Your Dream Consist

Since the Idea came up about winning the lottery and buying your own Amtrak train, I'm curious whats your dream consist?

Either Buying or even seeing.

Mine would be Viewliners 2300, 62091 "Eastern View", and Diner 8400 with a Lounge and Amfleet II 26053, or Build my own Viewliner lounge and Coach.

Although it wouldn't be a current Amtrak car, all I'd really need is a refurbished Dome Observation car from the original California Zephyr (circa 1949), and an engine to haul it.

seajay

I'd like something along the line of the American Orient Express with a dome at the rear for "rail crusing," but I'd like a Talgo for getting from point A to B.

Give me a P-42 (preferably #165), Heritage Baggage, Viewliner Sleeper, Amfleet II Coach, a Trans Dorm, Superliner II Sleeper, Superliner II Diner, Superliner II Sightseer, and a Superliner II Coach. Beautiful.

Viewliner,

Is any viewliner car any better than the other? Or have they all been through the ringer pretty much?

I.E., Is Bay View just as good as Eastern view? lol

Late Shore :lol:

-Late Shore- said:

Is any viewliner car any better than the other? Or have they all been through the ringer pretty much?
I.E., Is Bay View just as good as Eastern view? lol

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I don't know that any one car is necessarily better than another. However, Viewliner likes 2301 the Eastern View, because it was one of the two original prototypes and not a production run like the other 50. In effect it was the mother of the current fleet. It was built largely by hand when Amtrak was considering what to buy and experimenting with designs.

Sadly the other prototype 2300 has been mothballed and not seen for several years.

Well, I can't say completely. However there are differences between certain Viewliners.

2300/62091 Differences (at least 62091):

-Prototypes built by Beech Grove using Budd Shells in 1987 (2300) and 1988 (2301/62091 and 8400) vs the others from 1995-1996

-Shower and attendants room opposite sides when compared to the Production Viewliners

-Different type of Display on the exterior (where something like "9711" would be displayed)

-62091 (only) uses a vestibule door similar to an Amfleet II

-62091 (Phase IV Paint) Doesn't mention its a Viewliner anywhere on the exterior

-The Interior is Slightly Different

-The Cars are said to be more durable than the production Viewliners

Also, I don't like the (production) Viewliner Refurbs, which include but aren't limited to:

62000 "American View"

62011 "Gulf View"

Add "Southern View" to that refurb list. I had it back in April on the Silver M. My dream consist would go as followed.

* P-32 Locomotive

* P-40 Locomotive

* P-42 Locomotive

* F-40 Locomotive

* Heritage Baggage

* Heritage Crew Dorm

* Viewliner Sleeper

* Heritage Temoinsa Diner

* Amfleet II Lounge

* Amfleet II Coach

* Amfleet I Coach

* Amfleet I Cafe

* Amfleet I Capstone 2001 Coach Class

* Amfleet I Capstone 2001 Business Class

* Amfleet I Capstone 2001 Cafe

* Amfleet I Metroliner Coach

* Amfleet I Mertroliner Dinette

* Amfleet I Metroliner First Class

* Superliner II Transition Sleeper

* Superliner II Sleeper

* Superliner I Auto Train Lounge

* Superliner II Diner

* Superliner II Sightseer Lounge

* Superliner II Coach

* Superliner II Transistion Sleeper

* Amfleet I Conference Car (Company Car)

* Amfleet I "Beech Grove" (Company Car)

Note: Everything would be in Phase IV, but I would incorperate the wave logo onto the cars like Gunn has started to do. Also, all the Heritage Cars would be painted so the stripes match up inlike now where the stripes varry in size. B)

Amfleet said:

Add "Southern View" to that refurb list. I had it back in April on the Silver M. My dream consist would go as followed.
* P-32 Locomotive

* P-40 Locomotive

* P-42 Locomotive

* F-40 Locomotive

* Heritage Baggage

* Heritage Crew Dorm

* Viewliner Sleeper

* Heritage Temoinsa Diner

* Amfleet II Lounge

* Amfleet II Coach

* Amfleet I Coach

* Amfleet I Cafe

* Amfleet I Capstone 2001 Coach Class

* Amfleet I Capstone 2001 Business Class

* Amfleet I Capstone 2001 Cafe

* Amfleet I Metroliner Coach

* Amfleet I Mertroliner Dinette

* Amfleet I Metroliner First Class

* Superliner II Transition Sleeper

* Superliner II Sleeper

* Superliner I Auto Train Lounge

* Superliner II Diner

* Superliner II Sightseer Lounge

* Superliner II Coach

* Superliner II Transistion Sleeper

* Amfleet I Conference Car (Company Car)

* Amfleet I "Beech Grove" (Company Car)

Note: Everything would be in Phase IV, but I would incorperate the wave logo onto the cars like Gunn has started to do. Also, all the Heritage Cars would be painted so the stripes match up inlike now where the stripes varry in size. B)

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I guess I'd add a Phase III P-42 Locomotive, a Dorm Lounge and Baggage Car/Baggage Dorm, Metroliner Club, Metroliner Coach, Northeast Direct Coach, Beech Grove, and Confrence Cab 9800 as you said. While I Like the Superliner Idea, but I really can't get it to where I live.

Why two Transition Sleepers?

Boy, you guys must not travel very light to need trains that long! :lol:

seajay

Why two Transition Sleepers?

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I want Beech Grove on the back so you can stand on that little platform and watch the world go by behind me thus needing another Transition Sleeper. B)

Amfleet said:

Why two Transition Sleepers?

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I want Beech Grove on the back so you can stand on that little platform and watch the world go by behind me thus needing another Transition Sleeper. B)

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Okay I see,

Wouldn't 9800 Pose a problem unless you put it up front?



