Viewliner II - Part 1 - Initial Production and Delivery

[Thirdrail7]

Just how much training does a train crew need for a baggage car? Its a hollow stainlesst steel tube with wheels.

The shelves are not a new idea, just a new feature for a new car. Same with the bike racks. Both of them have been in service for years on California's fleet. They're simple enough that a passenger who's never ridden Amtrak before can figure them out in only a moment or two.

Call me skeptical.

I believe the training is more Maintenance training then loading & unloading training.

The cars have a little more then just a hollow shell & shelves. The shelves fold up (and I think become the bike racks) so there is maintenance there, they have some rudimentary climate control, there are lights bulbs that need to be replacing (more how do you access the bulbs, then how to screw them in). Crews need to be trained in the bigger maintenance of the cars at the various shops (fixing locked breaks, patching air hoses, etc) as well as quick-fix on the road maintenance.

peter

Absolutely. They may not have seats, but aside from direct HVAC control, they may have all of the same operating components and safety systems as the rest of the passenger fleet. This includes six 480volt cables of electricity running through them. The mechanical department and contractors at outlying points must know how to take these cars apart and put them back together within tolerance of initial terminal rules (allowable tread depth, piston travel{if there are pistons] etc.) Indeed, the FRA added one more restriction g to this car which I won't discuss, but I'm sure someone will eventually spill.

The field personnel must know how to troubleshoot, repair and or cut out/bypass the appropriate portions of the brake and electrical systems. Tolerances must be established to determine how much can be cut out. Such questions include what kind of detection systems exist on this 125 mph vehicle. What kind of truck support systems exist and how do you adjust them en route? Do these cars have bearing systems? On board? Outboard? Disk brakes? A combination of tread and disk? Can you cut out a single truck, a single axle or do you cut out the whole control valve and lose the car? Most importantly, where are all of these cut outs located? How many main res tanks are on these cars and how do you bypass them in field?

This isn't a matter of opening and closing doors...which they will train you on for the sake of liability. This standard operating procedure for railroads. This way, if someone pinches their fingers, the company can say there were trained not to do so.

It's called CYA!

 

[Ziv]

"Rudimentary climate control"?

How rudimentary? Are the new baggage cars going to be warm enough in the winter and cool enough in the summer to allow for animals in crates? Of course service animals get to ride in 'first class'.

;-)

I believe the training is more Maintenance training then loading & unloading training.

... they have some rudimentary climate control, ...

peter

 

[jis]

No A/C. Only roof exhaust fans for summer. Wall mounted heating coils to create some bit of warmth in the winter, but nothing really suitable for someone to ride in that car.

 

[Thirdrail7]

No A/C. Only roof exhaust fans for summer. Wall mounted heating coils to create some bit of warmth in the winter, but nothing really suitable for someone to ride in that car.

The wall units are supposed to heat up to 50 degrees.

I know the answer is costs, but this always bothered me. It is a new car. I just don't see why no one went for the gusto and equipped them with full HVAC. It would have been a great place to transport pets. Well, someone who makes a lot more than us looked at the costs decided it wasn't worth it. ^_^

At any rate, 97(4) will have two returning to Hialeah. If testing goes well, revenue service has to be right around the corner.

 

[StriderGDM]

No A/C. Only roof exhaust fans for summer. Wall mounted heating coils to create some bit of warmth in the winter, but nothing really suitable for someone to ride in that car.

The wall units are supposed to heat up to 50 degrees.

I know the answer is costs, but this always bothered me. It is a new car. I just don't see why no one went for the gusto and equipped them with full HVAC. It would have been a great place to transport pets. Well, someone who makes a lot more than us looked at the costs decided it wasn't worth it. ^_^

At any rate, 97(4) will have two returning to Hialeah. If testing goes well, revenue service has to be right around the corner.

Yeah, and then who becomes responsible for the pets when they're transported in their?

I suspect it's more than simply cost but also a way to avoid future issues by simply making it impossible to do.

 

[MARC Rider]

I saw one of the new baggage cars on the lower level platform at WUS.

As a bonus, while I was waiting for my train to leave, I got to see 97 roll in across the platform. By the way, they don't chase people out of the diner when the train gets into Washington, I saw people continue to eat their dinner by the backup lights, even after the train went dark during the engine change.

 

[Guest]

Just how much training does a train crew need for a baggage car? Its a hollow stainlesst steel tube with wheels.

The shelves are not a new idea, just a new feature for a new car. Same with the bike racks. Both of them have been in service for years on California's fleet. They're simple enough that a passenger who's never ridden Amtrak before can figure them out in only a moment or two.

Call me skeptical.

The truth is as I stated it. I don't know the length of the training. The train crews will recieve training. That is an absolute fact! Right now they have the trainers in training. Maybe there are shelves or bike racks like those in the car in California but crews on the NEC have not seen anything like those. I looked at the car parked on the block of 20 track today and it was all unfamiliar inside. Also the baggage doors are not like we those have seen before. That you are skeptical shows only you know nothing.

 

[Ryan]

Agreed, the idea that one can just roll out completely new cars without giving the crews that are entrusted to operate them is ridiculous.

