The new cars, as well as the prototype, have the ADA table. I suppose that there is a chance for some odd reason that the drop down seat was eliminated from the production run, but I rather doubt that.
I've heard a lot of Amtrak employees say they like the inward swinging doors. They say there are a lot of maintenance issues with the rolling and sliding doors. Also these new doors create a seal allowing for better climate control (especially important on the baggage/dorm cars.)
Builders from Brazil? I thought eventually it was Alstom (French) that took over what was Amerail, which completed the Viewliner I order.
Now let's take that positive momentum and get the Rohr Turboliners out of Bear!
Further evidence that the 130 new cars will surely not be enuff! We need that option order!
Did Alstom get any Viewliner bodies from Brazil, back then would be from Mafersa, since Alstom acquired them in 1997 or so? I don't know and would like to get a reference for that information for later use. I thought Mafersa delivered bodies for the CTA cars and Virginia Rail Express cars. Did not know about Viewliners. But nor was I keeping track of things closely back then. So any concrete info would be most appreciated.
Yes. Congrats to everyone at Amtrak who bit the bullet and decided that scarce capital *needed* to be spent on this. And please spend some more to exercise part of the option. ;-) Until we get 220mph HSR in the east, there's going to be large and increasing demand for the eastern long distance trains -- the "single overnights" run through parts of the country denser than Western Europe. These trains will continue to be crucial to mobility east of the Mississippi.
Click on the images link at the bottom of the page for photos like this one of the interior of the baggage car with shelves.
That was the news that came out in late October when the Viewliner IIs were shown to the press. The first set of 4 cars of one of each type will be released for initial testing and review, maybe by the end of the year. Then more cars will be delivered for testing and training as the number of Vw IIs in Amtrak's hands is built. Start of revenue service for the first units is now projected for summer of 2014, hopefully that means before the end of June, in time for the summer peak months, not the end of August.
Not all of them. Some are full baggage. Which I assume is what they are talking about.
Right I forgot about that, too bad. Those are going to be brilliant cars when they get them in service.
And I believe the Baggage Dorms (the ones that are 50/50) are non-revenue sleeping berths for crew.
