Passenger Trains > News story about Refresh of Eastern Long Distance trains

Story about the refresh of Amtrak's Eastern long distance trains:

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2019/09/13/amtrak-refreshes-its-long-distance-fleet

"...We know that when we are competitive, people use Amtrak," said Roger Harris, executive vice president and chief marketing and revenue officer with Amtrak.Beginning this fall through next year, Amtrak’s Cardinal, Crescent, Silver Meteor and Silver Star trains will debut the new interiors. Those trains run between New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Miami and everywhere in between. Amtrak's City of New Orleans route between Chicago and the Big Easy will also see the refresh.

Overnight passengers will be especially comfortable with new modern bedding, amenities and other upgrades.  (which I'd guess is an announcement, of sorts, of the new Viewliner II sleepers)

 

 

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GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Story about the refresh of Amtrak's Eastern long
> distance trains:
>
> https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/
> 2019/09/13/amtrak-refreshes-its-long-distance-flee
> t
>
> "...We know that when we are competitive, people
> use Amtrak," said Roger Harris, executive vice
> president and chief marketing and revenue officer
> with Amtrak.Beginning this fall through next year,
> Amtrak’s Cardinal, Crescent, Silver Meteor and
> Silver Star trains will debut the new interiors.
> Those trains run between New York, Chicago, New
> Orleans, Miami and everywhere in between. Amtrak's
> City of New Orleans route between Chicago and the
> Big Easy will also see the refresh.
>
> Overnight passengers will be especially
> comfortable with new modern bedding, amenities and
> other upgrades.  (which I'd guess is an
> announcement, of sorts, of the new Viewliner II
> sleepers)
>
>  

Impressive. Strange method to get rid of LD passenger trains..
>
>  

So all Viewliner coaches will get this treatment?  How many cars are there and how long will that take?  

You mean Amfleet-2 coaches. There were 125 built. I don't know how many are still in service given wreck damage. Refitting thier interiors has been going on a few months now. 
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/16/19 05:31 by joemvcnj.

Is iut just me or does something tell me they're finally figuring out that yeah, all the downgrades are not a god idea, time for some upgrades!

I have to wonder if the City of New Orleans - now also often lumped in with the "eastern long distance service - will potentially be converted back to single level equipment. I think the Capitol Limited is also in this same vein. But it wouldn't be able to happen till the new Viewliner II sleepers emerge, even though the Viewliner II sleepers are supposed to be augmenting existing single level overnight service. 

Seriously, it's about time the Amfleet II's get a refresh. The Viewliner Sleepers that are currently in operation all need a MAJOR refresh. Seats fixed, new cushions, interiors refreshed, new sinks, etc. They just look beat up and they are only a little over 20 years old. The Heritage fleet was over 35 years old when it was retired, and even some of them soldiered on at older ages (and still do!).  

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have to wonder if the City of New Orleans - now
> also often lumped in with the "eastern long
> distance service - will potentially be converted
> back to single level equipment. I think the
> Capitol Limited is also in this same vein. But it
> wouldn't be able to happen till the new Viewliner
> II sleepers emerge, even though the Viewliner II
> sleepers are supposed to be augmenting existing
> single level overnight service. 
>
What would be the point of that?  It would require pulling Amfleet II coaches from all day trains like the Palmetto, Pennsylvanian and Maple Leaf.  It would also likely require assigning Viewliners and Amfleet II cars to Chicago for maintenance.  Amtrak doesn’t appear to feel that Superliners are in short supply, so I’m not sure what value would come from converting those trains.

Dave