Long Distance (LD) fleet replacement RFP discussion H1 2024

[Amtrak25]

Those are not CN/VIA Tempo cars but ex-GO Transit commuter cars ("GO Carts") with some pretty awful, rough riding trucks. Yes, I rode them 4 times in the 2000's.

 

[jiml]

Another use of aluminum was in the CN Tempo fleet, seen here ahead of the dome on the Rio Grande Ski Train.

Some of which are still in use on the Algoma Central:

 

[Asher]

Japanese high speed trains are built with aluminum of various alloys for the different sections.

 

[Johnny]

Is it more likely that Amtrak selects a manufacturer (such as Alstom or Siemens) who has already done a lot of business with them in comparison to a company that Amtrak is not too familiar with, such as Hitachi?

 

[Amfleeter]

I mean, aren't the Horizon cars aluminum? They've held up pretty well, tbh.

 

[Awesometrainz]

If I had to guess who is going to win the bid I would have to say Kawasaki as they have experience with bi levels and don't really have that much against them compared to a lot of the other bidders

 

[Amtrak25]

What some people have told me is the Horizon cars have long since been corroding, but not in palces that you can see. So there's that white dust accumulating behind panels.

In the 1970's, Amtrak maintenance people with Sunnyside yard pedigrees, some of whom relocated to Chicago, absolutely hated aluminum. There was still instititutional memory of the Altoona-built LIRR MP-70 double deckers from 1947 that were scrapped by 1971 due to electrolysis corrosion, much like the stuff that oozes out of 9v batteries, of the aluminum car sides interacting against the steel frames and vestibules.

The Horizon cars are aluminum alloy (emphasis "alloy"), so maybe that's the difference, and they figured out how to join it to a steel frame.

 

[Harmon Shay]

The way things have been going, I just hope the Horizon cars can last a lot longer, because it looks like they're going to have to.

 

[UserNameRequired]

... There was still instititutional memory of the Altoona-built LIRR MP-70 double deckers from 1947 that were scrapped by 1971 due to electrolysis corrosion, much like the stuff that oozes out of 9v batteries, of the aluminum car sides interacting against the steel frames and vestibules….

I had to go lookup what those MP-70’s were, such an interesting seat layout! Too bad they were setup for bimetal corrosion.
The lone survivor at the Railroad Museum of Long Island looks like a great trip opportunity, except it is all the way out on the end of the island.

 

[railiner]

Those are not CN/VIA Tempo cars but ex-GO Transit commuter cars ("GO Carts") with some pretty awful, rough riding trucks. Yes, I rode them 4 times in the 2000's.

If you’re referring to the ones in the photo in @Willbridge’s post, they were former VIA/CN Tempo cars, built by Hawker-Siddeley.
See…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempo_(railcar)#:~:text=The Tempos are a fleet,Canadian National Railway in 1968.

 

[jiml]

If you’re referring to the ones in the photo in @Willbridge’s post, they were former VIA/CN Tempo cars, built by Hawker-Siddely.
See…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempo_(railcar)#:~:text=The Tempos are a fleet,Canadian National Railway in 1968.

It may have been a reference to my erroneous and sleepy post of a Hawker-Siddeley ONR coach, which I corrected ASAP. The photos reside side-by-side in my archive. I didn't think the original was up for long enough to be noticed and is now correct.

 

[Awesometrainz]

i think given there track record Alstom is gonna take for ever for bad products if they win the bid

 

[Willbridge]

It may have been a reference to my erroneous and sleepy post of a Hawker-Siddeley ONR coach, which I corrected ASAP. The photos reside side-by-side in my archive. I didn't think the original was up for long enough to be noticed and is now correct.

As I have drawings for the Tempo cars, including the cafe and first-class cars that I saw regularly in Denver, I figured we'd get this straightened out.

 

[railiner]

I vaguely recall riding in the ex-Tempo cars, when they were first acquired by the Rio Grande Ski Train...they seemed much noisier inside then the heavyweight steel, former NP cars they replaced...

 

[pennyk]

To continue the discussion of Long Distance fleet replacement, please post your comments in the "current" Long Distance Fleet Replacment thread:

https://www.amtraktrains.com/thread...nt-rfp-discussion-2024-h2.87606/#post-1045270

Thank you for your cooperation and participation.