Viewliner II - Part 1 - Initial Production and Delivery

[Thirdrail7]

TODAY! They made a run to Elmira today and should be there by now. Will return to Albany in the morning.

And they are not coming back lite. Some people will probably complain about what comes back but I still say progress is being made.
I hope!

 

[neroden]

Drat! Found out too late to make it down to Elmira, and I'm booked tomorrow. Oh well, probably someone else will make some photos...

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Drat! Found out too late to make it down to Elmira, and I'm booked tomorrow. Oh well, probably someone else will make some photos...

It has been a day in the neighborhood, McFeely. Can you say conspiracy?

 

[hastybob]

Returning today with the 61000 and 61001. They took the previous 3, 69000, 68000 and 62500 back to CAF. I wonder if they are going to do more testing with the 61000 or what?

 

[neroden]

Well, that's the two planned "test cars" for the baggage cars. This should be the second round of testing. If there aren't any significant items, the baggage cars should go into mass production soon...

 

[neroden]

And apparently nobody on the entire Internet managed to get a photo of either move. Geez! I await the first photo of the 61001, guys...

 

[Ryan]

You're a lot closer than I am, get on it!

 

[afigg]

And apparently nobody on the entire Internet managed to get a photo of either move. Geez! I await the first photo of the 61001, guys...

To be fair, the 61001 will look identical to the 61000 baggage car. If you really want a photo that shows a 61001 numbered baggage car, you could photoshop an image of the 61000 when it was in the wild for testing.

 

[Gregory Grice]

And apparently nobody on the entire Internet managed to get a photo of either move. Geez! I await the first photo of the 61001, guys...

To be fair, the 61001 will look identical to the 61000 baggage car. If you really want a photo that shows a 61001 numbered baggage car, you could photoshop an image of the 61000 when it was in the wild for testing.

Pointless Arrow logos were removed and replaced with the current logos. 61000 & 610001 went down the Hudson today:

VIDEO:



PHOTO: http://500px.com/photo/83639213/viewliner-iis-on-amtrak-243-by-gregory-grice?from=user_library

 

[PerRock]

Thats nicer, the Amtrak America Chevron logo they were using was really hideous looking. Atleast the travelscape logo is better designed.

Maybe the next batch will be painted in IVb!

peter

Footnote: I'm not saying the Chevron logo is hideus, just the "Amtrak America" version was.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

The three sheets to the wind logo reminds me of Warrington. I wish Amtrak would remove it permanently. I personally would like to get rid of all references to the man. Speak his name and he might come, as they say.

 

[jis]

It is Barbara's apparent lasting legacy

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[neroden]

Pointless Arrow logos were removed and replaced with the current logos. 61000 & 610001 went down the Hudson today:

VIDEO:

Thank you very much!

That's a consist we aren't going to see very often. (What train runs with two *adjacent* baggage cars? Ever?)

 

[TommyBNSF]

Can anyone tell if it still says Amtrak America, or if it's just the wave logo?

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I have never paid attention to the HUGE ventilators atop the Bags until seeing that video. Are they something that is part of the testing or will they be on the final product?

 

[jis]

They are part of the final product.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[The Phantom]

Encouraging news to finally see some new Amtrak equipment on the rails. Is this test of the two baggage cars a representative sample durability test or will each new Viewliner car have to undergo the same scrutiny? All we do know is that new Viewliner equipment is badly needed and long overdue.

 

[Gregory Grice]

Can anyone tell if it still says Amtrak America, or if it's just the wave logo?

ALL of the previous wording was removed except for the car number. Phase V logo is all thats on it.

Here's another photo: http://500px.com/photo/83661795/viewliner-ii-baggages-@-croton-north-by-gregory-grice?from=user_library

 

[GG1]

Encouraging news to finally see some new Amtrak equipment on the rails. Is this test of the two baggage cars a representative sample durability test or will each new Viewliner car have to undergo the same scrutiny? All we do know is that new Viewliner equipment is badly needed and long overdue.

The cars will go through the same exact tests that the first went through when they were previously down here.

