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

[neroden]

OK. Now, for some reason, they have to visit Florida before going into service. With Atlanta released from Florida, Harrisburg and Hartford should provide enough to finally restore the LSL diner.

Here's hopeing Hialeah can move fast and they'll have it back by next Tuesday when I'm returning from Chicago. It would be nice to get an entire omelette instead of the sad approximation of one which they have on the substitute service. But I'm not expecting it. :-(

 

[fulham]

For anyone attending the big NARP meeting/convention this weekend in Chicago, finding out about the status of the CAF diners needs to be a priority. With the number of Amtrak people in attendance, a question regarding the HVAC issues would be in order, as would a question regarding the status of the new diners relating to the LSL. With all the new diners being delivered find out how many of them can actually be used on a day in/day out basis, and how many of them are still being "tweaked" to make them day in/day out pieces of equipment. Maybe an answer can finally be determined about the mysteries of the CAF diners.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Good suggestion!

And as well, the Bag-Dorms and the Not in our Lifetime Sleepers!

 

[Thirdrail7]

Today (Oct. 31) Harrisburg 68012 and Hartford 68013 were released from CAF. Don't know what happened to 68009 thru 68011.

Andy

As indicated in September, they are out of sequence. They were not expected.

Today, October 31, Harrisburg and Hartford were released from CAF!!!

There, fixed it for you. LOL.

For those who missed the previous post.

Great news.

Concord and Dover will be gratefully received at a later date.

Don't forget Frankford!

OK. Now, for some reason, they have to visit Florida before going into service. With Atlanta released from Florida, Harrisburg and Hartford should provide enough to finally restore the LSL diner.

Here's hopeing Hialeah can move fast and they'll have it back by next Tuesday when I'm returning from Chicago. It would be nice to get an entire omelette instead of the sad approximation of one which they have on the substitute service. But I'm not expecting it. :-(

We explained why they go to Florida. There are still Amtrak mods that need to occur. At any rate, there is zero chance of one being on the Lake Shore by next week. Remember. as the heritage diners reach their dates, they are being mothballed. Another one just ran out of time last week. There needs to be a sufficient amount of spares to reliably equip another train.

 

[jis]

For anyone attending the big NARP meeting/convention this weekend in Chicago, finding out about the status of the CAF diners needs to be a priority. With the number of Amtrak people in attendance, a question regarding the HVAC issues would be in order, as would a question regarding the status of the new diners relating to the LSL. With all the new diners being delivered find out how many of them can actually be used on a day in/day out basis, and how many of them are still being "tweaked" to make them day in/day out pieces of equipment. Maybe an answer can finally be determined about the mysteries of the CAF diners.

Past experience shows that one can ask questions until the cows come home, but any answer will materialize if at all, at the time that is of their convenience. I have very low expectations of learning anything substantially new, though I will pose the question at any opportune moment as I have done before.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Im not sure what the point of attending such meeting is. They seem to me to mostly be a waste of time.

 

[neroden]

I am documenting further attempts to personally communicate with Amtrak management about the ingredients list issue. If they still do nothing after that it is more evidence of my good faith in an ADA lawsuit.

 

[neroden]

So Amtrak has now downgraded the LSL dining to where I can literally eat nothing... They no longer have plain eggs. I am rather busy for the next couple of months. If Amtrak has not started providing ingredients by then, I guess it will be federal lawsuit time. Sigh. This is such a stuiply easy thing to fix that it should not take a federal case.

 

[cpotisch]

Why are CAF producing the diners out of order?

 

[jis]

Im not sure what the point of attending such meeting is. They seem to me to mostly be a waste of time.

Similar to spending time in AU?

More seriously, actually I go to these meetings for basically the same reason that I come to web forums like AU. Partly socializing, partly foraging for information, occasionally trying to make a few people see things my way, and in addition having a few good meals and drinks in the company of people I enjoy being with, and an occasional ride on a train or two either will the group or on my own thrown in for good measure, and while at it collecting a few AGR points and United miles and such too

There is something to be said about face to face meetings instead of via fingering the keyboard and talking to disemboweled voices over the phone.

 

[JoeBas]

There is something to be said about face to face meetings instead of via fingering the keyboard and talking to disemboweled voices over the phone.

I hope you meant "Disembodied", unless you're really REALLLLLLY good at the Washington Power game.

 

[A Voice]

For anyone attending the big NARP meeting/convention this weekend in Chicago, finding out about the status of the CAF diners needs to be a priority. With the number of Amtrak people in attendance, a question regarding the HVAC issues would be in order, as would a question regarding the status of the new diners relating to the LSL. With all the new diners being delivered find out how many of them can actually be used on a day in/day out basis, and how many of them are still being "tweaked" to make them day in/day out pieces of equipment. Maybe an answer can finally be determined about the mysteries of the CAF diners.

While I wouldn't expect to learn anything substantial regardless, I'd be more interested in what comes next; The Viewliners will all be delivered and placed in service eventually. We even (finally) have news about the stillborn bi-level car order. But for the P-42 rebuild program and Amfleet II replacements we know almost nothing (if, indeed, there is anything much to know).

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Im not sure what the point of attending such meeting is. They seem to me to mostly be a waste of time.

Similar to spending time in AU?

