Viewliner II Part 2: Dining Car Production, Delivery, Speculation

[neroden]

So this seems good. With a dining car accepted without a very long list of changes, maybe cars can start coming out of Elmira at a reasonable speed now? We can hope?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Santa, Ive been good so "All I want for Christmas is" some more Viewliners!

 

[Jacob Goes By Jack]

So did this actually happen? I don't see any photos or video on the internet... though I may just not know where to look...

 

[Acela150]

I wasn't able to get out. But if thirdrail says it happened. It happened.

 

[Ryan]

It was raining, and I didn't want to get wet.

 

[KnightRail]

Yes, the inaugural run for Augusta occurred as forshadowed. It completed a round trip and should start another tomorrow.

 

[Acela150]

It was raining, and I didn't want to get wet.

I wish I had that choice when I was shifting a cut of 60 cars.

 

[keelhauled]

It was raining, and I didn't want to get wet.

I wish I had that choice when I was shifting a cut of 60 cars.

When you start paying Ryan to take photos you can tell him to go out in the rain, till then it doesn't seem like you have any right to criticize.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

It was raining, and I didn't want to get wet.

I wish I had that choice when I was shifting a cut of 60 cars.

When you start paying Ryan to take photos you can tell him to go out in the rain, till then it doesn't seem like you have any right to criticize.

I don't think he was criticizing. Just stating a fact. *smh*

 

[Ryan]

It was raining, and I didn't want to get wet.

I wish I had that choice when I was shifting a cut of 60 cars.

We had a saying in the Navy, shipmate... "Choose your rate, choose your fate". Looks like you chose poorly.

It was raining, and I didn't want to get wet.

I wish I had that choice when I was shifting a cut of 60 cars.

When you start paying Ryan to take photos you can tell him to go out in the rain, till then it doesn't seem like you have any right to criticize.

(hopefully it doesn't rain tomorrow morning)

 

[Acela150]

It was raining, and I didn't want to get wet.

I wish I had that choice when I was shifting a cut of 60 cars.

When you start paying Ryan to take photos you can tell him to go out in the rain, till then it doesn't seem like you have any right to criticize.

I don't think he was criticizing. Just staring a fact. *smh*

I was actually kidding. Ryan picked that up.

 

[Ngotwalt]

So, I guess the big question now is when can we expect some more?

Nick

 

[KnightRail]

And we have liftoff of Atlanta!

For those filling out scorecards:

Annapolis 12/5/2016

Augusta 5/21/2017

Atlanta 5/28/2017

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Augusta and Atlanta left plant 25 April. In service with 30 days after leaving the plant.

 

[tommylicious]

on which lines?

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

on which lines?

Silver Meteor

 

[west point]

Some of our posters need to keep new posters up to date on single level train car routings..

The train sets are rotated through the single level fleet so all cars are sent to MIA for scheduled maintenance. There are exceptions of course. No diner at present on the Star. New V-2 cars have been kept on the Silver trains so any problem can be quickly fixed at MIA. That is what happens when a diner is first certified as it is kept on Meteor until released for general service.

So Augusta and Atlanta will be on that route until released -- when ( ??? ) Annapolis is now rotating onto Crescent

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

Some of our posters need to keep new posters up to date on single level train car routings..

The train sets are rotated through the single level fleet so all cars are sent to MIA for scheduled maintenance. There are exceptions of course. No diner at present on the Star. New V-2 cars have been kept on the Silver trains so any problem can be quickly fixed at MIA. That is what happens when a diner is first certified as it is kept on Meteor until released for general service.

So Augusta and Atlanta will be on that route until released -- when ( ??? ) Annapolis is now rotating onto Crescent

I didn't realize Annapolis was already being used on the Crescent. Why does Amtrak rotate the cars anyway? Both trains have unique consists so it takes switching to move cars from a SM consist to a Crescent consist. Are the cars only rotated when one of them needs to be taken out of service for maintenance?

 

[pennyk]

Some of our posters need to keep new posters up to date on single level train car routings..

The train sets are rotated through the single level fleet so all cars are sent to MIA for scheduled maintenance. There are exceptions of course. No diner at present on the Star. New V-2 cars have been kept on the Silver trains so any problem can be quickly fixed at MIA. That is what happens when a diner is first certified as it is kept on Meteor until released for general service.

So Augusta and Atlanta will be on that route until released -- when ( ??? ) Annapolis is now rotating onto Crescent

I didn't realize Annapolis was already being used on the Crescent. Why does Amtrak rotate the cars anyway? Both trains have unique consists so it takes switching to move cars from a SM consist to a Crescent consist. Are the cars only rotated when one of them needs to be taken out of service for maintenance?

This post was intended to be made by twropr but ended up in the wrong place, so I am copying and pasting it:

On May 29, I observed diner 8400 Indianpolis on SILVER METEOR #97 at JAX and later that afternoon saw #68003 Augusta on #98. Heritage #8512 had been on #98 on 5/27

Andy

 

[west point]

Why does Amtrak rotate the cars anyway? Both trains have unique consists so it takes switching to move cars from a SM consist to a Crescent consist. Are the cars only rotated when one of them needs to be taken out of service for maintenance?

OK time to clarify. Note SM and Crescent almost always same consist. Exceptions to be listed later.

