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  • Viewliner II Delivery/Production

  • Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.
Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, mtuandrew, Tadman

 #1520734  by danib62
 
Given the new influx of sleepers I really do hope there is a return of sleeper service to the former Night Owl/Twilight Shoreliner/Federal.
 #1520736  by Tadman
 
Greg Moore wrote: Mon Sep 23, 2019 11:06 am
danib62 wrote: Mon Sep 23, 2019 9:52 am The Points Guy had a pretty good look a the new V-II sleeping accommodations and upgraded linens/amenities that will be rolling out. https://thepointsguy.com/news/amtrak-sh ... -services/
There's definitely some good stuff here. The one huge change I'd wish they'd make for the Amfleet II seats are the flip out "wings" for the head that many airlines have now. They make resting much easier by supporting your head so it doesn't flap around.

Totally agree. This is one of the best features of the British Mark 3 seated coach.
https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/ ... e=5E320E16
 #1520755  by WhartonAndNorthern
 
Greg Moore wrote: Mon Sep 23, 2019 11:06 am

Speaking of which, I heard a rumor the 66/67 IS getting a "dorm/baggage" which would be most excellent, returned baggage service AND sleeping.
Would be nice, however, someone suggested on another forum that since there is no handicapped-accessible bedroom, rooms in a bag-dorm can never be sold as revenue space even if there were accessible sleepers in the train. They're new cars so no potential for grandfathering. Knowing how the FRA interprets ADA requirements, I can't see a single bag-dorm ever running as a revenue sleeper on the Night Owl.
 #1520762  by gokeefe
 
It's a single overnight service. What was the arrangement in the past? Did the OBS get dorm/sleeper space?
 #1520768  by Tadman
 
Greg Moore wrote: Mon Sep 23, 2019 4:12 pm I'm referring more to the ones that you can adjust.

Image

Don't knock it til you try it. They're one degree away from magical. I've used the airlined adjustable style and they're not as good.
 #1520914  by jp1822
 
danib62 wrote: Mon Sep 23, 2019 2:08 pm Given the new influx of sleepers I really do hope there is a return of sleeper service to the former Night Owl/Twilight Shoreliner/Federal.
Amtrak had stated earlier that the sleeping car service on the NEC would be reinstated - on NEC trains 65/66/67. This should hold up, because technically, Amtrak could restore sleeper car service - with Viewliners - now IF it really wanted to. There are 39 Viewliners needed for assignment, Amtrak has 50 Viewliners, even though one of the 50 has been "stored." Only need two Viewliners to restore overnight service on NEC. It would be the perfect trains to "test" the Viewliner II sleepers on as well. Even when all the new Viewliner II sleepers arrive - a fleet of 25 - no one seems to know how they or where the will be assigned, other than augmenting existing sleepers on the eastern LD trains. We can all guess but no one knows.

But the intention of the initial order was to restore NEC sleeper car service - a few announcements affirming this were made in the past year. The other plan was to offer through sleeper car service between the Capitol Limited and Pennsylvanian at Pittsburgh.

What to do with the new Bagg/Dorms with only two LSA's that need to be accommodated in these cars is Amtrak's biggest dilemma it seems. I don't get why they could be revenue space as long as the are "part of a train consist" that already has a Viewliner Sleeper in it that offers a Handicap Room.

Should be interesting to see how long the free "amenity kits" last in the Viewliner Sleepers. Not sure how many times this has been tried and done over the years, starting with the Twilight Shoreliner service when the original Viewliner Sleepers were first introduced. The Twilight Shoreliner Viewliner Sleeper gave out a nice amenity kit, slippers, robe, and even had the windows in a nice "star and moon" wrap. But just like the "fresh flowers in the diner" these perks suffered the rounds of cost cuts......Even the special Twilight Lounge (a special lounge for Viewliner sleeper passengers and business class passengers) was taken off. All started as Warrington's project to make the Twilight Shoreliner be the special "Coast Starlight" of the East! But we all know how he his presidency at Amtrak (and the Twilight Shoreliner eventually) went down in flames!
 #1520936  by Tadman
 
I have to admit the amenity kits catch my interest. TATL first class is guaranteed to get you a nice kit. I hang on to them often because the little fabric bags are good for laptop and ipad chargers, voltage adapters, etc... They also make good gifts for small children that love stuff like that. I was a klepto as a kid, I came home with pens from every hotel until I had too many.

On the Caledonian Sleeper, you get a very thoughtful but poorly presented amenity kit. Compare it to Delta, where you get a down-market "Tumi for Delta" bag full of cheap stuff, on the Cally you get a plastic bag (think of a gummy bears bag) with the inexpensive amenities, then a small cardboard box with shampoo and pillow spray. The Cally usually costs $3-400 for a 12 hour sleeper, but loses money, so it's not surprising.

On Argentine, Canadian, and Swedish sleepers, you get nothing.

So Amtrak has a lot of leeway. Chances are the amenity kits get dumped after a year, but I'm not willing to be that pessimistic yet. I've always thought there was room to improve the sleeper offering without breaking the bank, and this is it. If the amenity kit were genuinely good, and designed with some sustainable concept in mind (IE reuse), it would serve as a souvineer and marketing piece long after the ride is over.

Imagine walking down the street and seeing your neighbor pulling their ipad out of a neoprene sleeve that was once a Viewliner amenity kit. Or perhaps he keeps his sunglasses in the glovebox of the car in a one-time Viewliner amenity kit. "Gee, Rob, where'd you get the cool thing?".
 #1520970  by Greg Moore
 
daybeers wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2019 2:08 am Wait did I miss something? Amtrak needs 39 now and is only getting 25 VIIs?
The VIIs are supplementing the existing VI fleet, not replacing them.

When done, Amtrak should have 75 sleepers (or 74 if they one on the shop doesn't come out).
 #1520972  by WhartonAndNorthern
 
Greg Moore wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2019 5:17 pm
daybeers wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2019 2:08 am Wait did I miss something? Amtrak needs 39 now and is only getting 25 VIIs?
The VIIs are supplementing the existing VI fleet, not replacing them.

When done, Amtrak should have 75 sleepers (or 74 if they one on the shop doesn't come out).
At some point after enough V2s arrive, V1s will be sent to the shops for refresh and reconfiguration to appear similar to V2s. For a while there may be a mix of classic V1s, refreshed V1s, and new V2s.
 #1520984  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Greg Moore wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2019 5:17 pm When done, Amtrak should have 75 sleepers (or 74 if they one on the shop doesn't come out).
Mr. Moore, I'd like to think the V-I that has not been returned to service is from Cayce; the Sleepers were placed rear, and I would further like to think didn't suffer any structural damage.
 #1520992  by daybeers
 
WhartonAndNorthern wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2019 5:23 pm
Greg Moore wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2019 5:17 pm
daybeers wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2019 2:08 am Wait did I miss something? Amtrak needs 39 now and is only getting 25 VIIs?
The VIIs are supplementing the existing VI fleet, not replacing them.

When done, Amtrak should have 75 sleepers (or 74 if they one on the shop doesn't come out).
At some point after enough V2s arrive, V1s will be sent to the shops for refresh and reconfiguration to appear similar to V2s. For a while there may be a mix of classic V1s, refreshed V1s, and new V2s.
Ah okay. Will that be done by CAF?
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