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OlympianHiawatha

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Suppose Amtrak soon finds themselves in the position where they need to place a large order for cars (Superliner III and Viewliner II). If you had your sayso on this, what would you like to see in this new fleet? How about a new design altogether? If so, what would your ideas be for the new generation fleet?
 
Interoperability. 2.5 level superliners. All diner, lounges, cafe cars whatever form the food service will take, should have lounge windows.

MU?
 
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New sleepers and coaches, both single level and Superliner. Traveling on examples of both during my last two trips between MN and FL, I can confidently assert that the entire fleet is showing the high level of miles that they are running. For some reason or other, the Viewliner sleepers really seem to be showing their mileage. Make the order at least 140 to 150 cars. The Tier two level inspections will be coming quite soon for all of these cars and I'm afraid that the bills will be enough that the opponents of passenger rail in the US will use it as yet another reason for terminating the entire service.
 
Personally I've always been partial to the viewliners; I've never actually been in one for any extended amount of time (got an attendant to try and "sell" one to me. There are some very nice European train cars coming out these days, and I wouldn't mind having seeing a shinkansen running around.

peter
 
I'd personally like to see a Superliner III sleeper that incorporates an upper bunk window much like the Viewliner, although I don't know if that would be possible or not. Even a small one would help take away the claustrophobic feeling in the top bunk.

The major change I'd like to see with the Viewliners is a public toilet and some kind of luggage stowage. Again, that last one would be difficult as space is already a premium.

I've seen pictures of a double-decker car (I think is was the Alaska Railroad) with a small platform at one end for people to stand out on. There may be safety issues here, but I would see that as a draw also.

Dan
 
The major change I'd like to see with the Viewliners is a public toilet and some kind of luggage stowage. Again, that last one would be difficult as space is already a premium.
Viewliners have some kind of luggage storage, it's the exclusive cubby hole above the hall accessible from inside of every room.
 
Are LIRR C3s completely out of the question. I am 6'8" so I know about the indoor clearance of those cars but having a single type of long distance car that can be used with the regional cars if need be and go to New York makes a lot of economic sense.
 
The major change I'd like to see with the Viewliners is a public toilet and some kind of luggage stowage. Again, that last one would be difficult as space is already a premium.
Viewliners have some kind of luggage storage, it's the exclusive cubby hole above the hall accessible from inside of every room.
I guess what I was getting at was some kind of shelving area like some of the Amfleet coaches and the Superliners on the lower level.

The cubby hole in the Vewliners is a great innovation, but for heavier or large suitcases, it may not always work.

Dan
 
I'd love to see one of the old RAIL GUNS in the consiste to help with freight traffic delays!!!!!!!!!!!! :blink:

Just kidding. But I love the stainless steel motif, so perhaps getting back to the art deco designs of yesteryear with all of the modern safety and passenger conveniences. Some vistadome type stuff. Trains just were sexier back in the day. :p
 
I'd want cars that look like Viewliners to make up all the long distance single-level trains. A baggage car with a transition between P42 to Superliner would be a plus as well.
 
State of the art is key, whether Superliner III or Viewliner II.

So I ask: how much would a new car fleet cost: coach, sleeper, diner, etc.
 
Suppose Amtrak soon finds themselves in the position where they need to place a large order for cars (Superliner III and Viewliner II). If you had your sayso on this, what would you like to see in this new fleet? How about a new design altogether? If so, what would your ideas be for the new generation fleet?
I would like to see on sleepers, real toilets, not those airline buckets and much more room for that purpose. Also the lighting can be improved instead of having the upper bunk blocking some of the lighting. Make the Superliner cars quieter so I dont have to hear the person next to me using the washroom. Put coffee makers back on the Viewliner cars. Also make sure if the expense is spent to make sure the reading lights really can rotate 360 degrees and really put light on a book. I will think of more later.

Billvas
 
how about one of these babies:

rendersx6.jpg


thats a friend of mines idea... (he occasionally pops in here)

I also have drawings of a vieliner dome car I "invented" I keep trying to talk my friend into making a 3D model of it....

peter
 
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I'd personally like to see a Superliner III sleeper that incorporates an upper bunk window much like the Viewliner, although I don't know if that would be possible or not. Even a small one would help take away the claustrophobic feeling in the top bunk.
The major change I'd like to see with the Viewliners is a public toilet and some kind of luggage stowage. Again, that last one would be difficult as space is already a premium.

I've seen pictures of a double-decker car (I think is was the Alaska Railroad) with a small platform at one end for people to stand out on. There may be safety issues here, but I would see that as a draw also.

Dan
http://www.coloradorailcar.com/ultradome.htm
 
I disagree with the slumbercoach. If you want to create Second Class accomodations, I think the wiser alternative would be sectional sleepers.
 
I think Colorado Railcar is the way to go. Something sleek and modern is a must. The majority of people think rail travel is old fashioned and having old cars doesn't help. I remember seeing the Empire Builder pass by at top speed one morning in North Dakota from about half a mile away. I got excited because it actually looked so magnificent going that fast and since all cars were the new refurbished ones, it was very sleek and shiny. If we can just get that look all over the place!
 
