The New Viewliner Diner may be ready

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dlagrua

dlagrua

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AU Supporting Member
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Hillsborough, NJ
I have been corresponding with a guy on another train forum that claims that the new "one and only" Viewliner Diner will be ready to hit the rails this summer.

Here are the pictures that he sent:

Viewlinerdiner.jpg


Anyone else heard anything about this?
 
That photo was taken 12 years ago (back when it was still in service before).

The car is currently in Beech Grove undergoing rebuild. It's a couple months behind schedule (the original hoped-for date was some time in February), but last I was told, the new target is this summer.
 
Also it should be noted that the Phase III paint on the Amcan II is now in Phase IVb and the Viewliner diner would have the Phase IVb paint as well.

If this guy says that's a current photo he's a lune! If he says it's old I'd agree!
 
Yeah that picture is stale but the point of the post is the completion date on the Viewliner diner may be valid. In any case adding this diner on an Eastern run will make it the only Viewliner on the rails. My guess is that it be placed in service on the LSL. We will see.
 
dlagrua said:
Yeah that picture is stale but the point of the post is the completion date on the Viewliner diner may be valid. In any case adding this diner on an Eastern run will make it the only Viewliner on the rails. My guess is that it be placed in service on the LSL. We will see.
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Hmm, perhaps you're forgetting the 50 Viewliner sleepers that are in regular service on the Silvers, Crescent, Cardinal, and LSL? :help: :help: :help: :help:
 
TraneMan said:
Why was this diner put away? Was there no demand for it?? Sorry for the dumb question.
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I beleive that it was a prototype or display unit diner built in Amtraks own shops from parts supplied either by Pullman or Alstom. It may have never had an interior or one that was functional. After completion it will be a one of a kind diner for the RR- only diner in a Viewliner car. I do not believe that any exterior changes are being made.
 
dlagrua said:
TraneMan said:
Why was this diner put away? Was there no demand for it?? Sorry for the dumb question.
Click to expand...
I beleive that it was a prototype or display unit diner built in Amtraks own shops from parts supplied either by Pullman or Alstom. It may have never had an interior or one that was functional. After completion it will be a one of a kind diner for the RR- only diner in a Viewliner car. I do not believe that any exterior changes are being made.
Click to expand...
I have been inside this stripped down car when it was in Wilmington, being laid out with temporary cardboard tables, counters, kitchen equipment, etc. - all for placement purposes.

It will be a rather amazing finished product, given the fact that the light from the upper windows will provide a much more airy atmosphere. Can't wait to see it on the road.
 
dlagrua said:
TraneMan said:
Why was this diner put away? Was there no demand for it?? Sorry for the dumb question.
Click to expand...
I beleive that it was a prototype or display unit diner built in Amtraks own shops from parts supplied either by Pullman or Alstom. It may have never had an interior or one that was functional. After completion it will be a one of a kind diner for the RR- only diner in a Viewliner car. I do not believe that any exterior changes are being made.
Click to expand...
I remember eating in a Viewliner diner (perhaps this prototype) when riding the Capitol Limited in 1988. (This was before the Capitol Limited got superliners -- I really enjoyed the vista-dome car.) I remember that the waitress mentioned something about Amtrak considering adopting this design, and I think they even left us a survey form to get our reaction. So maybe 20 years later, we'll see something hppen about this.
 
The layout of the kitchen was a mess as far as the crew was concerned; strange things like a SA (waiter) having to walk behind the chef cooking on the grill to get a glass of OJ for a passenger. It was clearly a case of an design engineer(s) planning to maximize space without having a clue about the functionality of how & why things work in a kitchen.

However the bigger reason for the car being taken out of service was big problems with the AC & I believe the trucks on the car.

All of the above is supposedly being addressed now in Beech Grove. And since Viewliner cars are modular cars, meaning that one opens the big panel on the side of the car and slides in completed rooms or kitchen sections or even the booths, this car in addition to easing the single level diner shortage will serve as a test bed to ensure that the new Viewliner II dining cars will work.

Finally, I agree with Haolerider, I can't wait to see how having that extra row of windows up top enhances the experience.
 
AlanB said:
The layout of the kitchen was a mess as far as the crew was concerned; strange things like a SA (waiter) having to walk behind the chef cooking on the grill to get a glass of OJ for a passenger. It was clearly a case of an design engineer(s) planning to maximize space without having a clue about the functionality of how & why things work in a kitchen.

However the bigger reason for the car being taken out of service was big problems with the AC & I believe the trucks on the car.

All of the above is supposedly being addressed now in Beech Grove. And since Viewliner cars are modular cars, meaning that one opens the big panel on the side of the car and slides in completed rooms or kitchen sections or even the booths, this car in addition to easing the single level diner shortage will serve as a test bed to ensure that the new Viewliner II dining cars will work.

Finally, I agree with Haolerider, I can't wait to see how having that extra row of windows up top enhances the experience.
Click to expand...
As a further comment, when I was in the car, the design staff was very much in the process of consulting with the eventual end-users for placement of the equipment, analysis of the use of space and the process of food prep, serving, movement of staff, etc. Of course, one set of chefs, SAs, etc. can have totally different opinions on all these issues, so you never really satisfy everyone, but I believe this finished product will have benefitted from the input of the employees who will work the car.
 
haolerider said:
As a further comment, when I was in the car, the design staff was very much in the process of consulting with the eventual end-users for placement of the equipment, analysis of the use of space and the process of food prep, serving, movement of staff, etc. Of course, one set of chefs, SAs, etc. can have totally different opinions on all these issues, so you never really satisfy everyone, but I believe this finished product will have benefitted from the input of the employees who will work the car.
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Oh, I agree 100% you'll never be able to make everyone happy. But I think that this new design will go much further towards accomplishing that goal. And I too am aware that they actually brought in actual current onboard crews to walk through the mock-up and to discuss things. It's my understanding that this was not done when the actual working prototype was built, which is why we ended up with crazy things in the kitchen layout.
 
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