Viewliner II Part 2: Dining Car Production, Delivery, Speculation

[Lonestar648]

The TE and CONO have the same consists with the CCC. The CL also runs the CCC with two Sleepers, so the EB is a closer match except the DC. except the extra Portland coaches and sleeper.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Didn't they also do run through TE to CL for a while since both use a similar consist in the winter?

I think it was TE-CONO - or at least the shared equipment.

Blue is correct!

 

[OBS]

The SWC used to have the run thru with the CL...

 

[Ngotwalt]

The CONO used the Portland Section of the Builder as run through equipment.

Nick

 

[CraigDK]

Just to return to the Viewliners. It took about a month for the Annapolis to be put in service after arriving in FL, any chance that Atlanta and Augusta get placed in service quicker than that?

 

[KnightRail]

It took about a month for the Annapolis to be put in service after arriving in FL, any chance that Atlanta and Augusta get placed in service quicker than that?

Upon initial arrival to FL, Annapolis was at the Hialeah facility for 11 days before making a return north for marketing to use for a few days. Then it returned to Hialeah for 17 days before making its first revenue run. Since then the ONLY train it has been in revenue service on is the Silver Meteor. That should be a pretty good indicator where Atlanta and Augusta will be working for awhile. It shouldn't be too long till they enter service.

 

[jis]

Hopefully now they will get into a regular cadence for delivering the Diners a car or two every week or two.

 

[keelhauled]

Hopefully now they will get into a regular cadence for delivering the Diners a car or two every week or two.

On the other hand, if you expect nothing it's harder to be disappointed.

 

[Ngotwalt]

It took about a month for the Annapolis to be put in service after arriving in FL, any chance that Atlanta and Augusta get placed in service quicker than that?

Upon initial arrival to FL, Annapolis was at the Hialeah facility for 11 days before making a return north for marketing to use for a few days. Then it returned to Hialeah for 17 days before making its first revenue run. Since then the ONLY train it has been in revenue service on is the Silver Meteor. That should be a pretty good indicator where Atlanta and Augusta will be working for awhile. It shouldn't be too long till they enter service.

So the question is, how much of that was crew familiarization and training? My guess is that the first 11 days were inspections and modifications, and that 17 days were training because it doesn't make sense to train someone on something and then go and change it. My guess is, barring any problems these could be in service within a week to ten days.

Cheers,

Nick

 

[tommylicious]

18-36 weeks

 

[WoodyinNYC]

18-36 weeks

Just to keep things in perspective, CAF is leaving Nippon-Sharyo in the dust. LOL.

Amtrak should order at least 30 more sleepers from CAF, maybe 50, and a few more bag-dorms and baggage cars too. If we could see them in the fleet in 36 weeks -- or 72 weeks -- it would be a great thing.

 

[StriderGDM]

There is still in theory the option for 30 more cars. I highly doubt that will happen given the history and the current political environment.

BUT, it's possible. I'd go for like 18 more sleepers, 6 more diners, 6 more baggage cars (or baggage/dorms) and have 3 complete more trainsets.

But, it's not happening.

 

[keelhauled]

A complete trainset needs coaches, which considering limited number of Amfleet IIs and their age/mileage is IMO going to be the next rolling stock crisis to hit Amtrak. I would like to see a Viewliner coach built--it can't be that hard to stick chairs in the shell, the HVAC has been designed already, and cascade some Amfleet IIs for off corridor day trains that use low level platforms so the manual doors aren't an issue, and then in turn boost corridor capacity with Amfleet Is.

 

[Carolina Special]

I presume any additional orders for any type of car would have to be approved by the Congress in the budget process. In the unlikely event Amtrak had money left at year end (after a lengthy government shutdown, maybe) they couldn't just order a handful of coaches or sleepers to get the ball rolling for the future without the government OK.

Am I correct in that?

 

[Lonestar648]

This is the crazy thing. Amtrak is suppose to be a corporation, but Amtrak can't do anything to try to be better with out Congress putting it into legislation.

 

[keelhauled]

The federal allocation for the national network says that it can be used for "capital funding," so presumably Amtrak would be able to use that money for purchasing equipment, assuming they can set enough aside to run the trains first. Alternately, if they can make a business case for it they could apply for an RRIF loan. Neither of those require Congressional approval. I rather wish there was a dedicated allocation for "capital projects," like equipment or track improvements, in addition to the operating subsidies for the national/NEC business units, but I doubt that will ever happen.

 

[jis]

That won't happen mainly because we just got away from that piece of micromanagement giving Amtrak the freedom to make its own business decision.

 

[jis]

I presume any additional orders for any type of car would have to be approved by the Congress in the budget process. In the unlikely event Amtrak had money left at year end (after a lengthy government shutdown, maybe) they couldn't just order a handful of coaches or sleepers to get the ball rolling for the future without the government OK.

Am I correct in that?

Amtrak Board has to approve it. Not Congress. The capital - expense split is gone AFAICT as part of the FAST Act.

 

[keelhauled]

That won't happen mainly because we just got away from that piece of micromanagement giving Amtrak the freedom to make its own business decision.

The freedom to make their own decisions doesn't mean much if so little money is allocated as to force their hand though. It's a choice in name only.

 

[jis]

Yeah whatever. I was merely stating what the current situation is. Of course more money would be better, but we've got what we've got.

 

[Carolina Special]

It helps to know what the current situation is. Thanks!

 

[KnightRail]

Annapolis moving to New Orleans for the first time, landing there Sunday. Hopefully no trees get in the way.

 

[IndyLions]

I'm taking the City of New Orleans the 2nd week of November round trip Champaign IL to New Orleans. What are the best guesstimates /odds it will have a real diner by then?

I was just checking out the current menu options. Pretty darn depressing.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

I'm taking the City of New Orleans the 2nd week of November round trip Champaign IL to New Orleans. What are the best guesstimates /odds it will have a real diner by then?

I was just checking out the current menu options. Pretty darn depressing.

Zero.

The new Viewliner II diners are for the six Eastern LD trains that use the low-ceiling tracks and platforms at Penn Station. None of them are headed to the Western trains such as the CONO.

The menu may or may not improve without new diners out West, for other reasons.

Feel free to remain depressed.

 

[Lonestar648]

The CONO runs the CCC combo cafe/dining car, also found on the TE and the CL. These are bi-level, much taller than the new Viewliner DC. Amtrak took the cooking position off the CONO, maybe as an experiment but has never gone back. The only word of encouragement came from the new Amtrak CEO when he mentioned eating on the train in the DC was important part of train travel.