More seriously, actually I go to these meetings for basically the same reason that I come to web forums like AU. Partly socializing, partly foraging for information, occasionally trying to make a few people see things my way, and in addition having a few good meals and drinks in the company of people I enjoy being with, and an occasional ride on a train or two either will the group or on my own thrown in for good measure, and while at it collecting a few AGR points and United miles and such too

There is something to be said about face to face meetings instead of via fingering the keyboard and talking to disemboweled voices over the phone.

I can understand that. But posting on here is free. And frankly I wish some of those people I have talked to over the phone were disemboweled.
I mean I used to do that stuff, but I have become somewhat convinced that most of the people fighting on the scene are more interested in promoting their egos than the quality of service experienced by the average rider.

And Neroden? I suggest finding a reasonable lawyer, and have him draft a letter of intent stating that you want this resolved by such and such a date, or you will file a lawsuit. To quote Al Capone: You can get further with a kind word and a [metaphorical] gun than with a kind word alone.

 

[jis]

There is something to be said about face to face meetings instead of via fingering the keyboard and talking to disemboweled voices over the phone.

I hope you meant "Disembodied", unless you're really REALLLLLLY good at the Washington Power game.

LOL!

 

[cpotisch]

CAF released Columbus on 9/18. I'm pretty sure it entered service on 10/17 or 10/18, so it took about a month to get everything in order for that car. I get the sense that there's nothing wrong with Atlanta, there's just no use for it right now. With Hartford and Harrisburg delivered, I would say that we can expect '012 and '013 ready for service by December. That puts the Viewdiner count at 11 (including 8400). Two or three more and there should be sufficient equipment to outfit the LSL. That's not to say that Amtrak will restore the Lake Shore's diner the moment it's possible, but there's no real point for Amtrak to keep five solid diners parked on the side.

 

[RPC]

We explained why they go to Florida. There are still Amtrak mods that need to occur.

I'm genuinely curious...what are these Amtrak mods that a) can't be performed in Elmira before delivery and b) take nearly a month between arrival in Hialeah and release into revenue service?

 

[stappend]

Anyone want to speculate as to what they will do with the other ~12. Star (4), Cardinal daily with diner (4), Cresent with a Meridian split, would that take additional diners? Personally I'd like to see the Silver Palm brought back with an extension to Boston. If I could catch it in the evening after work to Orlando, that could potentially be 2 extra vacation days in Florida.

 

[jis]

With 26 Diners, only 21 or if we are very lucky then 22 will be available for regular ops at most.

Meteor 4

Crescent 4

LSL 3

Cardinal 4 (maybe 3)

Star 4 (assuming it gets them back)

That just leaves 3 or maybe 4 to play around with.

It is almost certain that there will be no Silver Palm to Boston. It is conceivable that a properly timed additional New York - Florida train could operate with 3 consists, or another East Coast - Chicago service could operate with three consists.

The Crescent Star (NYP - FTW) could be done with a low level consist with a couple of additional Diners, with the Crescent section to NOL running with just a Lounge until it joins up with the FTW section in Meridian.

 

[KnightRail]

We explained why they go to Florida. There are still Amtrak mods that need to occur.

I'm genuinely curious...what are these Amtrak mods that a) can't be performed in Elmira before delivery and b) take nearly a month between arrival in Hialeah and release into revenue service?

Even if there were not modifications to be performed, there still needs to be a top to bottom end to end inspection done on each car by the purchaser before it is conditionally accepted for service. What if there were hidden manufacturing flaws or structural defects and a piece of rolling stock was just accepted taking the manufactures word for it. As for mods, they have been mentioned multiple times already on this forum. Just one for example is Wi-Fi outfitting.

 

[Ngotwalt]

Some good news, bad news. Atlanta is out and about, specifically on the Lake Shore Limited. No it is not in service, it's deadheading for the big NARP event in Chicago this weekend where it will be displayed.

Nick

 

[GBNorman]

It appears that there are eight V-D's on the property plus the V-P 8400. This means if they all stay healthy all consists of the Meteor and Crescent can be protected with one spare. Add the two reported on their way and then eleven are available, allowing three spares.

Nothing further can be done until four more arrive. Then it is "decision time"; give 'em back to the Lake Shore with a spare for Chicago or to the Star? Four more beyond that and there is no decision to be made, as everyone who previously had full service Diners will have 'em again.

With seven more what to do with them. Possibly reassign the V-P to company service and "take a chance" there will be enough to assign Cardinal full service Diners. That's four left for heavy repairs as they come due.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I'm getting the feeling that the LSL won't have diners on my trip *to* the NARP meeting -- tonight -- and that it won't have diners on my trip *back from* the NARP meeting either -- a week fom now. Sigh. Maybe my Thanksgiving trip?

Ah, man. You missed having it by a day. Atlanta is deadheading on 49 today.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

If you have time on the 1st, I suppose you can verify if Ryan's post is correct.....Fleet One!

If you miss, I guess Fleet 2 can check things on the 2nd.

I'm working from home today, so will try a different spot to catch 97. Hope no SEPTA trains stop and get in my way (will be at a SEPTA station).

 

[KnightRail]

Some good news, bad news. Atlanta is out and about, specifically on the Lake Shore Limited. No it is not in service, it's deadheading for the big NARP event in Chicago this weekend where it will be displayed.

Nick

Is that an eyewitness visual report or reposted hearsay from TrainDISorders?

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I am not sure I like the acronym VD.