Passenger Trains > Superliner Refresh Program

Amtrak currently has a RFP on their Procurement Portal, seeking proposals to supply labor for installation services for the Superliner Refresh Project.

Good to see that Amtrak, in spite of the current nation-wide labor challenges, is forging ahead with this vital passenger-focused refresh program in support of the national network long-distance trains!
 

I thought we were lead to believe this program started almost 2 years ago. I know there's a few of the refreshed cars in service. Are  they going back to step one? Or is this more of the mechanical refresh vs interior?

3 year program "started" last year
https://www.progressiverailroading.com/amtrak/news/Amtrak-kicks-off-28-million-project-to-upgrade-long-distance-ride--63782#:~:text=Modernized%20interiors%20of%20Amtrak%E2%80%99s%20bi-level%20%E2%80%9CSuperliner%E2%80%9D%20fleet%2C%20serving,dining%20cars%20and%20Sightseer%20lounges%20will%20be%20refreshed.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/22 12:50 by Flyer92122.

Isn't Beech Grove a railroad shop for Amtrak?   And don't they bring in Superliner cars on the two years for a refresh, and on the four year for a heavy overhaul??

MEKoch Wrote:
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> Isn't Beech Grove a railroad shop for Amtrak? 
>  And don't they bring in Superliner cars on the
> two years for a refresh, and on the four year for
> a heavy overhaul??

Yes they are and yes they do.

DevalDragon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MEKoch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Isn't Beech Grove a railroad shop for Amtrak? 
> >  And don't they bring in Superliner cars on
> the
> > two years for a refresh, and on the four year
> for
> > a heavy overhaul??
>
> Yes they are and yes they do.

I think the hope was to do some of this during regular shop visits for equipment not just the big overhauls at Beech Grove. But labor shortages at the shops may be preventing this hence the RFP.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/22 14:31 by lordsigma.

The Superliner Refresh Program has been stalled. It's been on the website for quite some time now, but Amtrak has bigger problems - getting enough capacity out on the road (e.g. returning stored cars to service). There may be a few cars out there that are demonstration cars or prototypes (with the refresh), but that's it. All of the Superliners (each type) is supposed to get a refresh at some point though......but they need to return cars to service that have been stored / mothballed.........

Absolutely - OUTSOURCE IT! Do an RFP! Outsource any refurbs they possibly can, including getting the stored / mothballed cars back in service too. There's other roads getting work done. Amtrak needs MAJOR help with its equipment. 

people are posting pics of some recent refurbs, i think thay are

dan Wrote:
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> people are posting pics of some recent refurbs, i
> think thay are

Just curious, where have you seen the recent refub pictures? I am not saying they are not out there, it's just that I've been on a number of Amtrak LD trains (have friends that have taken others) and have been following this "refurb program" since first seeing it; haven't seen or heard anything of any sort on the various LD trains. 

They should've taken advantage of that when the LD Trains went triweekly, everwonder why The Eagle and Cap lost their Sightseers? Today's Amtrak's still joke, be nice if they can finally turn the corner but I
don't see that happening as long as Gardner's CEO!

Posted from Android

ProAmtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They should've taken advantage of that when the LD
> Trains went triweekly,

Typical snooty answer by someone not accepting reality.

I hear time and time and time all over different industries different locations so-called arm-chair-quarterbacks complaining and saying rebuild or rehab or refurbish or heavy maintenance should have been done during the shutdowns and slowdowns. You see, you like many others, go around wearing blinders only seeing what you want to. 

HELLO????

Those very shops and contractors and repair facilities and such were also being shut down and employees being sick and loosing employees. 

A sleeper sounds like a great idea on a train that leaves central Virginia for Boston at 4:30 p.m.

jst3751 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ProAmtrak Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > They should've taken advantage of that when the
> LD
> > Trains went triweekly,
>
> Typical snooty answer by someone not accepting
> reality.
>
> I hear time and time and time all over different
> industries different locations so-called
> arm-chair-quarterbacks complaining and saying
> rebuild or rehab or refurbish or heavy maintenance
> should have been done during the shutdowns and
> slowdowns. You see, you like many others, go
> around wearing blinders only seeing what you want
> to. 
>
> HELLO????
>
> Those very shops and contractors and repair
> facilities and such were also being shut down and
> employees being sick and loosing employees. 


