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Viewliner - 2 delivery, testing, and service

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Posted by ROBERT WILLISON on Wednesday, December 7, 2016 8:10 PM

I like the names as well...comforting.

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Posted by dakotafred on Wednesday, December 7, 2016 8:22 PM

Name them, by all means! With names that have a little thought and meaning behind them.

Names are one of the things that have always distinguished rail passenger service from planes and buses. Whether on train or passenger car, they give the passenger a heightened sense of participating in something bigger than himself.

May not be important in the other modes; but in rail, with its unique role in building our country, names lend a dimension that, for all we know, actually lends itself to business. It's hard to think how they can hurt.

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Posted by Buslist on Saturday, December 10, 2016 11:24 PM

dakotafred

Name them, by all means! With names that have a little thought and meaning behind them.

Names are one of the things that have always distinguished rail passenger service from planes and buses. Whether on train or passenger car, they give the passenger a heightened sense of participating in something bigger than himself.

May not be important in the other modes; but in rail, with its unique role in building our country, names lend a dimension that, for all we know, actually lends itself to business. It's hard to think how they can hurt.

 

Virgin America names its planes, Michigan City City Lines named its buses, Brighton in the U.K. names it's bus fleet, locomotives on the U.K. are often named independent of if they are used in freight or passenger service. So the practice is not totally uncommon.

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Posted by schlimm on Sunday, December 11, 2016 8:00 AM

Buslist

 

 
dakotafred

Name them, by all means! With names that have a little thought and meaning behind them.

Names are one of the things that have always distinguished rail passenger service from planes and buses. Whether on train or passenger car, they give the passenger a heightened sense of participating in something bigger than himself.

May not be important in the other modes; but in rail, with its unique role in building our country, names lend a dimension that, for all we know, actually lends itself to business. It's hard to think how they can hurt.

 

 

 

Virgin America names its planes, Michigan City City Lines named its buses, Brighton in the U.K. names it's bus fleet, locomotives on the U.K. are often named independent of if they are used in freight or passenger service. So the practice is not totally uncommon.

 

 Metra names its locomotives.

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Posted by Buslist on Sunday, December 11, 2016 9:17 AM

How did I miss that?

The interurban that runs south out of Vienna also names its equipment.

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Friday, April 21, 2017 8:09 PM

This is highly unlikely but some sites are posting that a pickup train is headed to Elmira next week or the week after.

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Sunday, April 23, 2017 1:25 PM

blue streak 1

This is highly unlikely but some sites are posting that a pickup train is headed to Elmira next week or the week after.

 

 
Unconfirmed report that Monday April 24th loco 514 a coach car and a P-42 will leave Albany sometime after 0700 to proceed to CAF..
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Posted by daveklepper on Monday, April 24, 2017 8:51 AM

Interurban south out of Vienna?  You mean the Weiner Localbahn to Baden?

When I rode it in Spring or early Summer 1960, the Vienna terminal was ona  siding near the Opera House on a side-street.  Now, I undetand it has an underground terminal and a subway or tunnel has replaced some of the street running.

Nice scenary.  Nice people.   Recommended.

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 1:53 PM

blue streak 1
Unconfirmed report that Monday April 24th loco 514 a coach car and a P-42 will leave Albany sometime after 0700 to proceed to CAF..

 
The 2 diners 68002 Atlanta  & 68003   Augusta  stayed in Albany Tuesday after arriving Monday.  Reported that they were on Empire train #236 this morning.  They may (?) be on 97 (26) this afternoon but as alway may be subject to change .
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Posted by blue streak 1 on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 9:22 PM
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Posted by Pete-M3 on Sunday, May 28, 2017 10:52 PM

According to the Amtrak Unlimited web site, the latest two Viewliner II diners, which were delivered about a month ago, were placed in service as follows: the Augusta on 05/21/17 and the Atlanta 05/28/17. The first production VII diner to be delivered, the Annapolis, has been in service since 12/5/16. It appears that 2 (maybe all 3) are at least presently being used on the Meteor. A question: how many equipment sets does the Meteor use? 

The Indianapolis, the VI prototype for the VII diners, has been in service on and off since its rebuilding in October 2011 (Five and a half years!). You would think that, by now, the design would be pretty well vetted and most onboard and maintenance personnel would be familiar with the set-up. From what I've read, the Indianapolis has recently been on the Crescent and, a few years ago, was in regular service on the Lake Shore. Hopefully, more soon.

Pete

 

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Posted by Buslist on Monday, May 29, 2017 9:15 AM

daveklepper

Interurban south out of Vienna?  You mean the Weiner Localbahn to Baden?

When I rode it in Spring or early Summer 1960, the Vienna terminal was ona  siding near the Opera House on a side-street.  Now, I undetand it has an underground terminal and a subway or tunnel has replaced some of the street running.

Nice scenary.  Nice people.   Recommended.

 

last time I rode it the terminal was still a third track in the ring street near the opera house. There is considerable running in the tram subway. It's a neat operation as freight service is also mixed it. Did you note that the cars are not numbered but named?

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Saturday, June 10, 2017 2:21 AM

Very unconfirmed report that 2 V-2 diners coming out of CAF  ~~  June 20 - 25.  That will probably be Baton Rouge and Boston ? ?  Will not be soon enough for the Crescent's change terminating at WASH as full operation status of last 2 took about 4 - 5 weeks ?

