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When will Amtrak order new Amfleets?

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Posted by Paul Milenkovic on Monday, September 5, 2016 10:46 AM

D.Carleton
 
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GERALD L MCFARLANE JR

Based on that, then either one of two things happened along the way from the prototype to production.  Either the shells got smaller or the modules got bigger, that is if the initial prototype sleeper cars module fit(which it would seem to have since it made out of the plant for testing purposes). 

... or one was measured in feet and inches and the other in feet and tenths or in meters.

 

 

Actually, they made the shells in HO but the modules in OO. 

 

 

Hey, there is no mismatch that the right grinding wheel on your Dremel tool won't correct.

In 12"-to-the-foot scale, there is no mismatch that cannot be corrected with a reciprocating saw (with the carbide blade, of course) Whistling

If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?

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Posted by D.Carleton on Monday, September 5, 2016 2:16 PM

Paul Milenkovic
D.Carleton
Phoebe Vet
GERALD L MCFARLANE JR

Based on that, then either one of two things happened along the way from the prototype to production.  Either the shells got smaller or the modules got bigger, that is if the initial prototype sleeper cars module fit(which it would seem to have since it made out of the plant for testing purposes). 

... or one was measured in feet and inches and the other in feet and tenths or in meters. 

Actually, they made the shells in HO but the modules in OO. 

Hey, there is no mismatch that the right grinding wheel on your Dremel tool won't correct.

In 12"-to-the-foot scale, there is no mismatch that cannot be corrected with a reciprocating saw (with the carbide blade, of course) Whistling

Back in the day we would install new valve seats by first freezing them with liquid nitrogen or leaving them overnight in a subzero freezer. How much dry ice can CAF USA get their hands on? Or just wait until winter which, in Elmira, should be starting any minute now.

Editor Emeritus, This Week at Amtrak

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Posted by Deggesty on Monday, September 5, 2016 3:22 PM

D.Carleton

 

 
Paul Milenkovic
D.Carleton
Phoebe Vet
GERALD L MCFARLANE JR

Based on that, then either one of two things happened along the way from the prototype to production.  Either the shells got smaller or the modules got bigger, that is if the initial prototype sleeper cars module fit(which it would seem to have since it made out of the plant for testing purposes). 

... or one was measured in feet and inches and the other in feet and tenths or in meters. 

Actually, they made the shells in HO but the modules in OO. 

Hey, there is no mismatch that the right grinding wheel on your Dremel tool won't correct.

In 12"-to-the-foot scale, there is no mismatch that cannot be corrected with a reciprocating saw (with the carbide blade, of course) Whistling

 

 

Back in the day we would install new valve seats by first freezing them with liquid nitrogen or leaving them overnight in a subzero freezer. How much dry ice can CAF USA get their hands on? Or just wait until winter which, in Elmira, should be starting any minute now.

 

 

Laugh

Johnny

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Posted by aegrotatio on Friday, September 9, 2016 11:02 PM

There is a plan to replace the Amfleet I and IIs that was partially implemented decades ago. It's the innovative Viewliners with their interchangeable modules for sleeper, coach, and diner, designed and pretty much perfected way back in the 1980s.  Unfortunately, the plan stalled badly until recently.

 

Amtrak intended to replace the entire single-level fleet with them, but they were stymied twice. The recent order of Viewliner II baggage cars rates as a minor miracle. Hopefully the modules can be redesigned to fit properly. I always thought that the relatively large Viewliner II baggage order was made not just to replace the ancient baggage cars but also to keep the builder alive for a new Viewliner order and be able to retrofit many of those baggage cars as coaches, sleepers, and diners. Possession is nine tenths of the law, so why not exploit an opportunity to convert them?

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Saturday, September 10, 2016 12:36 PM

There are so many variables for additional fleet cars that almost any statement appears to be just speculation.

1.  The Amfleets have proved very robust and with rebuilding their life has exceeded expectations.

2.  Amfleet-2s have almost twice as many miles as -1s but soldier on.  They will probably be supplemented on LD routes and finally retired to surge fleet status.

3.  Item #2 may be different if Horizon cars start showing their age ?

4.  Any plan will be subject to the whims of congress and ridership demands.  Who can predict ?  Expansion of service , contracting service, providing enough cars on present trains ( trains still full on some legs this month ),  This poster certainly cannot predict but just plan for the "best " outcome but be able to contract those plans.

5.  One has to wonder if the Heritage coaches and sleepers could have been modified to remain in service how much would Amtrak be doing ?  As well there might have been more new revenue cars now in service ?.

6.  If all the proposals for service from various sources were to materialize then the  needed revenue cars would probably double so any retirements of -1s & -2s could not happen.   

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Posted by aegrotatio on Saturday, September 24, 2016 11:14 PM

I think the Horizon cars were a minor tragedy.  These cars should have been ViewLiners, but Bombardier had a relatively recent order for 125 MPH Comet II coaches and enough knowledge and tooling to build them efficiently, so Amtrak took financial (and logistical) advantage of that deal.

 

 

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Posted by Buslist on Sunday, September 25, 2016 11:03 PM

aegrotatio

I think the Horizon cars were a minor tragedy.  These cars should have been ViewLiners, but Bombardier had a relatively recent order for 125 MPH Comet II coaches and enough knowledge and tooling to build them efficiently, so Amtrak took financial (and logistical) advantage of that deal.

 

 

 

Ya we discussed that a couple of weeks ago.

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