Humour me, gang, and play this word game with me.
What word does not belong here? Lion, tiger, ostrich,leopard, panther .
Answer? Ostrich.
Why? Because it is a bird, the others are cats.
OK--Play this game:
What word does not belong? Superliner,Viewliner, Streamliner, Amfleet, Talgo.
Answer? Streamliner.
Why? Because it refers to a generic lightweight wind resistant method of construction. The other words refer to very specific actual model types and designs, for specific markets also.
Streamlining began in the late 30's and it meant lightweight, usually high strength designs which were very smooth, etc. In practice a streamliner meant a train which. 1. Was made up completely or largely of such equipment, 2. Had faster schedule than others on the same route, fewer stops, etc 3. Usually more amenities, like reserved coach seats, stewardess service, ec.
Come Amtrak, all the equipment Amtrak bought was streamlined. The concept of "models" like viewliner, superliner etc did not yet exist except for such as the Metroliner.
BY the time Amtrak took over, more or less everything was a streamliner at least by default(old heavyweight trains eventually acquired streamlined cars as business fell from all trains, and equipment was shuffled around)
Point being, the word "streamliner" began to lose its meaning.
Back when all trains became air conditioned, it was no longer necessary to advertise them as such. When they all had reclining coach seats it was no longer necessary to advertise them as such. When they all became diesel(or electric) it no longer had to be said. Same for streamliner. When everything became streamlined, it became no longer necessary to use the word. So the word has fallen out of regular usage..
But I would suggest that the word streamliner could actually still apply to the trains of today since they are all built of stainless steel or such equipment...The definition still fits---it is just no longer necessary to make a point of.Just as it is no longer needed to say they are diesel powered, air conditioned, etc.
So, what is the point of this post? I can see that a line of demarcation is being draw, or has been drawn, making a disticntion between two things which really are not related, i.e. a method of constructon(streamlined) versus a concept of having different styles and modes(superliner, viewliner, etc). I think that is apples and oranges.
But actually words take on the meaning we give them, so I suppose this is the wave of the future. Just want to be sure the guys on this forum know the know the background on this word usage as a historical reference.
even as the meaning changes with time. For the distinction being made on a current post about designs of sleeping cars, viewliner, vs streamliner, it makes sense...that is as good of a way to express it as anything, I suppose.I am not trying to knock that post, no way. Just want to keep the historical usage straight in everybody's minds, for whatever relevance it may still continue to have.
Finally, here is a point: the word "Jet". Airlines no longer use that term lavishly, almost everything commercial long distance is a jet , today, I believe. Thus, that word, also, has lost its punch. Day was when "streamliner' and "jet" really meant the big time!!
What word does not belong here? Lion, tiger, ostrich,leopard, panther .
Answer? Ostrich.
Why? Because it is a bird, the others are cats.
OK--Play this game:
What word does not belong? Superliner,Viewliner, Streamliner, Amfleet, Talgo.
Answer? Streamliner.
Why? Because it refers to a generic lightweight wind resistant method of construction. The other words refer to very specific actual model types and designs, for specific markets also.
Streamlining began in the late 30's and it meant lightweight, usually high strength designs which were very smooth, etc. In practice a streamliner meant a train which. 1. Was made up completely or largely of such equipment, 2. Had faster schedule than others on the same route, fewer stops, etc 3. Usually more amenities, like reserved coach seats, stewardess service, ec.
Come Amtrak, all the equipment Amtrak bought was streamlined. The concept of "models" like viewliner, superliner etc did not yet exist except for such as the Metroliner.
BY the time Amtrak took over, more or less everything was a streamliner at least by default(old heavyweight trains eventually acquired streamlined cars as business fell from all trains, and equipment was shuffled around)
Point being, the word "streamliner" began to lose its meaning.
Back when all trains became air conditioned, it was no longer necessary to advertise them as such. When they all had reclining coach seats it was no longer necessary to advertise them as such. When they all became diesel(or electric) it no longer had to be said. Same for streamliner. When everything became streamlined, it became no longer necessary to use the word. So the word has fallen out of regular usage..
But I would suggest that the word streamliner could actually still apply to the trains of today since they are all built of stainless steel or such equipment...The definition still fits---it is just no longer necessary to make a point of.Just as it is no longer needed to say they are diesel powered, air conditioned, etc.
So, what is the point of this post? I can see that a line of demarcation is being draw, or has been drawn, making a disticntion between two things which really are not related, i.e. a method of constructon(streamlined) versus a concept of having different styles and modes(superliner, viewliner, etc). I think that is apples and oranges.
But actually words take on the meaning we give them, so I suppose this is the wave of the future. Just want to be sure the guys on this forum know the know the background on this word usage as a historical reference.
even as the meaning changes with time. For the distinction being made on a current post about designs of sleeping cars, viewliner, vs streamliner, it makes sense...that is as good of a way to express it as anything, I suppose.I am not trying to knock that post, no way. Just want to keep the historical usage straight in everybody's minds, for whatever relevance it may still continue to have.
Finally, here is a point: the word "Jet". Airlines no longer use that term lavishly, almost everything commercial long distance is a jet , today, I believe. Thus, that word, also, has lost its punch. Day was when "streamliner' and "jet" really meant the big time!!