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, June 20, 2017 12:52 PM

blue streak 1

Very unconfirmed report that 2 V-2 diners coming out of CAF  ~~  June 20 - 25.  That will probably be Baton Rouge and Boston ? ?  Will not be soon enough for the Crescent's change terminating at WASH as full operation status of last 2 took about 4 - 5 weeks ?

 

 
Another forum states that 2 more diners are on the way today.  Baton Rouge and Boston.  Still waiting for pictures.
 
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Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, June 20, 2017 3:48 PM

Saw pictures on train orders no link consist  -----------

P-42  --   114,  Cafe  --  43348,  Diner -- 68004, Diner --  68005, P42 --  95

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Posted by JOHN L CLARK on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 6:32 AM

Without going to reference material, virtually all the major US airlines named their planes, Pan Am, American, Eastern, Delta, Braniff.  The names were located on the nose, below the cockpit windows

 

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 6:41 AM

JOHN L CLARK

Without going to reference material, virtually all the major US airlines named their planes, Pan Am, American, Eastern, Delta, Braniff.  The names were located on the nose, below the cockpit windows

Pan American named all of its planes in the "Clipper" series, including the fleet they picked up when they absorbed National Airlines.  The others only had a handful of named planes.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by Buslist on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 7:58 AM

CSSHEGEWISCH

 

 
JOHN L CLARK

Without going to reference material, virtually all the major US airlines named their planes, Pan Am, American, Eastern, Delta, Braniff.  The names were located on the nose, below the cockpit windows

 

 

Pan American named all of its planes in the "Clipper" series, including the fleet they picked up when they absorbed National Airlines.  The others only had a handful of named planes.

 

Virgin America names at least some if not all of their aircraft.

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Posted by schlimm on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 8:14 AM

CSSHEGEWISCH

 

 
JOHN L CLARK

Without going to reference material, virtually all the major US airlines named their planes, Pan Am, American, Eastern, Delta, Braniff.  The names were located on the nose, below the cockpit windows

 

 

Pan American named all of its planes in the "Clipper" series, including the fleet they picked up when they absorbed National Airlines.  The others only had a handful of named planes.

 

American used to name all its planes Flagships but not sure if/when that stopped. United called theirs Mainliners. Lufthansa names their planes for cities; KLM names theirs for birds.

C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan

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Posted by D.Carleton on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 6:47 PM

It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's... two more Viewliner diners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Uf4rWlhLQs

Editor Emeritus, This Week at Amtrak

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Saturday, July 22, 2017 9:42 AM

Sometimes we can get information indirectly.  Amtrak is anticipating that CAF will not deliver any bag dorms or sleepers until after Feb 2018.  Asking for waiver of the populsion - door interlock provision in FRA regulations. 

Since diners probably would not need this interlock this does not give us some idea about the delivery schedule of diners ? Isn't this just wonderful ?

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/07/14/2017-14809/petition-for-waiver-of-compliance 

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Thursday, July 27, 2017 1:51 AM

From Amtrak unlimited & RR.net sites.   Unconfirmed reports on present status of V-2 diners

 

8400     Indianapolis    Operational  

68000   Albany             Being modified,returned to Elmira, not operational. 

68001   Annapolis        Being repaired at Hialeah

68002   Atlanta            Being repaired at Hialeah

68003   Augusta           Operating last few days  

68004   Baton Rouge     Operating as of 7/12

68005   Boston             Operating 

68006   Charleston       May be delivered by next Tuesday  

68007   Columbia         May be delivered by next Tuesday

Reports not confirmed that the 4 operating V diners are on the Meteor and 3 Heritage on Crescent.  Do not know if NOL has completed work on Heritage diner that it was doing ?  Hope the 3 or 4 V-2 not operating are not going to be " hanger queens "  Parts shortages may be a problem that was noted in the OIG's 2016 report on V-2 deliveries ?

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Monday, July 31, 2017 5:36 PM

Unconfirmed report that P-42s 111 & 113 + 43367 on the way today to Elmira from Albany.  Stay tuned for additional alerts !

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 4:48 PM

Saw photos on Train orders of 2 new V-2 diners leaving CAF today.  That is Columbia 68007 and Charleston 68006 ?

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Posted by oltmannd on Wednesday, August 2, 2017 9:05 AM

blue streak 1
Reports not confirmed that the 4 operating V diners are on the Meteor

 

Saw NB Meteor last week near Philly.  Had V2 diner.

-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Thursday, September 21, 2017 12:48 PM

On another site saw video of Colunbus on tail end of train # 97 / 19th.

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, October 31, 2017 2:00 PM

Unconfirmed report the following left Elmira today.  Unknown as well if so why the skipped dinning cars numbers ?

104 P42,  82811 Amcoach, 43382 Amcafe, 68012 HARRISBURG Diner,
68013 HARTFORD Diner,  520 GP38-3

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Posted by sno-cat on Tuesday, November 7, 2017 1:13 PM
Ate in new diner on Silver Meteor Northbound last month 10/28/2017
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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, November 7, 2017 7:48 PM

sno-cat
Ate in new diner on Silver Meteor Northbound last month 10/28/2017

SO?  Review?

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 11:10 PM

Reports that 68014 and 68015 left Elmira today early morning.  They may be on 97 / 13 ?  Lets see 6 weeks since left on Oct 31.

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