Viewliner II Delivery/Production

Could a business class car be covered with *less* staff costs? (Fewer staff per seat sold). Put another way: Is "attendant" a cost that can be avoided if a business class car was all big seats instead of rooms?

What is the contractual staff coverage ratio for a coach seat vs a sleeper room (or seat)?

Do the staff that cover coach get a dorm or only is that only sleeper attendants?

Good discussion for the new coaches topic, which is somewhere on here.....

It's not going to happen with the View II's.

Jeff Smith wrote: ↑Tue Aug 20, 2019 11:31 am Good discussion for the new coaches topic, which is somewhere on here.....

It's not going to happen with the View II's.

Lay-flats and pod cabins are a waste of Viewliners’ high ceilings. Euro (widthwise) compartments, double roomettes, Slumbercoach roomettes, and bedrooms are the way to best utilize those cars.

Also cafe-lounges fka “diners” and baggage cars are a great use of the platform. Coaches can be a much less expensive type of car if so desired, though the V-II platform is certainly capable of that too.

Any ideas why a new Viewliner diner is eastbound into Chicago today on the CZ? West of the Miss is way out of territory for it.

Tadman wrote: ↑Sat Sep 07, 2019 4:51 pm Any ideas why a new Viewliner diner is eastbound into Chicago today on the CZ? West of the Miss is way out of territory for it.

There was one being used as an axle count car out west recently. Not sure if it's the same one, but unfortunately that seems to be where Anderson sees the best use for this fancy new rolling stock.

After a few Metra rides through 14th street yesterday, Indianapolis is sitting all by itself. I didn’t look close enough to see if that was the same that came through LaGrange, but it’s a safe bet.

Who would need an axle count car out west? CN is the only stickler for those and mostly in Illinois and MIchigan.

Tadman wrote: ↑Mon Sep 09, 2019 7:27 am
Who would need an axle count car out west? CN is the only stickler for those and mostly in Illinois and MIchigan.

Apparently the northern end of the Surfliner route does now. It was reportedly spotted in a single level Surfliner set.

Matt Johnson wrote: ↑Sat Sep 07, 2019 5:33 pmNot sure if it's the same one, but unfortunately that seems to be where Anderson sees the best use for this fancy new rolling stock.

Hopefully this is a temporary assignment pending reconfiguration or reassignment to more productive use.

Indianapolis was in a line of assorted rolling stock on the evening of the 6th when I was leaving Chicago on 383.

Tadman wrote: ↑Mon Sep 09, 2019 7:27 am After a few Metra rides through 14th street yesterday, Indianapolis is sitting all by itself. I didn’t look close enough to see if that was the same that came through LaGrange, but it’s a safe bet.

Who would need an axle count car out west? CN is the only stickler for those and mostly in Illinois and MIchigan.

UP has an axle requirement on the Missouri River Runners, as well.

Wouldn’t it be better for Amtrak to buy new coach cars with triple axle trucks to run on these axle limited rail corridors than just adding empty cars with dual axle trucks to these trains?
Take for example a 32 axle limit. With 4 axles per locomotive and coach, one locomotive and seven cars are needed. With 6 axles per coach, one locomotive and five cars are needed. Yes, triple axle trucks are more expensive than dual axle trucks, but wouldn’t the savings of reducing two cars from these trains balance those expenses?

No. The loss of parts commonality would represent an extraordinary cost.

Probably cheaper to pay UP to upgrade their crossing technology into the 21st century.

David Benton wrote: ↑Mon Sep 09, 2019 7:43 pm Probably cheaper to pay UP to upgrade their crossing technology into the 21st century.

Yes wouldn't that be called enhanced PTC?

DB don't you mean CP on the former ICG lines need to upgrade their crossing protection>>
They require the axle count cars!