Viewliner II - Part 1 - Initial Production and Delivery

[AmtrakBlue]

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.

I took his post, http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/45804-viewliner-ii-production-status-photos/page-133&do=findComment&comment=651850, as saying all will go down together as a special move.

 

[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.

I took his post, http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/45804-viewliner-ii-production-status-photos/page-133&do=findComment&comment=651850, as saying all will go down together as a special move.

I read that and thought it is ambiguous. That is why I asked the specific question.

 

[TylerP42]

I'm dumb... sorry.. I was tired and I think I was thinking they were coming from west of Toledo...

 

[TylerP42]

When do you think they will enter regular service?

 

[CCC1007]

Call it about a month...

 

[WoodyinNYC]

I'm dumb... sorry.. I was tired and I think I was thinking they were coming from west of Toledo...

West of Toledo is the Nippon Sharyo assembly plant in Illinois, where they planned to be building new bi-levels for the Midwest and California corridors.

Apparently that order is so messed up we can look at this CAF order -- Amtrak has got half of it in service already -- and say it's not so bad.

 

[Thirdrail7]

I think some of you are getting the wrong impression. The "original three" will emerge for testing and return to the factory once testing is completed.

This isn't a revenue release.

 

[CCC1007]

Finally!!!

 

[MikefromCrete]

Gee, I thought some cars were actually going to be put in revenue service. I would think CAF will never get another order from Amtrak. I can't remember any equipment order that has been handled as bad as this one. Let's hope Nippon Sharyo gets its act together and actually gets the new double-deckers built.

 

[afigg]

I think some of you are getting the wrong impression. The "original three" will emerge for testing and return to the factory once testing is completed.

This isn't a revenue release.

Now this makes sense. Got to retest the three first unit car types for all the design changes and defect repairs since they were sent out for testing and the baggage cars were delivered & fixed (and the defects that have not yet been fixed).
With the constant string of delays in the CAF production, would not put any money down on the diner cars all being delivered by July 2016, which is the most recent schedule in the OIG report.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

I think some of you are getting the wrong impression. The "original three" will emerge for testing and return to the factory once testing is completed.

This isn't a revenue release.

Brian Gallagher at ESPA/NARP 2016 meeting stated cars were coming for both testing-testing, and testing in service.

Don't have a chip in this game, but he was quite clear on this. Of course my timetable, Amtrak timetable, your timetable, not always the same definition, of course.

 

[neroden]

Brian Gallagher did, however, also say *April*, which I noted at the time as not being March. So he may well have been referring to a different and later release from the factory.

 

[keelhauled]

How does that make sense though? To send the prototypes out for testing but then release production versions a month later? I can't imagine they would be able to identify and fix any problems that quickly, unless they're certain it's only minor details left.

The other possibility I guess is that the prototypes are tested in revenue service?

 

[neroden]

How does that make sense though? To send the prototypes out for testing but then release production versions a month later? I can't imagine they would be able to identify and fix any problems that quickly, unless they're certain it's only minor details left.

Maybe they are, in fact, optimistic that it's only minor details left. They have had a lot of time to correct problems so far, after all, and I think that's an understatement.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Since these are diners, I imagine they'll be wanting to test cooking, serving, etc while "on the rails", so doing it in revenue service may be the best way to handle this.

 

[west point]

Easy way to test. Just put a new diner and heritage diner back to back on test train.. Then if any serious failure staff can go to Heritage diner. Would image at least one extra OBS in diner to document problems and help move to heritage if needed.

 

[Thirdrail7]

I think some of you are getting the wrong impression. The "original three" will emerge for testing and return to the factory once testing is completed.

This isn't a revenue release.

Brian Gallagher at ESPA/NARP 2016 meeting stated cars were coming for both testing-testing, and testing in service.
Don't have a chip in this game, but he was quite clear on this. Of course my timetable, Amtrak timetable, your timetable, not always the same definition, of course.

You forgot one thing and that is CAF's timetable.

 

[jis]

Yup. At the end of the day even good old Brian can't do much about the CAF timetable without expending a lot of energy that is.

 

[Brian Battuello]

FWIW, picked up the lovely spouse off the Lake Shore Limited southbound in Croton-on-Hudson yesterday. New baggage car up front, three sleepers, a heritage diner in the middle of the train as usual, cafe, a bunch of coaches and good ol' 8400 riding along at the end, looking really pretty.

i wonder if my kids will ever see an all-Viewliner train?

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Yup. At the end of the day even good old Brian can't do much about the CAF timetable without expending a lot of energy that is.

One thinks that it should be someone who is expending a lot of energy on it. If not they you get what we have. A big oh cluster.

 

[jis]

Yup. At the end of the day even good old Brian can't do much about the CAF timetable without expending a lot of energy that is.

One thinks that it should be someone who is expending a lot of energy on it. If not they you get what we have. A big oh cluster.

I thought that is what the OIG report essentially says. So I am surprised that you apparently are surprised. I can understand dismayed, as we all are. But what exactly is new? I am not even sure that it is Brian's bailiwick. At least the OIG report suggests strongly that it is not.

 

[OBS]

I don't think managing this project has anything to do with Brian's job responsibilities...

 

[jis]

I don't think managing this project has anything to do with Brian's job responsibilities...

Exactly! He just told the gathering what the panning and acquisition management guys told him to say.

 

[VT Hokie]

Super Steel RTL-III Turboliner?

Gee, I thought some cars were actually going to be put in revenue service. I would think CAF will never get another order from Amtrak. I can't remember any equipment order that has been handled as bad as this one.

 

[PerRock]

Super Steel RTL-III Turboliner?

Gee, I thought some cars were actually going to be put in revenue service. I would think CAF will never get another order from Amtrak. I can't remember any equipment order that has been handled as bad as this one.

Wasn't that more of a state-funding/ownership issue then a manufacturer issue?

peter