Silverliners?

I took the OP's statement as applying to Amtrak regular service.

Of course, you are correct . . . there are plenty of non-Amtrak ways to ride in Budd equipment in the US. And of course in Canada there is the excellent regularly scheduled Canadian #1 and #2 trains which are doing well with Budd cars that have been overhauled multiple times (if they could only match the excellent on-board experience with better time-keeping!).

 

[Seaboard92]

I'm more interested in the disposition of the Budd cars. And when the auction is.

 

[zephyr17]

Ok, those of you who've known me for a while know that I've long had a "thing" for the old Heritage diners (let's face it, they're now effectively the last Budd equipment in regular service in the US). With the CAF diner deliveries slowly making their way through things (I'm seeing one non-V2 diner left on the Crescent and on the Meteor), is there anyone I could talk to about trying to time the equipment cycles to bag a meal in one of the Heritage diners one last time? FWIW until I saw KnightRail's post I actually thought they'd completely converted the Meteor but not the Crescent (I got 06 on the way down to FL last Tuesday and 08 on the way home this week).

The former Santa Fe Hi Level El Capitan lounge cars running in regular Amtrak service as Pacific Parlour Cars on the Coast Starlight are Budd equipment and will likely outlast the Heritage diners in regular service. So, no, the diners are not "effectively the last Budd equipment in regular service in the US," even if the statement was amended to restrict it to Amtrak excluding commuter lines, scenic railways, and Iowa Pacific.

 

[jis]

While the PPCs will outlast the Heritage Diners, their days are also numbered. There is a program cranking up to convert 5 CCCs for use as PPC replacement as they are sent off to railcars resting places. This is likely to happen within the next few years.

 

[zephyr17]

Agreed, jis.

 

[railiner]

Can't Amtrak Diner 8400 be considered a Budd car....at least the basic shell.....? Along with the two prototype sleeper's, one of which is now Inspection Car 10004...

 

[railiner]

GML Septa’s Budd Cars were SL II’s. They’ve been gone for almost 5 years now. The High Speed Line cars are built by ABB, Market Frankford Line Adtranz, Streetcars and Broad Street Line Kawasaki. No Budd equipment left here. Which is a sin in itself.

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Weren't the PATCO cars built by Budd?

 

[Acela150]

GML Septa’s Budd Cars were SL II’s. They’ve been gone for almost 5 years now. The High Speed Line cars are built by ABB, Market Frankford Line Adtranz, Streetcars and Broad Street Line Kawasaki. No Budd equipment left here. Which is a sin in itself.

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Weren't the PATCO cars built by Budd?

Some of them yes. They are currently under rebuilding by Alstom.

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[PVD]

The first series Budd, second series Vickers

 

[Thirdrail7]

To expand on AmtrakLKL's comment, the LDSL diners are supposed to be used if they are available. Since there are 9 LDSL cars (including the 8400) available for 8 required, the heritage cars are basically protects at this point.

The only hope of accurately predicting a heritage without a major issue occurring hinges on Hartford and Harrisburg not entering service before the mid Dec, when the next diner is due PM.

 

[Hotblack Desiato]

Gotta love it when a throwaway parenthetical comment becomes the main focus of discussion in a thread and not the actual topic of the OP.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Patco is not Septa. But I suspect Budds will be running their forever. Philly is home base, after all.

Once upon a time Philly did something useful. Astonishing, I know.

 

[GaSteve]

"Philly is home base, after all."

Was.

 

[RPC]

Getting back to the original question, your best bet at this point is to get information from up the line and make a last-minute reservation. You should be able to catch a meal between Washington and either Richmond or Charlottesville either way.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Are you saying that the closure of Red Lion changes the point of origin of the rail car?

 

[GaSteve]

Are you saying that the closure of Red Lion changes the point of origin of the rail car?

No, your remark "is" made it sound like Budd was still there.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I apparently have a tendency to overestimate average people in the area of reading comprehension.

 

[Thirdrail7]

To expand on AmtrakLKL's comment, the LDSL diners are supposed to be used if they are available. Since there are 9 LDSL cars (including the 8400) available for 8 required, the heritage cars are basically protects at this point.

The only hope of accurately predicting a heritage without a major issue occurring hinges on Hartford and Harrisburg not entering service before the mid Dec, when the next diner is due PM.

Now that Hartford and Harrisburg haven entered revenue service, there are 11 LDSL cars (including the 8400) for 8 required. There are now LDSL cars in protect service too! This will make it particularly difficult to catch a heritage diner unless there are major issues.

If you're flexible, I believe RPC has the best answer:

Getting back to the original question, your best bet at this point is to get information from up the line and make a last-minute reservation. You should be able to catch a meal between Washington and either Richmond or Charlottesville either way.

 

[DevalDragon]

Unfortunately, this is true. Unless you have a friend at Amtrak that can get a consist when the train leaves NYC, and are flexible enough to get on that train the same day, it's luck of the draw.

The heritage diners to to Sunnyside when they are withdrawn and deadhead to Chicago on the Late Shore.

There is no set equipment cycle for the Heritage diners. They’re covering as needed.

For example, 98 leaving Miami today has 8531 in service.


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[mgl1978]

Your best option for eating a meal in a Budd car is the Amfleet 1 & 2 cafes.