Viewliner II - Part 1 - Initial Production and Delivery

[Thirdrail7]

The Viewliner Diners and other cars have been seriously delayed and the diners still haven't even been taken to Hialeah yet.

Why was such an order of cars seriously delayed?

There have been numerous issues that have been documented multiple times in this thread. I can't say I blame you for not rifling through the thread to find it though. this board seriously needs a "search this thread" function.

prewarlionelrailfan--

Why was there no diner on the Southbound Crescent? (Also, I think 19 is the southbound and 20 is the northbound? I think the numbers in your post got reversed by mistake.)

If multiple heritage dining cars are shopped, there is little recourse since the available/required margin is razor thin until the CAF cars come online. There's been talk of tentative dates but I'm not going to bother to hint or post since we've seen them come and go in the past.

 

[Bob Dylan]

What's the "Over and Under" on the Diners showing up before Uncle Joe rides off into the Sunset on Beech Grove? (pun intended)

 

[GaSteve]

prewarlionelrailfan--

Why was there no diner on the Southbound Crescent? (Also, I think 19 is the southbound and 20 is the northbound? I think the numbers in your post got reversed by mistake.)

That happens fairly often when there is not an available car. They add a second lounge car and sue it as a diner with a limited menu.

BTW, 8400 was on 19/20 earlier this week. Depending on equipment rotation, might be on 19 tomorrow.

 

[JohannFarley]

prewarlionelrailfan--

Why was there no diner on the Southbound Crescent? (Also, I think 19 is the southbound and 20 is the northbound? I think the numbers in your post got reversed by mistake.)

That happens fairly often when there is not an available car. They add a second lounge car and sue it as a diner with a limited menu.BTW, 8400 was on 19/20 earlier this week. Depending on equipment rotation, might be on 19 tomorrow.

I saw 8400 go by Edison station a few days back. I don't know what train it was on, I'm not great with consists. But the consist went VII baggage, 1 Amfleet coach, then 2 VI sleepers, 8400, then the rest of the amfleets. I saw the same consist yesterday but with a heritage diner. I've never seen an amfleet in between the viewliners like that before, I was wondering if anyone knows what would prompt that or if it's normal? I originally thought it was for testing 8400 but it was also the same on the one with the heritage diner.

 

[CCC1007]

prewarlionelrailfan--

Why was there no diner on the Southbound Crescent? (Also, I think 19 is the southbound and 20 is the northbound? I think the numbers in your post got reversed by mistake.)

That happens fairly often when there is not an available car. They add a second lounge car and sue it as a diner with a limited menu.BTW, 8400 was on 19/20 earlier this week. Depending on equipment rotation, might be on 19 tomorrow.

I saw 8400 go by Edison station a few days back. I don't know what train it was on, I'm not great with consists. But the consist went VII baggage, 1 Amfleet coach, then 2 VI sleepers, 8400, then the rest of the amfleets. I saw the same consist yesterday but with a heritage diner. I've never seen an amfleet in between the viewliners like that before, I was wondering if anyone knows what would prompt that or if it's normal? I originally thought it was for testing 8400 but it was also the same on the one with the heritage diner.

That is the current consist of the Crescent, with business class between the baggage car and the sleepers.

 

[KnightRail]

prewarlionelrailfan--

Why was there no diner on the Southbound Crescent? (Also, I think 19 is the southbound and 20 is the northbound? I think the numbers in your post got reversed by mistake.)

That happens fairly often when there is not an available car. They add a second lounge car and sue it as a diner with a limited menu.BTW, 8400 was on 19/20 earlier this week. Depending on equipment rotation, might be on 19 tomorrow.

I saw 8400 go by Edison station a few days back. I don't know what train it was on, I'm not great with consists. But the consist went VII baggage, 1 Amfleet coach, then 2 VI sleepers, 8400, then the rest of the amfleets. I saw the same consist yesterday but with a heritage diner. I've never seen an amfleet in between the viewliners like that before, I was wondering if anyone knows what would prompt that or if it's normal? I originally thought it was for testing 8400 but it was also the same on the one with the heritage diner.

The lineup you describe is the current consist order of the Crescent. The coach between the bag and sleepers is sold as business class.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

That is the current consist of the Crescent, with business class between the baggage car and the sleepers.

The lineup you describe is the current consist order of the Crescent. The coach between the bag and sleepers is sold as business class.

So one has those BC passengers wandering thru the sleepers whenever they like? There goes the neighborhood. :angry2:

 

[AmtrakBlue]

That is the current consist of the Crescent, with business class between the baggage car and the sleepers.

The lineup you describe is the current consist order of the Crescent. The coach between the bag and sleepers is sold as business class.

So one has those BC passengers wandering thru the sleepers whenever they like? There goes the neighborhood. :angry2:

Though this might entice some to upgrade to rooms the next time. That could be a good thing for Amtrak's wallet

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

That is the current consist of the Crescent, with business class between the baggage car and the sleepers.

The lineup you describe is the current consist order of the Crescent. The coach between the bag and sleepers is sold as business class.

So one has those BC passengers wandering thru the sleepers whenever they like? There goes the neighborhood. :angry2:

Though this might entice some to upgrade to rooms the next time. That could be a good thing for Amtrak's wallet

Are business class passengers permitted to use the showers?

 

[GaSteve]

That is the current consist of the Crescent, with business class between the baggage car and the sleepers.

The lineup you describe is the current consist order of the Crescent. The coach between the bag and sleepers is sold as business class.

