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

[Ryan]

Thanks, solid list.

What's 61043 doing stored? Wrecked already?

 

[pennyk]

I recently saw 97(18) at a crossing in Winter Park. It appeared to have a new Bag/Dorm ahead of the baggage car. I was in an automobile stopped at a red light before the crossing and I "think" that is what I saw. I do not drive that often and am always thrilled when I see a Silver.

 

[JustOnce]

I recently saw 97(18) at a crossing in Winter Park. It appeared to have a new Bag/Dorm ahead of the baggage car. I was in an automobile stopped at a red light before the crossing and I "think" that is what I saw. I do not drive that often and am always thrilled when I see a Silver.

There was definitely a bag-dorm when 97-18 passed the Ashland camera. It seems every 97 & 98 has had one the last few days. Latest rumbling is they're letting the crews "test" the cars. 98 had one this morning looking at youtube scrollback.

 

[chrsjrcj]

I rode 97-17 and there was a bag-dorm in front of the baggage car, but the bag-dorm was not being used. It did have a liquid tote container, which I assume was to add weight to the car.

 

[Ronbo]

I saw two of these cars today leaving Chicago on the #5 Zephyr, between the locomotives and the regular baggage car. Where are they going, I wonder?

 

[Thirdrail7]

It is on hold due to the accident in Cayce.

 

[Thirdrail7]

I recently saw 97(18) at a crossing in Winter Park. It appeared to have a new Bag/Dorm ahead of the baggage car. I was in an automobile stopped at a red light before the crossing and I "think" that is what I saw. I do not drive that often and am always thrilled when I see a Silver.

97(19) also has one. As JustOnce and Knightrider mentioned, they are live testing. I suspect they are getting them ready for passenger use.

I saw two of these cars today leaving Chicago on the #5 Zephyr, between the locomotives and the regular baggage car. Where are they going, I wonder?

They are dining cars heading out west for extra cars on a test train.

 

[Ronbo]

97(19) also has one. As JustOnce and Knightrider mentioned, they are live testing. I suspect they are getting them ready for passenger use.



They are dining cars heading out west for extra cars on a test train.

Thanks for the correction of my post, I didn’t realize that I had viewed the wrong cars.

 

[Thirdrail7]

2 on the rear of the usual suspects on the usual days next week.

 

[Acela150]

I'm guessing that means they will be on the rear of 97 this upcoming Wednesday?

 

[Anderson]

Ran into 69004 the other night (on 97/21). It definitely had the appearance of being in use for at least one crew member, the roomettes seemed fully appointed, etc. Note that I only realized the car was on the train upon disembarkation at RVR so I only got a look from one side looking in.

 

[PaulM]

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.

 

[JP1822]

Makes little sense to use them on the Eastern Long Distance trains after October 1st with the reduced onboard crew takes affect for F&B service. Your looking at TWO (2) LSA's occupying this car as crew members! Sleeper car attendants stay with their sleepers, and coach attendants stay with the coach cars. Best would be the long distance western long hauls that still have dining car staff. Frees up the Superliner Trans Dorm Sleeper to be an all roomette revenue sleeper.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

Makes little sense to use them on the Eastern Long Distance trains after October 1st with the reduced onboard crew takes affect for F&B service. Your looking at TWO (2) LSA's occupying this car as crew members! Sleeper car attendants stay with their sleepers, and coach attendants stay with the coach cars. Best would be the long distance western long hauls that still have dining car staff. Frees up the Superliner Trans Dorm Sleeper to be an all roomette revenue sleeper.

The coach attendants do not stay in their cars overnight; they get a roomette in one of the sleeping cars.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

And they could sell those spare rooms - more revenue.

 

[PVD]

We still have the question of whether or not the extra space can be sold since no accessible space is available in the car.

 

[PaulM]

. Best would be the long distance western long hauls that still have dining car staff. Frees up the Superliner Trans Dorm Sleeper to be an all roomette revenue sleeper.

They are already opening more transdorm space to passengers. I recently boarded the Capital Limited booked in room 2, car 3009. I was surprised to see I was in the transdorm because I thought those room numbers were 15 and above.

Room 2 was located to the front of where barrier between revenue and employee space used to be. Soon it will be just another sleeper, minus bedrooms

 

[PVD]

The SL transdorms I have ridden have an H room, even though I've never seen one in use.

 

[jis]

We still have the question of whether or not the extra space can be sold since no accessible space is available in the car.

Does FRA and ADA say that each car on the train must have commercially available accessible space?

 

[railiner]

Does FRA and ADA say that each car on the train must have commercially available accessible space?

Yes...I wonder about that too...as long as there are H rooms on the same train, shouldn't that be sufficient? Is there some written H room to non_H room ratio?

 

[PVD]

https://www.access-board.gov/guidel...part-f-intercity-amtrak-rail-cars-and-systems

I read it and I'm still not sure.....I see the requirement for wheelchair spaces by train, but the sleeper stuffI don't see stated except as to the car itself...maybe a sharper eye ill pick it up...

 

[jis]

https://www.access-board.gov/guidel...part-f-intercity-amtrak-rail-cars-and-systems

I read it and I'm still not sure.....I see the requirement for wheelchair spaces by train, but the sleeper stuffI don't see stated except as to the car itself...maybe a sharper eye ill pick it up...

Indeed it appears that each car has to have at least one compartment that meets ADA requirements. So forget about Slumbercoaches or any other reasonable dense packed sleeping accommodation in the entire car. Each car must have an H room like appointment irrespective of what the sleeping accommodation in the rest of the car looks like.

I suppose one could pull off an airline lie flat layout with one seat at the end of the car designated for handicapped use located right next to the door of the large restroom, with adjacent space for parking a wheel chair, should the passenger wish to sit in his wheelchair instead of in the seat, and this should be adjacent to the vestibule with the wide enough door for ingress/egress.

 

[PerRock]

Indeed it appears that each car has to have at least one compartment that meets ADA requirements. So forget about Slumbercoaches or any other reasonable dense packed sleeping accommodation in the entire car. Each car must have an H room like appointment irrespective of what the sleeping accommodation in the rest of the car looks like.

I suppose one could pull off an airline lie flat layout with one seat at the end of the car designated for handicapped use located right next to the door of the large restroom, with adjacent space for parking a wheel chair, should the passenger wish to sit in his wheelchair instead of in the seat, and this should be adjacent to the vestibule with the wide enough door for ingress/egress.

But then what about the Coach-Baggage cars? They don't have lower-level seating.

peter

 

[PVD]

Those were built before this took effect, and the space available in the other cars probably makes up for it.

 

[jis]

I suspect they fall under the “at least one or two cars” exception for older cars.