What About New Equipment?
Something has to be done about replacing equipment for Amtrak’s long-distance trains. There should be a budget item for acquisition of new equipment every year.
I have heard that the Société Nacionale de Chemin de Fer, the French national railroad more commonly known as SNCF, has a standing order every year for a specific number of rail cars and/or locomotives. It certainly makes sense that funds for new equipment should be a specific budget item every year.
With respect to Amtrak and its equipment needs, let’s start with dome cars.
These cars are immensely popular on the VIA Rail trains and, if promoted as an extra benefit for Amtrak sleeping car passengers, they would help to generate more ridership. Besides, sleeping car passengers keep paying more and more, so it would be nice if access to a dome car came as an extra benefit.
More Viewliners, please!
The Cardinal is one of my favorite trains, passing through some of the country’s most beautiful scenery, but there is only one Viewliner sleeping car in the Cardinal consist and four or five of the roomettes in it are used for the on board crew. Another couple of Viewliner sleeping cars in the Cardinal’s consist would be very popular and would begin to generate some serious revenue.
By the way, eliminating the toilet from the Viewliner roomettes in the new generation of these sleepers was the right call. I’m sure it has reduced maintenance costs substantially and having to walk to the rear of the car to use the facilities isn’t a problem. That’s how it’s done in Superliner sleepers.
The Superliner sleeping cars work well and passengers seem to like them, so how about a standing order for x-number new Superliners a year. Only this time—please!— add a window for the people in the roomettes’ upper berth.
Possible good news for the Cardinal. My last ride was on July 16 in one of the new sleepers. Very nice experience. This last trip had a crew car on the train. If this keeps up there will be more roomettes. I hope the dining card return to the Eastern routes soon, I miss the experience. I have never ridden in a dome car so I have no basis to compare. I do know the Western observation/snack bar cars offer a wonderful view, but seat hogs filled the car up and would not let others enjoy the view. The conductor finally had to chase some out, but they soon returned. Did that happen in the dome cars? From pictures they seem to be less comfortable. Your thoughts?
Hello Jim,
Just road the California Zephyr the last week of June. The last time I road this route was 1977. It was on the older equipment from Santa Fe or BN. Always enjoyable to ride the train.
On your comment about the equipment, I could not agree more. This last ride in the Roomette was clean, and an excellent attendant. The interior was worn, and there was no hot water in the shower. I didn’t mind as it seemed like a camping trip.
The other observation is that the dining car was serving only to sleeping car passengers, and still, there were 3 times for each meal for a very understaff crew. The crew was great and overworked. I was told that there is a struggle in hiring new personnel.
As a lifelong train fan, I am worried that a 1st-time patron would not travel again. The 1st 2 items would be new/refurbished equipment and fulling hiring out staff. Of course, giving the passenger trains priority over freights would be the 1 one issue overall.
You’re right to worry about the first time traveler. I do, too. Still, I had dinner with one on my last trip and he was happy as a clam. Probably because he had no earlier experiences to compare.
Sends the wrong message to people from countries that have civilized train systems. I think it’s disgraceful the politicians don’t want to put any of taxpayer’s money into long distance trains. So many boomers with money and time to travel.
We shall see how the LD equipment refurbish goes. Amtrak has said, however, that new equipment is due for the LD trains in the next decade, and planning has commenced in earnest.
As for food for coach passengers, they could be offered a service akin to what Rocky Mountaineer offers its SilverLeaf passengers and Amtrak its Acela passengers.
Amtrak has been teasing a daily Cardinal since the CAF Viewliner order was announced. With the order complete, and abundant funding on the way, it may become reality soon.
RPA has been pressing for a daily Cardinal for at least 15 years. Here’s hoping that new equipment will make that possible.
I’ll leave the daily Cardinal up to the whims of Joe Manchin. He was the one who threw funding at it for it to be studied and implemented as a daily train.
We shall see how the LD equipment refurbish goes. Amtrak has said, however, that new equipment is due for the LD trains in the next decade, and planning has commenced in earnest.
As for food for coach passengers, they could be offered a service akin to what Rocky Mountaineer offers its SilverLeaf passengers and Amtrak its Acela passengers.
Amtrak has been teasing a daily Cardinal since the CAF Viewliner order was announced. With the order complete, and a
Given how the latest equipment orders have ended up, a new LD fleet will most likely be an LD version of the Siemens Ventures to ensure fleet uniformity and the hassles of bilevel cars.
The creation of the dome car posed a serious structural issue for Budd and Pullman. This would make for a more practical alternative:
https://www.privatecarhollywoodbeach.com/about-hollywoodbeach.php
Thanks.Appreciate the info.