Viewliner II Part 4: Sleeping Car production, delivery, deployment

[RebelRider]

Not sure how far out the bookings are going as of now as I have a trip scheduled on 92 at the end of February and they only show a 9210 and 9211 car on those trips as of now (currently assigned to the 9210 car). I'd be curious to hear if anyone has seen or experienced these cars during their current run on the Silvers.

I would tentatively say you should book the xx11 car to get the VLII experience. The Florida service was cut to two sleepers with the big long haul reductions in October. The third sleeper just recently came back for the holidays. I bet it will come off again the first week of January, hence no 12 car in February.

 

[cocojacoby]

Wasn't the whole idea of the modular design that it would be easy to reconfigure the cars by simply removing the old modules and inserting new ones?

 

[railiner]

Wasn't the whole idea of the modular design that it would be easy to reconfigure the cars by simply removing the old modules and inserting new ones?

I believe it was... but doing in practice, what was planned in theory, may have turned out to not be as easy as planned...

 

[railiner]

I think the main advantage of modular construction is “mass production”, at a fast rate, with consistent quality control...cruise ships are built this way, too, as are factory built homes as compared to site built.
Modifications however, are done on site.

 

[jis]

I believe it was... but doing in practice, what was planned in theory, may have turned out to not be as easy as planned...

I don't believe any Viewliner has been reconfigured making use of its easy reconfiguration capabilities. The only reconfigurations have been those where the modules were removed and a handcrafted interior was built for special purpose cars.

I think the main advantage of modular construction is “mass production”, at a fast rate, with consistent quality control...cruise ships are built this way, too, as are factory built homes as compared to site built.
Modifications however, are done on site.

Considering that the Viewliners turned out to be the slowest rate "mass produce" cars in the world in both incarnations, it is not clear that this goal was achieved either. The ridiculously small orders may be to blame for that though.

 

[roadman3313]

I would tentatively say you should book the xx11 car to get the VLII experience. The Florida service was cut to two sleepers with the big long haul reductions in October. The third sleeper just recently came back for the holidays. I bet it will come off again the first week of January, hence no 12 car in February.

Sounds like a reasonable idea. The first time I called they said they only saw a 10 car, however checking online it still shows 3 Bedrooms available (after I booked one) so I assume there is still an 11 car as well. I'll keep an eye on it as it gets closer. Figure it's 50/50 if there is one. If not, good reason to make another trip East again in the future!

 

[pennyk]

I was out walking this morning and was fortunate to see the SIlver Star 91 at a crossing. The 12 sleeper was a Viewliner 2, the other sleepers were Viewliner 1's.

 

[roadman3313]

I was out walking this morning and was fortunate to see the SIlver Star 91 at a crossing. The 12 sleeper was a Viewliner 2, the other sleepers were Viewliner 1's.

Thanks for the report. Great to hear they are out and running! Hopefully more will roll out in the coming months.

 

[WinNix]

Speaking of silver star 91, someone was on it and created a video tour of the interior.

edit: corrected broken link

 

[Bostonjetset]

Speaking of silver star 91, someone was on it and created a video tour of the interior.

edit: corrected broken link

Thanks for sharing! I’ll be on the Silver Meteor Monday and Silver Star the following Saturday so hoping I get one of the new cars at least in one direction. They look really nice.

 

[joelkfla]

Speaking of silver star 91, someone was on it and created a video tour of the interior.

edit: corrected broken link

Turn crank for ice. Clever!

I saw just one duplex outlet. Looks like it would be convenient to place a power strip on the lower step and do all your charging there, but rather inconvenient for anything that one wants to keep plugged in near the window (like a standalone GPS unit).

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Thanks for sharing! I’ll be on the Silver Meteor Monday and Silver Star the following Saturday so hoping I get one of the new cars at least in one direction. They look really nice.

I believe the car number for the VLIIs is 12, so you should already know if you're booked in a VLI or a VLII

 

[Mailliw]

I can't wait to travel in a VII. Hopefully the Lakeshore Limited is up next.

 

[tricia]

Turn crank for ice. Clever!
....