 

[neroden]

Encouraging news to finally see some new Amtrak equipment on the rails. Is this test of the two baggage cars a representative sample durability test or will each new Viewliner car have to undergo the same scrutiny? All we do know is that new Viewliner equipment is badly needed and long overdue.

The cars will go through the same exact tests that the first went through when they were previously down here.

This seems incredibly redundant. I understand that some tests should be run on every car off the line (such as the waterproofing test) in order to test for construction errors, but the cars ran through *weeks* of testing; presumably a fair amount of that was testing for *design* errors which, once fixed, stay fixed on subsequent cars.

 

[MikefromCrete]

I don't think every single car needs to go through the same testing that the prototype cars did. This seems like a waste of time and a complete lack of confidence in CAF's product.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Encouraging news to finally see some new Amtrak equipment on the rails. Is this test of the two baggage cars a representative sample durability test or will each new Viewliner car have to undergo the same scrutiny? All we do know is that new Viewliner equipment is badly needed and long overdue.

The cars will go through the same exact tests that the first went through when they were previously down here.

This seems incredibly redundant. I understand that some tests should be run on every car off the line (such as the waterproofing test) in order to test for construction errors, but the cars ran through *weeks* of testing; presumably a fair amount of that was testing for *design* errors which, once fixed, stay fixed on subsequent cars.

The cars will not go through the same tests.

I don't think every single car needs to go through the same testing that the prototype cars did. This seems like a waste of time and a complete lack of confidence in CAF's product.

One car will be used for training and the other is headed around the country for familiarization and compatibility testing with other equipment.

 

[neroden]

The cars will not go through the same tests.

:grin:
Thanks for the info, Thirdrail7.

One car will be used for training and the other is headed around the country for familiarization and compatibility testing with other equipment.

Ah, a car is taking the grand tour!

IIRC they did compatibility testing with darn near everything in Albany -- P42s, P32AC-DMs, F59PHIs, Viewliner Is, Amfleet I and II, Horizons, even Heritage cars, right? And IIRC cab car and electric locomotive compatibility testing was done later on the NEC... I guess that leaves P32-8s and Superliners, which isn't a lot to test compatibility with.

So most of this tour is going to be familiarization at the other maintenance bases. Hmm... assuming that Albany and the bases on the NEC have already taken a good look at it (or will look at the one being used for training), I guess that means it has to visit:

- Hialeah

- Beech Grove

- Chicago

- New Orleans

- Seattle

- Oakland

- Los Angeles

It'll be interesting to see what route is planned for this tour.

 

[Amfleeter]

The cars will not go through the same tests.

:grin:
Thanks for the info, Thirdrail7.

One car will be used for training and the other is headed around the country for familiarization and compatibility testing with other equipment.

Ah, a car is taking the grand tour!

IIRC they did compatibility testing with darn near everything in Albany -- P42s, P32AC-DMs, F59PHIs, Viewliner Is, Amfleet I and II, Horizons, even Heritage cars, right? And IIRC cab car and electric locomotive compatibility testing was done later on the NEC... I guess that leaves P32-8s and Superliners, which isn't a lot to test compatibility with.

So most of this tour is going to be familiarization at the other maintenance bases. Hmm... assuming that Albany and the bases on the NEC have already taken a good look at it (or will look at the one being used for training), I guess that means it has to visit:

- Hialeah

- Beech Grove

- Chicago

- New Orleans

- Seattle

- Oakland

- Los Angeles

It'll be interesting to see what route is planned for this tour.

They tested with an F59PHI in Albany? I thought they never went east of Chicago - would have been an interesting sight to see.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

Some of the plan for testing (and other interesting tidbits)

can be found on page 9 or the July Amtrak Ink.

http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/634/467/Amtrak-Ink-July-2014.pdf

The new bag cars are 85-ft long, while most current bag cars

are 70 ft long (some are 85-ft long, converted from coaches).

That info had not penetrated my memory, and it helps with

understanding the future capacity for baggage.

Also new to my awareness, the bag cars will be heated to a

minimum 50 degrees.