Viewliner diner spotted in Chicago

[Mark]

Team-

I just spotted the one and only out in the yard looking nice and new. I don't know the status but it didn't look like she was going anywhere yet. I'll be passing through tomorrow, I'll try to get a pic.

 

[Acela150]

It is rumored that 8400 will be heading east on 48 next week. No pictures have surfaced of it since the release. Just one video! Since then nothing.

 

[spidersfan351]

That would be terrific if it hits the rails in revenue service by then. We will be westbound on #49 8/29, so we'll have to see how it shakes out. Can't wait to ride it!

 

[jis]

That would be terrific if it hits the rails in revenue service by then. We will be westbound on #49 8/29, so we'll have to see how it shakes out. Can't wait to ride it!

As I said before, you have a one in three chance if it is in service by then.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

That would be terrific if it hits the rails in revenue service by then. We will be westbound on #49 8/29, so we'll have to see how it shakes out. Can't wait to ride it!

As I said before, you have a one in three chance if it is in service by then.

Reminds me of something Clint Eastwood once said at the end of a certain movie:

you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky?

 

[spidersfan351]

Great Eastwood quote, he's one of my favorites!

I understand fully about the odds of 8400, I enjoy playing Amtrak Diner Roulette on eastern LD routes. I will be on the northbound Crescent 9/3-9/4, and will hope for a Temoinsa rebuild - those cars are outstanding. If not, then it is a rare chance for me (27 yrs old) to experience an old, worn out piece of Heritage equipment a la 1979 on Amtrak. Guess I gotta find a positive in it someplace.

 

[NE933]

As I said before, you have a one in three chance if it is in service by then.

Any chance it will be run thru on one of the Silver Service trains in mid-September, if you know?

 

[afigg]

Any chance it will be run thru on one of the Silver Service trains in mid-September, if you know?

Amtrak President Boardman's column in the August/September Amtrak Ink magazine stated that the 8400 diner will be permanently assigned to the Lake Shore Limited. So, unless there is a last minute equipment shuffle due to a bad ordered diner, not very likely. You will have to wait until 2013 or later for the new diners to show up on the Silver Service trains.

 

[jis]

Any chance it will be run thru on one of the Silver Service trains in mid-September, if you know?

Amtrak President Boardman's column in the August/September Amtrak Ink magazine stated that the 8400 diner will be permanently assigned to the Lake Shore Limited. So, unless there is a last minute equipment shuffle due to a bad ordered diner, not very likely. You will have to wait until 2013 or later for the new diners to show up on the Silver Service trains.

That's true. It has also been stated earlier in the year by a senior Amtrak person that LSL will be the first train to be assigned the new Viewliners as they start coming off the production line. The statement was made by him at the ESPA Annual Meeting in Schenectady NY.

 

[Acela150]

Any chance it will be run thru on one of the Silver Service trains in mid-September, if you know?

Amtrak President Boardman's column in the August/September Amtrak Ink magazine stated that the 8400 diner will be permanently assigned to the Lake Shore Limited. So, unless there is a last minute equipment shuffle due to a bad ordered diner, not very likely. You will have to wait until 2013 or later for the new diners to show up on the Silver Service trains.

You would think even during the winter months they would shift it down to FLA for some "thawing".

 

[Mackensen]

Any chance it will be run thru on one of the Silver Service trains in mid-September, if you know?

Amtrak President Boardman's column in the August/September Amtrak Ink magazine stated that the 8400 diner will be permanently assigned to the Lake Shore Limited. So, unless there is a last minute equipment shuffle due to a bad ordered diner, not very likely. You will have to wait until 2013 or later for the new diners to show up on the Silver Service trains.

You would think even during the winter months they would shift it down to FLA for some "thawing".

I'm aware of at least two cases this summer of the Lake Shore running with an Amfleet cafe as a diner because no heritage unit was available. That suggests a need.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Any chance it will be run thru on one of the Silver Service trains in mid-September, if you know?

Amtrak President Boardman's column in the August/September Amtrak Ink magazine stated that the 8400 diner will be permanently assigned to the Lake Shore Limited. So, unless there is a last minute equipment shuffle due to a bad ordered diner, not very likely. You will have to wait until 2013 or later for the new diners to show up on the Silver Service trains.

You would think even during the winter months they would shift it down to FLA for some "thawing".

The best laid schemes of mice and men / Go oft awry.

The plan is to keep it on the LSL, but if it needs to thaw it might end up on the Silvers.

 

[MattW]

Any chance it will be run thru on one of the Silver Service trains in mid-September, if you know?

