Viewliner II Delay - Access Board Committee

[V.Payne]

The proposed sketch has a combined shower/toilet, though larger than those on the current bedrooms and with a wide fold down sink/vanity.

I believe the shower in the Viewliner II picture is to the right of the picture. The (II) handicapped layout is somewhat similar to the (I) as I understand it except for the toilet sticking out into the room by the bed, shorter hallway, and the use of curtains to provide a boundary for the restroom.

Below is a view of the Viewliner II handicapped bedroom prototype looking toward the vestibule.

[Deggesty]

V.Payne

A sketch that would meet the Access Board proposed rules is shown below. It would meet the side transfer toilet layout without making the room feel like you are sleeping inside one giant restroom. In the sketch a handicapped room is shown paired with a en suite bedroom all in 14'-0" of car length.

With the layout below a 12 bedroom car is possible with one of the bedrooms being a handicapped room. Additionally, 5 other rooms would be able to be configured as mobility impared rooms with lower queen sized beds.

The Viewliner I and II uses 13'-6" of car length just to fit in one handicapped room but manage to devote almost half of that to halls and areas that are not part of the interior area of the room.

 

I wonder about the saleability of the proposed Viewliner II rooms for general traffic as the toilet is basically placed in the middle of the room to get a side transfer layout.

 

As I see it, the room in the picture is the accessible room--and I have the impression that there is no shower in it.

[V.Payne]

A sketch that would meet the Access Board proposed rules is shown below. It would meet the side transfer toilet layout without making the room feel like you are sleeping inside one giant restroom. In the sketch a handicapped room is shown paired with a en suite bedroom all in 14'-0" of car length.

With the layout below a 12 bedroom car is possible with one of the bedrooms being a handicapped room. Additionally, 5 other rooms would be able to be configured as mobility impared rooms with lower queen sized beds.

The Viewliner I and II uses 13'-6" of car length just to fit in one handicapped room but manage to devote almost half of that to halls and areas that are not part of the interior area of the room.

 

I wonder about the saleability of the proposed Viewliner II rooms for general traffic as the toilet is basically placed in the middle of the room to get a side transfer layout.

[V.Payne]

This poor soul keeps wondering why the passenger carrying portion of the Viewliner II car order is continually delayed, but non-passenger carrying cars are in service.

Could it possibly be due to the Access Board attempting to promulgate a new sets of rules (Outside the actual Public Law passed by the Legislature) for interior design with the Final Report having been released in July of 2015 after a two year period of deliberations? There are sections that pertain to sleeping cars and dining cars in the report as well as increased vestibule widths.

However, as I understand this the Final Report is not the final step and confusingly some recommendations seem to counter the ADA Public Law passed by the Legislature. Some the ideas are sensible such as side transfer toilets, others not such as mattresses that only compress just a bit to keep a constant height.

So will there be more waiting while the Access Board decides what to do next on the recommendations? I will post a new sleeper design shortly that seems to meet the requirements.