Viewliner II Delivery/Production

i can't wait.

ApproachMedium wrote:.The old viewsleepers will need to be totally rebuilt anyhow so maybe after that is done.

Mr.Approach, is there any report that they will still move forward with the apparent plan to rebuild the existing V-I fleet with the V-II configuration?

Or did that plan "get lost" during the move from 60 to One?

I haven't been near a Viewliner in about twelve years, so I would think "they'd be ready for a makeover". I have no knowledge if the two damaged at Cayce have been returned to service, or if the Legal Beagles have them tied up indefinitely, but that would have been a good place to start.

The two cars damaged in SC are under wraps in Bear DE along with the 188 cars, 89 cars, and the Vermonter wreck. They finally got clearance to rebuild the Vermonter cars and put them back in service, and the 89 cars except the first car because I think that may have frame damage from the impact. Hopefully the return of these cars can provide amtrak the needed cars to bring back 181 and 198. Two trains MUCH needed as the train 90 disaster continues to be just that, a disaster.

The viewsleepers are shot. Shot. They have ride quality problems over 80-90mph, the interiors have seen their time. I havnt seen one come out of 5 year overhaul in a while probably because they all have been cycled thru. Nothing i have heard about the overhaul of the cars to bring them to v2 spec. Either way, you cant do an interior refurb/upgrade to V2 interiors and modules without having any new view2s on the property to replace the outgoing cars.

ApproachMedium wrote:The two cars damaged in SC are under wraps in Bear DE along with the 188 cars, 89 cars, and the Vermonter wreck. They finally got clearance to rebuild the Vermonter cars and put them back in service, and the 89 cars except the first car because I think that may have frame damage from the impact. Hopefully the return of these cars can provide amtrak the needed cars to bring back 181 and 198. Two trains MUCH needed as the train 90 disaster continues to be just that, a disaster.

I know the Amfleet II diner/lounge from the Cayce wreck was a complete loss (28002).

Mr. Approach, regarding your comment as to the V-I's, does that mean the two cars involved at Cayce will be written off, or was the comment made regarding the state of repair for the entire fleet?

Were there any injuries in those two V-I's? The.photos in August TRAINS would suggest they are reparable, but then who am I to make such judgement?

And finally, if they are to move forth with the V-I rebuild program, do you think the work will be done at BEE or will they contract out such?

didn't the past AM-1 rebuilds happen at Bear ?

AM-1s have been being rebuilt over and over again in a process since god knows when. Every few months a batch comes out of 5 year and 10 year overhaul from bear. They get full interiors, some wiring replacements, lighting, carpet seats etc. They tear them down to the body shell. They still use the same old style junk seats, door mechs, circuit breakers and AC they have had since again, god knows when. Nothing is ever improved or changed on. So we just keep getting refreshed 1970s amtubes with new upholstery.

I am not sure where the sleepers etc from the SC wreck ended up. I dont know if they went right in for overhaul or what. They were in Ivy city, its possible they got sent to beech grove for heavy repairs. The lead car and the cafe were probably disposed of on site due to their damages if not trucked away. There are no signs of those two in bear as of recently.

The lead car from the 89 wreck is being torn down for spare parts most likely to be prepped for scrapping. I believe that car, or the second car were actually fresh out of 5 year the week that the wreck happened, so all new parts/interior. One of the other cars from that train is already in the scrap line along with a bunch of other wrecked cab cars, michigan cars, junk junk and more junk.

east point wrote:didn't the past AM-1 rebuilds happen at Bear ?

Yes, but Beech Grove built the V-Is (at least some of them). It’s possible that Amtrak would send them there, or they could sub it out and keep Beech open for maintenance.

ApproachMedium wrote:One of the other cars from that train is already in the scrap line along with a bunch of other wrecked cab cars, michigan cars, junk junk and more junk.

That’s a name I haven’t seen in a while. Wonder if Amtrak could sell them to the same folks that bought the SPVs, get a little cash.

mtuandrew wrote:

ApproachMedium wrote:One of the other cars from that train is already in the scrap line along with a bunch of other wrecked cab cars, michigan cars, junk junk and more junk.

That’s a name I haven’t seen in a while. Wonder if Amtrak could sell them to the same folks that bought the SPVs, get a little cash.

As I recall, there were only five of those, one of which was lost in a yard mishap many years ago. Of the four remaining one was converted into catenary inspection car #10005. Why the others can't be used as Amfleet/Metroliner cab control cars I don't know. I do know that Amtrak is down a couple of cab cars, having lost one in Keystone service recently and another on the Springfield shuttle a couple years back.

The Metroliners used in MI service were turned into cabless coaches,just the nose shell fitting remained.
IT was a "Quick and Dirty" conversion job.

Mhmm, I would never expect them to lead a train again, but unless they’ve gone a lot further to hell than I imagine, someone could use them? Emphatically not Amtrak nor a serious day-in day-out operator, but a tourist line that already owns similar cars.

Pretty sure I read somewhere that the Viewliner Sleepers involved in the SC crash were to be in Beech Grove for repair and return back to service. Both were repairable.

mtuandrew wrote:Mhmm, I would never expect them to lead a train again, but unless they’ve gone a lot further to hell than I imagine, someone could use them?

Seems unlikely given the fact that Amfleet equipment has such small window sizes.

Although its certainly a slow process as long as the CAF production line remains up and running I'm pleased to see this new equipment coming in to replace and renew the fleet.

Backshophoss wrote:The Metroliners used in MI service were turned into cabless coaches,just the nose shell fitting remained. IT was a "Quick and Dirty" conversion job.

Simply decabbed and HEP added. Some Metroliners converted to push-pull weren't even renumbered (but had a 9 added to become 9800 series with 1993 delivery of P40s).

R36 Combine Coach wrote:

Backshophoss wrote:The Metroliners used in MI service were turned into cabless coaches,just the nose shell fitting remained. IT was a "Quick and Dirty" conversion job.

Simply decabbed and HEP added. Some Metroliners converted to push-pull weren't even renumbered (but had a 9 added to become 9800 series with 1993 delivery of P40s).

One of the two still has traction motors under it. Theres only 2 or 3 in bear DE. The two that are east most in the yard are a total mess inside, the cab areas are totally gutted and would require a major rework to make them cab cars again. The body end doors are also removed totally.