Viewliner Dining Car Mockup Photo

[Anderson]

If Amtrak had anything to do with the creation of the Sightseer Lounge - which I think is an amazing rail car. Add to that, the Viewliner sleeper - which for the most part is well designed, and in the Viewliner they developed a rail car with excellent use of space for a sleeping car. Plenty of windows, strategically placed, etc..

Therefore, I trust their judgement on a dinning car. I think their current track record is rather good. So I expect that the new Viewliner ll diner will be a big hit,

And while at it we should all remember that Amtrak in collaboration with Pullman basically invented the Superliner Sleeper. There was nothing like it before.

Notwithstanding all the protestations to the contrary by aficionados of yesteryears, I think that a Viewliner Roomette is far superior to anything equivalent to it that existed before too. Just the amount of window surface on the wall makes a huge difference, not to mention the full length window for the upper berth. The windows in classic sleepers were outright tiny portholes in comparison.

This CCC design is ridiculous. I can't think of one person who likes the CCC design. I don't think the crews like it. Why would they turn around and create crap like this with the viewliner prototype. The 4 seater tables have worked well for years. If it isn't broke, don't fix it. I was really excited about the viewliner diner, but now I am dreading it.

Frankly, you really need to spend a little more time reading before putting finger to the keyboard my friend

First of all there is no evidence anywhere that they are going to the CCC layout in the Viewliner, not even in the mockup.

Second, people seem to love essentially the same layout as CCC in part of the Pacific Parlor cars, so perhaps there are circumstances where they are likeable. Indeed I remember asking AlanB while walking through one with him, whether the CCC layout idea originated in the Pacific Parlor Car.

Personally I did not like the CCC layout in a Diner, and also in the Pacific Parlor car because I think it is silly to place seats with their backs to huge windows, unless one develops a special breed of humans with an extra eye in the back of their heads.

The problem with the CCC is that they took what isn't necessarily a bad layout (though I'm not really a fan of the U-shaped seats...but that's just me) and put it into a part of the train where capacity is key (the diner). Then they got caught in a hurricane of increased ridership (do remember that ridership on the TE and CONO was, at the time these were introduced, just plain awful)...and we got into the mess we're in today.

As to the article...I think we can blame sloppy copy editing on this and move on.

 

[cpamtfan]

Well one reason the tables might be angled is to save space. There isn't much prep space, so they need every inch.

Second, this might have been taken in Beech Grove prior to wallpaper, etc being applied.

Don't jump to conclusions. I think the picture makes it look too '90s, but it looks pretty sweet.

 

[afigg]

Well one reason the tables might be angled is to save space. There isn't much prep space, so they need every inch.

Second, this might have been taken in Beech Grove prior to wallpaper, etc being applied.

Don't jump to conclusions. I think the picture makes it look too '90s, but it looks pretty sweet.

The picture is of the CAF model mock-up, not the 8400. The model in the photo might be located in Elmira NY.

 

[NapTown Jim]

Don't like it!! Seems like the beginning of a ccc set up. They need to stick with 4 top tables and booths. This yuppie buppie business of odd side tables does not work on a train.

AGREED!

Without any color it looks like something from 2001 A Space Odyssey

I was thinking Space 1999, but 2001 fits the style too

 

[jis]

Without any color it looks like something from 2001 A Space Odyssey

I was thinking Space 1999, but 2001 fits the style too

The effect would be complete if they were playing Johann Strauss Jr.'s Blue Danube Waltz in the background