Superliner I or II

[boxcar479]

I was reading another post and they were talking about the Superliner sleepers I & II. One has a closet in the roomettes one doesn't. What are the other differences in the rooms or the cars altogether, if any?

Can you tell from the outside before you board which car it is?

 

[IHC]

S1's have the closet. S2's don't.

S1's have push button toilets. S2's don't, the toilets flush by lowering the lid.

S1's have more ridges on the rounded tops of the cars on the outside than the S2's have.

 

[printman2000]

The easiest way I have found is to look at the wheels (trucks). If there is a big metal bar going from wheel to wheel, it is a II. If it is not there, it is a I.

Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superliner_%28railcar%29

and there is a picture on the right side showing the difference I am talking about.

Better yet, here ya go... Top is I, bottom is II

 

[darien-l]

Superliner I sleepers are often refurbished. Superliner IIs are not.

 

[printman2000]

S1's have more ridges on the rounded tops of the cars on the outside than the S2's have.

I have never noticed this. You have or know of any pics that show this difference?

 

[boxcar479]

Interesting 4 different replys 4 different answers. You would think this is AU or something!!! (thanks for the PM Jim) I guess we all love the trains in our own special way. Thanks to all!

Tracy W.

 

[PetalumaLoco]

S1's have more ridges on the rounded tops of the cars on the outside than the S2's have.

I have never noticed this. You have or know of any pics that show this difference?

Superliner I

Superliner II

 

[boxcar479]

Nice pictures. You can also see the wheels as printman showed, Thanks

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

And if I recall right S1s have a row of rivets running along about the bottom of the cheatline whereas S2s don't.

 

[BlakeTyner]

You can also look on the side of the car, down on the ends just past the windows. If there is a little extra metal "patch" there, it's a I. If it's clean sheet metal, it's a II. Originally the car numbers were there on the I's.

See the patch in this picture:

 

[printman2000]

Okay, I remembered a topic I started a couple of years ago about the difference in the fluting at the top of two cars.

Here is the topic http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?...p;hl=difference

Here is the picture I was referring to...

These two cars show the same difference in the fluting at the top, however, both are Superliner I's. This tells me that the fluting at the top of the car is not a reliable way alone to tell the difference.

Of course, if you use all the methods mentioned in this thread, it becomes pretty easy to tell the difference.

 

[Bootman4U]

Which ones are easier to clean? Are those Sightseer Lounges I's or II's? The reason i ask is the last time I was in a Sightseer Lounge you could see the GRIME on the curved windows about half-way up..apparently there were no automatic car cleaners which could effectively handle a curved window...and I wonder if that is still true or they do it as ViaRail does their dome cars..with real people in cherry pickers....no, probably not.

 

[Bootman4U]

Okay, I remembered a topic I started a couple of years ago about the difference in the fluting at the top of two cars.
Here is the topic http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?...p;hl=difference

Here is the picture I was referring to...

These two cars show the same difference in the fluting at the top, however, both are Superliner I's. This tells me that the fluting at the top of the car is not a reliable way alone to tell the difference.

Of course, if you use all the methods mentioned in this thread, it becomes pretty easy to tell the difference.

Actually if you look closely you can see a very BIG difference between these two cars..look how much closer the "fluting" is to the top of the windows in the car on the RIGHT!

 

[printman2000]

Okay, I remembered a topic I started a couple of years ago about the difference in the fluting at the top of two cars.
Here is the topic http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?...p;hl=difference

Here is the picture I was referring to...

These two cars show the same difference in the fluting at the top, however, both are Superliner I's. This tells me that the fluting at the top of the car is not a reliable way alone to tell the difference.

Of course, if you use all the methods mentioned in this thread, it becomes pretty easy to tell the difference.

Actually if you look closely you can see a very BIG difference between these two cars..look how much closer the "fluting" is to the top of the windows in the car on the RIGHT!

I believe that is what I said in my post. However, both are I's.

 

[dlagrua]

S1's have the closet. S2's don't.
S1's have push button toilets. S2's don't, the toilets flush by lowering the lid.

S1's have more ridges on the rounded tops of the cars on the outside than the S2's have.

The AutoTrain sleepers have both the closet and the lid flush toilets. I believe that they are Superliner II's. Maybe the AT is the exception to the rule.

