J
jmx53
Guest
Some other videos of the new trainset on the move:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxwYnumSJA4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe3ca8B6Yrk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxwYnumSJA4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe3ca8B6Yrk
It depends what you call a fixed consist.That is but one of many factors to be taken into consideration, and not the most important one apparently, given that most serious passenger operators in the world, specially of the higher speed kind and the suburban kind have evolved to use fixed consist sets. Apparently the costs and benefits work out in favor of fixed consists for whatever reason. Incidentally even where fixed consists are used, they can be modified and individual units within them replaced, but it is a somewhat more involved process.
If anything, I would think that the Talgos are the lease hodge-podge mixed up consists on Amtrak's system. Them and the Acela. Normally speaking the Talgos run with a Cascades-painted F59PHI, followed by a fixed consists (in cascades colors), then an Cascades painted F40 NPCU. Amtrak even went to the trouble to designing and attaching fins to the end cars to make the transition between the tall engines and the short cars more pleasing to the eye.Wow. Someone else has heard of Stan Freeburg! I have that song on my Android and will listen to it now.
It's funny - My first concern had nothing to do with functionality, but purely aesthetics. Others are concerned about functionalily. The thing is, when you board the train, you don't care what it looks like on the outside.
But again, I speak in the company of railfans. Many of the travelling public DO care about the external aesthetics of a train. What they see on the outside will set their perception of what is on the inside and determine their choice on whether or not they want to pay to find out. Most won't do a google image search of the inside of a talgo set prior to buying a ticket. If they see a hodgepodge of mixmatched equipment pulling into the station with varying equipment and perhaps an "incomplete" train with the cabbage missing, they may think twice.
The concept of "Uniform" is very important in business. A uniform delivers the promise of consistency. Whether the clothing that the employees wear are uniform, or whether the look of a product is uniform, the idea reflects consistency. Professionalism. Care to details. PRIDE IN THEIR PRODUCT.
I'm sure the comfort of the Talgos are very good. I hope that these new trainsets that we are paying lots of money for will convey that uniformity to the public. It IS our money, after all. Let's demand Amtrak does its BEST to get the most return for it.
I have long shared my disdain for the aesthetic properties of ALL Amtrak trains - the only one that is decent is the non-reconfigurable, non-changable, non-lengthenable, Acela. The Autotrain looks the best, but honestly if they had the power and reliability, I'd rather see F59PHIs drive that train as they are a wee bit taller to match the Superliners. Once the Viewliner baggage and dining cars replace the heritage, then those trains will look better with the P42s, but still with that darn Cafe car in the middle with no end in sight for it. But it breaks up the Viewliners from the Amcans. Speaking of which, the Metroliner sets are (were?) really the 2nd most consistent looking set, followed by Pacific Surfliner (They got that thing RIGHT), AT, Superliners, corridor heritage trains. Talgo sets would be in 3rd if they could keep the same colors and the right locos together. But still, mixing F40 and a P42 is just, well, ick. I feel that way about the Hearland Flyer, too. Sorry.If anything, I would think that the Talgos are the lease hodge-podge mixed up consists on Amtrak's system. Them and the Acela. Normally speaking the Talgos run with a Cascades-painted F59PHI, followed by a fixed consists (in cascades colors), then an Cascades painted F40 NPCU. Amtrak even went to the trouble to designing and attaching fins to the end cars to make the transition between the tall engines and the short cars more pleasing to the eye.Wow. Someone else has heard of Stan Freeburg! I have that song on my Android and will listen to it now.
It's funny - My first concern had nothing to do with functionality, but purely aesthetics. Others are concerned about functionalily. The thing is, when you board the train, you don't care what it looks like on the outside.
But again, I speak in the company of railfans. Many of the travelling public DO care about the external aesthetics of a train. What they see on the outside will set their perception of what is on the inside and determine their choice on whether or not they want to pay to find out. Most won't do a google image search of the inside of a talgo set prior to buying a ticket. If they see a hodgepodge of mixmatched equipment pulling into the station with varying equipment and perhaps an "incomplete" train with the cabbage missing, they may think twice.
The concept of "Uniform" is very important in business. A uniform delivers the promise of consistency. Whether the clothing that the employees wear are uniform, or whether the look of a product is uniform, the idea reflects consistency. Professionalism. Care to details. PRIDE IN THEIR PRODUCT.
I'm sure the comfort of the Talgos are very good. I hope that these new trainsets that we are paying lots of money for will convey that uniformity to the public. It IS our money, after all. Let's demand Amtrak does its BEST to get the most return for it.
