Viewliner II - Part 1 - Initial Production and Delivery

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Hi,

I saw tonight that Viewliner ii No. 61051 is in Chicago Union Station on assignment through January 3rd on a Polar Express charter train. It is in the middle six Horizon coaches, 3 on each side. The train has locomotive No. 156, the 40th anniversary engine on the front. The old baggage platform on the south side of track No. 1 has been decorated for the festivities. Here's a link to the charter train website.

https://www.chicagothepolarexpressride.com/

So, Amtrak has enough baggage cars to spare one for charter excursion train service.
 
DSS&A said:
Hi,

I saw tonight that Viewliner ii No. 61051 is in Chicago Union Station on assignment through January 3rd on a Polar Express charter train. It is in the middle six Horizon coaches, 3 on each side. The train has locomotive No. 156, the 40th anniversary engine on the front. The old baggage platform on the south side of track No. 1 has been decorated for the festivities. Here's a link to the charter train website.

https://www.chicagothepolarexpressride.com/

So, Amtrak has enough baggage cars to spare one for charter excursion train service.
Click to expand...
Here is a picture I took on Sunday as I was boarding my Metra train home.

DSC_0247e.jpg

Also here is a picture of one of the OBS dressed as an elf.

DSC_0243e.jpg
 
StanJazz said:
DSS&A said:
Hi,

I saw tonight that Viewliner ii No. 61051 is in Chicago Union Station on assignment through January 3rd on a Polar Express charter train. It is in the middle six Horizon coaches, 3 on each side. The train has locomotive No. 156, the 40th anniversary engine on the front. The old baggage platform on the south side of track No. 1 has been decorated for the festivities. Here's a link to the charter train website.

https://www.chicagothepolarexpressride.com/

So, Amtrak has enough baggage cars to spare one for charter excursion train service.
Click to expand...
Here is a picture I took on Sunday as I was boarding my Metra train home.

attachicon.gif
DSC_0247e.jpg

Also here is a picture of one of the OBS dressed as an elf.

attachicon.gif
DSC_0243e.jpg
Click to expand...
Does anyone know if it's true that Amtrak's Amfleet 2 replacement coaches will be very similar to the Viewliner 2?
 
How could anyone possibly know the shape of anything that has yet to be designed, much less ordered?

Keep in mind that there are multiple different ways that every future can occur.
 
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As has been reported Amtrak owns all of the designs for the V-2s. Does that mean the new coaches will be of the V-2s design ? That is hard to say. Since Siemens is building the AAF coaches that becomes a competitive design. However Amtrak has stated that it wants all sub systems to be compatible with the new V-2s The new bi-levels being built by NS was specified that way. As well the parts are to be modular as much as possible. Sort of plug and use.

Another point is Amtrak wants the maximum interior volume for its single level cars. That is the V-2 external profile. If another builder uses the V-2 design it might still build the external differently. Maybe fluted ? Similar due to profile ? Yes. Identical ? No

Certainly not the Amfleet tubes

Who will own the AAF car design ? anyone know ?
 
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The AAF cars are a more or less off the shelf version of Siemens' Viaggio design, which has been built for operators in Isreal and Austria. I expect there are some modifications for US operations, but the basic design is Siemens.
 
I think the only thing we can say for sure is that the Amfleet II replacement will NOT have the tubular airline-imitation shape. They'll try to maximize use of space within the loading profile.
 
Do you folks think that Amtrak will award the Amfleet 1 and 2 contracts at the same time? If so, do you guys think one company will get both contracts, and will Amtrak use a RRIF Loan to finance the contract?

I also wonder if the next-generation of Amfleet 1 and Amfleet 2 will look the same or different.
 
No one can tell until a funding source can be identified to make a down payment on it. No one can tell what the design will be until an at least an RFI is issued. So you or anyone is free to let their imagination run wild for the time being. ;)
 
jis said:
No one can tell until a funding source can be identified to make a down payment on it. No one can tell what the design will be until an at least an RFI is issued. So you or anyone is free to let their imagination run wild for the time being. ;)
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I can almost imagine Amtrak continuing with CAF for the Amfleet 2 coaches and Siemens for the Amfleet 1 replacement--similar to what happened with the Heathrow Express.
 
Everyone can imagine something. Personally I have visions (nightmares more like) of the Chinese government underbidding everyone else by miles. But what I can't imagine is an order coming before the Viewliner II line in Elmira has closed, which leaves CAF with no advantage and puts everyone back on a level playing field.
 
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As for what the coaches will look like, they may resemble the Viewliner I/IIs currently operating. I'm not really Houdini, but it's a wait and see for what will happen in the next few years.
 
Andrew it is not replacements for Amfleet -1s and -2s separately. All the Amtrak fleet plans list just one type car to replace them. It will be the -2s first due to their mileage being 1.4 to 1.8 times that of -1s. Expect what -2s that have any life left to be first assigned to bulk out the NEC trains then go into a surge fleet. Of course there will be some -2s and then some -1s that will not make the cut and be retired / scrapped.
 
It would be a safe bet that a single car shell will emerge, with the interiors built so they can be switched from one service to another without a major job. Think seat tracks and movable passenger service units like the airliners use. Safe bet is up to date mechanicals, modern lighting and sound, larger or second row windows (car shell design dependent), Would not be surprised to see automatic doors across the board, that would make it easier to use a car in a different mode down the line. Items move from wish list to reality as their economic practicality (influence on maintenance and ops as well as passenger experience) is explored. What do people ( all stakeholders ) want in a single level railcar vs what is reasonably achievable. The FRA has been exempt from the "reasonably" part to some extent.
 
neroden said:
I think the only thing we can say for sure is that the Amfleet II replacement will NOT have the tubular airline-imitation shape. They'll try to maximize use of space within the loading profile.
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I'm not as sure. I can certainly entertain that Amtrak would attempt to save some costs, and dust off the old Amfleet II prints.
 
jis said:
Since Amtrak does not "own" those Amfleet II prints I don't see how they can dust them off.
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I think Bombardier owns them. They or someone else bought the prints from the Budd company.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Hal said:
jis said:
Since Amtrak does not "own" those Amfleet II prints I don't see how they can dust them off.
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I think Bombardier owns them. They or someone else bought the prints from the Budd company.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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Amtrak (and the FRA?) set up committees that worked out the specifications for any new bi-level and single-level cars to get federal funds.

The bi-levels to come from Nippon Sharyo for the Midwest corridor trains will meet those new specs.

The new single-level cars coming from Siemens for Brightline/All Aboard Florida will meet the new Amtrak/FRA specs. Not sure what was in that for AAF, since no federal funds are involved. But the advantage to Siemens for having an open assembly line for compliant cars could be considerable going forward. Very "nice" for Siemens that a slightly modified off-the-European-shelf model meets the new American specs.

I don't know if any old plans meet the new specs. Don't know the level of detail involved. I've read that Amtrak played around with a mock-up coach version of the Viewliner shell. Maybe they can make that work, but I'd bet on new plans meeting the new specs for any new orders.
 
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Hal said:
jis said:
Since Amtrak does not "own" those Amfleet II prints I don't see how they can dust them off.
Click to expand...
I think Bombardier owns them. They or someone else bought the prints from the Budd company.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Yep. Bombardier bought the entire lot from Budd when Budd got out of the business. I can't see Bombardier dusting them off when they have oodles of current production cars that they can offer that with minor modifications would meet the requirements of a modern passenger car, even in the US.
 
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