Viewliner II Delivery/Production

[gokeefe]

I'd say quite the opposite. What's happening with diners (being downgraded to cafes) makes it easier to add sleepers.

Point well taken especially in light of ApproachMedium's post.

It's good too see that service expansion is still on the table ... If ever there could be hope for making money on traditional long distance service the likely changes to the Silver Star would be it.

[leviramsey]

Given what's being done with the diners I'm having a hard time imagining a major service expansion

I'd say quite the opposite. What's happening with diners (being downgraded to cafes) makes it easier to add sleepers.

Fundamentally, the trains where a dining car can perform well are trains with lots of passengers on 5+ hour trips going through a meal seating (e.g. boarded before 6am and getting off after 11am, boarded before 10am and getting off after 3pm, boarded before 5pm and getting off after 10pm). For a passenger like that, the alternative of getting a meal before boarding or after deboarding isn't viable, so it's a question of dining car vs. cafe vs. packing your own from home.

By the same token, the trains where sleeping cars can perform well are trains with lots of demand for overnight travel.

For the Chicago <-> West Coast trains (and arguably the Sunset east of San Antonio), there's enough of both factors to allow the diner-sleeper link to work, but otherwise, the exceptions are pretty rare and mainly based on running long enough with enough endpoint-endpoint demand (maybe the Coast Starlight?), or having so much demand that you can effectively segment the service (which is arguably what was observed with the Silver Meteor and Silver Star, where the Meteor being a more premium offering for NEC <-> South Florida).

[SouthernRailway]

I really like the Viewliner II dining cars.

On the Viewliner II sleeping cars, one suggestion for Amtrak: perhaps have the ability to have the lights in the hallways be dim after say 10pm?

Curtains in the rooms help, but they don't block all light, and the bright light from the hallways can seep through.

[Acela150]

A reliable source on another forum has indicated that Amtrak is on their way to pick up some cars as we speak. NS told them today and tomorrow would work best.

[Arlington]

On the Viewliner II sleeping cars, one suggestion for Amtrak: perhaps have the ability to have the lights in the hallways be dim after say 10pm?

Yes! This is the sort of thing (lighting) that the airlines have learned can be a cheap way to dress up the "same old tube" It is nice when, at night, you can have strong footlighting but much less everywhere else.

[Tadman]

A reliable source on another forum has indicated that Amtrak is on their way to pick up some cars as we speak. NS told them today and tomorrow would work best.

Maybe we've covered this, I can't remember, but how is this done? I seem to recall a few Amtrak engines and a rider coach go north to the factory, pick up the new cars, and come back the next day. Since this is foreign territory and I don't think Amtrak crews are qualified, does and Amtrak crew and a pilot crew go? For that matter, why doesn't NS run power light to the factory and drag the cars to an Amtrak interchange?

[Gilbert B Norman]

Likely, Mr. Dunville, because NS does not have any HEP locomotives.

There are reports "elsewhere" that the "drop" could be three cars - Diner 00-"Albany" (the last), a Bag-Dorm, and the first Sleeper.

Don't expect to see the Dorm and Sleeper in revenue service anytime soon. They would need four cars of each for an assignment anywhere.

Oh well, Mechanical has some new "tinker toys" to play with.

[Greg Moore]

Not necessarily on the sleeper. It COULD in theory sub in for an existing sleeper if one needed to be shopped.

Agreed on the dorm though.
Though they could probably squeak by with 3 for something like the LSL and just deal with the fallout if one is shopped.

[Acela150]

A reliable source on another forum has indicated that Amtrak is on their way to pick up some cars as we speak. NS told them today and tomorrow would work best.

Maybe we've covered this, I can't remember, but how is this done? I seem to recall a few Amtrak engines and a rider coach go north to the factory, pick up the new cars, and come back the next day. Since this is foreign territory and I don't think Amtrak crews are qualified, does and Amtrak crew and a pilot crew go? For that matter, why doesn't NS run power light to the factory and drag the cars to an Amtrak interchange?

This is how its been done in the past and will continued to be done. It would be an Amtrak crew and a NS crew to Pilot the train. As to why NS doesn't just run light power to get the cars? Amtrak would have to pay NS to do so which would significantly drive up the cost.

[WhartonAndNorthern]

Is the coach brought up to boost the allowed speed limit to "locomotive with train" category?

[Backshophoss]

Believe the Amtrak crew comes out of Albany,heads south to Elmira,does the factory pickup and returns to Albany.
By now at least 1-3 crews are qualified to do the run without a NS pilot A spare Amfleet Food service car bracketed. by a GP 38-3 and a P 42
does the run,Albany shop does the first inspection,then the cars head to Sunnyside and wind up on a silver service train headed south to MIA.

Amtrak would rather do the pickup Cheaper than NS tariff rate to move passenger cars in freight trains and no need to reset the air brakes to
normal from direct release mode,NO chance for flat wheels to happen.

[Gilbert B Norman]

There are photos posted "elsewhere" showing 62502 - Rapidan River and 68000 Albany, enroute from CAF to Albany.

[Acela150]

Believe the Amtrak crew comes out of Albany,heads south to Elmira,does the factory pickup and returns to Albany.
By now at least 1-3 crews are qualified to do the run without a NS pilot

Even if they have crews qualified they may not be rested. And define 1-3 crews. 1-3 Engineers? 1-3 Conductors? 1-3 Engineers and Conductors?

[dumpster.penguin]

Not necessarily on the sleeper. It COULD in theory sub in for an existing sleeper if one needed to be shopped.

Do they have the same number of rooms to sell? If two or three roomettes were exchanged for the common plumbing, the reservation system would need to know the equipment.

[Greg Moore]

No, one fewer bedroom, so that's an issue.

But if it's a matter of "cancel an entire sleeper" or "replace it and displace ONE passenger" I know which one I'd prefer.