Lake Shore Limited

On the LSL with the newer model sleeper, the attendant had a room adjacent to the two restrooms at the end of the car. One attendant per sleeper and he was kept busy delivering nightcaps, turning down beds and then in the am, getting breakfasts and making up the rooms. It appeared that the roomette across from him was being used for storage.

The one waiter in the "diner" couldn't keep up with all the sleeper passengers coming in for breakfast so he turned folks away without reservations requiring the sleeper attendant to get breakfast and deliver to his passengers back in their rooms.

Car was somewhat dirty, so even though this was a newer model sleeper, it likely has been in service on the FL routes for some time.

I liked the new bedding but as I was the only occupant, I had the mattresses doubled up.

Was the new sleeper on the NY section? We took the Boston section of the LSL 9/15 (449) and 9/25 (448) and both were Viewliner I's (which I prefer, having the toilet in the room).

New Viewliner Sleeper is either car 4812 or 4912. It’s the second NYC based sleeper. LSL now has a bagg/dorm on it, so ALL crew, except SCA have an assigned room in the new Viewliner Bagg/Dorm car.

While I did see a bag/dorm deadhead east on the tail end of Amtrak 48 about a week ago, I didn't see a bag/dorm on #48 when it stopped at Elkhart in the wee hours of this morning (Thursday 10/7/21) operating almost 3 hours late. It just had a conventional baggage car on the marker - but maybe folding crew cots were set-up inside the bag!

When I saw 49 on the Elkhart VR yesterday the V-II sleeper was the second sleeper on the NY section just ahead of the bag. No bag dorm. Same setup on 48 when it went through Fairport yesterday.

Not sure what to say folks - other than sorry about that! Amtrak could have easily scrapped the Viewliner Bagg/Dorm idea on the Lake Shore since I rode last week out to Chicago. The Viewliner fleet utilization has been baffling for more than 20 years. When I was onboard the Lake Shore it was there (westbound), and crew said it was staying and “new” to the fleet along with the new “V-II” Sleeper. Granted it, some crew were a little surprised to be bunking altogether in one car again.

Anyone know what trains have the Viewliner Bagg/Dorm?

It used to be the Cardinal (2), and Crescent (4). So that put six (6) cars into play out of 10 in the fleet. It actually made too good sense to put three in service on the LSL - putting nine (9) in service out of the 10 . If the car got bad-ordered just sub a Viewliner I for it. PENTY of Viewliners to go around! Course if Amtrak could - they should send about 40 Viewliner Baggage Cars back to CAF and have them outfitted as either all bedroom sleepers or bagg/dorm sleepers. The baggage cars are such a waste in current working environment. Might take another 10 years to complete though!

"Course if Amtrak could - they should send about 40 Viewliner Baggage Cars back to CAF and have them outfitted as either all bedroom sleepers or bagg/dorm sleepers. The baggage cars are such a waste in current working environment. Might take another 10 years to complete though!'

Agree the bag cars are underutilized. On some routes they are just tagged on to add to the axle count and are not even in use.

Rather than all bedroom cars which would require extensive plumbing--might be easier to make them into all Roomette or Slumbercoaches with shower and restrooms at one end.

It used to be the Cardinal (2), and Crescent (4). So that put six (6) cars into play out of 10 in the fleet. It actually made too good sense to put three in service on the LSL - putting nine (9) in service out of the 10 . If the car got bad-ordered just sub a Viewliner I for it. PENTY of Viewliners to go around

I totally agree with this. They could sell the extra space easily. I booked my trip that I took this summer on the LSL as soon as they announced the return of daily LD trains booking one of the off days as soon as you could. I checked that trains status a month before departure and it was sold out. If they have 4 available by all means add them to the LSL and get more revenue space. I also agree that the V-bags are a waste of space. If at some point they could turn some of those into V-bag-dorms that would make sense. As far as CAF.....Well.

Can anyone here give some more info on the Amfleet coaches that have started appearing as the first few cars in the consist, ahead of the Boston sleeper? Yesterday there were 2 Amfleet coaches, Viewliner sleeper, then the Amfleet cafe from the Boston section. Today, there was a single coach ahead of the Boston sleeper.

I was not organized enough to catch 448 on the Palmer or Chester cameras. The romantic in me wants to think they are special movements of some group.

R.B.

R.B.Phillips wrote: ↑Sun Apr 03, 2022 8:53 am Can anyone here give some more info on the Amfleet coaches that have started appearing as the first few cars in the consist, ahead of the Boston sleeper? Yesterday there were 2 Amfleet coaches, Viewliner sleeper, then the Amfleet cafe from the Boston section. Today, there was a single coach ahead of the Boston sleeper.

I was not organized enough to catch 448 on the Palmer or Chester cameras. The romantic in me wants to think they are special movements of some group.

R.B.

I will check it today when I get in. See if they are doing something new to the B&A side of things. Or if those were just deadhead cars.

There have been plenty of cars over the months seen behind the Viewliner baggage on 48, so I had, correctly or incorrectly concluded deadheading cars got tacked on there.

R.B.Phillips wrote: ↑Sun Apr 03, 2022 8:53 am I was not organized enough to catch 448 on the Palmer or Chester cameras. The romantic in me wants to think they are special movements of some group.

Note that you don't need to "catch" trains in real time on these railcams. YouTube stores 12 hours of video from each of these cameras so all you have to do is move the slider (at the bottom of the screen) to the left until you find the train that you are seeking.

According to my manifest today for AMT48(02) there were two deadhead coaches going to Boston for the NEC. Guess its a new way of moving equipment, normally get that type stuff on the NY side.

Indeed at 1929 Sunday 4/3/22, 448 passed the Palmer cam with 2 deadhead coaches between the power and the sleeper. Ironically, instead of the "normal" 2 revenue coaches on the marker, there was only one, which is often the case these days. 448 leader was P42 #145 in 40th anniversary heritage livery.

Great discussion - thanks!!