 

[NewCars]

Four more baggage cars heading to WAS on 98 today.

 

[lo2e]

Four more baggage cars heading to WAS on 98 today.

There's a YouTube video of 98(3) with three new ones.

Full consist:

Heritage Unit 156

Engine 112

Amfleet Coach

3 New Baggage Cars

3 Amfleet Coaches

Cafe

Heritage Diner

3 Viewliner Sleepers

Heritage Baggage

 

[VentureForth]

If they are going BACK up North, why aren't at least the Silvers already using the baggage cars and ditching the heritage?

 

[OB1]

If they are going BACK up North, why aren't at least the Silvers already using the baggage cars and ditching the heritage?

These aren't the droids, ah baggage cars, you're looking for.

I guess Amtrak could have assigned the first 4 baggage cars that are ready for service, to the Silvers, but that would have made sense. Since when did Amtrak make decisions that made sense?

 

[Ryan]

Yes, because putting them in service before everyone has an opportunity to be trained on them is a lovely idea.

 

[VentureForth]

So EVERYONE has to be trained? If EVERYONE hasn't been trained, why are they moving the cars back North?

But of course, Amtrak isn't known for wasting and the billion dollars of pittance they get annually on top of the fare box.

Operationally, the training should be minimal. Unlatch here. Put this here. Hold this here. From a maintenance standpoint, are the differences in the trucks and electrical that significant from the VLI's?

Does every aircraft mechanic have to be trained on a particular aircraft before it enters revenue service? That's where manuals and experience come in.

Obviously they aren't ready for revenue yet. Is it the cars themselves? Is it the certification? Is it the crew? Is it the weather? Is it the paint job?

 

[Ryan]

So EVERYONE has to be trained? If EVERYONE hasn't been trained, why are they moving the cars back North?

To conduct the training. There was a detailed explanation of what went into the training on the previous page. You could read that and understand it, and spare us the ZOMG TAXPAYER WASTE crap yet again.

 

[jis]

So EVERYONE has to be trained? If EVERYONE hasn't been trained, why are they moving the cars back North?

I think they are moving the cars around just to irritate you so that you can hyperventilate on AU.
I mean come on.... for each ACS that is being put into service they are being put through a test run to and fro over the entire NEC before any revenue service. If they happen to be doing that with the baggage cars, why is it such a huge worry? Running a few baggage cars tacked onto a regular service train up and down between Florida and New York for proving in and incidentally positioning them at strategic locations for training is going to have close to zero material effect on Amtrak's finances. Sheesh!

 

[CHamilton]

I think they are moving the cars around just to irritate you so that you can hyperventilate on AU.

Hey, hyperventilating on AU is fun!

 

[StriderGDM]

So EVERYONE has to be trained? If EVERYONE hasn't been trained, why are they moving the cars back North?

Because all the folks to be trained are in the North, and the Mid-west and the west.

What's the alternative, shuttle all those folks to Florida? Then you'd be complaining how they're shuttle people all over the country for training.

 

[Guest]

So EVERYONE has to be trained? If EVERYONE hasn't been trained, why are they moving the cars back North?

I think they are moving the cars around just to irritate you so that you can hyperventilate on AU.
I mean come on.... for each ACS that is being put into service they are being put through a test run to and fro over the entire NEC before any revenue service. If they happen to be doing that with the baggage cars, why is it such a huge worry? Running a few baggage cars tacked onto a regular service train up and down between Florida and New York for proving in and incidentally positioning them at strategic locations for training is going to have close to zero material effect on Amtrak's finances. Sheesh!

They do have to be test run before they are put in service.

Also I have heard, and this part is only a rumor, that when they put them in a train consist there were problems with the brakes, braking issues. I think that is resolved and the training will begin.

 

[NE933]

Did the braking issue surface during the night time 125mph Corridor tests, or when they moved them en mass to Hialeah in December? Or some other time?

 

[mgl1978]

I did some spotting today 3/4/2015 at RO.

The first video has #85 and #90 pass each other. #85 has new baggage on the rear.

 

[afigg]

A post on trainorders states that baggage car #61011 will be on Capitol Limited #29 departing WAS March 5 for a deadhead move to Chicago for training. If so, this may be the first of the new baggage cars to make its way westward.

 

[neroden]

Hmmm, so lessee. They've probably trained everyone at Miami already. Looks like they're going to be training in DC, NY, and Chicago simultaneously. (And maybe Boston too?) Hopefully we'll see a comprehensive east coast deployment ASAP. (The benefits to the slow-running trains west of Chicago are less, so I'd expect the east coast to get them first.)

Here's a question, though I think I've guessed the answer. What do they do about training engineers and conductors who report to miscellaneous crew bases? (Such as Toledo, Buffalo, Syracuse, etc.) You can't move the baggage car to them; nowhere to park it. Do they have to take a trip to Miami, DC or NY for training?

 

[Ryan]

I saw somewhere on Facebook that one was getting dropped in Charlotte and Raleigh, so it sounds like they really try to get them out there.

 

[MattW]

I understand Charlotte since the Carolinian terminates there, but why Raleigh? The Piedmonts aren't getting one are they?