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

[AmtrakBlue]

First diner, Annapolis, went into revenue service on 12/5/16. Currently assigned to 97/98.

Moderation note: This topic continues the discussion from the original Viewliner II topic. The original topic can be found at:

Viewliner II - Part 1 - Baggage Cars

A third topic discussing the Bag Dorm cars can be found at:

Viewliner II - Part 3 - Bag Dorm Cars

 

[AmtrakBlue]

First pics posted here: http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/45804-viewliner-ii-production-status-photos/page-179&do=findComment&comment=689780

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Oh, how lovely!

Does this mean it is assigned to 97/98 permanently, and I will get to eat in it at the end of January? Or would it switch to different trains, like the test one did?

 

[neroden]

Oh, how lovely!

Does this mean it is assigned to 97/98 permanently, and I will get to eat in it at the end of January? Or would it switch to different trains, like the test one did?

Remember there are four trains running at any given time on 97/98, so you have a 1/4 chance of getting it.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

oh drat--I forgot about the odds. Oh, well, maybe I'll get lucky and it will be the dining car on my trip!

On a separate note, about the names--I believe I read that Trenton was the only capital name not being used. Is this because nobody wants to dine in something named after the capital of New Jersey and was done on purpose? Or did they just put all the names in a hat and that was the one that lost out?

 

[jis]

And also remember, nothing is ever permanent. It is the way it is until it isn't anymore.

 

[afigg]

On a separate note, about the names--I believe I read that Trenton was the only capital name not being used. Is this because nobody wants to dine in something named after the capital of New Jersey and was done on purpose? Or did they just put all the names in a hat and that was the one that lost out?

Trenton lost out because the Viewliner II diner names were assigned in alphabetical order for state capitals east of the Mississippi. Check the list of assigned and planned names for the Viewliners at On-Track On-Line. The diner names start with Albany and run through Tallahasee. Of course, Amtrak could change the naming scheme and, say, drop Frankfurt KY, because it is not as if Kentucky is a hotbed of Amtrak support and service.

 

[jis]

OTOH, I don;t think not having a Diner named Trenton will even be noticed by supporters of Amtrak in NJ Until we make a fuss about it. And even after that I do not foresee a sudden drop in support either.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

On a separate note, about the names--I believe I read that Trenton was the only capital name not being used. Is this because nobody wants to dine in something named after the capital of New Jersey and was done on purpose? Or did they just put all the names in a hat and that was the one that lost out?

Trenton lost out because the Viewliner II diner names were assigned in alphabetical order for state capitals east of the Mississippi. Check the list of assigned and planned names for the Viewliners at On-Track On-Line. The diner names start with Albany and run through Tallahasee. Of course, Amtrak could change the naming scheme and, say, drop Frankfurt KY, because it is not as if Kentucky is a hotbed of Amtrak support and service.

Oh, I see. Thanks, afigg--I had wondered how the decision had been made.

OTOH, I don;t think not having a Diner named Trenton will even be noticed by supporters of Amtrak in NJ Until we make a fuss about it. And even after that I do not foresee a sudden drop in support either.

I somehow don't see any train travelers from New Jersey who have to go through TRE complaining about not having a "Trenton" dining car :giggle: .

 

[jis]

OTOH, I don;t think not having a Diner named Trenton will even be noticed by supporters of Amtrak in NJ Until we make a fuss about it. And even after that I do not foresee a sudden drop in support either.

I somehow don't see any train travelers from New Jersey who have to go through TRE complaining about not having a "Trenton" dining car :giggle: .

Indeed! LOL!

 

[neroden]

On a separate note, about the names--I believe I read that Trenton was the only capital name not being used. Is this because nobody wants to dine in something named after the capital of New Jersey and was done on purpose? Or did they just put all the names in a hat and that was the one that lost out?

Trenton lost out because the Viewliner II diner names were assigned in alphabetical order for state capitals east of the Mississippi. Check the list of assigned and planned names for the Viewliners at On-Track On-Line. The diner names start with Albany and run through Tallahasee. Of course, Amtrak could change the naming scheme and, say, drop Frankfurt KY, because it is not as if Kentucky is a hotbed of Amtrak support and service.

If I were at Amtrak, I'd skip Madison and replace it with Trenton.

My logic: that way it would include the state capitals for all the states which are likely to retain single-level train service.

They didn't strictly go with "east of the Mississippi" anyway; St. Paul, MN is east of the Mississippi, but it got skipped.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Just reading an older thread there, and I was wondering...

Did the solve the "tail wagging" problem of the Viewliner I sleepers? Or will Viewliner II sleepers still have this problem, if they are located at the end of a consist?

I remember Amtrak attempting to solve this, by putting a heritage baggage car after the last Viewliner I sleeper. But now the baggage cars themselves, are Viewliners.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Trenton lost out because the Viewliner II diner names were assigned in alphabetical order for state capitals east of the Mississippi. Check the list of assigned and planned names for the Viewliners at On-Track On-Line. The diner names start with Albany and run through Tallahasee.

They didn't strictly go with "east of the Mississippi" anyway; St. Paul, MN is east of the Mississippi, but it got skipped.

I guess Amtrak used this website as their reference: States and Capitals east of the Mississippi River :giggle:

Though, it is interesting that they picked a naming scheme for which their sleeper order is only one (or two) units short of matching. I guess we can officially put 100% of the blame for not including Trenton on those cheap bastards, the Senators and Congressmen from NJ, for not forking up the additional bucks to just build one more sleeper.

