Alstom bidding on Viewliners

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Oh no... Alstom bidding isn't good news at all... You'll get the Viewliners, but they'll probably be falling apart within 6 months...
 
Oh no... Alstom bidding isn't good news at all... You'll get the Viewliners, but they'll probably be falling apart within 6 months...

What experience is this based on? I am not trying to be argumentative, I am not sure which equipment currently operating has been made by Alstom. I know Bombardier and Amtrak were at odds over the Acela, so there might be an argument against Bombardier too. Any other companies in the running?
 
Alstom IIRC did the California Cars/Surfliners (could be completely wrong on that). I know they also did put together some F59PHIs from kits. AFAIK the work they did on the rebuild project in conjunction with Wilmington to rebuild the AEM7ACs has been more than successful.
 
Alstom built the Surfliner cars. They didn't seem to be falling apart when I was last down there a couple of years ago. I haven't heard any particular complaints about them.
 
Surfliners do what though? 79mph? These Viewliners will be doing 110 to start with and probably 125 once the VLII Diners and baggages get put on and the heritages get put in museums (we can hope right?). Isn't that quite a bit more complex a build than 79mph in terms of imperfections making themselves known?

BTW-what's the railfan abbreviation for Viewliner? V? VL? VR?
 
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Alstom built most of the TGVs over in France; and last I checked they aren't falling apart.

I think its good news that Alstom is bidding.

peter
 
Surfliners do what though? 79mph? These Viewliners will be doing 110 to start with and probably 125 once the VLII Diners and baggages get put on and the heritages get put in museums (we can hope right?). Isn't that quite a bit more complex a build than 79mph in terms of imperfections making themselves known?BTW-what's the railfan abbreviation for Viewliner? V? VL? VR?

Viewliners currently run at 110 mph on the corridor. I don't know that they are the limiting factor in the train's top speed. I think its the heritage fleet diners and baggage cars.
 
Surfliners do what though? 79mph? These Viewliners will be doing 110 to start with and probably 125 once the VLII Diners and baggages get put on and the heritages get put in museums (we can hope right?). Isn't that quite a bit more complex a build than 79mph in terms of imperfections making themselves known?BTW-what's the railfan abbreviation for Viewliner? V? VL? VR?
I usually abreviate them VLS (ViewLiner Sleeper)

For the Superliners its SLS (sleeper), SLC (coach), SLB (coach-baggage), SLD (diner), SLL (Sightseer), and SL3C (Cross Country Cafe), followed by a I or II as appropriate. I generally call business cars XXP for Parlour. Surfliners are are SFX with x being the type (SFS= Superlinersurf, SFC = coach, SFP = business class, SFD = cafe). California cars are CAX with X being the type.

So if I am writing down the consist of a LSL consist consisting of

  1. P42 1
  2. P42 2
  3. Heritage Baggage 1260
  4. Viewliner 62033
  5. Amfleet II Coach 25115
  6. Amfleet II Coach 25072
  7. Horizon Club Dinette 58103
  8. Amfleet II Coach 25053
  9. Amfleet II Coach 25021
  10. Amfleet II Coach 25034
  11. Amfleet II Coach 25013
  12. Amfleet II Lounge 28023
  13. Heritage Diner 8532
  14. Viewliner Sleeper 62022
  15. Viewliner sleeper 62019
  16. Heritage Baggage 1242


I'd write it on my list as:

P42-1, P42-2, HRB-1260, VLS-62033, AFCII-25115, AFCII-25072, HZP-58103, AFCII-25053, AFCII-25021, AFCII-25034, AFCII-25013, AFLII-28023, HRD-8532, VLS-62022, VLS-62019, HRB-1242

Viewliners currently run at 110 mph on the corridor. I don't know that they are the limiting factor in the train's top speed. I think its the heritage fleet diners and baggage cars.
They are currently limited to 110.
 
Surfliners do what though? 79mph? These Viewliners will be doing 110 to start with and probably 125 once the VLII Diners and baggages get put on and the heritages get put in museums (we can hope right?). Isn't that quite a bit more complex a build than 79mph in terms of imperfections making themselves known?BTW-what's the railfan abbreviation for Viewliner? V? VL? VR?
Surfliners do 90 mph through a lot of southern Orange County and northern San Diego county. The old Santa Fe Coast Line ATS system is still in place, in operation, and used. The speed restrictions on the line reflect that.
 
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The Surfliner cars seem like a good product. As mentioned, the Surfliner route has a 90 mph top speed, but the Surfliner cars are actually rated for 125 mph (compared with 100 for a Superliner).

I think the Alstom criticism stems from the troubles with NJ Transit's Comet V coaches, which frankly weren't very well built, and also with NJ Transit's PL42AC locomotives, which had some reliability issues initially but seem to be running reliably these days.
 
BTW-what's the railfan abbreviation for Viewliner? V? VL? VR?
I believe Amtrak abbreviates them as "VS". I wonder if 8400 is abbreviated "VD".
I had a very pleasant dinner once in the VD 8400. It was about 1992 or 93 and the car was in use on the westbound Cardinal at the time. The view was great, food was good, service good. The company was pretty..... but we realized shortly thereafter that we were not working out so well. We're both happily married to other people now and the great thing is we figured it out BEFORE trying to take that step together. Train ride - yes. Marriage - no.
 
I really hope they don't end up like the Comet 5s, but the design is different than the Comet 5s so *hopefully* all this worrying is for not.
 
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