Viewliner II Delivery/Production

[Gilbert B Norman]

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=5219965

This linked photo also appears at another topic addressing the ACS-64's livery.

Ignoring the incorrect captioning (98 Palmetto), one must wonder why the two Bag-Dorms are deadheading Northward?

Are they returning to CAF for whatever and for how long?

[gregorygrice]

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=5219965

This linked photo also appears at another topic addressing the ACS-64's livery.

Ignoring the incorrect captioning (98 Palmetto), one must wonder why the two Bag-Dorms are deadheading Northward?

Are they returning to CAF for whatever and for how long?

The Bag Dorms are going on 19 to Nola.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Howdayahlikdat!!!

They're finally doing something to "earn their keep" - and providing Amtrak with six more Roomettes to sell.

[Nasadowsk]

Agreed. The FRA is a bunch of little old ladies dreaming up dangerous scenarios out of a batman movie, statistics be darned.

Siemens makes a good case for axle counters in a presentation (I have a copy, just not handy). Not only do they work, but the typical complaint that they can't detect broke rails has two issue - 1: track circuits can't detect all rail failures either, and 2: Many breaks occur at insulated rail joints.

Germany uses them almost exclusively, and we don't hear about constant derailments due to broken rails out there. They don't seem to have issues.

Adding a shunt enhancing device to cars/locos? One more thing to break (and will you KNOW it's broken?) and knock a train out of service.

[The EGE]

You're 100% right about axle counters, and about broken rails. My two cents: almost every new-build rapid transit system with CBTC (and some conversions from older tech) since about 2009 use axle counters rather than track circuits as the secondary system. Failure rates have been whittled down to about 1 in 10 million axles. Meanwhile, ultrasonic inspection technology - which can spot broken rails before they fully break - has made absolutely huge strides.

[east point]

So minimum axel counts on CN ? CN please explain the 6 axel loco and the one Siemens car going to Canada as a train ?.

[gokeefe]

Given that the FRA regulates the single most successful railroads anywhere on the planet I tend to think they are doing a good job. Nobody else in the world is even remotely willing to contemplate the types of mixed operations they oversee or the train lengths and car sizes.

[David Benton]

Given that the FRA regulates the single most successful railroads anywhere on the planet I tend to think they are doing a good job. Nobody else in the world is even remotely willing to contemplate the types of mixed operations they oversee or the train lengths and car sizes.

"the single most successful railroads anywhere on the planet"
Yes, Americans keep saying that.

[electricron]

Given that the FRA regulates the single most successful railroads anywhere on the planet I tend to think they are doing a good job. Nobody else in the world is even remotely willing to contemplate the types of mixed operations they oversee or the train lengths and car sizes.

"the single most successful railroads anywhere on the planet"
Yes, Americans keep saying that.

