New Passenger Cars

[frj1983]

Looking at the state of Amtrak's Passenger Cars (Superliners, Viewliners, Amfleet, Horizon etc) which cars do you think need replacing soon? And seeing how Amtrak has a rather tortured relationship with Bombardier, who do they order the cars from?

 

[saxman]

I've been wondering this myself. I'd like to see more Talgo sets on the regional routes. They look good. All I know is the Superliners and most everything else is not made anymore. The other guys probably know much more than I do.

 

[MrFSS]

THIS COMPANY could make them for Amtrak if they had the money!!

How about THIS ONE for an Amtrak sleeping car??

 

[Guest]

Money was requested by Amtrak for early development of new passenger cars, which would be built, say around FY 09. I'm not sure if the money was actually given to Amtrak, though.

 

[frj1983]

THIS COMPANY could make them for Amtrak if they had the money!!
How about THIS ONE for an Amtrak sleeping car??

I like Colorado railcar, but I'm not sure they have the capacity to build a huge multi-car order.

And while I like the Sleeping Car, I think it would be prohibitive to build for Amtrak. I get the feeling that ultimately, it boils down once again to Bombardier.

 

[frj1983]

Money was requested by Amtrak for early development of new passenger cars, which would be built, say around FY 09. I'm not sure if the money was actually given to Amtrak, though.

And even if the monies are there, the order has to be bid out, a contract signed, and dates decided upon. If such were the case and thing went smoothly, I would imagine that the cars would be built and delivered in 2012. That sounds rather optimistic to me and I wonder what the older cars will look like with 6 more years of hard wear on them.

 

[battalion51]

I personally am not a fan of Colorado Railcars work. From what I've seen they use very cheap materials, which means short life for the cars. I'd much rather see the contract go to a proven reliable builder like Bombardier or Kawasaki.

 

[TransAtlantic]

I second the above vote for Talgo; and I know that Superliners are near and dear to many people's hearts, but they really need to go. Most of them are past their life expectancy, nevermind the fact that they rely on virtually 19th Century technology to begin with. All hail the single-level pendulars!

 

[Trogdor]

Bombardier isn't the only company that can build railcars. The new Metra gallery cars are being built (or, at the very least, finished) by Super Steel in Milwaukee. I want to say that the California Cars (which are basically Superliners with a new interior) were built by Alstom, but I could be wrong on that.

 

[AlanB]

I want to say that the California Cars (which are basically Superliners with a new interior) were built by Alstom, but I could be wrong on that.

You are not wrong, the new California Surfliner cars used on many of the runs in California were indeed from Alstom.

 

[Oxy]

Since there is no dire need for a new design, I doubt there will be the money for development, yet alone production.

 

[Oxy]

However, if new cars were plausible, then the talgo double decker (http://www.talgo.com/htm/English/pdf/oy5_02.pdf) would be a nice replacement for superliners. Pesonaly, I don't really like the half length lower level.

 

[AlanB]

Pesonaly, I don't really like the half length lower level.

Well the half length is thanks to the fact that they need some place to put the water tanks, sewrage tanks, the A/C and other needed equipment.

In the case of the Talgo's that you linked to, it appears that they have mid-level ends. So you're still getting half lenths, but on both levels now instead of just one.

 

[Guest]

Kawasaki is capable of making the order, they have contracts with Metro-North, the MTA, and New York City Transit. I don't know if anyone has seen their factories, but the one in Lincoln, NE can be switched from single level to bilevel production in a matter of days and they have a lift system that allows one person to move the car around the shop. It is really cool.

 

[AlanB]

Kawasaki is capable of making the order, they have contracts with Metro-North, the MTA, and New York City Transit.

The MTA is Metro North and NYC Transit, as the MTA is the parent company for both, as well as for the LIRR.

 

[Guest]

The MTA is Metro North and NYC Transit, as the MTA is the parent company for both, as well as for the LIRR.

Maryland Mass Transit Authority, abbreviated MTA on the Kawasaki site as MTA. As a non-railroad person I just assumed their abbreviations were good since they have the contracts.

 

[battalion51]

I'd forgotten about Super Steel and Alstom. Not that I dislike the Talgo product, it is a good product from what I've seen, but they don't have FRA approval. The Cascades sets are running on an exemption. That's a big hurdle to overcome there.

 

[AlanB]

The MTA is Metro North and NYC Transit, as the MTA is the parent company for both, as well as for the LIRR.

Maryland Mass Transit Authority, abbreviated MTA on the Kawasaki site as MTA. As a non-railroad person I just assumed their abbreviations were good since they have the contracts.

Ah, yes, the MMTA often provides confusion. :lol:

 

[AlanB]

I'd forgotten about Super Steel and Alstom. Not that I dislike the Talgo product, it is a good product from what I've seen, but they don't have FRA approval. The Cascades sets are running on an exemption. That's a big hurdle to overcome there.

I thought that Talgo's newer equipment did meet FRA regs. Yes, the current Cascade's trains don't meet specs, but then they were built and designed before before the FRA raised the bar to it's current level. That is why the current trains are running on an exemption, since they were built before the current standards.

I wouldn't be surprise to find that most of the PV's being hauled around by Amtrak also wouldn't meet today's FRA crash standards either.

 

[VT Hokie]

Amtrak desperately needs additional sleeper capacity on the single level long distance trains. So, I think Viewliners should be the top priority. Viewliner diners would be nice as well.

 

[JAChooChoo]

Maryland Mass Transit Authority, abbreviated MTA on the Kawasaki site as MTA. As a non-railroad person I just assumed their abbreviations were good since they have the contracts.

Maryland MTA is buses, Baltimore Metro and Light Rail.

Commuter trains are MARC (MAryland Rail Commuter)

 

[Rafi]

Maryland Mass Transit Authority, abbreviated MTA on the Kawasaki site as MTA. As a non-railroad person I just assumed their abbreviations were good since they have the contracts.

Maryland MTA is buses, Baltimore Metro and Light Rail.

Commuter trains are MARC (MAryland Rail Commuter)

The MARC, however, is operated by the Maryland MTA (http://www.mtamaryland.com/services/marc/).

-Rafi

 

[rmgreenesq]

The MTA is Metro North and NYC Transit, as the MTA is the parent company for both, as well as for the LIRR.

Maryland Mass Transit Authority, abbreviated MTA on the Kawasaki site as MTA. As a non-railroad person I just assumed their abbreviations were good since they have the contracts.

Ah, yes, the MMTA often provides confusion. :lol:

And the MTA referred to in the Kingston Trio song, "Charlie on the MTA" is in Boston. Thankfully we now call it the Mass Bay Transit Authority or MBTA or just 'The T".

Rick

 

[frj1983]

I just realized theat "Nippon Sharyo" (may not have the spelling right) had a hand in building the newer Metra gallery cars. I know they were assembled at Super Steel, but am not sure how the whole order was put together. I wonder how big a jump it is from gallery car to a doubledecker Superliner type car?

 

[AlanB]

I wonder how big a jump it is from gallery car to a doubledecker Superliner type car?

Well I think that would depend on whether they were parked next to one another on adjacent tracks or if you had several yard tracks seperating the cars. :lol: :lol: :lol: