Amtrak Heritage Fleet vs. Viewliner Top speed

[ejjski]

I'm just wondering what is the top speed for a heritage fleet dining car and baggage car on the Northeast Corridor vs a Viewliner on the NEC?

[rcdrye]

1999 NEC Employee Timetable allowed both heritage and viewliner equipment a top speed of 110 MPH.  At certain locations in the corridor trains containing these cars were subject to lower speed limits than trains containing only Amfleet cars.

[ejjski]

anyone else?

I'm asking this because I thought that the Viewliner cars would be able to handle faster speeds better than the heritage sleepers, diners and baggage cars. Can anyone confirm this?

[Alan F]

ejjski

anyone else?

I'm asking this because I thought that the Viewliner cars would be able to handle faster speeds better than the heritage sleepers, diners and baggage cars. Can anyone confirm this?

The Viewliner II cars will be capable of 125 mph speeds. The Viewliner I sleepers will be upgraded to 125 mph capability, which reportedly is not a difficult upgrade. One goal of the Viewliner II order is have the LD trains on the NEC be able to operate at the same speeds as the Regionals and Keystones to simplify train operations.

 

I gather that the main reason that original Viewliner sleepers were not approved for 125 mph operation is that since they would always be in consists with Heritage diner and baggage cars with max speeds of 110 mph, so there was no need to have them be able to run at 125 mph in revenue service.

 

 

[blue streak 1]

Alan F

The Viewliner II cars will be capable of 125 mph speeds. The Viewliner I sleepers will be upgraded to 125 mph capability, which reportedly is not a difficult upgrade. One goal of the Viewliner II order is have the LD trains on the NEC be able to operate at the same speeds as the Regionals and Keystones to simplify train operations.

I gather that the main reason that original Viewliner sleepers were not approved for 125 mph operation is that since they would always be in consists with Heritage diner and baggage cars with max speeds of 110 mph, so there was no need to have them be able to run at 125 mph in revenue service.

 Essentially correct.  The upgrades to 125 for the viewliner-1s may require some to make a trip to the TTC at Publeo ?

 

From the Fleet strategy plan of May 2012 here is a list of speeds.Superliners - 100,  Pacific Parlor - 110,  Surfliners - 125, Horizon - 125, Amfleets - 125,  Cab cars - 125,  Viewliner 1s - 110,  .   then the available speeds become murkey.  There was no listing for the Heritage diners. The 86  -- 85 ft baggage cars are listed at 110 MPH.  There is no listing for the 60 ft bag cars.

  

As well I have been led to believe that individual Heritage cars have various lower speed limits  than the a fore mentioned 110 MPH especially the 60 baggage cars. The Heritage coaches that were  coverted to baggage cars are unknown.   Some of the earlier Heritage type  cars for various RRs had a 90 MPH limit but there is no indication whether any of them are now in the Amtrak inventory ? .

 

The fleet strategy plan mentioned that there is a detailed breakdown on the "Amtrak equipment roster" but was unable to access it.  As well speeds may have changed since May 2012 .  A present NEC ETT would be helpful as I have never acquired one.

 

[oltmannd]

These..

blue streak 1

The Heritage coaches that were  coverted to baggage cars

are those...

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The 86  -- 85 ft baggage cars are listed at 110 MPH

[blue streak 1]

oltmannd

These..

blue streak 1

The Heritage coaches that were  coverted to baggage cars

are those...

blue streak 1

The 86  -- 85 ft baggage cars are listed at 110 MPH

Impossible to answer that question without accessing the detailed Amtrak fleet specifications.  If they were 110 MPH originally then probabley yes .  If they were the 90 MPH cars well who knows ? 

a NEC ETT might clear this up but maybe not ?