Viewliner II Part 2: Dining Car Production, Delivery, Speculation

[cpotisch]

they were picked up yesterday at CAF .

Train consist

AMTK 100 P42

AMTK 82686 Coach

AMTK 68019 NASHVILLE Diner

AMTK 68018 MONTPELIER Diner

AMTK 520 GP38-3

Yay! So they'll most likely be ready for service by April!

 

[jis]

Expect restoration of Diner Service on the LSL in the May timeframe I should imagine.

 

[Lonestar648]

V2 Diners on the LSL would be great for my trip to Albany.in June.

 

[cpotisch]

Expect restoration of Diner Service on the LSL in the May timeframe I should imagine.

I'm thinking more mid-April at the moment. Montpelier and Nashville will be ready for service by the end of March. That will bring the VL Diner count to 17. That will unquestionably be sufficient equipment-wise. Then I'm expecting a couple weeks after that the diner is back on. Call me an optimist, but that's my best guess.

 

[stappend]

Expect restoration of Diner Service on the LSL in the May timeframe I should imagine.

I'm thinking more mid-April at the moment. Montpelier and Nashville will be ready for service by the end of March. That will bring the VL Diner count to 17. That will unquestionably be sufficient equipment-wise. Then I'm expecting a couple weeks after that the diner is back on. Call me an optimist, but that's my best guess.

You're using your desire for the LSL to get its diner back to guide your logic. We have no idea what Amtrak management is using for their decision making process, they could decide to make no change, or put the diner on the Star or any number of changes that are not expected.

 

[jis]

I was merely guessing that they will do it with the time table change for the Summer or some such. I don;t think they will do it the day after they have sufficient number of Diners.

 

[cpotisch]

Expect restoration of Diner Service on the LSL in the May timeframe I should imagine.

I'm thinking more mid-April at the moment. Montpelier and Nashville will be ready for service by the end of March. That will bring the VL Diner count to 17. That will unquestionably be sufficient equipment-wise. Then I'm expecting a couple weeks after that the diner is back on. Call me an optimist, but that's my best guess.

You're using your desire for the LSL to get its diner back to guide your logic. We have no idea what Amtrak management is using for their decision making process, they could decide to make no change, or put the diner on the Star or any number of changes that are not expected.

The diner on the LSL is considered to be financially viable. The LSL had a very high coach passenger diner-utilization rate, meaning that a surprisingly large number of coach pax use the diner on that train.

There are 11 consists between the Crescent, Meteor, and LSL so six protects would be plenty.

And there is no chance that the Star would get a dining car before the LSL. The Lake Shore lost the dining car due to Heritage diner shortages. The Star lost its dining car to cut costs. Because the Silver Star doesn't have a diner, the train now only needs one locomotive, and they ditched ALL the diner staff. The LSL diner-lite still operates with three staff (so that's still three salaries to pay) and it didn't allow for fewer locomotives either. So if the Silver Star were to get its dining car back, it would have no relation to the new equipment.

 

[Lonestar648]

For the Star to get a Diner back, Amtrak would need to address a change in pricing for the Sleeper Accommodations unless the Star would continue as a different operation with everyone paying for their meals..

 

[jis]

So if the Silver Star were to get its dining car back, it would have no relation to the new equipment.

Well, absent the new Diners there is no chance of the Star getting Diner. So in that sense the Star getting Diner is closely related to the new equipment. It is also true that the availability of new equipment does not imply that the Star will get Diner restored.

 

[stappend]

The point I was striving to make is its not a numbers game for the LSL or any other train. There are other factors that we are not privy to in the decision. For all we know Amtrak could decide to park them someplace and rent them out to Star Bucks.

 

[PRR 60]

Before the Lake Shore gets a new diner, you will likely see a unit sent to Chicago for maintenance training. It might take a week or two to get through all the crews and shifts. Parts for emergent repairs will have to be stocked there as well. Once there is a report of a Viewliner II diner sitting in the yard in Chicago, the countdown clock will start ticking.

 

[Ryan]

And there is no chance that the Star would get a dining car before the LSL. The Lake Shore lost the dining car due to Heritage diner shortages. The Star lost its dining car to cut costs. Because the Silver Star doesn't have a diner, the train now only needs one locomotive, and they ditched ALL the diner staff. The LSL diner-lite still operates with three staff (so that's still three salaries to pay) and it didn't allow for fewer locomotives either. So if the Silver Star were to get its dining car back, it would have no relation to the new equipment.

You make a lot of bold declarative statements referencing the reasoning behind internal Amtrak decision making and Amtrak staffing levels as if they are the Gospel truth. Truth is, we know far less than you think we do, and that extends forward into the future.
There is no way that you can make the declarative statement about what train is getting a dining car before another, and there is no way of knowing what kind of service will be provided when a ViewDiner is inserted into the consist.

 

[jis]

The point I was striving to make is its not a numbers game for the LSL or any other train. There are other factors that we are not privy to in the decision. For all we know Amtrak could decide to park them someplace and rent them out to Star Bucks.

That is very true.

I would go for Denny's though for the raw ambiance

With appropriate additional wall decor it could be adapted for Cracker barrel too I suppose

 

[cpotisch]

The point I was striving to make is its not a numbers game for the LSL or any other train. There are other factors that we are not privy to in the decision. For all we know Amtrak could decide to park them someplace and rent them out to Star Bucks.

