You were probably riding in HEP 2 equipment used in corridor service, as opposed to HEP 1 cars, normally used on long distance trains, but occasionally in the corridor. The former have blue and yellow striping, signifying that the cars are equipped for MU operations in J-trains.
The HEP 2 cars were originally from US railroads, built in the 1940s, so the car bodies are approaching 70 years old.
The interiors and the mechanical systems date from the rebuilding in the 1990s, and as such they are more up to date than the systems on either Amfleet or Superliner I equipment. The trucks are rebuilt from ex CN CCF cars from the 1950s, and generally do not ride as well as either LRC or HEP 1 cars..
The HEP 2 cioaches have been cosmetically reurbished since their 1990s rebuilding, but the business class cars have not, and the interiors are showing their age.
The HEP 1 long distance cars have not been cosmetically refurbished either since their complete rebuilding in the early 1990s, whereas most of the sleepers, diners and dome cars have been updated.
The mechanical systems of these cars are excellent. I recently rode in Laurentide Park on the Ocean. The air conditioning was much better than in the Renaissance equipment on the train. The updated interior looked fine, but the trucks under Bedrooms C and D rode roughly.
Despite the stainless steel car shells that seemingly last forever, the HEP2 cars are becoming expensive to maintain, and their retirement is planned as part of VIAs corridor equipment replacement, for which an invitaion for proposals was recently published.
In contrast the HEP 1 equipment originally built for the CPR's Canadian, and rebuilt by VIA, is the most economical to maintain of any equipment in the fleet That includes especially the Renaissance cars, which get limited use because they are so expensive to operate.