 

[Tony]

I was reading another post and they were talking about the Superliner sleepers I & II. One has a closet in the roomettes one doesn't. What are the other differences in the rooms or the cars altogether, if any?Can you tell from the outside before you board which car it is?

Maybe the better question would have been what are the differences that a typical passenger would notice (or care about)?

Softer seats? Wider armrests? More outlets? Softer ride? Better coffee?

Honestly, exterior fluting differences just doesn't get me excited.

 

[printman2000]

I was reading another post and they were talking about the Superliner sleepers I & II. One has a closet in the roomettes one doesn't. What are the other differences in the rooms or the cars altogether, if any?Can you tell from the outside before you board which car it is?

Maybe the better question would have been what are the differences that a typical passenger would notice (or care about)?

Softer seats? Wider armrests? More outlets? Softer ride? Better coffee?

Honestly, exterior fluting differences just doesn't get me excited.

Since the OP asked about interior AND exterior differences, that is what we have tried to help with. Sorry that does not excite you. Especially since there are just not a whole lot of differences on the inside other than what has already been mentioned.

 

[Tony]

Since the OP asked about interior AND exterior differences, that is what we have tried to help with. Sorry that does not excite you. Especially since there are just not a whole lot of differences on the inside other than what has already been mentioned.

Do you really think that fluting and rivets are what gets Amtrak passengers the most excited about taking their train? I hate to break it to you, but no.

 

[AAARGH!]

Since the OP asked about interior AND exterior differences, that is what we have tried to help with. Sorry that does not excite you. Especially since there are just not a whole lot of differences on the inside other than what has already been mentioned.

Do you really think that fluting and rivets are what gets Amtrak passengers the most excited about taking their train? I hate to break it to you, but no.

The OP asked how to tell the difference from the outside. The questions was answered and you have the gall to get snippy about the answer? Geeesh. :angry:

 

[printman2000]

Since the OP asked about interior AND exterior differences, that is what we have tried to help with. Sorry that does not excite you. Especially since there are just not a whole lot of differences on the inside other than what has already been mentioned.

Do you really think that fluting and rivets are what gets Amtrak passengers the most excited about taking their train? I hate to break it to you, but no.

Whose posts are you reading? Has anyone in this thread claimed that fluting and rivets get passengers excited?

A simple question was asked, how to tell the difference between I & II. It has been answered.

If you have a different question, we would be happy to try and answer it.

 

[frequentflyer]

Before Amtrak did away with the original airbags that were in the S1 trucks, the S1s could make you seasick. Hit a small bump and they would jump all over the place. Replacing the bags with coil spring has tamed things somewhat but the S2s in general to me ride better and less prone to respond to every imperfection on the track.

 

[MikeM]

Which ones are easier to clean? Are those Sightseer Lounges I's or II's? The reason i ask is the last time I was in a Sightseer Lounge you could see the GRIME on the curved windows about half-way up..apparently there were no automatic car cleaners which could effectively handle a curved window...and I wonder if that is still true or they do it as ViaRail does their dome cars..with real people in cherry pickers....no, probably not.

I just think the cleaning thing is a quirk of Amtrak Car washers. I noticed this on the Coast Starlight last year that the windows on the top of the PPC were filthy also; ditto the Sightseer lounge car. Which is too bad, the whole purpose of windows is to see out.

 

[boxcar479]

As the original poster of this question I am very excited to gain any knowledge that I did not posess beforehand, so thanks for all the positive post, wether they be about flutes, rivets,airbags, bars on wheels, and plates to cover old numbers. So thanks for all the POSITIVE replies. And to the guy with the stir stik I hope someone tells you they love you today you need it I think

 

[frequentflyer]

A good question would also be what is the external difference between S1 and S2 and California cars. Its looks to be the same body but different interior bits.

Back to the S1/S2 differences, the S2 truck was suppose to be easier to maintain and the S1 trucks were supposedly based on an European design.

 

[mrsyeltzin]

Before Amtrak did away with the original airbags that were in the S1 trucks, the S1s could make you seasick. Hit a small bump and they would jump all over the place. Replacing the bags with coil spring has tamed things somewhat but the S2s in general to me ride better and less prone to respond to every imperfection on the track.

About what year did they make this change? I remember taking the CZ west (CHI to DEN) a few times and the ride was really rough with lots of swaying. That was about 15 years ago, though.