Viewliner II - Part 1 - Initial Production and Delivery

[neroden]

The crew cars 5 will go to Lake Shore Limited, and Cardinal. The other 5 cars have not been assigned.

Nomically they'd haveonly three more available for daily service with 2 for servicing and reserve, which makes it hard to assign it to any other single level train, each of which that remain requiring 4. I suppose something like CONO is a possibility, thus releasing all rooms in the Trans Dorm for revenue passengers. But I guess that is way more radical than what Amtrak can handle. .

Broadway Limited.

Regarding the OIG report:

We already knew that CAF was having serious trouble getting appropriately skilled labor; they weren't ready to train the workers from the level of knowledge the available workers started with. I was told a while back (paraphrasing) "They can't find anyone who can read a blueprint". CAF's attempt to set up a factory in Elmira has gone very badly. Cincinnati will probably be dealing with similar problems with the streetcars they're getting from CAF, and I doubt they're inspecting them as carefully as Amtrak is. I wonder how much effort CAF will put into making this facility functional; it's really a question of how much the parent company cares about getting into the US market.

I would love to know which key supplier is financially unstable, which the OIG does *not* name. I really hope it isn't RailPlan, which had a pretty good reputation. Hopefully it's someone else, for whom alternative suppliers exist.

I am not as concerned as the OIG is about Amtrak's costs, given that CAF is clearly going to have to eat nearly all the excess costs due to CAF's own incompetence, and is likely to end up paying substantial liquidated damages. The increased operating losses due to continuing to operate Heritage cars are more concerning.

CAF's "losses" on the contract are due to not realizing that they had to spend a bunch of money upfront to train a lot of workers from scratch. I don't think it's realistic on the part of CAF to attribute that cost to this contract. I could say that Amtrak is being very helpful to CAF by doing their quality inspection and worker evaluations for them. :side-eye:

Further point:

All carshells are complete according to Brian Gallagher at ESPA/NARP 2016 meeting. Hopefully that means the main stainless-steel-welding problems at CAF have been solved.

 

[jis]

Further point:

All carshells are complete according to Brian Gallagher at ESPA/NARP 2016 meeting. Hopefully that means the main stainless-steel-welding problems at CAF have been solved.

I would hope so, since if it is not, we are in way deeper **** than anyone had imagined.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

Regarding the OIG report:

We already knew that CAF was having serious trouble getting appropriately skilled labor; they weren't ready to train the workers from the level of knowledge the available workers started with. I was told a while back (paraphrasing) "They can't find anyone who can read a blueprint". CAF's attempt to set up a factory in Elmira has gone very badly. . . . I wonder how much effort CAF will put into making this facility functional; . . . how much the parent company cares about getting into the US market.

. . .

CAF's "losses" on the contract are due to not realizing that they had to spend a bunch of money upfront to train a lot of workers from scratch. . . .

This makes me nervous about Alstom's plan to build Acela IIs in Hornell, N.Y., up the road a bit from Elmira.

Maybe not. Don't see Nippon-Sharyo blaming their yuge mess on unskilled workers.

 

[edjbox]

Did Alstom actually get the contract or was it announced too soon unofficially?

 

[jfandre]

Ok, I'm new around here and I'm a bit confused. I read the IG report linked to above, and I have no idea why this CAF is depending on an unstable supplier. Also, what happens when these cars get older and need replacement parts?

 

[PVD]

Railcar work in Hornell is not a new thing, Just the companies keep changing. Also, the downturn in the oil fields will make skilled welders and machinists more available everywhere.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Did Alstom actually get the contract or was it announced too soon unofficially?

No but the senior senator from NY has announced a winner, ok course he did not ask Amtrak first.

 

[Seaboard92]

Here is my question will the first batch of cars go to Florida like the first baggage cars did on a special movement. I regret not seeing thag

 

[neroden]

Hornell is an existing factory with existing employees even though the name on the door keeps changing. The promise to "hire 400 new employees" for the work may be difficult... but the existing employees at least are a known quantity. CAF was hiring from scratch.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Here is my question will the first batch of cars go to Florida like the first baggage cars did on a special movement. I regret not seeing thag

The next batch is indeed going to Hialeah,

 

[neroden]

A matter of curiosity: do the trains coming from CAF with Amtrak cars come out of the track running along the east side of the factory (former DL&W IIRC), or the one running along the west side of the factory (former Erie IIRC)? It seems to have connections on both sides.

 

[Seaboard92]

Third Rail are they riding on the back of 97 or are they taking a twenty car special like the baggage cars did once.

 

[me_little_me]

Thank goodness the airlines are not buying stuff like this. There might be crashes! :giggle:

 

[edjbox]

Any date on the diners yet?

the report says February but now that's passed

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Any date on the diners yet?

the report says February but now that's passed

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/45804-viewliner-ii-production-status-photos/page-132&do=findComment&comment=651397

 

[rrdude]

7 years to deliver 130 cars, that is just so laughable, that it's not.

 

[jis]

It may actually be a candidate for consideration by the Guinness Book of World Records and find a place in their museum!

 

[OBS]

No need to worry, President Trump is going to "fix" all these problems...LOL...Oh, sorry, wrong thread...LOL

 

[Thirdrail7]

Third Rail are they riding on the back of 97 or are they taking a twenty car special like the baggage cars did once.

If all goes according to plan, they will go solo. It is a quick round trip.

 

[TylerP42]

Third Rail are they riding on the back of 97 or are they taking a twenty car special like the baggage cars did once.

If all goes according to plan, they will go solo. It is a quick round trip.

Will it be delivered on the Cap or LSL? or Cardinal?

 

[CCC1007]

They're heading south, not west Tyler.

 

[TylerP42]

They're heading south, not west Tyler.

Understood, but how will they get there?

 

[CCC1007]

Special move like the others I would guess.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

They're heading south, not west Tyler.

Understood, but how will they get there?

If they're going to the Viewliner home base in Hialeah, reckon they'll follow the Silvers' route.

 

[jis]

Thirdrail, is the plan to send them altogether in a set of special moves from Sunnyside to Hialeah? Or will they be sent in groups of five or so tacked onto 97?

Naturally they will be moved from CAF to Sunnyside by special moves.