Ice on demand without needing to beg it from a SCA or dining car worker! Hooray! If only they'll make available hot-enough-for-tea water in the sleeping cars, I might never want to get off the train.

 

[Bostonjetset]

I believe the car number for the VLIIs is 12, so you should already know if you're booked in a VLI or a VLII

I’m in car 11 both times but others on here stated that car 11 may be the last car in January after the holiday trips. So who knows lol.

 

[PaTrainFan]

He whipped around pretty quickly, not focusing to get much of a detailed look so I had to start and stop, but I did not notice any USB charging ports. That is a big miss in today's world.

 

[railiner]

I don't care for the way the windows are covered by those curtains...I had difficulty to cover the windows entirely, on the Superliner. A pretty chintzy design, IMHO. They should have some kind of opaque shade like the heritage cars had...

 

[roadman3313]

Speaking of silver star 91, someone was on it and created a video tour of the interior.

edit: corrected broken link

Thanks for sharing. Nice to see them in action! I had to change my February booking for a work trip to Tampa but am now booked on the Meteor southbound in the 11 car (instead of northbound on the Star in the 10 car). Still no 12 car on the roster. Hopefully I'll luck out with a VII but won't complain if not (haven't been on an overnight train trip in over a year so nice enough to ride a train in general). Also taking the Auto Train back up north to see if the new bedding on board.

 

[Mailliw]

I don't care for the way the windows are covered by those curtains...I had difficulty to cover the windows entirely, on the Superliner. A pretty chintzy design, IMHO. They should have some kind of opaque shade like the heritage cars had...

Agreed, blackout shades would better. Also why do the roomettes have interior windows when the bedrooms do not?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Agreed, blackout shades would better. Also why do the roomettes have interior windows when the bedrooms do not?

Isn’t the bathroom in the bedrooms next to the door where the window would be?

 

[John Santos]

Isn’t the bathroom in the bedrooms next to the door where the window would be?

But the roomettes have two windows, one next to the sink/toilet and one in the door itself. The bedrooms could have a window in the door, but don't.

Pure speculation, but maybe the designers decided (after surveying passengers?) that having to close a curtain over the door for privacy in a bedroom would be much more effort because you couldn't reach the curtain while in or on the bed, but in roomettes, it's a much shorter reach.

The wall opposite the bedrooms has lots of windows, but you would have to open the door to see out them. To see out the other side of the train from a roomette, you wouldn't need to open the door, but you would need to open the curtain, and the occupant of the opposite roomette would also need to open their curtain, and their window curtain, and you would be looking through their roomette to see out of the train. Maybe there is some rational reason buried in these facts for roomettes to have multiple windows facing the passage, but for bedrooms to have none, but I'm not seeing it.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

But the roomettes have two windows, one next to the sink/toilet and one in the door itself. The bedrooms could have a window in the door, but don't.

Pure speculation, but maybe the designers decided (after surveying passengers?) that having to close a curtain over the door for privacy in a bedroom would be much more effort because you couldn't reach the curtain while in or on the bed, but in roomettes, it's a much shorter reach.

The wall opposite the bedrooms has lots of windows, but you would have to open the door to see out them. To see out the other side of the train from a roomette, you wouldn't need to open the door, but you would need to open the curtain, and the occupant of the opposite roomette would also need to open their curtain, and their window curtain, and you would be looking through their roomette to see out of the train. Maybe there is some rational reason buried in these facts for roomettes to have multiple windows facing the passage, but for bedrooms to have none, but I'm not seeing it.

I see a window on the door of the bedroom in that video.

 

[John Santos]

I see a window on the door of the bedroom in that video.

You're right. I missed that. I don't see a window on the H room door, but that faces the vestibule, not the side passageway.

 

[pennyk]

I was out walking and saw Silver Meteor 97 pass through Orlando. There were 3 sleepers and the 12 sleeper was a Viewliner 2.

 

[pennyk]

You're right. I missed that. I don't see a window on the H room door, but that faces the vestibule, not the side passageway.

On the Viewliner 1, there is no window on the H room door. However, there is a small window that faces the side passageway.