 

[jebr]

They didn't strictly go with "east of the Mississippi" anyway; St. Paul, MN is east of the Mississippi, but it got skipped.

Depending on where you are in St. Paul, you could be either west, east, north, or south of the Mississippi River. Maybe Amtrak didn't want to deal with all that ambiguity and just said not to include St. Paul. (St. Paul Union Depot is more "north" of the Mississippi River, as the river runs to the south of SPUD.)

 

[GaSteve]

Just reading an older thread there, and I was wondering...

Did the solve the "tail wagging" problem of the Viewliner I sleepers? Or will Viewliner II sleepers still have this problem, if they are located at the end of a consist?

I remember Amtrak attempting to solve this, by putting a heritage baggage car after the last Viewliner I sleeper. But now the baggage cars themselves, are Viewliners.

The Silver Service and Crescent consists have been running the sleepers in the front for some time now.

Hmmm... Just noticed on the other thread that the sleepers have been moved to the rear on Silver trains. Don't know about the Crescent, but its consists differ slightly because of the Business Class coach.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Just reading an older thread there, and I was wondering...

Did the solve the "tail wagging" problem of the Viewliner I sleepers? Or will Viewliner II sleepers still have this problem, if they are located at the end of a consist?

I remember Amtrak attempting to solve this, by putting a heritage baggage car after the last Viewliner I sleeper. But now the baggage cars themselves, are Viewliners.

The Silver Service and Crescent consists have been running the sleepers in the front for some time now.Hmmm... Just noticed on the other thread that the sleepers have been moved to the rear on Silver trains. Don't know about the Crescent, but its consists differ slightly because of the Business Class coach.

Yea, there is the older thread, Normal For Sleepers On Rear And Coach In Front? And the today's thread, Star and Meteor Consist Flip

That's what got me thinking if the Viewliner II Sleeper's will still have this problem, and if the Viewliner II Baggage cars would still offer the same work-around.

 

[DCAKen]

In the Nov/Dec issue of Amtrak Ink, in the Ask Wick section is this nugget:

Do you know when the new single level long-distance cars
will be entered into service?

This obviously has been a real problem for us in that the cars we
ordered from CAF have been late in delivery and are getting later. We
do have all of the new baggage cars on line now and we’re waiting for
the new diners, the first of which is due out later this year. [NOTE:
Amtrak conditionally accepted CAF’s first delivered car on Nov. 7.
The remaining cars are scheduled to be delivered between August
2017 and September 2018.]

That's a long wait until the deliveries start up.

 

[Seaboard92]

It really doesn't matter what type of car it is. The end of the train will always have tail wagging.

 

[A Voice]

Eight more months? That's really bad, and I'm usually one of the defenders of the Viewliner II program.

I hope that August date refers to the other car types, sleepers and baggage-dorms, rather than to the diners, and they'll arrive much sooner (wasn't February mentioned?). The note is worded a bit poorly anyway (November 7th marked conditional acceptance of the first diner, not the actual first CAF car), but taken literally, it means no more diners until August.

 

[jis]

It really doesn't matter what type of car it is. The end of the train will always have tail wagging.

That is why they put the baggage car at the tail when the Sleepers are in the rear of the train, so that it can wag away and lull the bags to sleep.

 

[Ryan]

It really doesn't matter what type of car it is. The end of the train will always have tail wagging.

This.

I sat in the last row of the last car on 19 once. But only once, it was awful.

 

[Thirdrail7]

In the Nov/Dec issue of Amtrak Ink, in the Ask Wick section is this nugget:

Do you know when the new single level long-distance cars

will be entered into service?

This obviously has been a real problem for us in that the cars we

ordered from CAF have been late in delivery and are getting later. We

do have all of the new baggage cars on line now and we’re waiting for

the new diners, the first of which is due out later this year. [NOTE:

Amtrak conditionally accepted CAF’s first delivered car on Nov. 7.

The remaining cars are scheduled to be delivered between August

2017 and September 2018.]

That's a long wait until the deliveries start up.

Eight more months? That's really bad, and I'm usually one of the defenders of the Viewliner II program.

I hope that August date refers to the other car types, sleepers and baggage-dorms, rather than to the diners, and they'll arrive much sooner (wasn't February mentioned?). The note is worded a bit poorly anyway (November 7th marked conditional acceptance of the first diner, not the actual first CAF car), but taken literally, it means no more diners until August.

I suspect those dates reflect the next class of cars (bag dorm or sleeper) entering service and remaining class (bag dorm or sleeper) to enter service.

 

[Ryan]

This thread is working ok imho as long as we stay close to the topic. I check back every time there is a blue dot on my phone next this topic. It's annoying to then find a photo of the city of Annapolis rather than the dining car Annapolis.

What if Annapolis (the diner) was in Annapolis (the city)?

 

[tommylicious]

Ha! Great one! Has anyone dined on Annapolis yet? Looking forward to a review.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

This thread is working ok imho as long as we stay close to the topic. I check back every time there is a blue dot on my phone next this topic. It's annoying to then find a photo of the city of Annapolis rather than the dining car Annapolis.

What if Annapolis (the diner) was in Annapolis (the city)?

I guess we are simply going to have to accept, that these types of posts are going to repeat here, for each and every new dining car.

Thank &deity that Trenton didn't make the list.