Passenger Trains > Beech Grove Returns

This mornings Cardinal picked up the following in Indy this morning on it's way to Chicago:

1 Dash 517 
1 P42 58
1 Viewliner Sleeper with the new paint scheme
2 Baggage Cars
1 Superliner Diner
1 Superliner Sleeper
1 Superliner Diner

Sad to see the Cardinal is down to 2 coaches as it had 3 just a week ago.

Seth may have more to say about these additions once they arrive in Chicago

How nice the Cardinal even showed up before sunset. 

Glad to see the Viewliner I's getting refreshed. They still need to get the VIewliner Sleepers out of storage. I know it requires more $$$$, but this has been the LONGEST return to service. I've said this over and over again, if Amtrak wanted too, I believe they could get the money to restore at least 15 of these stored Viewliner Sleepers to service, and a few Viewliner Diners that were mothballed. Gunn did it with practically no money was left after Warrington did his exodus!!!

jp1822 Wrote:
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> Glad to see the Viewliner I's getting refreshed.
> They still need to get the VIewliner Sleepers out
> of storage. I know it requires more $$$$, but this
> has been the LONGEST return to service. I've said
> this over and over again, if Amtrak wanted too, I
> believe they could get the money to restore at
> least 15 of these stored Viewliner Sleepers to
> service, and a few Viewliner Diners that were
> mothballed. Gunn did it with practically no money
> was left after Warrington did his exodus!!!

It is my understanding that the Viewliner I's are NOT being refreshed. New stripe on the outside only, but the interior is unchanged. 

If they are not rebuilding the V1 sleeping cars, why not??   They are relatively new; stainless steel bodies; very comfortable; etc.   As usual, Amtrak continues to make WRONG decisions about equipment.  

Then when they get the equipment, they do not maintain it.  They store it.  They have no parts to repair it.  In winter the toilets freeze.  No regular thorough cleaning and heavy maintenance.  

MEKoch Wrote:
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> If they are not rebuilding the V1 sleeping cars,
> why not??   They are relatively new; stainless
> steel bodies; very comfortable; etc.   As usual,
> Amtrak continues to make WRONG decisions about
> equipment.  
>
> Then when they get the equipment, they do not
> maintain it.  They store it.  They have no parts
> to repair it.  In winter the toilets freeze.  No
> regular thorough cleaning and heavy
> maintenance.  

We don't know for what exactly Amtrak is doing with the Viewliner I sleeping cars but we do know Amtrak is making the WRONG decisions about equipment. I'm glad that's clear.

sethamtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jp1822 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Glad to see the Viewliner I's getting
> refreshed.
> > They still need to get the VIewliner Sleepers
> out
> > of storage. I know it requires more $$$$, but
> this
> > has been the LONGEST return to service. I've
> said
> > this over and over again, if Amtrak wanted too,
> I
> > believe they could get the money to restore at
> > least 15 of these stored Viewliner Sleepers to
> > service, and a few Viewliner Diners that were
> > mothballed. Gunn did it with practically no
> money
> > was left after Warrington did his exodus!!!
>
> It is my understanding that the Viewliner I's are
> NOT being refreshed. New stripe on the outside
> only, but the interior is unchanged. 

Wait, they were supposed to get a slight refresh like the Superliners are getting (e.g. new cushions, new curtains, etc.). I've been told that they have the supplies/inventory to do this. It'd be a shame if they are returning stored cars just with a change of livery and not addressing some basic refresh on the inside. But we'll see. For now, I certainly don't disregard what you are saying, just dismayed. It wasn't to be much, but it was to be something, other than just "returning the cars to service" and "changing the livery." The Viewliner I's have not aged well. They need to be refreshed every four years, and Amtrak has fallen WAY short of that! Hopefully there's a specific report on if anything was done inside. They aren't going to be taking out the toilets and doing any major modifications, but back in 2019 it was announced that the Superliners AND first generation of Viewliners were to get a refresh (like what is going on with the Superliners). 

Mechanically, is anything being done?  What about deep cleaning?  Heating/AC systems cleaned and replaced where necessary?  Same thing with plumbing.

Last trip I had on a V-1 was on the LSL between NYP and Chicago.  Had roomette #8 in the middle of the car.  Woke up around 3 AM and discovered a pipe had burst and the floor in the middle portion of the car was soaked.  I emailed Amtrak a letter on this, asking for an explanation and a refund.  I just recently heard back from them...no explanation and a $400 credit.  Wonder how this car got repaired (if it did) given the fact that the carpet was totally soaked.  Would this car have to be sent to Beech Grove or could the work be done in Chicago?  Given Amtrak's maintenance competance the car probably went out that night with damp carpeting and mimimal repairs done to the burst pipe.  Hope that is not the case, but who knows.

Why do any work on them when slapping new wheels and a fresh paint job on it gives the impression you did do work on it. You can put lipstick on a pig and it's still a pig.

westcoastrails Wrote:
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> Why do any work on them when slapping new wheels
> and a fresh paint job on it gives the impression
> you did do work on it. You can put lipstick on a
> pig and it's still a pig.

Unfortunately, Amtrak has mastered this at times.