Favorite Current Amtrak Equipment

[AlanB]

There was a viewliner dinning car mock up

That's not a mock up, it's the real McCoy, the real thing. It ran in revenue service for a while.

Has Amtrak ever considered lending or renting the Viewliner Diner to a tourist railroad? Many such have their own shops and skilled volunteers who machine odd parts all the time to maintain their old coaches and locomotives. So a tourist railroad with a strong shop crew could get the car in running condition and make use of it; it would be a great ridership draw and revenue source for the tourist railroad to have a functional full diner; and it would be great PR and free advertising for Amtrak. How is this not a win-win?

I'm sure that they haven't since the diner is now sitting in Bear redone as a mock up for the new version of a Viewliner Diner, should Amtrak ever find the money to actually buy some.

The original diner had a lot of issues, which is why it was retired rather quickly. The kitchen layout I understand was rather bad, meaning that things were in the wrong place making it very hard to be efficient.

 

[AlanB]

I've often wondered what the purpose of the upper windows would be on a truly single level car like the Viewliner coach and diners would be. It makes sense for a sleeper so both beds can have a view.

Beyond the fact that it makes for a consistant visual line when viewed from the outside, it provides greater lighting inside the cars and makes them feel more roomy and comfortable.

While that would be true for Viewliner Diners and Lounges, what about Viewliner coaches? :huh: The upper window would be right where the luggage rack would be, and if luggage is blocking the light, ???

You'd still get some light through, despite the luggage.

 

[Shotgun7]

I've often wondered what the purpose of the upper windows would be on a truly single level car like the Viewliner coach and diners would be. It makes sense for a sleeper so both beds can have a view.

Beyond the fact that it makes for a consistant visual line when viewed from the outside, it provides greater lighting inside the cars and makes them feel more roomy and comfortable.

While that would be true for Viewliner Diners and Lounges, what about Viewliner coaches? :huh: The upper window would be right where the luggage rack would be, and if luggage is blocking the light, ???

You'd still get some light through, despite the luggage.

Guys, do you honestly believe that they were ever really planning on putting a second row of windows in on the Viewliner coaches had they been made?? That's alot of light to be shining into coaches usually designed to be fairly dark inside. It makes perfect sense for sleepers, and it's never a bad thing to have alot of light while you're eating. Lounge probably would've been similar. But there's no way they'd ever pay the extra money to put in a second row of windows in a standard coach car. Just my 2 cents.

 

[heavesrock]

Where does that Viewliner diner currently reside?

 

[AlanB]

Where does that Viewliner diner currently reside?

The Amtrak shops in Bear, Delaware. It's kept company by the original prototype Viewliner sleeper #2300, which has also be redone to show what a new sleeper might look like.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Where does that Viewliner diner currently reside?

The Amtrak shops in Bear, Delaware. It's kept company by the original prototype Viewliner sleeper #2300, which has also be redone to show what a new sleeper might look like.

I googled around and came up dry are there any shots of the insides of these two cars and there new looks?

 

[AlanB]

Where does that Viewliner diner currently reside?

The Amtrak shops in Bear, Delaware. It's kept company by the original prototype Viewliner sleeper #2300, which has also be redone to show what a new sleeper might look like.

I googled around and came up dry are there any shots of the insides of these two cars and there new looks?

None that I'm aware of.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Where does that Viewliner diner currently reside?

The Amtrak shops in Bear, Delaware. It's kept company by the original prototype Viewliner sleeper #2300, which has also be redone to show what a new sleeper might look like.

I googled around and came up dry are there any shots of the insides of these two cars and there new looks?

None that I'm aware of.

Bummer, why spend the money to mock them up then hide them from the public eye. Oh, the wonders of our government and Amtrak :blink:

 

[cpamtfan]

Where does that Viewliner diner currently reside?

The Amtrak shops in Bear, Delaware. It's kept company by the original prototype Viewliner sleeper #2300, which has also be redone to show what a new sleeper might look like.

I googled around and came up dry are there any shots of the insides of these two cars and there new looks?

None that I'm aware of.

Bummer, why spend the money to mock them up then hide them from the public eye. Oh, the wonders of our government and Amtrak :blink:

Well, Amtrak isn't sure if the mockups will be the versions they use. They spent the money in the 1980s to put them together, now they will lead to the future of Amtrak trains.

As for the VL coaches, I don't think they will ever be. There are many reasons why they won't have them. They would be nice to see, but I don't think it well ever happen.

cpamtfan-Peter

 

[VT Hokie]

The Acela is my favorite without question!

 

[access bob]

So, was just curious what people thought of certain equipment...Feel free to reply back on this and explain why or just to chat away....

my favorite is the one I have a ticket on the next trip

Bob

 

[the_traveler]

So, was just curious what people thought of certain equipment...Feel free to reply back on this and explain why or just to chat away....

my favorite is the one I have a ticket on the next trip

Bob

... and goes from your origination point to your destination point (unlike #50 last year)! :lol:

 

[Long Train Runnin']

How come Amtrak Thruway Bus wasn't in the poll :lol: :lol: we all no that deep down htats everyones favorite

 

[lrdc9_metroplitan_sub]

I understand that this is refering to pax equip., however I put in a vote of other for the AEM-7s.

 

[had8ley]

How come Amtrak Thruway Bus wasn't in the poll :lol: :lol: we all no that deep down htats everyones favorite

You sure know how to grab someone's attention. I was sitting in the Orlando in the mid 90's station day dreaming what it was like thirty years earlier in the same wooden benches when the Florida Special was still running. A big bus pulled up and the driver came in and said, "ALL Amtrak pax let's get aboard." I took it to mean that he was the bustitution for #1. Thank goodness he was meeting a south bounder that had already run !!! And this was the trip of a lifetime~ I had won an Orlando to LA ticket on E-Bay for $9; and yes, Amtrak did quite a business on E-Bay for a couple of years.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

How come Amtrak Thruway Bus wasn't in the poll :lol: :lol: we all no that deep down htats everyones favorite

You sure know how to grab someone's attention. I was sitting in the Orlando in the mid 90's station day dreaming what it was like thirty years earlier in the same wooden benches when the Florida Special was still running. A big bus pulled up and the driver came in and said, "ALL Amtrak pax let's get aboard." I took it to mean that he was the bustitution for #1. Thank goodness he was meeting a south bounder that had already run !!! And this was the trip of a lifetime~ I had won an Orlando to LA ticket on E-Bay for $9; and yes, Amtrak did quite a business on E-Bay for a couple of years.

Quick question how did that post draw you attention :blink: ?

At least you didn't get bustituted from Flordia all the way to LA that would be brutal h34r:

Well I guess things were differnt then :lol: I wish you could still get bargins like that!

 

[zoltan]

How am I not at all surprised horizons are last?

Its a shame the all viewliner trains got the axe...

Indeed it is! Riding coach in a viewliner would be pretty great fun, if somewhat hard on the neck from looking out of all the windows!

 

[trainfan]

Just wondered why the superliner 2 is more popular than the Refurbished Superliner 1s

Trainfan