I'd personally like to see a Superliner III sleeper that incorporates an upper bunk window much like the Viewliner, although I don't know if that would be possible or not. Even a small one would help take away the claustrophobic feeling in the top bunk.
The major change I'd like to see with the Viewliners is a public toilet and some kind of luggage stowage. Again, that last one would be difficult as space is already a premium.

I've seen pictures of a double-decker car (I think is was the Alaska Railroad) with a small platform at one end for people to stand out on. There may be safety issues here, but I would see that as a draw also.

Dan
http://www.coloradorailcar.com/ultradome.htm
Yep, that's exactly what I was referring to. Thanks!!

Dan
 
how about one of these babies:
rendersx6.jpg


thats a friend of mines idea... (he occasionally pops in here)

I also have drawings of a vieliner dome car I "invented" I keep trying to talk my friend into making a 3D model of it....

peter
pretty cool idea I must say. Solves the whole crew dorm problem right there.
 
how about one of these babies:
rendersx6.jpg


thats a friend of mines idea... (he occasionally pops in here)

I also have drawings of a vieliner dome car I "invented" I keep trying to talk my friend into making a 3D model of it....

peter
pretty cool idea I must say. Solves the whole crew dorm problem right there.
I'd suggest your friend switch the windowed position so that the windows are on the side with the vestibule door.

As for cars I'd like to see, I'll post some of them later xD
 
Don't make the new cars too high-tech and complicated. It's likely any new cars will need to run for upwards of 30 years - that's a long time to keep things working. So things like TVs in the back of the seats might seem like a good idea, but 5 years on that's going to be a real headache to keep working. Design with a long service life in mind. Power sockets at all the seats is pretty much a must tho.

The new car fleets to need to have a suitable, realistic kitchen / diner car, something where they can cook and heat some quality meals. I think the days of on board prep for everything are likely to be over, but a quality dining experience should still be perfectly possible. Needs a dishwasher so proper plates and glassware can be used.

If you want to make the Viewliner IIs look 'sleek' design them to the same profile as the Genesis locos, sleepers, coaches and the dorm/baggage car someone else posted. Of course, you're then stuck with Genesis locos.

Maybe some sort of cab/coach or cab/diner car for the non-sleeper runs (eg. Downeaster), this would depend on if the savings from turning the train around made it worth it. I'd guess that turning the trains that run overnight isn't such a big deal.

A lounge-type car would be good (for both fleets) if possible, it would be a shame to lose one of the selling points of the trains. Having a bar on it might help make a bit of revenue i guess.
 
Colorado Railcar double deckers are also very tall. They are 18'-0" high. A Superliner is 16'-3" high. Even with large clearances on most of the railroad system, there are placed the Colorado Railcar double deckers just can't go. There are other heigh related issues, such as how high is the center of gravity? How do they do in high winds? etc. For lines that do not see double stacks or the high automobile carriers, the usual target clearance is "Plate F" which is 17'-0" high.

They also have no track record in high speed service at all. Most are in Alaska used on cruise ship related service, and probably never get over 40 to 50 mph. Don't know what the ARR speed limit is, but it can't be over 59 mph - no signals.

By the way, in the goofball, from a railroad perspective, Steven Segall movie with the train running across the wild west and on the "dark territory" having the beautiful head on collision on a high bridge: The equipment used was built for the movie by Colorado Railcar, complete with such stuff as roof hatches and other features that really do not exist on normal passenger cars. This little tidbit used to be on CRC's web site.

I would like to see updated Superliners with trucks good for 125 mph or higher under them, and coaches with large windows on the Viewliner cross section, likewise set up to be able to be runat 125 mph or faster. I see no reason to "modernize" the external appearance any further. Even the 1940's and 50's stainless steel cars still look adequately modern on the outside. We need to have about four times the current fleet size and add trains and lengthen trains accordingly.

The big money will still have to be in faster track and a lot more of it.
 
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Colorado Railcar double deckers are also very tall. They are 18'-0" high. A Superliner is 16'-3" high. Even with large clearances on most of the railroad system, there are placed the Colorado Railcar double deckers just can't go. There are other heigh related issues, such as how high is the center of gravity? How do they do in high winds? etc. For lines that do not see double stacks or the high automobile carriers, the usual target clearance is "Plate F" which is 17'-7" high.
Why did CRC pour so much into a design they can't market to, say, Amtrak? I would think if they had designed these cars to be two feet shorter, they would be in a very good position to pick up the contract for building the next west-of-Chicago fleet (be they called SuperLiner IIIs or whatever)--by having a successful, proven design that could work with and ultimately supercede the SuperLiner fleet. As it is, it sounds like Amtrak will never buy these.

Was there really no way to get the Alaska RR and cruise line contracts without building a car taller than 16'3"?
 
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