You want something like this with Beech Grove

I guess then I either put the confrence car up front or put it on the rear. B)

P.S. The last picture you posted is uge, even for my screen!!! :blink:

Amfleet said:

I guess then I either put the confrence car up front or put it on the rear. B)
P.S. The last picture you posted is uge, even for my screen!!! :blink:

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I know, Its one of mine (for a change :lol: ). Next Time I'll just link it.

As someone fairly new to Amtrak (though not to trains), I would say that Amtrak should eventually invest in some of the type cars that Viarail uses. For example, the dome car (which I do remember from the old Amtrakdays). And a nice lounge car, with tables (also like the old days), but what like Viarail runs for first class passengers. Each Amtrak train should have a car similar to the Pacific Parlour Car, and I think each train should be decorated (even if with just posters) by a theme. For example, what, right now, differentiates the City of New Orleans from any other Amtrak train, esp. since the food is all the same now?

SO, I guess the consist would include of a couple lounge cars like the present kind, a couple dome cars, and comfy lounge cars. Would be nice, if we're dreaming, to have a kind of game-room library as well.

Scott

Scott, I'm sure Amtrak and David Gunn would love to run trains like VIA does, but there are a few roadblocks. First money, this stands above all problems. Second, the lack of Hertiage equipment still around, although new stuff could be built. Third, the Domes would hav a Hard time running into New York, as the Hudson River tunnels are very low. But if they give us the money, we could do it.

In a way I would rather see a whole new set of Streamliners built using old plans with newer modifications. The cars were economical, comfortable, and built to last. Sorry Viewliner. B)

Give me a dome car. Any dome car. I don't need to go to New York, anyway. :lol:

seajay

Amfleet said:

In a way I would rather see a whole new set of Streamliners built using old plans with newer modifications. The cars were economical, comfortable, and built to last. Sorry Viewliner. B)

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I'd like to see a fleet (of Viewliners B) ) Built to last. In theory couldn't the dorm and baggage car be at the end of the train and when they switch locomotives in DC add/remove a a FC dome when adding/removing the diesels.

As for the height issue, aren't there plans (in the works, as in Access to the regions core) which would include two additional tunnels for the Hudson (which could be built higher). But then again, something would have to be done to the East River tunnels, for the sake of accessing Sunnyside.

And the City of New York is having a hard enough time to get Amtrak to upgrade the fire protection in the East River tunnels as it is, don't think Amtrak has any plans to raise the height or build new Esat River tubes in the forseeable future.

Well NJ is starting a study to consider building two new Hudson River tunnels. This study I think is expected to take at least two, maybe three years. Once that's done then money would need to be found to build them. The current thinking is that by perhaps 2020 those 2 new tunnels might be ready for use, and at the rate we're moving it could be later than that.

Obviously they would be built to accomodate taller true double decker cars. If this dream is ever realized, then you might well see the current tunnels rebuilt one at a time for higher clearences also.

Then the problem becomes the East River tunnels. However, they already do have a slightly higher clearance than do the Hudson River tunnels. I'm not sure if they could handle a Superliner, but I'd bet that they can handle a single level dome car.

Even if the East River tunnels can handle a Superliner, or are modified to a higher clearance, you are still not out of the woods yet. Yes the Three Rivers could go Superliner, but Silver Service and the Crescent would have to remain single level. From what I understand it's not just the NY tunnels that are too low. Baltimore has the same problem. So you would need to rebuild those tunnels, before you could move to all Superliner or double deck equipment.

Actually, Amtrak has run special movements through the Baltimore tunnels with Superliners. MARC also uses double level cars through those tunnels.

AlanB said:

Even if the East River tunnels can handle a Superliner, or are modified to a higher clearance, you are still not out of the woods yet.  Yes the Three Rivers could go Superliner, but Silver Service and the Crescent would have to remain single level.  From what I understand it's not just the NY tunnels that are too low.  Baltimore has the same problem.  So you would need to rebuild those tunnels, before you could move to all Superliner or double deck equipment.

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The tunnels in the New York City & Baltimore areas are a major roadblock to Superliners operating over the Northeast Corridor.

But in addition, another problem is that they would not clear the catenary wires in many spots. Several years ago, they managed to get a small Superliner consist into Philadelphia's 30th Street Station for some sort of convention, but I believe something had to be temporarily removed. It came off the Keystone Corridor, most likely coming out from Chicago over the Three Rivers or Pennsylvanian's route. They had to use Track 1 at PHL, which has a low platform (on the opposite side from the revenue platform shared with Track 2) because it sits next to the station's mail facility.

There also is an issue with converting a long-distance train to Superliners, because some stations have been converted to high-level platforms which cannot accomodate Superliners. For the Three Rivers, Lancaster definitely is one, and possibly Harrisburg. And in New York City and any NJ stops the train makes, platforms would have to be modified to have low-level portions. Most NJ TRANSIT platforms already do, in case the outsite station tracks are closed. But these usually lead to just one or two doors of the train, so a LD train stopping there would surely lose time making the stop.

I know Trenton has a(n "emergency") low-level platform for track 3, but I don't know how long.

What about the Catenary? It too would probably need some height adjustments.

Viewliner said:

I know Trenton has a(n "emergency") low-level platform for track 3, but I don't know how long.

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Track 3 in Trenton is in fact a low-level platform, located east of the other high-level platforms. I have only seen NJT trains use it occasionally when the other tracks are all in use, such as at the height of the rush hour when they have numerous NJT, Septa, and Amtrak trains due in a close span of time. I believe there is no connection on Track 3 from the NEC on the south end of the station, so it can only be used by trains to/from the north. And certainly with the light rail construction going on over there now, they would have to sever such a connection if it did exist.