Hi! I'm new here, and fairly new to train travel. I took my first Amtrak trip last summer on the Lake Shore Limited, and travelled to Boston earlier this year on the Acela Regional.
I have some questions, and I'll start with this: 1. Why does Amtrak use Heritage equipment for the Three Rivers, and why is this the only train that does so? 2. What are the Heritage sleepers like? How do they compare to the Viewliners or Superliners?
Thanks!
Posted by DC2001 (Member # 542) on :
Amtrak would like to retire all heritage cars, but equipment shortages keep many in service. So far as I know, the only Heritage car on the Three Rivers is the "10-6" Heritage sleeper (10 Roomettes (sleeps one) and 6 Bedrooms (sleeps two). Superliners cannot be used on this route due to clearance restrictions, and there is a shortage of Viewliner sleepers (only fifty were built, plus two prototypes). Before Amtrak rebuilt the Heritage Sleepers to use here, the Three Rivers was a coach-only train. It's possible these sleepers could be retired as early as this fall.
Heritage Baggage cars are used on almost all trains that offer checked baggage, and all low-level "true" dining cars (not "dinettes", such as the Three Rivers food service) are Heritage Cars. Also, the crew dorms found on eastern long-distance trains (Lake Shore, Silver Service, others) are Heritage Sleepers - the same cars used as the Three Rivers sleeper, actually (though not rebuilt). Unless there have been changes I don't know about, the coaches and dinette used on that train are either Amfleet II or Horizon fleet equipment. Horizon cars superficially resemble heritage cars, but are "smooth-sided" as opposed to the "fluted" sides on most Heritage cars.
Heritage Sleepers will not be nearly as modern (they were built in the 1950's) as Viewliner or superliner rooms, but they are quite comfortable. Do note the differences in accomodations: roomettes are for single travelers, and there are no economy rooms. Again, the cars used on the Three Rivers were rebuilt a few years back. Perhaps someone else knows whethor the rebuild included a shower installation, not otherwise present.
Posted by reggierail (Member # 26) on :
Yes there is a shower in the refurbed Heritage sleepers. I believe it is roomette #9 converted to a shower. There is also a handicapped room opposite the shower which was made from 2 roomettes. I really enjoy traveling in these cars in which people traveled close to fifty years ago. They are sturdy, ride better than the lighter viewliners & are just special. BTW there are 1 or 2 viewliner prototype diners that show up once in a while on the single level fleets. Yours Reggie