Passenger Trains > Beech Grove Releases 5/8/25

174 - shuttle motor
13 - no external changes noted
90222 - cabbage (possibly refreshed trucks)
61011 - buffer car
32074 - superliner sleeper refresh
6805 - Surf business class

130 (phase II), 25122, 25071, 28001, 62514, 69002

I am glad to see that they are working on the Superliner II Sleepers (as this one is), but I must say - even with the new cushions and such, these cars need their old light brown and navy blue carpets removed for the wood panelling as the carpets and other wall treatments are just gross. I'll gladly take a Superliner I refresh over a Superliner II refresh. And it's not that much of a refresh that Beech Grove us doing to the interiors, but it will help, overall. Still the Superliner II's need bathrooms worked on, wall carpets removed, and practically all the plastic coverings over things. People are paying an awful lot of money to ride in these sleepers and they are more than worn out. That's not to say that they cannot have a truly nice refresh. Amtrak really needs to concentrate on a full overhaul (not just a refresh) of the Superliner Sleeper fleet, starting with the Superliner II's that really haven't had all that much overhauled in them from what the customer sees. It's the same situation with the Viewliner I's, which are about the same age of the Superliner II's. The coaches, diners, and Lounges appear ok after the refresh, and even the Superliner I Sleepers, but not the Superliner II Sleepers or the Viewliner I's. You can put lipstick on a pig, but.........and that's exactly what they are doing with the Viewliner I sleepers - exterior new livery application, but no interior refresh. Forget the exterior expenditure of funds and use it to refresh the interior cushions and such - at LEAST! UGH! 

Seth , thank you for your regular reports about Beech Grove moves !!       The newest Superliner  1's are  44 years old , the newest  Superliner 2's   are about  30 years old , as are the Viewliner 62000-62049  sleepers.   Unless you have the ability to look up equipment information in  Amtrak's  ARROW or WMS systems  let us be thankful for the postings we see here and the observations gleened from seeing the train passing that mention refreshed or painted underbodies  .  Seth - once again thank you !  

I have asked this before:   What is the difference between a "refresh" and a heavy overhaul?  When I worked for Amtrak, there were two year and four year overhauls.  Two year was apparently a refresh, and four year was a heavy overhaul.  

I certainly agree that heavy overhauls are needed on much equipment.  For example, a typical #3-4, making five round trips per month, would go about 23,000 miles per month, working every day.  I think the cars get a 90 day heavy inspection and E-clean at the inspection.  But such cars need intense maintenance in Chicago and Los Angeles.  

MEKoch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have asked this before:   What is the
> difference between a "refresh" and a heavy
> overhaul?  When I worked for Amtrak, there were
> two year and four year overhauls.  Two year was
> apparently a refresh, and four year was a heavy
> overhaul.  
>
> I certainly agree that heavy overhauls are needed
> on much equipment.  For example, a typical #3-4,
> making five round trips per month, would go about
> 23,000 miles per month, working every day.  I
> think the cars get a 90 day heavy inspection and
> E-clean at the inspection.  But such cars need
> intense maintenance in Chicago and Los
> Angeles.  

I just completed a round trip on the California Zephyr From Chicago to Glenwood Springs. I agree the superliner II sleepers look really bad inside. Even after the so-called refresh. That nasty carpeting on the lower walls and ceilings is gross and should’ve been replaced as part of this. Why it wasn’t makes me scratch my head. The restrooms also looked very rundown. One of the restrooms had a white toilet seat that was badly scratched all over the top. Literally it would cost 20 bucks to buy a new toilet seat and maybe 10 minutes labor to install it yet they let the thing run around, looking like this. It’s bad management and the cleaning of the interiors is very lacking. The rooms have grime all over the walls and the interior of the door. The vinyl floors in the hallways and on the stairs look like they run a mop down the middle, but never clean along the edges. Same story with the bathroom floors. A lot of this is not lack of money. It’s management that is not paying attention or enforcing any standards.

Posted from iPhone

alan2955 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MEKoch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I have asked this before:   What is the
> > difference between a "refresh" and a heavy
> > overhaul?  When I worked for Amtrak, there
> were
> > two year and four year overhauls.  Two year
> was
> > apparently a refresh, and four year was a heavy
> > overhaul.  
> >
> > I certainly agree that heavy overhauls are
> needed
> > on much equipment.  For example, a typical
> #3-4,
> > making five round trips per month, would go
> about
> > 23,000 miles per month, working every day.  I
> > think the cars get a 90 day heavy inspection
> and
> > E-clean at the inspection.  But such cars need
> > intense maintenance in Chicago and Los
> > Angeles.  
>
> I just completed a round trip on the California
> Zephyr From Chicago to Glenwood Springs. I agree
> the superliner II sleepers look really bad inside.
> Even after the so-called refresh. That nasty
> carpeting on the lower walls and ceilings is gross
> and should’ve been replaced as part of this.
> Why it wasn’t makes me scratch my head. The
> restrooms also looked very rundown. One of the
> restrooms had a white toilet seat that was badly
> scratched all over the top. Literally it would
> cost 20 bucks to buy a new toilet seat and maybe
> 10 minutes labor to install it yet they let the
> thing run around, looking like this. It’s bad
> management and the cleaning of the interiors is
> very lacking. The rooms have grime all over the
> walls and the interior of the door. The vinyl
> floors in the hallways and on the stairs look like
> they run a mop down the middle, but never clean
> along the edges. Same story with the bathroom
> floors. A lot of this is not lack of money. It’s
> management that is not paying attention or
> enforcing any standards.
>
> Posted from iPhone

Agreed!

"Enforcing standards" on disgruntled, unhappy workers is a thankless task. Discipline can be a joke, even if you try to fire somebody, the grievance process drags on for months.

Without meaningful incentives for success and penalties for poor performance, change is tough.

Posted from Android