New Rehabilitated Superliners unveiled

[AmtrakBlue]

It gets a bit confusing. The physical car has a number (and some also have a name) but the car number on your ticket indicates where the car is located within the consist of a particular train.

I chose to leave out the extraneous info - so as not to confuse.

 

[lrh442]

No. They do not have a Five Year Plan to replace the Superliners. They have a plan to decide whether to rebuild or replace. Any execution of said plan once developed is beyond the five year horizon (post 2026). The Superliners will be around for at least ten more years as far as I can tell, unless they decide to rebuild of course.

If we hope to ever increase the number of western LD trains (either by frequency or routes) they need to both rebuild the existing Superliners and order new equipment. Otherwise we're locked into the equipment-constrained paradigm that is choking off ridership on current trains and making additional routes & frequencies a pipe dream. A heavy overhaul could start relatively soon, trickle them into service over 5 years, and have something to show for the current (but fragile) pro-rail environment on the Hill. Then bring on the new designs a decade hence.

 

[PVD]

When all of the single level cars purchased by the states go into service, a handful of Superliner cars likely become available, but no sleepers. Conceivably, you could refit some Horizons as LD coaches and could convert the Cap Limited, putting a few sleepers into the mix. But not in the quantities that would support any major moves. You could beef up existing consists, and might gain enough single level cars to support a new day train route or two, but I don't see much more than that without the arrival of more cars. And we still have to talk about power.

 

[Cal]

If you know your car number, is there any way to know if it has been refurbished and when? I was about to book a sleeper and I was curious what shape it might be in. Thank you!

If you're train goes by a railcam, you can try to check what consist will most likely be yours and go off that. However it's no guarantee.

 

[zephyr17]

If you're train goes by a railcam, you can try to check what consist will most likely be yours and go off that. However it's no guarantee.

Would there be any exterior spotting features that would indicate a refurbished car?

 

[Cal]

Would there be any exterior spotting features that would indicate a refurbished car?

No, you can only really tell if it's a I or II.

 

[zephyr17]

No, you can only really tell if it's a I or II.

That's what I thought. Although I would assume that the IIs would be the first sleepers to get the refurb, since they are pretty much as delivered and are definitely getting tatty.

Changing the subject, since the proposed refurb is on the soft products (upholstery, bedding), does anyone know if they are going to redo the restrooms along the lines of Superliner I refurb? At $62K/car that seems dubious.

 

[Bob Dylan]

That's what I thought. Although I would assume that the IIs would be the first sleepers to get the refurb, since they are pretty much as delivered and are definitely getting tatty.

Changing the subject, since the proposed refurb is on the soft products (upholstery, bedding), does anyone know if they are going to redo the restrooms along the lines of Superliner I refurb? At $62K/car that seems dubious.

Those Superliner II Restrooms and Showers really need Updating, perhaps even more so than the ratty carpet,curtains upholstery, door latches and the electronics in the rooms!

 

[oboedeb]

The roomette seats in particular look like they came out of a '60's classic auto.

I hope those blue lines across the pillowcase are not raised piping that will leave corresponding indentations on the side of my face.

pass it off as a dueling scar

 

[Willbridge]

Having a plan and money being allocated are two different things that you conflate at your own peril.

There is a plan more than 5 years out. The way money is authorized and appropriated in the federal budgeting process, there is no way to have money allocated beyond just estimates of cost. It is beyond the five year authorization horizon. But still there is a plan and no amount of bellyaching about the fund allocation will make it happen at this time in the normal flow of things. There is also that open question about whether to continue with bi-levels or go for fleet uniformity that is yet to be answered. That would have an impact on what money to allocate for how many.

As for whether the US public will still want an LD network fiver years from now when the funding decisions come due, that in itself is of course anyone's guess depending on how the political winds blow. And BTW, even if the funds were allocated now they could as easily be rescinded a few years from now. It has happened before.

You nailed a key part of the forever equipment problem. European railroads right now are digging around for equipment for overnight trains. Public policy switched from "night trains are passé" to "night trains are essential" (and endorsed by Thunberg) within about a two-year period. Only a few organizations saw it coming and a few more in Central and Eastern Europe lucked out because they hadn't disposed of theirs yet.