That is very true.
I would go for Denny's though for the raw ambiance

With appropriate additional wall decor it could be adapted for Cracker barrel too I suppose

It has to be Waffle House! Everyone on earth would want to eat in a V-II Waffle House diner! [emoji2]
EDIT: Sorry, everyone in the galaxy.

 

[cpotisch]

The point I was striving to make is its not a numbers game for the LSL or any other train. There are other factors that we are not privy to in the decision. For all we know Amtrak could decide to park them someplace and rent them out to Star Bucks.

To be clear, that much I 100% agree with.

 

[west point]

Some study by several persons seems to indicate Amtrak is operating the newest delivered V-2s whenever possible ? Then when one of them develops a bug it is pulled from service for work with a first delivered dinning car substituted ? That way all the bugs can be worked out before adding cars to LSL and then whatever trains next ? ? ?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Screenshot from a video I just took as 97 approached WIL

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[cpotisch]

IMG_1519857078.533987.jpg

Screenshot from a video I just took as 97 approached WIL

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

Do you recall which diner was operating?

 

[me_little_me]

The point I was striving to make is its not a numbers game for the LSL or any other train. There are other factors that we are not privy to in the decision. For all we know Amtrak could decide to park them someplace and rent them out to Star Bucks.

Who will, in turn, start selling capa-chapa-mocha-mara-choco-chino coffee drinks on Amtrak, selling them at a huge profit with lines so long they stretch into the baggage car. They will do so well, Amtrak management will raise the price of ordinary coffee in its diners and start charging sleeping car passengers for coffee.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

And there is no chance that the Star would get a dining car before the LSL. The Lake Shore lost the dining car due to Heritage diner shortages. The Star lost its dining car to cut costs. Because the Silver Star doesn't have a diner, the train now only needs one locomotive, and they ditched ALL the diner staff.

Sorry dont think the Star dinning staff was cut, I recall they are still working, but on a longer schedule. In example ever 9th day compares to ever 7th day. Random numbers used for explanations. Now it been a few years, one think simple turnovers, and retirement would downsize the crew base. Be interesting if the Unions would fight to stop the crew from going back to the normal work schedule?

 

[cpotisch]

And there is no chance that the Star would get a dining car before the LSL. The Lake Shore lost the dining car due to Heritage diner shortages. The Star lost its dining car to cut costs. Because the Silver Star doesn't have a diner, the train now only needs one locomotive, and they ditched ALL the diner staff.

Sorry dont think the Star dinning staff was cut, I recall they are still working, but on a longer schedule. In example ever 9th day compares to ever 7th day. Random numbers used for explanations. Now it been a few years, one think simple turnovers, and retirement would downsize the crew base. Be interesting if the Unions would fight to stop the crew from going back to the normal work schedule?

What do you mean? The Silver Star doesn’t have a dining car, so it obviously doesn’t have dining car staff. Sorry if I’m misunderstanding your post.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

And there is no chance that the Star would get a dining car before the LSL. The Lake Shore lost the dining car due to Heritage diner shortages. The Star lost its dining car to cut costs. Because the Silver Star doesn't have a diner, the train now only needs one locomotive, and they ditched ALL the diner staff.

Sorry dont think the Star dinning staff was cut, I recall they are still working, but on a longer schedule. In example ever 9th day compares to ever 7th day. Random numbers used for explanations. Now it been a few years, one think simple turnovers, and retirement would downsize the crew base. Be interesting if the Unions would fight to stop the crew from going back to the normal work schedule?

What do you mean? The Silver Star doesn’t have a dining car, so it obviously doesn’t have dining car staff. Sorry if I’m misunderstanding your post.

They're probably working other trains, like the Meteor. Or they working in other capacities on the Star.

 

[cpotisch]

And there is no chance that the Star would get a dining car before the LSL. The Lake Shore lost the dining car due to Heritage diner shortages. The Star lost its dining car to cut costs. Because the Silver Star doesn't have a diner, the train now only needs one locomotive, and they ditched ALL the diner staff.

Sorry dont think the Star dinning staff was cut, I recall they are still working, but on a longer schedule. In example ever 9th day compares to ever 7th day. Random numbers used for explanations. Now it been a few years, one think simple turnovers, and retirement would downsize the crew base. Be interesting if the Unions would fight to stop the crew from going back to the normal work schedule?

What do you mean? The Silver Star doesn’t have a dining car, so it obviously doesn’t have dining car staff. Sorry if I’m misunderstanding your post.

They're probably working other trains, like the Meteor. Or they working in other capacities on the Star.

Oh, I see. I would have thought that Amtrak would ‘cut loose’ some of the staff, if they were no longer needed for the SS diner. There were probably around 20 total dining car staff on the Star (between the four consists). Does Amtrak really have use for all of them elsewhere?

 

[Lonestar648]

They would fit them in, pushing the newbies to the extra board. Union would protect these regular workers.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

No it was report that Crew base was increasing the days off for the crews. So everyone would be working just not as often. Is this still happening, never heard otherwise. Never heard about layoffs either. Guaranteed extra board work. No cost saving in crews, just a decrease in income from no dinner.