If you want to go off about mixed up consists you should see the long distance trains out east, those are not consistant.
peter
I thought that the P42's were close to Viewliner height and that the F59PHIs were close to Superliner height...Hrm, maybe they can extend the order even further and make a Viewliner locomotive!
The Crescent would be a good candidate to get 3 Viewliner sleepers once most or all of the 25 new sleepers are delivered. So it would have a balance of 5 Viewliners and 5 Amfleet IIs. Maybe save a smidgen of fuel with less air drag from the more uniform set of Viewliners compared to a mixed Heritage baggage, Viewliners, Heritage diner set.Huh? The Cafe car in the east is just an Amfleet like the coaches. Other than the gap in the windows in the middle (why don't they let the Cafe attendant see out anyways?) it's identical to the coaches.The Heritage diners will go away around the same time as the Heritage baggage cars. So on your typical Crescent, you'd have 2 locos, 4 Viewliners, 5 Amfleets. That's fairly uniform except for the height difference in the P42 and Viewliners, and the Viewliners and Amfleet. Then hopefully the Viewliner order will be extended to make a coach/cafe order leaving the only mismatch to the front. Hrm, maybe they can extend the order even further and make a Viewliner locomotive!
Now only if they'd come up with a Viewliner bullet lounge for the tail car.... We'd have a modern Streamliner again! :giggle:The Crescent would be a good candidate to get 3 Viewliner sleepers once most or all of the 25 new sleepers are delivered. So it would have a balance of 5 Viewliners and 5 Amfleet IIs. Maybe save a smidgen of fuel with less air drag from the more uniform set of Viewliners compared to a mixed Heritage baggage, Viewliners, Heritage diner set.
And yes, with any luck, in a few years the Am Iis will be replaced by Viewliner LD coach cars. Then posters will complain about how boring the uniform P-42 and all Viewliner consists are because you can't make everyone happy.
The attendant doesn't have a window because they need the wall space for merchandise and equipment. Money before aesthetics, at least for crew...Huh? The Cafe car in the east is just an Amfleet like the coaches. Other than the gap in the windows in the middle (why don't they let the Cafe attendant see out anyways?) it's identical to the coaches.The Heritage diners will go away around the same time as the Heritage baggage cars. So on your typical Crescent, you'd have 2 locos, 4 Viewliners, 5 Amfleets. That's fairly uniform except for the height difference in the P42 and Viewliners, and the Viewliners and Amfleet. Then hopefully the Viewliner order will be extended to make a coach/cafe order leaving the only mismatch to the front. Hrm, maybe they can extend the order even further and make a Viewliner locomotive!
I Emailed the Oregon Dept of Transportation regarding exactly this. See post #38 in this thread for the complete response I got, but the gist of what they said about this specific issue is that Amtrak is considering the continued use of the F40 NPCU for safety, and to avoid having to take the entire trainset out of service for repairs in the event of a grade collision,That cab is nothing more then a Truck cab on rails. The crew is at eye level with a gravel hauler that stuck on the tracks and the snout will go right under the trailer causing all the gravel to dump into the cab crushing the crew. That's protecting the crews lives how. They were safer being higher up in a real locomotive or cabbage f40.
Clearly part of the upgrade from 1996 technology to 2012 technology referred to at the beginning of the video. :giggle:Did dude just refer to tuning into a "record" at 9:50 in that video? Nothing says modern & state-of-the-art like listening to records!
I want! I think that's very unlikely, though; the 'bullet' shape apparently doesn't really help the train's aerodynamics much, and it's very inconvenient not to be able to hook extra cars behind it. I do think a future Viewliner lounge should have curved roof windows like the Superliner Sightseer Lounges, however.Now only if they'd come up with a Viewliner bullet lounge for the tail car.... We'd have a modern Streamliner again! :giggle:
Nobody outside CAF and Amtrak knows for sure. "2013" is still the prediction, which is pretty vague. I'm sure they'll make a big announcement.I know it's off-topic, but when are the first Viewliner IIs going to be delivered and enter service?
Thanks for the heads up...hopefully someone will get some pics when they are enroute.All Aboard Washington on Facebook:
Info that we have is that the new Oregon owned Talgos will be on the move to the NW. ODOT1 is supposed to leave the AAR testing center near Pueblo, CO on April 8 (tomorrow!) and arrive in Seattle about April 11. ODOT2 is supposed to leave Milwaukee about April 15. Testing will then be done in the NW corridor and the equipment will go into service this summer. ODOT2 is planned to be on display at National Train Day festivities in Portland on May 11.
One of the Oregon Talgo Sets on the move to the Pacific Northwest. This picture is in Colorado via the California Zephyr route, then via the Coast Starlight. Train number is 984(14) SAC-SEA. Follows 14(14) from SAC.
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