CAF Industries Delivery Problems

[BaltACD]

With any kind of luck CAF might complete the contract by 2030.

[Jim200]

SD70Dude

Have any of the sleepers been constructed yet?

 

CAF seems to be near the end in constructing the 25 diners, and the 10 baggage-dorms and 25 sleepers are next. As I recall, there is also an option for 30 or so additional rail cars, which might be advisable for Amtrak to exercise. Amtrak often seems to be short of sleeping space, and sometimes short of coach space. There is also the possibility of new or expanded service sometime in the future.

The following link is over a year old and is somewhat helpful.

https://csanders429.wordpress.com/2017/01/07/new-viewliner-ii-diner-expected-in-march/

 

[CMStPnP]

They should move this order over to Siemens as well and sue the pants off CAF for inability to deliver multiple times on what was promised, recover the lost revenue as well as put a price on the increased maintence costs of retaining old equipment this long.   

After all, CAF is building the new New York and adding to it's railcar technology expertise or so the commercials go on TV here in Texas.     Yeah right.

[Overmod]

Meanwhile we learn over in Transit that new Boston Green Line cars from CAF Elmira are expected to arrive timely.  

 

[SD70Dude]

Have any of the sleepers been constructed yet?

[Electroliner 1935]

n012944

This article is a little old, but touches on some of the issues.

https://csanders429.wordpress.com/2016/03/09/caf-production-slowdown-behind-delays-in-delivering-new-viewliner-cars-to-amtrak/ 

In the viewliner delivery thread, Buslist commented on some improper weight distrbution on the diners causing some issues as well.

That was published in 2015 and included this statement: 'The reduction in production at the CAF factory in Elmira, New York, has meant that delivery of the order of 130 cars will not be completed until March 2017, which is two years beyond the original due date. Even that due date is subject to further slippage."

An understatement if I ever saw one. We are now a year beyond that date. 

[n012944]

This article is a little old, but touches on some of the issues.

https://csanders429.wordpress.com/2016/03/09/caf-production-slowdown-behind-delays-in-delivering-new-viewliner-cars-to-amtrak/

 

In the viewliner delivery thread, Buslist commented on some improper weight distrbution on the diners causing some issues as well.

[GN_Fan]

There's a VERY long thread dealing with the delivery -- or lack of delivery -- of Viewliner II equipment, and I've read it all.  Unless I've missed something, the slow delivery is due to manufacturing problems at CAF Industries, but no where that I can recall it stated what the maunfacturing problems were.  The baggage cars came out reletively fast, then it slowed to a trickle.  Does anyone know what the specific problem or problems are?  Are they short of parts?  Do they have labor problems? Is it a design flaw?  Any input would be greatly appreciated.

I've taken several coast-to-coast trips from Boston to either Seattle or Frisco, and was wondering if the Lake Shore Ltd will ever get a new diner.  Any input on that would aslo be nice as another trip is in the design phase.