Amtrak's Superliners are a bit better, and are much easier on the eye, but still lack the pure essence of a streamliner due to the abrupt change of height between the locomotives, to the baggage, to the first superliner car, to the sudden end with a flat wall at the back and no beauty of a curved bullet lounge. There is no elegance any more.
I personally don't see any more "squeaks and rattles" on the VIA Budd's than on any of Amtrak's fleet. In fact, I've had many more noises, malfunctioning equipment and stained upholstery on an Amtrak sleeper than on any VIA sleeper. About the only complaints I have of VIA's sleeper conditions are the ghastly puke green color scheme and the beginnings of pealing wallpaper/worn paint. The Budd cars can quite easily stay in service for another 50 to 60 years with an overhaul to the interiors, that is beauty and genius of quality stainless steel construction. It just does not deteriorate, and it looks absolutely stunning in any light. Even at night. Being married to a photography nut and a good friend of someone who does it professionally, that is you answer to having the local photographer loose complete interest in taking pictures of the train. Yes, the Rens are modern and have a rather nice color scheme, the fact is they are ugly to take pictures of. Hard to swallow perhaps, but when compared to the silver gleam of a true streamliner rolling through the scenery, nothing that has been rolled out in modern times can equal that look. Something to consider: the former Canadian National carbon steel Budd cars that were built at the same time as the CP Budd's still in service. They were pretty much the same car, but built with cheaper materials and painted. They were nowhere near as attractive, and in VIA's former blue with yellow stripe colors were downright ugly IMHO. Those are gone, having rusted out and were no longer serviceable in an affordable manner.
VIA should, and I believe outright needs to keep the Budd's for as long as they can. They should indeed refurbish them, place a few more modern things into them within reason, and keep their crown jewels. People come from around the world to ride that train, and you can bet a large portion of that is to ride in those cars. Put Ren's on the Canadian, and I'll loose a vast majority of my own interest in the route. Being that this is a site populated with railfans, and the results of that poll is not hard to believe.
This is just my take, a different point of view. I've had bad experiences with the Rens, but I will knowledge that they are a valuable part of VIA's rolling stock.
