Viewliner II - Part 1 - Initial Production and Delivery

[R30A]

A few notes on jis's above post:
the 1300s were the short baggage cars (53 feet IIRC), not the 1400s. The 1400s were bag-dorms, which as they got HEP were renumbered into the 1600s. The 1400s were also Amtrak cars, formerly Hospital cars. The 1300s were kitchens. Hospital cars also ended up as normal baggage cars in the 1100-1200 series, as well as lounges in the 3100 series. These are still in use as the food service/baggage cars on the Piedmont today.

The 1800 series are not converted coaches, but were modified baggage cars for northeast baggage services. (I have no idea what these modifications were- perhaps push pull as some were on the vermonter? )

Most remaining baggage cars are Budds, I don't think any carbon steel cars remain in normal baggage service.

 

[Amtrak172]

If it's true that Amtrak is keeping 25 of the heritage baggage cars, it will most likely be the ones that are ex. coaches (1700 series). The original 73' baggage cars (1200 series) are older and less reliable. Is there any news on if Amtrak will paint the rest of the Viewliner II's in Phase IVb?

 

[edjbox]

Most of the 1800 series are gone. I've seen pics of the early numbered 1800s on the Vermonter, Adirondack, etc, with special paint for their particular route, even though at times those cars have been seen on other NE trains in the early 2000s such as the twilight shoreliner. They only 1800s left I believe are1855-1857, with 1856 more recently being renumbered for the exhibit train

 

[R30A]

Yes, only 2 1800s remain in service, however, there never were many of them.

 

[jis]

Thanks a lot guys, for the additional info. That is extremely helpful to me when overlayed on the base info that is in Warner's book. As you can see I was a bit confused about several things, since it is quite tedious to track each individual car to figure these things out.

According to Warner the only 18xx cars that ever existed were the following:

1800 ex-1136 Vermonter livery
1801 ex-1175 Vermonter livery
1802 ex-1182 Vermonter scheme

1850 ex-1179
1851 ex-1178 Adirondack livery
1852 ex-1138 Ethan Allen livery
1853 ex-1191 Adirondack livery
1854 ex-1006 Ethan Allen Livery
1855 ex-1225 Twilight Shoreliner livery [active standard livery]
1856 ex-1219 Twilight Shoreliner livery [40th Anniversary Train]
1857 ex-1209 Twilight Shoreliner livery [active standard livery]

 

[Amtrak172]

Any information on what paint scheme Amtrak decided to go with for the Viewliner II's?

 

[Ryan]

Yes: http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/57231-amtrak-america-new-ld-train-branding/

 

[hastybob]

OK - let's try that again - hit enter too quck...

Here is the current breakdown of in service baggage cars:

27 heritage bagg cars

35 heritage (ex coach)

2 bike cars

19 cabbages

44 superliner coach bagg

Also, NCDOT coach baggage - 1

Talgo bike baggage - 7

Pacific Surfliner cabbages - 11

California bagg/coaches - 11

This does not include the bagg cars in the exhibit train or stored cars.

 

[John Bobinyec]

Also, NCDOT coach baggage - 1

NC DOT has:

1 coach/baggage

4 lounge/baggage

jb

 

[AmtrakBlue]

OK - let's try that again - hit enter too quck...

Was hastybob too hasty? :giggle:

 

[hastybob]

Definately......LOL

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

As for the express cars, most if not all have been sold off and have been seen on freight trains, some still in faded Amtrak paint with a new car number.

Fact check needed.

It seem all of the Reefer Boxcars are sitting around the country (multi-locations) rusting away.

I have seen some of the newer (green or silver) express cars in freight service, but I doubt the "most or all" statement.

 

[OBS]

Agreed. I have seen several desolate sidings occupied with many of the old express cars.

 

[PRR 60]

Agreed. I have seen several desolate sidings occupied with many of the old express cars.

I think most have been sold, either for other use or scrap. The old dead line of ExpressTrak cars just outside Harrisburg disappeared about a year ago. Same with the cars outside LA.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Yes I notice the Harrisburg lines have moved, but I have also seen Reefer cars lined up in IL now. The only to count for a large number of "bagged cars".

Could we have a Amtrak accounting error. The total number of cars, then a breakdown later in the report.

I just saying "Fact Check is needed"

 

[edjbox]

Heard that the Viewliner baggage car at Philadelphia was moved and then moved back, what's going on?

 

[Acela150]

Heard that the Viewliner baggage car at Philadelphia was moved and then moved back, what's going on?

Probably testing on the NEC.. Why wouldn't it be testing??

 

[jis]

Heard that the Viewliner baggage car at Philadelphia was moved and then moved back, what's going on?

Welll..... let's see..... maybe testing? Nah! Why would they do that? It looks so pretty standing in the yard

 

[PRR 60]

Heard that the Viewliner baggage car at Philadelphia was moved and then moved back, what's going on?

Welll..... let's see..... maybe testing? Nah! Why would they do that? It looks so pretty standing in the yard

That must be the most talked about and photographed baggage car in history.

 

[Acela150]

Heard that the Viewliner baggage car at Philadelphia was moved and then moved back, what's going on?

Welll..... let's see..... maybe testing? Nah! Why would they do that? It looks so pretty standing in the yard

I really thought about saying that..

 

[edjbox]

anyone have any pics/videos of the baggage car in testing?

 

[NE933]

It will look a lot prettier flying down a well kept mainline at 90mph, with 15 other Viewliners/Amfleet II's, behind a couple of Genesis locomotives.

 

[Ryan]

Or an ACS-64 at 125 MPH.

 

[Amtrak172]

Wait did Amtrak start testing the baggage car on the NEC?

 

[Ryan]

Well they took it to PHL, where it comes and goes. What else would they be doing with it?