Passenger Trains > 93 in the Rain

93 at Winston Wye on CSX A line @ Wiston Wye in Lakeland, Florida

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Three Viewliners - WOW!

When did Amtrak add a train?

You probably mean train 92 right? Only trains serving Lakeland to Tampa (pass Winston Y) are trains 91 and 92.

How many Viewliners exist?

Don G

Right. It would have been 92

Amtrak has 50 Viewliners, but less than 40 are typically on the road on a given day, leaving 10 as spares or in routine maintenance/overhaul programs. Course I question of the "spares" are actually around at Sunnyside, Miami, or Chicago - as is supposedly planned. I have given up on Amtrak's utilization of its Viewliner fleet, as I think having 20% of the fleet out of service is ridiculous.

Amtrak's Viewliner use may look as follows (give or take on the Silver Service trains):

Crescent: 4 train sets with 2 Viewliners each = 8
Lake Shore: 3 train sets with 3 Viewliners each = 9
Silver Meteor: 4 train sets with 3 Viewliner each = 12
Silver Star: 4 train sets with 2 Viewliners each = 8
Cardinal: 2 train sets with 1 Viewliner each = 2

Total Viewliners used in above: 39

But:

- No more overnight Viewliner sleeper service on the NEC, which would require only two Viewliners (I think Amtrak can figure out how to get these cars cycled to Sunnyside for centralized maintenance in Miami). Run the Viewliners from Boston or Washington DC during the day in revenue service offering "day rooms" for NEC to get them to Sunnyside etc. Or switch them out at Washington DC from the Silver Service trains.

- No more "Boston section" Viewliner on the Lake Shore Limited, which would require 3 Viewliners (although the Lake Shore is technically running with an extra Viewliner).

- No more run throughs at Sunnyside between the same day morning inbound and evening outbound Meteor, which would require one less train set, thus freeing up three Viewliners

- No more Three Rivers service, which had three Viewliners.

The Cardinal used to have a full/robust Superliner equipped train set, which was more apt for its route from Washington DC to Chicago, in my opinion. Yes I know the Cardinal is "supposedly getting more patronage by operating all the way to NYC. Not sure if I totally buy into this and a "cross the platform change" couldn't be implemented at Washington DC. Cardinal's Viewliner sleeper is constantly sold out, whereas a Superliner sleeper would offer more capacity.

With the removal of the Heritage Dorms (and onboard staff taking up rooms that could be sold as part of the revenue capacity) one would think some eastern long distance trains would have an extra Viewliner, as demand would warrant.

Sleeping cars produce the high end revenue. One would think Amtrak would want as many in service as possible. So naturally, I love Kummant's idea of finally opening up the Superliner Trans Dorm/Sleeper to revenue passengers, as it was designed to do.
Unlike VIA, Amtrak operates more coach cars than sleepers on its long distance routes. Higher end revenue again in the sleepers.

I also think one attendant could handle two Viewliners, particularly now that revenue and staff are mixed in the Viewliners. This would cut down on labor cost and perhaps allow some sleeper amenities to come online that have been taken away over the years). Course I realize this would likely be a labor negotiation issue.

Those are my thoughts. Out of all this, I am most disappointed in lack of Viewliner sleeper service on the NEC - Washington to Boston. This would be an ideal "hotel on wheels" concept.