Long Distance (LD) fleet replacement discussion (2022 - 2024Q1)

[dlagrua]

The RFP was issued last Friday. See:

Amtrak LD RFP Issued on Dec 15, 2023

Thanks Jis for updating the info. What what i read Amtrak will be soliciting only manufacturers that have made Amtrak equipment. That would seem to narrow the field quite a bit but perhaps makes the award when issued have more substance.

 

[Paniolo Man]

Thanks Jis for updating the info. What what i read Amtrak will be soliciting only manufacturers that have made Amtrak equipment. That would seem to narrow the field quite a bit but perhaps makes the award when issued have more substance.

Where did you read that?

If true that would likely preclude Stadler from bidding.

 

[west point]

Can you imagine Nippon (ND) bidding on bilevel equipment?

 

[Andrew]

Where did you read that?

If true that would likely preclude Stadler from bidding.

Stadler is making FLIRT trainsets for Amtrak California.

So Stadler will likely put up a strong bid for Amtrak's new bilevel trains.

 

[jis]

RPA had put out this a week back when the RFP was issued. Contains some more information...

https://www.railpassengers.org/happening-now/news/blog/amtrak-issues-long-distance-rfp/
Apparently the RFP issued on 12/15 was in effect a solicitation of interest. The actual RFP will be provided today to those that are interested and qualify. So we the public may not get to see the technical details for a while yet. I am not sure at what point we will know who qualified either.

Anyway there is some more detail under:

https://procurement.amtrak.com/irj/...e5ddc1f8f8a91eae2c&InitialNodeFirstLevel=true
specially if you click through to the MS Word document pointed to.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

So we the public may not get to see the technical details for a while yet. I am not sure at what point we will know who qualified either.

Conspiracy or trade secret?

I can see why Amtrak would keep the details quiet. Less people complaining and filing lawsuits. Just not sure how they can justify it when using government funds.

 

[jis]

Conspiracy or trade secret?

I can see why Amtrak would keep the details quiet. Less people complaining and filing lawsuits. Just not sure how they can justify it when using government funds.

It is trade secret I believe, until a selection is made.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

RPA had put out this a week back when the RFP was issued. Contains some more information...

https://www.railpassengers.org/happening-now/news/blog/amtrak-issues-long-distance-rfp/
Apparently the RFP issued on 12/15 was in effect a solicitation of interest. The actual RFP will be provided today to those that are interested and qualify. So we the public may not get to see the technical details for a while yet. I am not sure at what point we will know who qualified either.

Anyway there is some more detail under:

https://procurement.amtrak.com/irj/...e5ddc1f8f8a91eae2c&InitialNodeFirstLevel=true
specially if you click through to the MS Word document pointed to.

Talk about a long drawn out process. With all the hype of the past year the “solicitation of interest” has just gone out now.

 

[jis]

Talk about a long drawn out process. With all the hype of the past year the “solicitation of interest” has just gone out now.

With a one week deadline. The actual RFP apparently is due out today. Admittedly we are guessing to some extent as to what the two documents are about. Buth the Word document at least clarifies a bit.

 

[user 14106]

I’d add very little detail was released in the Airo procurement before Siemens was selected as the manufacturer. The competing car builders do not want Amtrak releasing info on their ideas for obvious competitive reasons. Satisfying the more conspiratorial folks among us that it’s actually happening is not likely a priority.

 

[jis]

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-rev...b6jXlVx5vJtZ4JYJQiAEf16zeq9ayrM23jIv8bX4rxVr0

 

[user 14106]

Amtrak Reaches Next Major Milestone in Transforming Long Distance Train Service - Amtrak Media Amtrak official press release.

 

[TheMalahat]

Conspiracy...

Oh America, such a funny place

Via Rail just issued a RFP for 39 F40s to get life extensions into 2035. That's a suitable quantity for the whole long distance network. Hopefully this is timed to be generally with a combined-ish order with Amtrak. If Via doesn't purchase before the next election I don't think we will ever see rolling stock replaced for LDs, but would love to be wrong!

 

[west point]

A back of the brain calculator says that 63 restorations will mean about 1-1/2 more superliners for each SL train set and about 1 additional car for each single level train set.

 

[elaineprescott]

We are planning a trip on the Zephyr in late spring. About how many sleepers, lounges, diners, etc. will have been refurbished by then do you think?

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

Short answer. No one except Amtrak can answer that, even then take that with a grain of salt. I’d go with the assumption you will be in a non refurbished car which honestly shouldn’t diminish your trips enjoyment. Start looking at dates now and try to lock in an acceptable fare if you can.

 

[user 14106]

A back of the brain calculator says that 63 restorations will mean about 1-1/2 more superliners for each SL train set and about 1 additional car for each single level train set.

Most of the cars coming back from storage this year are non revenue cars of various types (diners, lounge, bagagge cars), superliner transition sleepers, Viewliner 1 sleepers and Horizons. Most of the coaches and regular superliner sleepers that were in storage are already back out there. For the wreck repairs there’s cars from a number of different types both revenue and non revenue. A complete list of all the types is out there. Capacity is still not what it was prior to Covid due to a couple of wrecks that have occurred (Joplin MT, Chief in Missouri, and Coast Starlight earlier this year,) the need to have superliners on the Carbondale service which begin in 2019, and higher bad order shop counts due to supply chain, part lead times, and shop labor (so a higher amount of cars are kept out of rotation to account for bad ordered cars and preventative maintenance rotations in the shops).

 

[jis]

A bit of history of Superliners...

https://www.trains.com/ctr/railroads/passenger-service/genesis-of-amtrak-superliner-cars/

 

[frequentflyer]

Thought the original Superliner order was 279.
284+195=479 cars. How many of those cars are in service in now?

 

[jis]

Thought the original Superliner order was 279.
284+195=479 cars. How many of those cars are in service in now?

Something like 224+170=394 +/- a dozen or so maybe.

 

[Paniolo Man]

Does anybody recall how long it was between RFP and award for the Viewliners?

How long should we expect silence on this topic?

 

[jis]

https://www.railwayage.com/passenge...RrnhXjyNSYXRa3YJD3cxi1Emwj-dbWWf7MjzMrv5nyWPs

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Thanks for posting that JIS, I got a chuckle out of the "once-in-a-generation opportunity" statement/quote - it really shouldn't (have to) be that far apart for replacement of equipment (or at least additions to the fleet).

Isn't "blockbuster order for more than 700 cars" this like what India orders and builds in a year (too lazy to go check out the threads we've had on India's RR equipment)?

 

[jis]

Isn't "blockbuster order for more than 700 cars" this like what India orders and builds in a year (too lazy to go check out the threads we've had on India's RR equipment)?

India manufactures about 7,000 passenger cars per year these days as they are in the process of replacing their entire old fleet of 40,000+ Schlieren cars by new LHB cars while growing the total number of cars significantly.

 

[PaTrainFan]

A bit of history of Superliners...

https://www.trains.com/ctr/railroads/passenger-service/genesis-of-amtrak-superliner-cars/

“We believe in the future of our Long-Distance service,” said Amtrak Board Chair Tony Coscia.

Right. Because Congress told you to believe in it.