Viewliner II - Part 1 - Initial Production and Delivery

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“We’re really working hard to make sure we get the CAF (USA) deliveries for long-distance equipment,” Boardman said of Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, the passenger car maker with a factory in Elmira, N.Y. “We have all the baggage cars now, the dining cars are in the climate chamber, and then we move on to (the baggage dorms and sleepers).”

Statement from Joseph Boardman to trains magazine when discussing his retirement next year
 
Six of the last twelve baggage cars have been released from Hialeah. Three deadheaded north on 98 yesterday and three more went north today.
 
edjbox said:
“We’re really working hard to make sure we get the CAF (USA) deliveries for long-distance equipment,” Boardman said of Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, the passenger car maker with a factory in Elmira, N.Y. “We have all the baggage cars now, the dining cars are in the climate chamber, and then we move on to (the baggage dorms and sleepers).”

Statement from Joseph Boardman to trains magazine when discussing his retirement next year
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OK, that's great news. I still wish they could pick up a few option cars to improve service (2 to 4 more bag-dorms, and 10 to 15 more sleepers). If they haven't started on the bag-dorms or sleepers yet, it's still a possibility.
 
AmtrakBlue said:
AmtrakLKL said:
Thirdrail7 said:
AmtrakLKL said:
Six of the last twelve baggage cars have been released from Hialeah. Three deadheaded north on 98 yesterday and three more went north today.
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Actually, 11 have been released and they are heading north, west and south.
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What is south of Hialeah? :blink:
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I had the same thought. I'm guessing he means the Crescent (they have to come north to WAS to go back south).
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Yeah specifically he means New Orleans by South - for assignment to the Sunset presumably. I suspect CONO has already got them out of Chicago.
 
Easy.. Route the new bags (any of the 70 ) to CHI. Then City of New Orleans to NOL. add to sunset to LAX. Same time send last Sunset Heritage bags back to CHI on CNO. Then Heritage to Beech Grove. In one week all Sunset consists V-2s. Add V-2s to Chief as well.
 
edjbox said:
“We’re really working hard to make sure we get the CAF (USA) deliveries for long-distance equipment,” Boardman said of Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, the passenger car maker with a factory in Elmira, N.Y. “We have all the baggage cars now, the dining cars are in the climate chamber, and then we move on to (the baggage dorms and sleepers).”

Statement from Joseph Boardman to trains magazine when discussing his retirement next year
Click to expand...
If one or more of the dining cars are undergoing testing in the climate chamber, that could mean that they could be getting ready to send out one or two dining cars for testing and inspection in the near future. The first unit dining car along with a sleeper and bag-dorm went out for testing in the summer of 2014. The first dining car presumably underwent a long list of design changes and modifications; so I expect the first cars will have to undergo a repeated full round of testing by Amtrak.
 
AmtrakBlue said:
AmtrakLKL said:
Thirdrail7 said:
AmtrakLKL said:
Six of the last twelve baggage cars have been released from Hialeah. Three deadheaded north on 98 yesterday and three more went north today.
Click to expand...
Actually, 11 have been released and they are heading north, west and south.
Click to expand...
What is south of Hialeah? :blink:
Click to expand...
I had the same thought. I'm guessing he means the Crescent (they have to come north to WAS to go back south).
Click to expand...

You are spot on, Amtrak Blue. Some are headed for the Zephyr while others are getting in position for the Sunset.

west point said:
Easy.. Route the new bags (any of the 70 ) to CHI. Then City of New Orleans to NOL. add to sunset to LAX. Same time send last Sunset Heritage bags back to CHI on CNO. Then Heritage to Beech Grove. In one week all Sunset consists V-2s. Add V-2s to Chief as well.
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This doesn't make a lot of sense. Why are shipping the cars in the opposite direction and adding at least a day to their trip when you can cut them at WAS and add them to 19 on the same date?
 
afigg said:
edjbox said:
“We’re really working hard to make sure we get the CAF (USA) deliveries for long-distance equipment,” Boardman said of Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, the passenger car maker with a factory in Elmira, N.Y. “We have all the baggage cars now, the dining cars are in the climate chamber, and then we move on to (the baggage dorms and sleepers).”

Statement from Joseph Boardman to trains magazine when discussing his retirement next year
Click to expand...
If one or more of the dining cars are undergoing testing in the climate chamber, that could mean that they could be getting ready to send out one or two dining cars for testing and inspection in the near future. The first unit dining car along with a sleeper and bag-dorm went out for testing in the summer of 2014. The first dining car presumably underwent a long list of design changes and modifications; so I expect the first cars will have to undergo a repeated full round of testing by Amtrak.
Click to expand...

If nothing else, they may still need 125mph certification.
 
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One way to accomplish a reliable test is to run a regular consist with the test dinning car nest to the regular Heritage car. Use the test car to feed passengers and if any major failure move to the Heritage diner. Would suggest an extra crewman + mechanical person to verify test and any problems. Upon reflection maybe the way to test new sleepers as well. Run an un booked sleeper along with a test V-2 sleeper.
 
There are photos somewhere of the climate chamber at CAF's Elmira facility; I remember seeing them. It can be used to generate hot, wet conditions, and it can be used to generate very cold, wet conditions. I don't know what other conditions it can generate. I'd presume it can generate "32 degree" ice-generating conditions. I don't know if it can generate very dry conditions, because nobody ever uses those for a photo showing off the climate chamber. ;-)
 
From earlier news article : The CAF Elmira Heights facility now includes a climate room, where cars can be tested in extreme weather conditions. Previously, it had to ship cars out to Canada for such testing, which could delay the manufacturing schedule.

"They control the humidity, the heat. They can even make it snow in the summer if they want to," Verdeja said. "You are more in charge of your destiny. You have the resources right there."
 
For general information, today's southbound Texas Eagle train No. 21 had one viewliner baggage car in its consist.
 
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