Viewliner II Delivery/Production

bostontrainguy wrote:Didn't know these things were out there:

Bag Dorm.jpg

Although the dorm rooms are at the bedroom end, I'm assuming they are roomettes behind those windows. These cars should really help the bottom line by opening up high-value revenue space.

4 sets of windows probably means a total of 8 roomettes in the car. I was hoping there would be more.

How big do you think the typical Single-Level Long Distance train OBS team is?
Heck, 8 is probably overkill when you stop to think about it.

Actually thinking about it, is it 8 roomettes plus a shower and toilet unit, or is it 6+ those?

Hard to tell from the windows.

Greg Moore wrote:

bostontrainguy wrote:Didn't know these things were out there:

Bag Dorm.jpg

Although the dorm rooms are at the bedroom end, I'm assuming they are roomettes behind those windows. These cars should really help the bottom line by opening up high-value revenue space.

That is almost certainly a photo from, I want to say 2015? when CAF "released" one of each car type for testing.

None are in the wild. And Trust me, Albany (well Rennselaer to be pedantic) is certainly NOT that green this time of the year.

And yes, I'd almost guarantee those are roomettes and not bedrooms.

As for them releasing and bag-dorms before the remaining diners, I tend to doubt it. Switching up the production line would probably cost money and time. Something I bet they want to avoid.

On the other hand, if Amtrak really doesn't want to restore any more diners other than the LSL for now, starting to get some cars that could increase revenue MIGHT be an idea. But I highly doubt it.

The photo in Railpace shows car 69002. It still has plastic wrap on the baggage door. It was taken Dec. 8,2017 as the car was being switched by a center cab locomotive.
If only I could figure out how to attach a photo with my limited computer skills!

I clicked on this thread expecting there must be big news about Viewliner II Delivery/Production, with 6 pages of new content, and instead find 6 pages of fantasy foam. *grumble*

Can we please move the "Let's build imaginary cars when we can't even get real cars actually being produced at a rate in excess of 2 every other month" stuff to one of the existing pie-in-the-sky threads?

As a contributor to pie-in-the-sky, I second JoeBas.

Greg Moore wrote:How big do you think the typical Single-Level Long Distance train OBS team is?
Heck, 8 is probably overkill when you stop to think about it.

Actually thinking about it, is it 8 roomettes plus a shower and toilet unit, or is it 6+ those?

Hard to tell from the windows.

Amtrak’s Superliner Transistion Sleepers have 17 roomettes in them, and of 9 them are open for passengers to book and use.

Greg Moore wrote:How big do you think the typical Single-Level Long Distance train OBS team is?
Heck, 8 is probably overkill when you stop to think about it.

Actually thinking about it, is it 8 roomettes plus a shower and toilet unit, or is it 6+ those?

Hard to tell from the windows.

One set of windows is the restroom/shower. I think there are two restrooms one on either side and one shares a module with a shower? I forget. Its been a few years since I was in the car.

If and when the bag/dorms are implemented, I take it that the sleeping car attendant's room in the sleeper will be returned to revenue use. Where will the attendant hang out? In the dorm? Will it be connected to the proper call button? That will probably affect response time in trains with multiple sleepers.

Bringing things back a bit more to actual Viewliners.

On the Crescent 19(22) with Columbus. Just took a walk through. Looks REAL nice. VERY open and airy. And the hallway patch the kitchen somehow seems wider, I think the wood gives is a nice , warm look. Actually just walked through, it is a bit wider because of the "bend" in the side of the cars.

DInner's not for a few hours, but I'm looking forward to it!

Follow-up on dinner.
First an interesting detail. Sat with two Amtrak employees who were travelling on business. They're apparently from the real estate department going to the new station opening in Birmingham. Great company.

BUT, dang was the car cold. I went back to get a jacket for myself and my wife. I think that's easily remedied. But still a bit off-putting.

The wood... is fake. But looks good.

Overall, I really enjoyed the diner. Except for some excess swaying during some spots, VERY smooth. Honestly a better ride I think than any of the Heritage diners.

Felt expansive with the extra height. I am looking forward to breakfast and seeing how things look during daylight hours.

But honestly, other than perhaps in a museum, I won't miss the old diners and will gladly ride the new ones.

Greg Moore wrote: BUT, dang was the car cold. I went back to get a jacket for myself and my wife. I think that's easily remedied. But still a bit off-putting.

The cars are kept cold on purpose.

Not sure if you're joking or serious, but I can say this morning it wasn't nearly as cold.

Last night though, my wife had her winter jacket on to keep warm. I don't think they mean to keep them quite that cold.

Do they still have to waste a table or two to layout the silverware and supplies or has some kind of improved storage been created to allow more efficient use of all of the tables?

bostontrainguy wrote:Do they still have to waste a table or two to layout the silverware and supplies or has some kind of improved storage been created to allow more efficient use of all of the tables?

This kind of garbage drives me nuts. It goes right back to "we have no policy so the invidious like crews do as they please".

I cannot imagine the ATSF or PRR let diner crews take an entire table out of service 100% of the time to hold silverware and napkins. I also cannot imagine those legacy roads let crews take an entire table in the lounge/snack car for crew paperwork.

If the diners and snack cars lose money, why do they let the crews take a table for each run, the entire run, that is clearly designed for revenue use, out of service for storage and paperwork?

Tadman wrote:

bostontrainguy wrote:Do they still have to waste a table or two to layout the silverware and supplies or has some kind of improved storage been created to allow more efficient use of all of the tables?

This kind of garbage drives me nuts. It goes right back to "we have no policy so the invidious like crews do as they please".

I cannot imagine the ATSF or PRR let diner crews take an entire table out of service 100% of the time to hold silverware and napkins. I also cannot imagine those legacy roads let crews take an entire table in the lounge/snack car for crew paperwork.

If the diners and snack cars lose money, why do they let the crews take a table for each run, the entire run, that is clearly designed for revenue use, out of service for storage and paperwork?

Because its a NON REVENUE car. It was the same way in the PRR or any other railroad. The only cars that generate revenue is a car that somebody purchases a ticket to be in, such as the sleeper or coach seat or a mail car. ANY other car is NON revenue, lounges, parlors, baggage cars even, none of that makes any money. Even though they charge for food etc in that car the food itself is a revenue, but the service itself is just that. A service provided as part of the ride on the train. The crew taking a table in the lounge is so that the crew does not have to take a revenue seat in the coach body of the train. There really is no other place for them to go. In the amfleet 2 lounges there is a conductors office but its very small, seats one and if you get claustrophobia or motion sickness this is not a place to go. Really what should have been done with that room is make it smaller and have it be just a secure locker for crews to keep their bags books and lunches and then have another lounge table there.

And yes, the AC is kept cold for a reason in the diner. Because of the heat that can come from the kitchen. Even with two diff hvac units on the car they are tied together so if one fails, the car can still keep temp so its very difficult to keep the table part warm while the kitchen part stays cool. The old railroads solved this by using windows in the kitchen something we dont have in any of the new diners.