Here's some data proving it, per......
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IS.RRS.GOOD.MT.K6
Railways, goods transported (million ton-km)
Albania 46
Algeria 1,009
Argentina 1,814
Armenia 689
Australia 59,649
Austria 16,052
Azerbaijan 4,633
Bangladesh 710
Belarus 48,538
Belgium 2,888
Benin 36
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,114
Botswana 674
Brazil 9,394
Bulgaria 2,860
Burkina Faso 1
Cambodia 92
Cameroon 1,057
Canada 540,141
Chile 1,935
China 2,146,466
Congo, Dem. Rep. 194
Congo, Rep. 257
Cote d'Ivoire 675
Croatia 2,012
Cuba 1,351
Czech Republic 11,819
Denmark 2,030
Djibouti 118
Egypt, Arab Rep. 1,592
El Salvador 13
Estonia 4,807
Eswatini 862
Finland 10,319
France 24,598
Gabon 2,058
Georgia 2,963
Germany 70,614
Ghana 181
Greece 538
Guatemala 2,207
Hungary 447
India 620,175
Indonesia 7,166
Iran, Islamic Rep. 30,299
Iraq 249
Ireland 96
Israel 1,404
Italy 9,969
Japan 21,265
Jordan 344
Kazakhstan 206,258
Kenya 1,399
Korea, Rep. 8,229
Latvia 9,971
Lithuania 15,414
Luxembourg 189
Madagascar 122
Malawi 33
Malaysia 1,234
Mali 189
Mauritania 7,536
Mexico 73,879
Moldova 971
Mongolia 13,493
Montenegro 169
Morocco 3,896
Mozambique 1,193
Myanmar 885
Netherlands 4,331
New Zealand 4,078
Nigeria 77
North Macedonia 277
Norway 2,395
Pakistan 5,031
Peru 599
Philippines 1
Poland 28,720
Portugal 2,064
Romania 8,563
Russian Federation 2,491,876
Saudi Arabia 1,852
Senegal 384
Serbia 3,288
Slovak Republic 7,008
Slovenia 4,447
South Africa 113,342
Spain 6,649
Sri Lanka 127
Sudan 34
Sweden 11,725
Switzerland 8,492
Syrian Arab Republic 2,206
Tajikistan 165
Tanzania 1,196
Thailand 2,562
Tunisia 664
Turkey 10,773
Turkmenistan 13,327
Uganda 218
Ukraine 191,914
United Kingdom 12,512
United States 2,445,132
Uruguay 284
Uzbekistan 22,940
Venezuela, RB 81
Vietnam 3,574
Zambia 554
Zimbabwe 1,580
If your nation is not on this list, they have never shipped 1 million tons by rail within a year.
Let's repeat the top 10 again, just to show how fast the numbers fall.
1) Russian Federation 2,491,876
2) United States 2,445,132
3) China 2,146,466
4) India 620,175
5) Canada 540,141
6) Kazakhstan 206,258
7) Ukraine 191,914
8) South Africa 113,342
9) Mexico 73,879
10) Germany 70,614

[gokeefe]

"the single most successful railroads anywhere on the planet"
Yes, Americans keep saying that.

David, our government operated passenger trains almost cover their operating costs and our freight services are all private. Our high speed trains share tracks with fully loaded freight trains and slow commuter services.

It is the single most challenging operating scheme anywhere in the world and it runs pretty smoothly almost everyday.

What about outside the Northeast Corridor? Our cities and towns have preseved, restored and repurposed their passenger rail facilities while still accomodating passenger trains at those with service. Amtrak still provides checked baggage service in many locations.

I am also going to go out on a limb and venture a guess that Amtrak likely operates more sleeping car accomodations every night than the rest of the Americas, Europe and Africa combined.

On top of all that ... Amtrak has reinvested in sleeping car services and with the Viewliner II order and now appears likely to maintain these services for years to come.

[David Benton]

Perhaps this off topic part of the conversation is best continued here,
viewtopic.php?f=149&t=170588

[twropr]

SILVER METEOR #98 that arrived NY on the 14th had two Bag Dorms on the head end. This may be a sign that one will go out on CRESCENT #19 and one on CARDINAL #51 on the 17th. Both trains are supposed to get BDs.
Andy

[Gilbert B Norman]

So let's see:

19-20, Crescent, four
50-51, Cardinal, two
NOL one
CHI one
SSY one
Shop one

This assumes all ten B-D's are on the property; that means the delivery of four were not reported on any rail discussion site I review.

Unless both a Bagg and Bag-Dorm remain assigned to the noted trains; guess whst nearly new cars will be headed for axle count duty.

Now so far as the ten or so unassigned Diners, possibly Amtrak is reviewing modifications so that only one LSA need be assigned during slack periods and still efficiently provide service. At such time that is addressed, they will be assigned to 91-92, Star, and 50-51, Cardinal.

[ApproachMedium]

For Axle counters, amtrak has had one in test review in Philly on 1 River for the last year i think. Im pretty sure thats what it is but i could be wrong!

[The EGE]

Viewdiner #68022 "Richmond" on a Bakersfield-bound San Joaquin today at Martinez. The conductor told me it was being used as an axle count car on BNSF. The rest of the consist was a Charger and four California Cars (a pretty standard SJ consist) plus a Comet.