AMTK 10004?!

What the heck is this? http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/archiv ... ?id=100293

Search is your friend because we went over this like a school play in the New Amtrak Catenary Geometry Car?! thread.

Though technically, that thread should be about the 10005 it contains everything the 10004.

Ah, very good. Geometry was never my strong suit.

A reuse of 1 of the Viewliner prototype shells,converted into a "theater inspection" car.
The "A" end has tier seating,allowing a view of the RR thru a large window, may have a small
food service station(ie,a bar)installed.

Love the roof ridge vent.

its trough for cables.

DutchRailnut wrote:its trough for cables.

The more you know! Does give it a classic look, though!

Could the other Viewliner prototype sleeper be converted into something like a "Viewing Lounge" car - or better yet a sleeper? They re-did the old prototype Diner into a brand new diner! Nice that Amtrak is trying to cut costs left and right but this "business car" then enters the fleet when it could have probably had a revenue oriented purposes.

It's possible that shell had been modified to the point where the V-II sleeper modules could not be installed.
This Budd built shell was a "test bed" for the orignal Viewliner design along with the other 2 shells
The Diner was recofigured many times to get that design right,for a long time during the "lean" years
all the shells were stored and forgotten at Wilmington or Beech Grove when the resources were need to keep
the rest of the fleet running, R+D takes time,$$,manpower,and material to come up with a usable result.
"American View" seems to be the best way to use the shell for a needed purpose,from viewing new or exisiting routes,
PR functions,and a place to create agreements between Amtrak,Host RR officals,local,and federal political figures for new services.
This car was built using avaible parts and materials "in house" for little $$.

It should be noted that the Host RR's use theater cars to show off the RR to shippers,customers,stockholders,etc
to retain and get new business and PR fuctions(Operation Lifesaver,etc...)

Postby jp1822 » Sat Apr 05, 2014 12:43 am
Could the other Viewliner prototype sleeper be converted into something like a "Viewing Lounge" car - or better yet a sleeper?

A good future use for the second prototype Viewliner would be to replace the "business" car - in either a sleeper (Pacific Cape #10021) and/or an office (Beech Grove #10001) versions. I'm leaning more towards the former, although it might be possible to modify it to do both functions. I'd leave the three bedrooms as they are, and repurpose the roomettes into a conference/lounge area.

The other Budd built sleeper shell has been used to test the V-II modules,at Wilmington,if Bear is going to do
the V-I overhauls,that shell might become the pilot car for that project.
There's a need for an other Track Geo car,as 10002 is loaned out to some of the ajoining NEC commuter systems from time to time.
(This seems to be a way to make some $$ for NEC maintance)
This could also keep the Host RR's honest about track conditions/maintance on the current routes.
(Believe Amtrak has to "hire" some of the Host RR Track Geo Cars for the LD routes)
The acela based "high speed" track geo car,is somewhat unusable unless a couple of Acela power cars and 1 coach,and 1 Business class car
are retained for the high speed testing on the NEC,after the current fleet is replaced with 2nd gen Acela fleet.

The 10004 has been in Washington DC since last week. The chairs i noticed, were thrown about up against the glass today.

I take it this is now the "official" 10004 thread since the other thread is really supposed to deal with the forthcoming 10005 catenary inspection car.
That being said, a trip for the 10004 is allegedly afoot. If all goes well, it will head up the NEC towards weeks end to begin a journey out west for action towards Pontiac. I guess it still has its training wheels on because it is reported the 10002 will join in the festivities.

Boston, Mass? It is your turn! If all goes according to plan, this car will visit the Shore Line later in the week.

Was it in Philly for NTD? I saw it again when I was in DC the other day over on 30 track.