Siemens Venture Single Level Cars for CA/IL/Midwest

As much as I dislike the Amfleets in some ways, I find them "cozier" than the Acelas (I haven't ridden in Horizons). I sort of like that.

I was born and raised with the Amfleets. I was born in 1984 and the Amfleets were running before I was. I have enjoyed riding in them for all of my 36 years of my life. If those Siemens cars are getting good feedback in Florida, then Amtrak might have the best solution of what to replace the Amfleets with. Time will tell.

The Surfliner and California Cars aren't going anywhere in the short term. Even after the brand new single levels operate on Caltrans owned Amtrak services enter revenue service, the Surfliner and California Cars will still be running.

Not breaking any new ground around here, but for ready reference, here are photos of Euro City and RailJet equipment. It shows the evidence that the Siemens USA cars being built for the State passenger agencies and for Brightline, bear striking resemblance.

Also, here is a photo of a Czech liveried RailJet. The CD - České dráhy - operates their sets in interchange with OBB to destinations in Austria. I think their livery far exceeds that of the Austrian sets.

Now my point here is that not all this equipment is built by Siemens, even though they designed it. Siemens does have plants within Eastern Europe, and I have a photo of a builder's plate on a Euro City car from a builder other than Siemens. In short, even in Europe, the work must be parceled out.

All told, the NEC "Regional" replacement car, on which the order could easily be 500 (more if expansion is envisioned), will have to be divided amongst several overseas car builders - Europe and Asia - and enough to each to make it worth their while to set up assembly plants on US soil. But the Siemens designed car - proven in cold temperatures - certainly looks like the "best bet".

Finally, I won't be "going over" this year, and given my age, not likely to do so again. But I had much enjoyable rail riding (day trips from Salzburg) during the six years that I did so.

Do not like farming out Amfleet replacements to other builders in this country. It would be better that Siemens lease other builder locations and manage the car construction. That way each plant could specialize on one type of car speeding up deliveries. If sleepers become part of an order that would be very important for only one plant build them. Parts acquisition would then be a much higher common type. Enough parts might entice an auto builder to produce them ?

it's such an enormous order though, and with the FRA legalizing lightly modified euro-stock, it would be perhaps prudent to not vendor lock amtrak into Siemens for the next 40 years, especially with so many producers of modern rolling stock currently operating US factories

The question I have beyond a massive Amtrak order is there a market for a commuter version.

Believe the order of car production is; CaTrans share of joint order is first out,the Midwest Fleet(Wi,Il,Mi) follows,finally the NEC
Amfleet replacement order if awarded to Siemens. SC-44 and SC-44 LD(ALC 42 tag) production weaved thru the factory complex at Sacramento.
Alstrom/BBD has the 2nd gen Sausage cars and the pending MTA, LIRR, and ConnDOT Joint order of 3rd gen MLV's.

rcthompson04 wrote: ↑Fri May 01, 2020 12:23 pm The question I have beyond a massive Amtrak order is there a market for a commuter version.

Based on info I heard about of the LIRR considering buying new diesels and new single level coaches to supplement their existing diesel fleet, (I think 10 locomotives and 20 cars), I would guess (not final) that these cars could be used for the LIRR if they choose the Chargers. I also heard that the Chargers seem to do better with Siemens built equipment instead of the heavier superliners,so it might make sense for the LIRR to purchase Siemens Chargers with SIemens coaches. The same could be said for the state of NY is they decide to order Dual Mode Chargers for Empire Service.

LIRR,MN,ConnDOT and Amtrak will do a joint order of Dual mode loco's.
LIRR,MN and ConnDOT will do a joint order of 3rd gen Alstrom/BBD MLV's.

Backshophoss wrote: ↑Fri May 01, 2020 2:05 pm Believe the order of car production is; CaTrans share of joint order is first out,the Midwest Fleet(Wi,Il,Mi) follows,finally the NEC
Amfleet replacement order if awarded to Siemens. SC-44 and SC-44 LD(ALC 42 tag) production weaved thru the factory complex at Sacramento.
Alstrom/BBD has the 2nd gen Sausage cars and the pending MTA, LIRR, and ConnDOT Joint order of 3rd gen MLV's.

Regarding the car order production I think you forgot VIA Rail. I would assume the projected 500 car Amtrak order would come behind them. I also seem to remember that Brightline or Virgin (or what ever they're called now) has an add on option/order(?) for food service cars to be delivered once they reach Orlando. I believe Orlando is now scheduled for 2022 or 2023.

As far as a commuter version I would tend to doubt it as everyone is going with bi-levels or Multi-levels now a days. I suppose ConDot might possibly want something for the Hartford or Waterbury lines but even there it makes no sense not to go with Multi-levels.

Connecticut DOT is going to be ordering brand new single levels for Ctrail services(Hartford Line and Shoreline East). We don't know whether they will be Siemens or not. The Waterbury Branch will be part of the brand new multilevel order that MNR and CDOT are jointly ordering.

njt/mnrrbuff wrote: ↑Sat May 02, 2020 8:51 am Connecticut DOT is going to be ordering brand new single levels for Ctrail services(Hartford Line and Shoreline East). We don't know whether they will be Siemens or not. The Waterbury Branch will be part of the brand new multilevel order that MNR and CDOT are jointly ordering.

Well, other than Siemens, who else is making single level cars these days? If they do go with Siemens they'll be slotted in behind Via and possibly Amtrak. Of course if Conndot moves quickly they might be able to jump ahead of Amtrak and get in line right behind VIA. Still it would be much quicker to get Bombardier-Alstom to run off more multi-level cars in the mean time. Doing that would give them a car that's compatible with a future Metro North and possible LIRR (C3 replacement?) order.

Moved some posts:

VIA sets: https://railroad.net/viewtopic.php?f=188&t=168806

Brightline sets: https://railroad.net/viewtopic.php?f=208&t=164165

How much of the current rolling stock on the San Joaquin will the Caltrans part of the order replace? Will there be enough new rolling stock in the IDOT part of the order for the proposed Quad Cities and Rockford corridors as well as the existing Midwest corridors?

Anthony wrote: ↑Sun Jul 12, 2020 1:25 pm How much of the current rolling stock on the San Joaquin will the Caltrans part of the order replace?

Comarrows, these were originally "temporary" through 2015 when refurbished in 2012-2013.