Passenger Trains > Amtrak East Coast Diner Fleet in Revenue Service during the last

Amtrak East Coast Diner Fleet in Revenue Service during the last 45 Days on the Silver Meteor Train 97 and 98, and the Crescent Train 19 and 20 during August and September 2017.


Heritage Budd Diner 48 Seat

8507 (Conventional Steam Heated Diner 8049, ex NP 463)
8509 (Conventional Steam Heated Diner 8046, ex NP 460)
8510 (Conventional Steam Heated Diner Diner 8050, ex CB&Q 196 "Silver Cafe")


Rebuilt Heritage Budd Diner 48 Seat from Buffet Cafeteria Cars (Formerly used as Buffet Cars on the Auto Train and Silver Service Train)

8530 (Amtrak 8702 Former Buffet Car on the Auto Train)
8531 (Amtrak 8711 Former Buffet Car on the Silver Service Trains)
8532 (Amtrak 8716 Former Buffet Car on the Silver Service Trains)--Retired in Late August 2017 stored at Beech Grove



Rebuilt Heritage Budd Griddle Diner 48 Seat from Heritage Diner 8506 (Formerly used with Buffet Cars on Silver Service Trains)

8550 (Amtrak 8506 Former Buffet Car on the Silver Service Trains -- Conventional Steam Heated Diner 8048, ex BN former "NP" 1296)



Viewliner Prototype Budd Diner 48 Seat

8400


Viewliner II Diner 48 Seat

68001
68003
68004
68005

Thanks for the post. Really. I just don't get it!

Posted from iPhone

Happy to know which Heritage diners are still active. Thanks for posting.

Gordon

Ok, so that's a total of 12 diners between the Heritage, Viewliner, and Viewliner Prototype - with more Viewliner diners hopefully on the way. Four Viewliner Diners are noted as active in rotation; how many are sidelined due to A/C or other issues at Haileah? 

With 12 diners, Amtrak has enough for Silver Meteor (4), Crescent (4), and Lake Shore (3). Yet the Lakeshore soldiers on with Amfleet II Diner Lite cars. That train needs full service diners in the worst way. It's consist is greater than the Crescent. But the Crescent does serve more meals, as currently scheduled. If the Lakeshore got a Viewliner Diner, dinner eastbound along the Hudson River should be added. There's still the mad dash to the cafés inside Albany-Renseleer station to get food eastbound. 

I know it's listed on another thread, but what's the present status of the Viewliner diners - how many delivered, how many in operation/revenue service, how many sidelined at Hialeah. If there are four Viewliner diners operating, does this finally mean the A/C issue has been resolved? 

East coast trains aims needing single level diners:

Silver Meteor (4)
Crescent (4)
Lakeshore Limited (3)
Cardinal (2)

Total - 13 diners

Whether or not the Silver Star gets a diner back remains to be seen... The novelty of having a "new" diner in the consist, let alone a  descent single level car for viewing the passing scenery (pine trees galore that is) could draw better patronage. Perhaps continue to leave the cost of meals out of the sleeper fare. The cafe car does get overwhelmed quite easily on this train. 

Total - 17 diners if Silver Star is included

Even with outfitting the Silver Star, Amtrak could easily assign 5 more diners, knowing that Indianapolis is still available for substitution.... If through cars become a reality between Pennsylvanian and Capitol Limted, that would need three diners. It would be interesting to have a Viewliner Diner (operating as a cafe, diner, viewing car) rotate on some of the long distance "day trains"  (eg Adirondack, Vermonter). 

11 Active enough to protect 8 Consists -- 8532 is now retired replace by a Viewliner II

8 in Service Rotation

2 in for Preventive Maintenance at Hialeah

1 Spare Diner