we observed 68017 MONTGOMERY and 68016 MADISON in Orlando Thursday 18th on train #97/17 .
Even with Christmas and New Years holidays intervening only 5 weeks between 2 each deliveries.
Unconfirmed that 2 more leaving Elmira around Feb 26th.
Yesterday CAF delivered 2 more dinning car with Amtrak ferry to Albany .
Train consist AMTK 100 P42 AMTK 82686 Coach AMTK 68019 NASHVILLE Diner AMTK 68018 MONTPELIER Diner AMTK 520 GP38-3
They should be in Florida today. They were sighted last night on the Ashland VA webcan, deadheading on the end of 97.
The Amtrak Unlimited website reported today that the VII diner 60017 "Montgomery" has been released for service. This means that 14 VIIs and the prototype 8400 "Indianaoplis" are now available, 7 more than the 8, needed to support the Crescent and Meteor. For some reason 68009-11 (Concord, Dover and Frankfort) have been skipped for the time being. On a related note, this morning, on the Ashland webcam, I saw a Heritage diner, deadheading behind the engines on 98. It's been several weeks since I last observed any in service on 97 or 98, so this may indicate the end of their protect role.
Any chance the Lake Shore Limited will have new diners in late April? Or is this too much to hope for (again)?
From what I've read, the Lake Shore requires 3 equipment sets. From observation, it seems to take Hialeah about 5 or 6 weeks to outfit 2 new VII diners, so by late April, it would seem likely that both of the new arrivals would be ready. That would give 17 VI/VIIs, available to cover the 11 equipment sets of the Crescent, Meteor and Lake Shore. You would think that 6 diners (about 35% of the total) could easily cover shopping and protection requirements.
That said, there is the underlying question of what they really want to do about long-distance food service. If they want to stay with the "diner-lite" menu, they could still use the new equipment (you would think). You would also think that they would want to get some use ASAP out of these expensive capital assets.
Incidentally, what I find amazing is the recent apparent lack of interest on this forum about this subject. There have been 6 posts this year so far. This will make 7. Do any Amtrak insiders (or semi-insiders) post here? Any that would want to talk?
I still can't get over that when they had the money for new equipment they purchased mostly.....baggage cars.
Tie that in with abysmal eastern LD train ridership and....
https://www.railpassengers.org/site/assets/files/3443/52.pdf
https://www.railpassengers.org/site/assets/files/1182/fl.pdf
https://www.railpassengers.org/site/assets/files/3447/45.pdf
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
Unconfirmed that 68020 - 21 & 22 willl be delivered from CAF soon. That is Providence , Raleigh & Richmond respectively. 3 diners instead of the usual 2 ? Find that hard to believe but a source in past has been fairly accurate ?
V-2 deliveries will become complicated once the Empire connection is shut down for the repairs.
1. Ferry equipment to New Rochelle then to SSY. This might be way as ferry train from CAF already has locos on each end however there are the crew qualifications and using necessary cab signal locos.
2a. LSL to CHI and Cardinal to WASH then Silver to Hialeah.
2b. Capitol instead of Cardinal
3a. LSL to BOS then regional to WASH then Silver
3b. Regional to NYP then Silver
4a. LSL to Springfield Vermonter to WASH then Silver
4b. Springfield shuttle to New Haven Regional southbound either 3a or 3b option
4a and 4b very unlikely.
We may see Amtrak try more than one of these options. Any thoughts ?
~~ 48 days since last delivery. Today 3 V-2 diners 68020, -21, -22 left CAF to Albany. Names Providence, Raleigh, Richmond respectively. So far seems to be about 16 days per delivery with cars bunched such as 3 today.
Wonder what the next delivery will be ?. Only -23 , and -24 + the three missed cars.
I wish that Amtrak put the names of the new diners and sleepers on the interior doors, as was done with the Superliner II and Viewliner I sleepers.
I slept in New River on my last trip, but I had to see the name on the outside to know that I was in one of the oldest rivers in the country. I also slept in Connecticut on my way from Chicago to Washington on my last trip.
Johnny
blue streak 1 ~~ 48 days since last delivery. Today 3 V-2 diners 68020, -21, -22 left CAF to Albany. Names Providence, Raleigh, Richmond respectively. So far seems to be about 16 days per delivery with cars bunched such as 3 today. Wonder what the next delivery will be ?. Only -23 , and -24 + the three missed cars.
Almost 2 months since last delivery. According to unconfirmed report we may have a surprize coming. Note: Some names may be misssing !
oltmanndI still can't get over that when they had the money for new equipment they purchased mostly.....baggage cars.
I kind of understand it. They wanted to standardize parts not all baggage cars were from the same car manufacturer. Additionally, I think there were some workplace safety issues with the older baggage cars Amtrak wanted to get rid of.......