1. The basic single level 9 car LD train set consists of 1 or 2 Locos, 2 V-1 Sleepers, Diner, Lounge, 4-Amfleet coaches,( mainly AM-2s ) and usually 1 V-2 baggage. Sometimes for whatever reason consist will be reversed.

2. That set up allows for Sunnyside yard to rotate the train sets freely between LSL, Crescent, Meteor, & Star. So whole train set can go to MIA replacing spare consist that has completed preventative Maintenance (PM).

3. The LSL does add the Boston section of another sleeper, and 2 Coaches ( often 1 combo BC and snack coach ), that combines with NYPS section at Albany. Boston cars are swapped around at CHI so they can go back to Sunnyside.

4. With the diner shortages the Stars lost their Diner and that was sometimes substituted with a Amfleet dinette. So maybe 8 or 9 cars total

5. The Cardinal is Diner less and has only a dinette, 1 sleeper, 2 -3 coaches baggage (?). When Cardinal train set(s) need to be swapped out at Sunnyside or CHI then some cars have to be transferred from another train to those sets. Note second sleeper is now on Cardinal for summer.

6. When V-2 cars are first entered into revenue service the cars stay on the Meteor or Star ( baggage only ) staying close to the MIA maintenance base. No problem was encountered at Sunnyside switching out Baggage cars on rear of trains to be on Meteor or Star. Now it has become more difficult to switch out Diners at Sunnyside to stay on Meteor and we can imagine when trains very late cannot happen so we see same consist for several trips on Meteor.

7. Now once Diners are released for general service rotating probationary a car is not needed.

8. When enough Diners are available the Star may get its diner back but it appears that upper Amtrak management has not made up its mind. As to whether any Heritage diners will be kept in service to temporary supplement V-2 Diners is another factor that cannot be known at this. Any other statement to contrary is pure speculation.

9. During very heavy travel times a 3rd & 4th Sleeper and another coach will be added to Meteor because that route has the highest revenue potential of other routes. We at all aware of lack of traffic south of Atlanta on Crescent. Sometimes LSL will get another sleeper at rush times,

10. Amtrak policy has stated in the Chief maintenance officers report (MPR) that just 2 V-1 sleepers will be at Beech Grove during high travel times which leaves 48 V-1 sleepers available for service. that would mean no spares if a sleeper goes bad order.

11. How V-2 sleepers will be integrated into the single level fleet is above all our pay grades and just open to pure speculation.

 

[jis]

The Meteor normally runs with three Sleepers all year round.

 

[GaSteve]

OK time to clarify. Note SM and Crescent almost always same consist. Exceptions to be listed later.

1. The basic single level 9 car LD train set consists of 1 or 2 Locos, 2 V-1 Sleepers, Diner, Lounge, 4-Amfleet coaches,( mainly AM-2s ) and usually 1 V-2 baggage. Sometimes for whatever reason consist will be reversed.

2. That set up allows for Sunnyside yard to rotate the train sets freely between LSL, Crescent, Meteor, & Star. So whole train set can go to MIA replacing spare consist that has completed preventative Maintenance (PM).

3. The LSL does add the Boston section of another sleeper, and 2 Coaches ( often 1 combo BC and snack coach ), that combines with NYPS section at Albany. Boston cars are swapped around at CHI so they can go back to Sunnyside.

4. With the diner shortages the Stars lost their Diner and that was sometimes substituted with a Amfleet dinette. So maybe 8 or 9 cars total

5. The Cardinal is Diner less and has only a dinette, 1 sleeper, 2 -3 coaches baggage (?). When Cardinal train set(s) need to be swapped out at Sunnyside or CHI then some cars have to be transferred from another train to those sets. Note second sleeper is now on Cardinal for summer.

6. When V-2 cars are first entered into revenue service the cars stay on the Meteor or Star ( baggage only ) staying close to the MIA maintenance base. No problem was encountered at Sunnyside switching out Baggage cars on rear of trains to be on Meteor or Star. Now it has become more difficult to switch out Diners at Sunnyside to stay on Meteor and we can imagine when trains very late cannot happen so we see same consist for several trips on Meteor.

7. Now once Diners are released for general service rotating probationary a car is not needed.

8. When enough Diners are available the Star may get its diner back but it appears that upper Amtrak management has not made up its mind. As to whether any Heritage diners will be kept in service to temporary supplement V-2 Diners is another factor that cannot be known at this. Any other statement to contrary is pure speculation.

9. During very heavy travel times a 3rd & 4th Sleeper and another coach will be added to Meteor because that route has the highest revenue potential of other routes. We at all aware of lack of traffic south of Atlanta on Crescent. Sometimes LSL will get another sleeper at rush times,

10. Amtrak policy has stated in the Chief maintenance officers report (MPR) that just 2 V-1 sleepers will be at Beech Grove during high travel times which leaves 48 V-1 sleepers available for service. that would mean no spares if a sleeper goes bad order.

11. How V-2 sleepers will be integrated into the single level fleet is above all our pay grades and just open to pure speculation.

The Crescent has a Business Class coach that the Silver Service doesn't. It is a regular coach between the sleepers and the bag.

 

[Thirdrail7]

So, I guess the big question now is when can we expect some more?

Nick

If nothing changes.

 

[Acela150]

So I heard on dare I say it.. TO.com.. :unsure:

 

[jis]

So I heard on dare I say it.. TO.com.. :unsure:

The post at TO was after the post here
This has also appeared on railroad.net.