Viewliner II Part 3: Bag/Dorm Car Production, Delivery, Speculation

[Acela150]

Two new Bag Dorms were on train 234 today for NYP.

Photo Credit to "Riverrail photo"

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/708195/

 

[Acela150]

The same two bag dorms made it onto today’s Train 97. Betty blue caught them just outside of Wilmington. [emoji4]

 

[Dakota 400]

The same two bag dorms made it onto today’s Train 97. Betty blue caught them just outside of Wilmington. [emoji4]

Are they being tested?

 

[Acela150]

No. They are going to Hialeah for acceptance.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

There were 3 bag-dorms, one in service and the 2 new ones. And 1 deadhead VL in addition to it's normal consist...long train.

 

[Anderson]

Dang...that would have been...what, 14-15 cars?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Dang...that would have been...what, 14-15 cars?

I think someone on FB said 14.
Just looked at my video. 15. Was hard to count the last cars because SEPTA photobombed my video.

 

[Pere Flyer]

View attachment 14897 This was in between the last sleeper and the baggage car on 97(19). It sure looked like it was being used by Amtrak personnel. It seemed to be a strange train to employ it given that a lot of the people are supposed to be gone by Oct 1.

Double “nice.” [emoji6]

 

[twropr]

Are any trains besides the SILVER METEOR operating with a Viewliner II Baggage Dorm?
Andy

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

No train has a Viewliner Baggage Dorm car assigned. The Dorm cars can be found on the Sliver Meteor are for testing purposes.
Remember there only going to be 10 build. Assignment have never been formal communicated.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

No train has a Viewliner Baggage Dorm car assigned. The Dorm cars can be found on the Sliver Meteor are for testing purposes.
Remember there only going to be 10 build. Assignment have never been formal communicated.

I’m pretty sure I’ve read on FB that the bag dorm is being used on the Meteor.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Agree, but does ever train set have one?

My understanding is there still testing them. Have the few crew members use them is part of the testing.

Still awaiting assignment of these 10 cars to be announced. Would think there going into axle count service.

 

[JustOnce]

Agree, but does ever train set have one?

My understanding is there still testing them. Have the few crew members use them is part of the testing.

Still awaiting assignment of these 10 cars to be announced. Would think there going into axle count service.

Is it really testing when they've replaced the baggage cars?

Amtrak really needs 15* to reach a critical mass to assign them to two LD routes (usually 6 trainsets per route). Four trainsets can cover the eastern routes, but with crew size reductions on the East, they really should be used out west, with a possible reconfiguration of the trans dorm to accomodate more passengers. They might make sense for adding baggage to the Boston segment of the LSL.


*= 6 to one train set, 6 to the other, a protect at Chicago, a protect at each western terminal, and a spare for when one is shopped. And I think that's optimisitic.

 

[me_little_me]

Is it really testing when they've replaced the baggage cars?

Amtrak really needs 15* to reach a critical mass to assign them to two LD routes (usually 6 trainsets per route). Four trainsets can cover the eastern routes, but with crew size reductions on the East, they really should be used out west, with a possible reconfiguration of the trans dorm to accomodate more passengers. They might make sense for adding baggage to the Boston segment of the LSL.


*= 6 to one train set, 6 to the other, a protect at Chicago, a protect at each western terminal, and a spare for when one is shopped. And I think that's optimisitic.

Not necessarily. A sleeper and a baggage car can substitute for a bagdorm but not vice versa.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

The sad fact is only ten have been order.

Find me a home for those 10 cars.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Here comes another bag dorm. If nothing dramatic occurs, the usual plan executes on Mon. Fleets one, two, and three will photograph 97 on the 30th. Fleet 4 will photograph 97 that passes through on the 31st

PS: The bag dorms are being used in lieu of baggage cars when they show up on trains. The crews utilize them as well. They've been used on the Meteor and the Star but since there are only a few, I don't think they're scheduled to a particular train.

 

[user 14106]

I’d love to see 448/449 get them. Could move the full Boston sleeper to the New York section and put a bag dorm on the Boston section. Would still have some sleeper capacity on Boston section and would return baggage service. Seems like that’s a possibility where the bag dorm may make sense. But not giving my hopes up on that one.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

I’d love to see 448/449 get them. Could move the full Boston sleeper to the New York section and put a bag dorm on the Boston section. Would still have some sleeper capacity on Boston section and would return baggage service. Seems like that’s a possibility where the bag dorm may make sense. But not giving my hopes up on that one.

Lack of ADA sleeper space would be a issue. Adding sleeper space on either section would be nice.

 

[mgl1978]

2 New viewliners headed south on #97 tonight at long bridge park. 1 bag/dorm. 1 sleeper

 

[twropr]

If my records are correct, 8 of the 10 V2 Bag Dorms have been released. The two that are unaccounted for are 69000 and 69001. Anyone wager as to what the status of these two are?
Andy

 

[KnightRail]

Deploying soon to crescents, and then cardinals.

 

[user 14106]

Deploying soon to crescents, and then cardinals.

Sounds like they are removing the full baggage car on these and going with the bag dorm only. This should chew up half the Bag Dorms. Given the small F&B crew with FlexDining on both routes I wonder if the plan is to also house the sleeping car attendants in the dorm..it only makes sense to use a bag-dorm on a train with FlexDining if you are also going to include the SCAs (or sell whatever unused roomettes are left in the bag dorm.)

 

[Thirdrail7]

Sounds like they are removing the full baggage car on these and going with the bag dorm only. This should chew up half the Bag Dorms. Given the small F&B crew with FlexDining on both routes I wonder if the plan is to also house the sleeping car attendants in the dorm..it only makes sense to use a bag-dorm on a train with FlexDining if you are also going to include the SCAs (or sell whatever unused roomettes are left in the bag dorm.)

That's the whole premise of the bag dorms. You can move the crew out of the revenue rooms. I don't think they can sell leftover space in the dorms though.

 

[PVD]

Since the bag dorms do not have an H room, and are not grandfathered, they probably can not be sold.

 

[JustOnce]

Since the bag dorms do not have an H room, and are not grandfathered, they probably can not be sold.

Knowing how FRA implements ADA (example non-ADA bathrooms closed to all passengers on the Hartford Line), I would sadly agree with this. We aren't going to see them adding the sleeper capacity back to the Night Owl.