So one has those BC passengers wandering thru the sleepers whenever they like? There goes the neighborhood. :angry2:

Though this might entice some to upgrade to rooms the next time. That could be a good thing for Amtrak's wallet

Are business class passengers permitted to use the showers?

No, nor do they get meals included in the fare. The main thing they get is a coach with a lot fewer people and no foot traffic passing through. Oh, and they do get complimentary soft drinks, although they have to come to the lounge car to get them.

 

[afigg]

We need some rumors, from reliable sources or non-reliable off the wall rumors if that is all that is available, on what the heck is going on with the Viewliner II diners, sleepers, and bag-dorms. Is CAF is undertaking a redesign, total rebuild or reconfiguration of the HVAC system or what?

At this rate, Brightline will have all new Siemens trainsets in service and Alstom will be testing a first article HSR trainset on the NEC before the Viewliner II order is completed.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

So one has those BC passengers wandering thru the sleepers whenever they like? There goes the neighborhood. :angry2:

Though this might entice some to upgrade to rooms the next time. That could be a good thing for Amtrak's wallet

Are business class passengers permitted to use the showers?

No, nor do they get meals included in the fare. The main thing they get is a coach with a lot fewer people and no foot traffic passing through. Oh, and they do get complimentary soft drinks, although they have to come to the lounge car to get them.

Do the BC people know that, and who's actually going to stop them since they are given full unrestricted access to the sleepers?

Sorry, but I certainly see them using the showers, and helping themselves to the sleeper's coffee, juice, bottled water.

 

[Palmetto]

Do the BC people know that, and who's actually going to stop them since they are given full unrestricted access to the sleepers?

Sorry, but I certainly see them using the showers, and helping themselves to the sleeper's coffee, juice, bottled water.

They have to obtain a towel from the sleeping car attendant, don't they? If so, there's your control on who gets to use the shower.

Taking a shower without having a towel is not a good thing.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Do the BC people know that, and who's actually going to stop them since they are given full unrestricted access to the sleepers?

Sorry, but I certainly see them using the showers, and helping themselves to the sleeper's coffee, juice, bottled water.

They have to obtain a towel from the sleeping car attendant, don't they? If so, there's your control on who gets to use the shower.

Taking a shower without having a towel is not a good thing.

Nah, just open the window in the vestibule and air dry.

 

[tricia]

Do the BC people know that, and who's actually going to stop them since they are given full unrestricted access to the sleepers?

Sorry, but I certainly see them using the showers, and helping themselves to the sleeper's coffee, juice, bottled water.

They have to obtain a towel from the sleeping car attendant, don't they? If so, there's your control on who gets to use the shower.

Taking a shower without having a towel is not a good thing.

Towels are usually kept in or near the shower room, where passengers can help themselves.

 

[R30A]

I was under the impression that part of the reason of the move was so that they COULD use the coffee machine and juice from the sleepers. Such was a feature, not a bug.

 

[GaSteve]

I was under the impression that part of the reason of the move was so that they COULD use the coffee machine and juice from the sleepers. Such was a feature, not a bug.

The service description on the Amtrak website make no mention of coffee and juice from the sleepers, only complimentary soft drinks.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

BTW, a new thread was started for discussing BC using showers, etc.

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/68540-business-class-access-to-showers/

 

[daybeers]

Here's a cool video of Beech Grove from July 8th:



P.S. This isn't my channel

 

[JohannFarley]

I really wish all of those old heritage cars in the back yard were used for something. If not by Amtrak at least sell them to private owners or donate them to museums. I know scrapping them is lucrative but they could be doing so much more than just sitting there. They could sell them to Iowa Pacific since they are now obsolete on any Amtrak train. I assume IP could restore them and have them available to use on any new routes they could possibly get similar to the Hoosier State.

 

[Ryan]

I'm not sure what part of "70 years old. Falling apart. Frames destroyed. Completely unredeemable." is so difficult to wrap ones head around.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I'm not sure what part of "70 years old. Falling apart. Frames destroyed. Completely unredeemable." is so difficult to wrap ones head around.

Are you talking about Heritage Equipment or we 70+ year olds Ryan? LOL

 

[JohannFarley]

Well they are clearly together enough to be sitting on their own wheels day in and day out for who knows how long. Did anyone think that they are only unredeemable to Amtrak because they don't serve a purpose on the fleet anymore and therefore funds would not be shoveled into them? Any car that can still sit on its wheels can be restored by someone with the money and use for it. And also, no need to be hostile, I simply asked a question. You cannot assume that every person on this forum has read each one of the millions of words, and is all-knowing as you seem to think you are. Its an extremely rude way of talking to new members and I see it all the time on here.

 

[A Voice]

I'm not sure what part of "70 years old. Falling apart. Frames destroyed. Completely unredeemable." is so difficult to wrap ones head around.

I'm not sure "completely unredeemable" is literally accurate; I've little doubt that if someone were willing to write a big enough check, the cars are repairable (note VIA, among others). However, what we all should realize you're not going to spend big bucks on a car which will be retired within a couple months. Indeed, even if Amtrak sent these cars to Beech Grove for a rebuild, it's unlikely at this point they would be done before their replacements are (finally) ready.

 

[Ryan]

You've got to ask yourself a question - if you replace every single part on a railcar, such that none of the original 70 year old material is present, did you actually restore the car, or build a replica? Because that's pretty much what it would take.

I'm not sure what part of "70 years old. Falling apart. Frames destroyed. Completely unredeemable." is so difficult to wrap ones head around.

Are you talking about Heritage Equipment or we 70+ year olds Ryan? LOL

On the advice of counsel, I'd like to invoke my 5th amendment rights at this juncture. h34r: