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Viewliner II "Progress" Report from the Amtrak Inspector General

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  • Member since
    September 2010
  • From: East Coast
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Posted by D.Carleton on Monday, March 7, 2016 9:05 PM

CMStPnP

Wow, some of those defects are pretty basic.

Diaphram between cars retracting,  Air Conditioning on Diners not performing to specifications, defective bolts on truck shock absorbers, etc.

I would have thought building a rail passenger car not to be rocket science, especially when based on the same template and construction of the Dining and Sleeping Cars was modular.

The January issue of Railway Age contains their annual passenger car review. For 2015, 971 new railcars, from streetcars to intercity, were delivered to North American operators. Discount the baggage cars that's still 900 cars that went into service for the most part without incident. This is not rocket science but they still find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Editor Emeritus, This Week at Amtrak

  • Member since
    June 2009
  • From: Dallas, TX
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Posted by CMStPnP on Monday, March 7, 2016 8:38 PM

Wow, some of those defects are pretty basic.

Diaphram between cars retracting,  Air Conditioning on Diners not performing to specifications, defective bolts on truck shock absorbers, etc.

I would have thought building a rail passenger car not to be rocket science, especially when based on the same template and construction of the Dining and Sleeping Cars was modular.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 221 posts
Viewliner II "Progress" Report from the Amtrak Inspector General
Posted by Railvt on Monday, March 7, 2016 2:00 PM

Further to my earlier "Where are the Stories" threads on the absense of certain reporting in the rail (fan) media, the Amtrak Inspector General's office put out a fascinating (and not very inspiring) report on the endlessly delayed Viewliner II order for diners, sleepers and crew dorms on February 1. It can be read by clicking on the "report" link at https://www.amtrakoig.gov/report-records/audit-reports/asset-management-additional-actions-can-help-reduce-significant-risks

I have wondered for sometime if the Boardman management was deliberately slow-walking this project. The report clarifies the situation, but gives little hope of any early arrival of new cars--especially the revenue generating sleepers. Another rumor has the long-completed "test" diner, and sleeper (finished as far back as 2014) finally moving from Elmira to MIami in the week of March 18. We'll see.

Carl Fowler

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