 

[west point]

A problem not mentioned is that there needs to be very visible car numbers posted at entrances to the cars.

 

[Cal]

A problem not mentioned is that there needs to be very visible car numbers posted at entrances to the cars.

In my experience they are generally pretty easy to see

 

[zephyr17]

A problem not mentioned is that there needs to be very visible car numbers posted at entrances to the cars.

That are correct. I have seen line numbers that weren't even for the right train. One time in Chicago the 730 car had 631 showing in the window. I only knew it was my car because of its position in the consist. I told the attendant, he pretty much shrugged, but started asking everyone who walked up that far "Car 730?".

I was a Superliner I so had the car line number on the roller

 

[crescent-zephyr]

That are correct. I have seen line numbers that weren't even for the right train. One time in Chicago the 730 car had 631 showing in the window. I only knew it was my car because of its position in the consist. I told the attendant, he pretty much shrugged, but started asking everyone who walked up that far "Car 730?".

I was a Superliner I so had the car line number on the roller

It’s possible the Car Attendants aren’t allowed or even able to change the numbers so there wasn’t anything he could do.

 

[zephyr17]

It’s possible the Car Attendants aren’t allowed or even able to change the numbers so there wasn’t anything he could do.

They can and he did after we were underway and didn't have to monitor the door.

I don't blame him as much as the coach yard, although he should have checked it before they opened the train for boarding.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

You must watch your SCA like a hawk! Haha.

 

[zephyr17]

You must watch your SCA like a hawk! Haha.

No, I just like to hang out on the platform after I get my stuff stowed before departure.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

That are correct. I have seen line numbers that weren't even for the right train. One time in Chicago the 730 car had 631 showing in the window. I only knew it was my car because of its position in the consist. I told the attendant, he pretty much shrugged, but started asking everyone who walked up that far "Car 730?".

I was a Superliner I so had the car line number on the roller

Yep, I’ve seen many cars with the wrong # showing. As I recall, I saw a Silver Meteor coach car in Harrisburg, PA once.

 

[Nick Farr]

Only a few organizations saw it coming and a few more in Central and Eastern Europe lucked out because they hadn't disposed of theirs yet.

Well, as far as Eastern Europe goes, Night Trains are often the only viable option due to a lack of HSR corridors and service in Eastern Europe. Munich to Berlin is a 4 hr DB ICE ride any time of day. However, Belgrade to Vienna (a similar distance) is a 9 hour bus ride or a night train.

 

[Brian Battuello]

I've seen quite a few 48's that should be 49's. I generally just wave my ticket or phone at SCA's until one of them points me.

 

[zephyr17]

I don't care about the opposite direction train number, I've been in many 830s and 31s that showed 730/31 and vice versa.

But when it is both an entirely different train and car line, well, that throws me.

 

[OBS]

They can and he did after we were underway and didn't have to monitor the door.

I don't blame him as much as the coach yard, although he should have checked it before they opened the train for boarding.

Unfortunately, the coach yard does nothing with the line numbers. It is the attendant responsibility. Subsequently, if you see a LD car on a train without coach/sleeper attendants, then the numbers are not adjusted accordingly.

 

[zephyr17]

Unfortunately, the coach yard does nothing with the line numbers. It is the attendant responsibility. Subsequently, if you see a LD car on a train without coach/sleeper attendants, then the numbers are not adjusted accordingly.

Thanks, good to know.

 

[Cal]

Unfortunately, the coach yard does nothing with the line numbers. It is the attendant responsibility. Subsequently, if you see a LD car on a train without coach/sleeper attendants, then the numbers are not adjusted accordingly.

I know there is (or at least, was) usually one SCA per sleeping car, sometimes also having to deal with a transdorm. But how many coach attendants are on any given train?

 

[OBS]

For Superliner coaches it is generally one for every two cars. For single level it can vary one for every 2, 3, or four cars depending on the train and the ridership.