Amtrak President Boardman's column in the August/September Amtrak Ink magazine stated that the 8400 diner will be permanently assigned to the Lake Shore Limited. So, unless there is a last minute equipment shuffle due to a bad ordered diner, not very likely. You will have to wait until 2013 or later for the new diners to show up on the Silver Service trains.

You would think even during the winter months they would shift it down to FLA for some "thawing".

I thought that the new design of Viewliner was so the LSL's equipment would not have to be rotated down south? Does 8400 incorporate this new structural/utility design, or will that just be on the new Viewliner IIs?

 

[Ryan]

Even if it doesn't need the thawing, given that Amtrak moves the sleepers of the Silvers and the Crescent so that it can run through without any switching, I'd be very surprised if they started cutting up consists in Sunnyside to ensure that the 8400 stayed with the LSL.

 

[NE933]

Even if it doesn't need the thawing, given that Amtrak moves the sleepers of the Silvers and the Crescent so that it can run through without any switching, I'd be very surprised if they started cutting up consists in Sunnyside to ensure that the 8400 stayed with the LSL.

Yes, that was my focus. I know that rolling stock is rotated, or run thru, the Silvers/Crescents/Lake Shores for equipment turnarounds, and in the colder months, for thawing. Rotating the 8400 on a different cycle from the other diners means a pair of dining cars, one the 8400 the other a Heritage, will have to be uncoupled, moved and positioned, then recoupled. This doesn't even including the other cars that will have to go thru this dance on account the diners are in the center of the trains.

 

[Mark]

I've got a so/so photo but I can't remember how to post it in here... help!

 

[amamba]

You need to upload it to some photo sharing site - something like shutterfly, tinypic, flicr, picasa, whatever. Then you can click on the little icon of the picture - its at the top, two icons to the right of the smiley face. Then put the link in there for your photo.

 

[jis]

The best laid schemes of mice and men / Go oft awry.

The plan is to keep it on the LSL, but if it needs to thaw it might end up on the Silvers.

Well if it actually gets frozen enough to need thawing, at least the trip down to FL will be a dead head move, unless you want to have a Silver with no Diner service.

Actually people don't realize how many dead head Diner (and Viewliner) moves take place to Florida and back regularly.

Curiously last weekend I saw two Viewliners being deadheaded to Boston (! :blink: ) on 66, the day I arrived into NYP on 50 tagging behind 66. I have no clue why Boston might need two Viewliners, but there they were! Other than Hoosier State/Cardinal between Chicago and Indy, 66/67 has got to be the train with the craziest unpredictable consist, carrying all sorts of deadhead cars and engines up and down the corridor.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

The plan is to keep it on the LSL, but if it needs to thaw it might end up on the Silvers.

Well if it actually gets frozen enough to need thawing, at least the trip down to FL will be a dead head move, unless you want to have a Silver with no Diner service.

No, not necessarily. Amtrak has found that the Viewliner sleepers don't usually need to be deadheaded to Florida if they are sent down there every other run. Now the diner is not a sleeper, but then there never has been a Viewliner diner before, so nobody really knows if the original plan is going to pan out.

The best laid schemes of mice and men / Go oft awry.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

That's true. It has also been stated earlier in the year by a senior Amtrak person that LSL will be the first train to be assigned the new Viewliners as they start coming off the production line. The statement was made by him at the ESPA Annual Meeting in Schenectady NY.

Is 8400 considered to be a new Viewliner coming off the production line?

 

[afigg]

Is 8400 considered to be a new Viewliner coming off the production line?

No, the 8400 is a rebuilt prototype car and will presumably always be tagged as a unique unit. The first Viewliner II production car is scheduled to be delivered in October 2012 for testing.

 

[Mark]

You need to upload it to some photo sharing site - something like shutterfly, tinypic, flicr, picasa, whatever. Then you can click on the little icon of the picture - its at the top, two icons to the right of the smiley face. Then put the link in there for your photo.

Thank you... Here we go- it was gone by the time I passed through this AM. Both the picture and the vid are taken from a Metra Commuter car vestibule.

 

[Trogdor]

The 8400 was deadheaded to WAS on Thursday (arrived Friday). It's supposed to undergo some testing on the corridor, then go into service.

 

[jis]

Is the 8400 getting certified for just 110mph? Or are they certifying it for 125mph? What truck is it using? The original? Or something different?

 

[Ryan]

If you know of any train that it's going to be on, I'd love to know so I can go try to snag a picture of it.