Did airlines cut mechanics so that planes kept falling out of the sky? I think not. Quit making excuses for them. This is possible poor management period.

Posted from Android

goduckies Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Did airlines cut mechanics so that planes kept
> falling out of the sky? I think not. Quit making
> excuses for them. This is possible poor
> management period.

No, but dozens of airplanes were retired and the number of flights has been reduced. American, Delta and United have been discontinuing service to smaller cities left and right because they don't have the planes or the people to fly them now.

Guess "poor management period" isn't just an Amtrak problem...

It’s not exclusively because of management - earlier furloughs aren’t the only reason for the current staffing shortages - they certainly didn’t help but I’d point out even the auto train which did not get cut back during the earlier pandemic is having problems with staffing. As you remember they initially recalled enough people to resume daily service but despite hiring things remain problematic.

As I’ve said in other posts companies like Amtrak and airlines are being affected by changes in the workforce, huge amounts of open jobs being available, and changing work preferences and more types of work being able to be done from home or hybrid which is attractive to many millennials and gen Z. If you have a bad day it’s so easy to jump ship right now and get a new job almost instantly. They’re going to have to adapt and make their positions more attractive whether it’s better pay, benefits, or whatever especially for the positions on the LD trains that require a lot of time away. Improving morale would also help which indeed is on management. Jobs on the corridors do not require as much time away - many you are home the same day - and are going to be easier to fill.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/22/22 04:06 by lordsigma.

My son is an aircraft mechanic  He has headhunters every week contacting him about opportunities at major airlines.  The entier country is realing from the effects of the great retirment period which happened during the pandemic.

goduckies Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jst3751 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ProAmtrak Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > They should've taken advantage of that when
> the
> > LD
> > > Trains went triweekly,
> >
> > Typical snooty answer by someone not accepting
> > reality.
> >
> > I hear time and time and time all over
> different
> > industries different locations so-called
> > arm-chair-quarterbacks complaining and saying
> > rebuild or rehab or refurbish or heavy
> maintenance
> > should have been done during the shutdowns and
> > slowdowns. You see, you like many others, go
> > around wearing blinders only seeing what you
> want
> > to. 
> >
> > HELLO????
> >
> > Those very shops and contractors and repair
> > facilities and such were also being shut down
> and
> > employees being sick and loosing employees. 
>
>
> Did airlines cut mechanics so that planes kept
> falling out of the sky? I think not. Quit making
> excuses for them. This is possible poor
> management period.

WOW, what a dumb question. Maybe you did not notice the thousands of airplanes parked in rows and rows out of service around the globe? I read somewhere that at one point, the passenger load was at 14% of normal. 

jst3751 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ProAmtrak Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > They should've taken advantage of that when the
> LD
> > Trains went triweekly,
>
> Typical snooty answer by someone not accepting
> reality.
>
> I hear time and time and time all over different
> industries different locations so-called
> arm-chair-quarterbacks complaining and saying
> rebuild or rehab or refurbish or heavy maintenance
> should have been done during the shutdowns and
> slowdowns. You see, you like many others, go
> around wearing blinders only seeing what you want
> to. 
>
> HELLO????
>
> Those very shops and contractors and repair
> facilities and such were also being shut down and
> employees being sick and loosing employees. 

Uh yeah, but they don't make stupid dumb butt excuses trying to hide their real agenda!

Posted from Android

ProAmtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jst3751 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ProAmtrak Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > They should've taken advantage of that when
> the
> > LD
> > > Trains went triweekly,
> >
> > Typical snooty answer by someone not accepting
> > reality.
> >
> > I hear time and time and time all over
> different
> > industries different locations so-called
> > arm-chair-quarterbacks complaining and saying
> > rebuild or rehab or refurbish or heavy
> maintenance
> > should have been done during the shutdowns and
> > slowdowns. You see, you like many others, go
> > around wearing blinders only seeing what you
> want
> > to. 
> >
> > HELLO????
> >
> > Those very shops and contractors and repair
> > facilities and such were also being shut down
> and
> > employees being sick and loosing employees. 
>
> Uh yeah, but they don't make stupid dumb butt
> excuses trying to hide their real agenda!

Paranoid much?