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

[PVD]

Can't speak for the Card, but on LSL, the Cafe Car is a split, with one end being 2-1 BC seating running from BOS to Chicago. The diner, presently the DL, originates in NY.

 

[neroden]

If they don't restore dining car service on the LSL, they are idiots of the first order.

However... remember the 20% shop count rule of thumb. Due to the required calendar-based inspections, even the protect cars need shop time. Although probably not the full 20%.

14 in service including #8400 + Montgomery = 15. Subtract shop count of 20%, you get 12. 8 for Crescent and Meteor service. For protection, 1 in Hileah, 1 in New Orleans, 2 in New York City. (I know Amtrak wanted two protects at NYC for a long time.)

If Amtrak wants (as it clearly does) to dispose of the Heritage cars immediately, dispose of all their spare parts, throw out their manuals,... and *never* have to substitute an Amfleet II cafe on the Crescent or Meteor... this is the minimum to be completely safe.

The LSL would require 3 additional cars, plus a protect at Chicago, plus shop count time for those, which really means 5 more cars. I am probably somewhat overestimating the shop counts, but I'd still guess we need at least two more cars from CAF after Montgomery before Amtrak will feel that they have enough dining cars, and likely 4 more.

 

[Ngotwalt]

Also, I think the 8400 is out of service.

Nick

 

[StriderGDM]

I can wait for a diner on the LSL until as neroden suggests, they can completely eliminate ALL heritage diners. Let's make life easier.

 

[Thirdrail7]

 

[Ryan]

Next week?

 

[cpotisch]

Yeeeesssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Thirdrail7]

Mady and Monty have left the building.

Nick

Coming up on the one month anniversary of the release of Madison/Montgomery from CAF. We can probably expect them out of Hialeah in a few days.

Actually, Madison has been released and ready to go since the 9th. It just doesn't really have anywhere to go so it is protecting in HIA.

TR, Is it safe to say that Amtrak is releasing the diners in to protect service first and then placed on trains?

Not really. They just don't have anywhere to go if the sets are made up and deployed. It the one piece of equipment that is currently at a surplus.

Also, I think the 8400 is out of service.

Nick

It hasn't really been o/o/s for any prolonged period since its pm. It may skip a trip or two, but it is basically available. It's currently in the Crescent cycle.

Next week?

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Translation: 27 February 2018

 

[Ryan]

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

Rough night Ryan?

 

[cpotisch]

What is the red dude driving over the number 58 referencing?

 

[Ziv]

I have to admit that the number 58 getting rammed by what looks like a cub scout on a trike makes no sense to me. So I guess I can't even aspire to being "Captain Obvious".

 

[stappend]

If you go back through the 1000 pages of TR's hints it makes sense, the 57th day of the year or 2/27/18

 

[Ziv]

Cool. Thanks for the heads up! I understood most of the hints over the past couple months, but that one flew right over my head. I thought it was May 8th at first, then I was fixated on the 3 wheels of the trike for a while, thinking it was 583. Regardless of my less than stellar discernment, it is good news to have 2 more diners 'en route', so to speak.

If you go back through the 1000 pages of TR's hints it makes sense, the 57th day of the year or 2/27/18

 

[Steve4031]

Cool. Thanks for the heads up! I understood most of the hints over the past couple months, but that one flew right over my head. I thought it was May 8th at first, then I was fixated on the 3 wheels of the trike for a while, thinking it was 583. Regardless of my less than stellar discernment, it is good news to have 2 more diners 'en route', so to speak.

If you go back through the 1000 pages of TR's hints it makes sense, the 57th day of the year or 2/27/18

[/quot

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[jis]

If you go back through the 1000 pages of TR's hints it makes sense, the 57th day of the year or 2/27/18

2/27 would be 58th day unless someone took away one day from January or something like that

 

[niemi24s]

The Julian calendar does have its advantages in certain applications.

 

[Ryan]

Apparently Julian dates are not as well known as I thought.

For anyone else still confused, Montpelier and Nashville are going to be the next two Diners delivered.

 

[cpotisch]

For anyone else still confused, Montpelier and Nashville are going to be the next two Diners delivered.

With all do respect, I think we all figured that much.

But thanks, Captain Obvious!

 

[JRR]

Way beyond me!

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[west point]

Julian calendar dates are used in many computer programs. Then a sub routine can translate to / from standard dates. Makes it much easier to deal with the Feb 29th leap years.

 

[cpotisch]

I think it was the ‘little red dude‘ on the trike that threw some of us off. A bit of a red herring.

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[Lonestar648]

Seems like we are treading water waiting for the next two diners to be released.

 

[cpotisch]

If Amtrak wanted to, at this point they could absolutely return the diner to the Lake Shore. Including 8400 and Monty, there are currently seven ViewDiner protects. With the LSL equipped, there would still be four. That’s a 36% margin - almost twice the standard of the past couple years. They could at minimum (as has been mentioned before) add V-IIs and keep the current menu. It would require very minimal crew training/prep, and would provide vastly better ambiance.

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