Passenger Trains > Another Delivery of Viewliner II

This morning CAF released another batch of ten Viewliner II Baggage Cars.
Train consist
P42 41
43360 Amcafe
61054
61056
61057
61052
61051
61053
61055
61050
61049
61048
520 GP38-3

1, Amtrak 41 on CAF trackage former DL&W at Eldridge Park Elmira, NY
2. NS H01 AMTK 41 Wellsburg, NY
3. NS H01 AMTK 41-520 Wellsburg, NY

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4 & 5. NS H01 AMTK 41 Ellistown, NY

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How many are left now?

How nice for the passengers!

andersonb109 Wrote:
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> How nice for the passengers!

Yes, more baggage can ride on the train now!     

Now, on to the baggage dorms....     Actually, a serious question - which cars are scheduled to be produced next? 

I wonder what the real reason is for producing these cars first?  If it is because they are the easiest, then I understand that since passenger car building is an uncommon occurence. 

One more set of Baggage Cars and then should be Diners. With the delivery of the new baggage cars since they are heated Amtrak can put the Animal Policy on more trains. The older baggage cars have seen their life and there was no other substitute. Now the diners can be next, Amtrak could always substitute an Amfleet Cafe Lounge if a diner was bad ordered. Everyone blames CAF for slow delivery but Amtrak did input design changes when the first cars were being constructed, That contributed to delivery delays.

PCCRNSEngr Wrote:
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> One more set of Baggage Cars and then should be Diners. With the delivery of the new baggage cars
> since they are heated Amtrak can put the Animal Policy on more trains. The older baggage cars have
> seen their life and there was no other substitute. Now the diners can be next, Amtrak could always
> substitute an Amfleet Cafe Lounge if a diner was bad ordered.
> Everyone blames CAF for slow delivery but Amtrak did input design changes when the first cars were being constructed,
> That contributed to delivery delays.

When Amtrak ordered the original Viewliners in early 90s, they first ordered three prototypes -- two sleepers and a diner -- and operated them for over a year, so that when they made the follow-on order of 50 cars, no additional "design changes" were needed and the cars were immediately serviceable and well received.  The military used to call this approach "fly before buy."
Amtrak failed to apply this approach to later procurement's, and the Acela was the result.  For those with short memories, (former Deputy SECDEF) Graham Claytor was Amtrak CEO when the Viewliners were ordered, and George Warrington was CEO during the Acela procurement. 
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/11/15 12:31 by hazegray.

If the sleepers are not delivered for say---three more years, then will it have been something like seven years since this order was originally placed?

If so, 7 years to deliver 150 cars ​seems like very poor performance on someone's part.

Where are retired baggage cars being stashed ?

A fairly reliable-in-the-know-cause-he's-in-the-loop source tells me he's heard the diner order will be cancelled!
He said it has to do with the Silver train's "experimental" suspension of diner service and the push from Congess to eliminate food costs.
I'm in no position to know if this rumor is true or to defend my source's cred. I offer it as something to keep in mind as we watch events unfold at CAF.
SR

BoilingMan Wrote:
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> A fairly
> reliable-in-the-know-cause-he's-in-the-loop source
> tells me he's heard the diner order will be
> cancelled!
> He said it has to do with the Silver train's
> "experimental" suspension of diner service and the
> push from Congess to eliminate food costs.
> I'm in no position to know if this rumor is true
> or to defend my source's cred. I offer it as
> something to keep in mind as we watch events
> unfold at CAF.
> SR

What kind Kool-aid you drinking this Total BS about the diner cars.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/11/15 16:35 by railcity.

Whoa big fella!
You're probably right.
Don't get mad- I'm only offering this info because the source of the rumor was so interesting.
I'm not going to defend it, it's just that if weird things start to happen....
this rumor might be a clue.
SR



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/11/15 16:53 by BoilingMan.

BoilingMan Wrote:
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> You're probably right.
> Don't get mad- I'm only offering this info because
> the source of the rumor was so interesting.
> I'm not going to defend it, it's just that if
> weird things start to happen....
> SR

Amtrak needs they diner cars bad with 60 years old  cars falling part every day. Amtrak needs them new diner cars like 5 years old.

Amtrak needs a new president, who wants to operate long distance trains WITH dining cars...........

railcity Wrote:
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> BoilingMan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > A fairly
> > reliable-in-the-know-cause-he's-in-the-loop
> source
> > tells me he's heard the diner order will be
> > cancelled!
> > He said it has to do with the Silver train's
> > "experimental" suspension of diner service and
> the
> > push from Congess to eliminate food costs.
> > I'm in no position to know if this rumor is
> true
> > or to defend my source's cred. I offer it as
> > something to keep in mind as we watch events
> > unfold at CAF.
> > SR
>
> What kind Kool-aid you drinking this Total BS
> about the diner cars.

Considering that he's a LSA with Amtrak, he probably knows way more about it then you do.

IMHO - I think it will be tough to get anything but baggage cars delivered from this order. Amtrak is getting the cheapest thing first and once they are delivered it will be - sorry folks no more money, order cancelled.....

As for the animal policy, you would have to be nuts to surrender your dog, for example, to Amtrak in order to be put in the baggage car. 

 

jp1822 Wrote:
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> As for the animal policy, you would have to be
> nuts to surrender your dog, for example, to Amtrak
> in order to be put in the baggage car. 

Considering how many baggage cars we see that have their doors at least partially open enroute, gathering thousands of miles of dust, dirt, and whatever else...

Passenger to station agent, "I checked in a WHITE poodle."  

Agent to passenger, upon offering a BLACK poodle, "Sorry, this is the only animal in the baggage car."

Maybe the new baggage cars will have doors that actually close and stay closed.  Not betting money on it, however.

jp1822 Wrote:
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> IMHO - I think it will be tough to get anything
> but baggage cars delivered from this order. Amtrak
> is getting the cheapest thing first and once they
> are delivered it will be - sorry folks no more
> money, order cancelled.....
>
> As for the animal policy, you would have to be
> nuts to surrender your dog, for example, to Amtrak
> in order to be put in the baggage car. 
>
>  
   
    The 298 Million was paid in full 4 or 5 years ago for 130 car order in 2010 its a done deal.

Doors will close while the cars are new but after a year or so of abuse a neglect they will jam open. Amtrak doesn't just need a new president it needs a compleat overhaul in managment. Amtrak needs people in charge who WANT to run trains and keep the LD trains running and someone who has a backbone.

I hear ya Wolverine, and while they're at it if that ever happens that is, put the dining services back to what it used to be before the LDS Crap like they got on the Builder, Starlight, and Auto Train, besides, the main thing is to keep costs under contorl, you do that you'll do just fine, and that's why Gunn got fired, he had Amtrak making strides instead of limping along!