The problem is that where all the old signage exists is NOT where "Amtrak America" will be running.
The fact that they are testing all four flavors simultaneously is encouraging. It shows that their plan to enter revenue service is agressive!
The purpose of a vestibule is to load and unload passengers. They don't want folks boarding the train in the diner. Too hard to manage. The diner has a crew access door, but that's all they need.
Right, but it wouldn't have to be trainlined (if the rest even are), but as I remember, keeping a vestibule next to the diner was one of the original reasons for running the eastern LD trains reversed, in case of an evacuation. I would think that Amtrak would want to have this flexibility so they wouldn't be so constrained on car direction.The problem is that where all the old signage exists is NOT where "Amtrak America" will be running.
The fact that they are testing all four flavors simultaneously is encouraging. It shows that their plan to enter revenue service is agressive!
The purpose of a vestibule is to load and unload passengers. They don't want folks boarding the train in the diner. Too hard to manage. The diner has a crew access door, but that's all they need.
That's probably the best order, quite frankly. The heritage diners have served well over the years, but need to be replaced ASAP. Same thing for the baggage cars. I can see why the sleepers have a lower priority (yes, there is a shortage, but the Viewliner Is aren't falling apart like the heritage equipment is).
We need to remember that the first diner, sleeper, bag-dorm cars were delivered for testing only this past week. There are months of testing ahead. It is not just testing and certification, training and familiarization on the new Viewliners for the maintenance, service, and operating crews at multiple facilities has to be completed as well before the new cars can enter service. If the first set of new diner cars enter service in December or January, which could be optimistic, there are 20 Heritage diners to be replaced with 5 additional diner cars to enter the fleet. Also, given the history of delays for the CAF production, reasonable to expect that issues will be discovered during testing that will require some changes, hopefully only minor ones. So I think odds are that there will be heritage diners in service into the summer of 2015.
Saw the same train!I'm on today's southbound Adirondack that is currently sitting outside ALB waiting for an open platform. Spotted the new cars sitting about 100 yards behind us. I was focused on my calc homework in my lap and the "retro" livery certainly caught my eye! Fumbled with my phone and could only get a pic of the baggage car at the end of the test train
image.jpeg
Is the same true for the rest of the livery? Only the first few cars in this special phase "IIIb" and the rest in phase IVb?
Well it good you don't need a "H" room at this time. Of the two major changes from a Viewliner 1 to a Viewliner 2. The "H" bedroom get a big change. In short it becomes a roomette, not a bedroom. Yes it can fit a wheelchair, and the bunk is left to right, but the private bathroom is gone. The public restroom just out side the door is wheelchair accessible.
No, all of the new Amtrak Viewliner II's will have the Phase III striping. The first of every new car to be produced will have the older Amtrak logo. The standard production of the cars will be delivered with Amtrak's Phase III stripping and Amtrak's current logo.
Can you share the link?
That was the first thing I did but I only see current Viewliner floor plans.
I did not think I had ever seen any floorplans for the Viewliner II's. I would assume if there were any, they would be in this thread.
No worries and no apology needed! My post in no way indicated that someone other than me had needed the H unit. I would have interpreted my post exactly the same way you did.