1. poor interior lighting.
2. Large heavy exterior doors (not all of them closed tightly with a seal).
3. Not sure how the HEP HVAC worked in the older baggage cars but it was probably an issue as well.
4. Training Amtrak employees across the board with a uniform car design.
Early one morning, as my Amtrak friend was taking me out to the CZ, I asked him how he liked the new baggage cars (he also handled the checked baggage). He told me that the baggage is cleaner--the new cars are tighter than the older cars. I do not doubt that passengers who check baggage and are aware of the new cars appreciate them also.
The baggage cars on the superliners are placed directly behind the locomotive and in front of the cars that provide sleeping accomodations for the on board service crews--which cars do have roomettes for passengers and a space for crews to sit. If the baggage cars were combines, the passengers riding them would have to go through the space set aside for the crews. There is access to the baggage cars from the cars that are directly behind them so the conductors who take care of the checked baggage can go directly into them.
What is the current situation at CAF with deliveries? Have all the diners been delivered and de-bugged? Are the sleepers in production? I contacted CAF direct and received nothing in return.
According to information on other forums, 3 more diners (with the final 3 to go) and the first bag-dorm are being shipping from the Elmira factory today (give or take a day). It is unstated whether the bag-dorm is out for more testing or some sort of in-service shake-down. A bag-dorm, along with a diner and sleeper, was previously tested for a few days in the NE Corridor, about 2 years ago. Nothing since. An article in the July 2018 issue of Trains quotes an Amtrak official as stating that the bag-dorms and sleepers are "still in the engineering stage". Must be somewhat old information, since we now have one ready to roll from the factory, or it may be just another step in the "engineering" process.
The fact that you received no response from CAF is no surprise to anyone that has been following this soap opera. Sometimes one wonders how much even Amtrak knows.
Pete
additional reports that 3 diners and 1 bag dorm at Albany. However reported 2 cars ( unknown which ones ) on 448 to BOS today ?
Saw pictures of Meteor # 97 with the 3 new diners and 1 bag dorm at Winter Park today. Train consist 2 Locos, 5 AM-2 coaches, 1 Am-1 lounge, 1 V-2 diner, 3 V-1 sleepers, 1 V-2 baggage, 2 V-2 diners , 1 V-2 bag dorm, and 1 V-2 diner. = 15 total cars.
Note: Consist order may not be correct will correct when verified Now corrected
blue streak 1 Saw pictures of Meteor # 97 with the 3 new diners and 1 bag dorm at Winter Park today. Train consist Locos ?, 1 V-2 baggage, 5 AM coaches, 1 V-2 diner, 1 lounge, 3 V-2 sleepers, 1 V-2 bag dorm, and the 3 new diners. = 15 total cars. Note: Consist order may not be correct will correct when verified
Saw pictures of Meteor # 97 with the 3 new diners and 1 bag dorm at Winter Park today. Train consist Locos ?, 1 V-2 baggage, 5 AM coaches, 1 V-2 diner, 1 lounge, 3 V-2 sleepers, 1 V-2 bag dorm, and the 3 new diners.
= 15 total cars.
Note: Consist order may not be correct will correct when verified
Are you sure the sleepers were V2, not V1? It's my understanding that no V2 sleepers have been delivered yet.
corrected list. Here is a video at Winter Park
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpBcN5EFtS8&feature=youtu.be
They have been in service on the Pacific Surfliner for a couple of weeks on the trains that use Amcans/Horizon Cars.
Are those the trains that go to/from SLO?
There are unconfired reports that at least 1 more V-2 will be delivered tomorrow. What flavor unknown or maybe more?
blue streak 1There are unconfired reports that at least 1 more V-2 will be delivered tomorrow. What flavor unknown or maybe more?
That entire contract is becomming a joke. Hopefully Amtrak got it's money worth in late fees and fines. I also hope Amtrak can take the plans and move to an entirely new builder that is more competent.
CMStPnP blue streak 1 There are unconfired reports that at least 1 more V-2 will be delivered tomorrow. What flavor unknown or maybe more? That entire contract is becomming a joke. Hopefully Amtrak got it's money worth in late fees and fines. I also hope Amtrak can take the plans and move to an entirely new builder that is more competent.
blue streak 1 There are unconfired reports that at least 1 more V-2 will be delivered tomorrow. What flavor unknown or maybe more?
Agree. Wonder if CAF bought the parts from suppliers that will be unable or unwilling to supply parts to another builder? With all the delays parts suppliers may have gone out of business. There may be difficulty in acquiring plans and drawings? Will be bad if Amtrak and another buiiilder have to design and invent the wheels again?
Well two V-2s delivered. 68000 - Albany == Diner
62502 - Rapidan River == Sleeper
Arrived Albany late this afternoon.
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