Should Amtrak Bring the Heritage Fleet back?

[amtrakadirondack]

I would say yes, it would enable Amtrak to have more business for the cash strapped Americans in the Slumbercoaches for an upgrade from Coach, but less expensive than a Sleeper, and more coaches, it would enable Amtrak to start more routes. In the East, in the Midwest and in the West.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Would enough of them still be usable? Anyone around to supply replacment parts, etc? Might be a good idea, but it has serious implementation problems, I would think. And of course they are around 50 or more years old.

Are you speaking primarily of slumbercoaches or other equipment as well? For that matter, the slumbercoaches would be some of the newer heritage cars since they were late(about 1956) to be conceived of and built.( if those few years a would actualy make a serious difference as to present day usability)

I know they are still running 1955 equipment on the Canadian but that can't go on forever.

Perhaps you are talking about building such equipment new again?

 

[amtrakadirondack]

Would enough of them still be usable? Anyone around to supply replacment parts, etc? Might be a good idea, but it has serious implementation problems, I would think. And of course they are around 50 or more years old.  
Are you speaking primarily of slumbercoaches or other equipment as well? For that matter, the slumbercoaches would be some of the newer heritage cars since they were late(about 1956) to be conceived of and built.( if those few years a would actualy make a serious difference as to present day usability)

I know they are still running 1955 equipment on the Canadian but that can't go on forever.

Perhaps you are talking about building such equipment new again?

Yes, I was thinking all the useable cars would be brought back. But lets say hypothetically that Amtrak got the parts and refurbished the cars, do you think it would be a good idea? I would.

 

[P40Power]

I think it would be nice if they refurbished some 10&6s up and put retention toilets on them and ran them as lower cost alternitives to Viewliners or even run instead of Viewliners on some eastern routes like the Three Rivers once did a few years back with those refurbished cars. A couple of refurbished coaches would supplement the Amfleet II fleet well and it would be nice if the Heritage cars returned to the Andirondack.

 

[tp49]

If they are serviceable and would not be too expensive to run meaning it would cost more to run then they would make in rvenue sure, but if not then no.

 

[Viewliner]

I don't think there are many heritage cars back, and they're probably not cost effective to maintain or repair. I'd rather see new Viewliners.

 

[battalion51]

I'm with Viewliner on this one, if and only if they are built right this time. and by right I mean steel construction, plumbing systems not in the roof, video systems that actually work, and a good electrical system. The one thing we have to remember about the Heritage fleet is that the skin is nearly sixty years old (if not older) on many of those cars. You can only get so much life out of a car, and I think that's the point we are beginning to reach now. Next time you railfan, look at the shape of the baggage (as well as crew dorms and diners where applicable) car as it goes by. The cars aren't much better inside than they are on the outside, and Viewliner can testify to that with me.

 

[Viewliner]

I know what you're saying and I agree, also subsequent Viewliner Sleepers should move the toilet vacuums to a location other than under the Deluxe Rooms.

 

[PRR 60]

Only if they would do a complete top-to-bottom, end-to-end rebuild. Just putting those old rattletraps back in service with just a coat of paint, some new carpet, and duct tape holding things together would not make for a particularly pleasant travel experience. But rebuilt completely to modern standards with all the bells and whistles, they could be very comfortable cars.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have some matched trainsets of rebuilt Heritage cars that could be used for upscale, long distance service similar to VIA’s Canadian. It would be like having the real California Zephyr back. Dome cars, classy diners, real lounges, and sleepers. A true land cruise positioned to grab a market between regular Amtrak and the American Orient Express.

We can dream, can’t we?

 

[Amfleet]

No, Amtrak doesn't have the time or the money to keep this 50+ year old fleet going. Even with the Temoinsa rebuilds, things are still failing and falling apart. I'd personally like to see a Viewliner fleet (or at least Crew Cars, Dining Cars, and Lounges) take hold of a retiring Heritage Fleet.

 

[P40Power]

Amfleet your right, thats why they replaced the Sleepers with the Viewliners in the first place. The cars were just too old to be economical sound anymore. Its just like maintaining an old car with about 300,000 miles on it. Sure you can still make it run, but its just gonna be falling apart every time ya use it because its just gone past its effective life span. Also the older the things get the harder the parts are to find and the more expensive parts will fail. So really like said above, VIA might use the cars from the 50s and they might be in immaculate condition. But they will eventually just die out from old age.

 

[Viewliner]

Heres how priority (replacement) should go:

1) Heritage Fleet Dorms and Diners

2) Heritage Baggage

3) Amfleet II Coaches (could then be used on corridors, also a smoking coach Viewliner)

4) Amfleet II Lounges (again, corridor use, with enough Viewliners to have a FC lounge on each train)

 

[F59 PHI]

I think that there isnt a real need to replace the Amfleets. they are still in decent condition, and look ok in consists with viewliners(sort of). The Heritage cars are neither, and have to go. ALSO... BUILD NEW SLUMBERCOACHES

 

[amtrakadirondack]

ALSO... BUILD NEW SLUMBERCOACHES

That's a great idea!

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

I always liked the seemingly larger windows on the Heritage Coaches. They seemed to give me a better view. I would love to be able to have the experience of riding in another Heritiage coach again!

 

[Amfleet]

I always liked the seemingly larger windows on the Heritage Coaches. They seemed to give me a better view. I would love to be able to have the experience of riding in another Heritiage coach again!

You haven't been in a Viewliner yet have you? B)

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

I meant in terms of traveling in coach. I do agree viewliners have the best view! (I wouldnt sleep in anything else )

 

[P40Power]

Arent the windows in an Amfleet II coach just as big as a heritage coach's windows?

 

[AlanB]

Two weeks are up, get your votes in.

 

[Ellis]

The Santa Fe Hi-Levels and some of the coaches and other cars that were still being built into the early 1960s should have been saved for use as a reserve fleet to provide additional capacity during peak seasons.

 

[battalion51]

I personally have been in a Hi-Level car, a refurbished Concept 2000 at that. While I was in the car, I didn't feel relaxed at all, the car's interior was garish, bright, and too stimulating. Whereas a Superliner II feels homey, and relaxing. While the cars were a great model for Amtrak you are looking at a lot of expense to try to maintain a fleet of cars that is over forty years old for just a short period of time. It was pointed out at the NRHS Board of Directors meeting last week that, all things must come to an end, and that's the point we're getting to with a lot of things in today's society. Whether it's mainline steam, Heritage cars, or even dome cars, not everything lasts forever.

 

[Amfleet]

Put this way. There are Streamliners not as old as Amtrak's sitting restored in museums right now. Amtrak is not a museum and should not be hauling those old luggers.

 

[Viewliner]

Put this way. There are Streamliners not as old as Amtrak's sitting restored in museums right now. Amtrak is not a museum and should not be hauling those old luggers.

I agree, we need new cars (Viewliners).

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

About the only use for lightweight cars built before the Amtrak era(and even old heavy weight non-streamlined cars) is on excursion trains, steam engine excursions, dinner trains.For things like that, they can still be used until they wear out.

Of course we will have to wait and see how long they last on The Canadian, Heritage diners, dorms, etc.

But for actual commercial revenue service(i.e. Amtrak), their time is mechanically over.