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I am finally finding time to put together my travelogue from my October/November trip. On that trip my northbound train had one of the rebuilt Superliner I sleepers. Rather than clutter the travelogue with photos of toilets and hallways, I decided to make a separate page with comparison photos showing the differences between the rebuilt cars and the regular cars.
One of these days I will incorporate the page into my travelogue. But you can preview it here.
sbalax Member # 2801
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Thanks for the preview, Mr. Toy! What a difference!!
Frank in Sunny SBA
CoastStarlight99 Member # 2734
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Great comparison photos! Anyone know how many Superliners have had the complete refurbishment? It seems many have just received new seat covers.
PaulB Member # 4258
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You show a refurbished Superliner 1, along with an unrefurbished Superliner 2. I think to compare apples to apples, you should show pics of an unrefurbished Superliner 1. The 2's have that gray/maroon color scheme in the restrooms and hallway.
Most striking is that the original Superliner 1's have that hideous orange/yellow/green color scheme.
I have some photos of an orginal Superliner I if you want them.
Southwest Chief Member # 1227
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Thank you very much for those images. These help a lot with HO modeling...especially getting the wall colors right. I've been in a few of the refurbished cars, but I can't remember the details like a good photo shows.
One question on the new faucets. The semi refurbished sleeper I was in had the old push down faucets. How do the new faucets work? And if they are turn faucets, what prevents some bozo from leaving the faucet on and draining the car water supply?
PaulB, if you would be willing to share your Superliner I photos that would be very helpful for my HO models. My email address is SouthwestChief@gmail.com
20th Century Member # 2196
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Thanks Mr.Toy.Remarkable comparisons for the better. As I mistakenly questioned on the Diner lounge thread will the refurbishment program continue? or is it abandoned?
CHI_Amtrak_Fan Member # 4004
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quote:Originally posted by Southwest Chief: Thank you very much for those images. These help a lot with HO modeling...especially getting the wall colors right. I've been in a few of the refurbished cars, but I can't remember the details like a good photo shows.
One question on the new faucets. The semi refurbished sleeper I was in had the old push down faucets. How do the new faucets work? And if they are turn faucets, what prevents some bozo from leaving the faucet on and draining the car water supply?
PaulB, if you would be willing to share your Superliner I photos that would be very helpful for my HO models. My email address is SouthwestChief@gmail.com
Matt,
The new refurbished sleepers feature push faucets with time delay from the Chicago Faucet Company. See them here.
I've been in a few refurbished sleepers where the delay seems to be long, mostly with the first push of the trip, there after it seems to be a reasonable amount of water.
David Z Chicago, IL
Room Service Member # 2405
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Are all the sleepers on the EB referbished as this one is?
CHI_Amtrak_Fan Member # 4004
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As part of the Empire Builder's refurbishment and improved service, the Seattle and Portland sleepers use refurbished Superliner I sleepers. I've been on one trip where one of the sleepers in the consist was not refurbished (thankfully not mine.) The sleeper attendant on a recent Capitol Limited trip referred to the refurbished sleepers as Empire Sleeper cars. I observed, doing a same day turn in Washington DC, and being up at 2 AM that all three train sets for the Capitol Limited now feature refurbished sleepers. The Capitol Limited currently does not share equipment with the Southwest Chief because of the Diner Lounge trial. The sleeper attendant also mentioned that management has shared with her that by the end of January the "Empire Sleepers" will be permanent to the Capitol Limited as well as the Empire Builder. Sounds good to me, I prefer the Capitol Limited (and Acela) vs. Lake Shore Limited even if going to NY.
David
Southwest Chief Member # 1227
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quote:Originally posted by CHI_Amtrak_Fan: The new refurbished sleepers feature push faucets with time delay from the Chicago Faucet Company.
Thank you for that info. The new faucets make a lot more sense then the old pressure handles. Those old things are just terrible…one of the few major design flaws I can think of for Superliners.
palmland Member # 4344
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Interesting that the EB sleepers will run through again on the Capitol. If so how will the much discussed diner-lounge car be handled? Maybe it will become the Portland diner which will be an improvement-at least for eating- over lounge only that it is now.
Still, this will require adding a full diner and presumably full lounge in Chicago which seems to kind of defeat the purpose of a run through train? And a converted lounge (rather than diner) would be better suited to the EB-Portland with all the scenery.
CHI_Amtrak_Fan Member # 4004
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OOps, didn't mean to imply that the Empire Builder and the Capitol Limited would share equipment, they will still operate with isolated train consists. I just meant to say that I heard a rumor from the crew that by the end of January the Capitol Limited and the Empire Builder will both be assigned to use Superliner I refurbished cars, and that if you wanted to experience a ride in such a car, that either of those two trains would almost gurantee a ride in a refurbished sleeper.
Cheers, David
CHI_Amtrak_Fan Member # 4004
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Mr. Toy,
I really appreciate the side by side comparison webpage you're building. I have experienced the difference first hand during different legs of the same trip. Please let me know if you see any pictures from my website that will be useful in assembling more comparisons:
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Thanks for the offer, Mr. Z, but my main priority is the travelogue. The comparison page is merely a sidebar, so I don't plan to go any further with it.
By the way, I really appreciate your contributions here. I hope you'll stay with us as a reg'lar.
CHI_Amtrak_Fan Member # 4004
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Jim,
Can't wait to see your finished travelogue. When I was starting my first Amtrak trips in 2004 I read many of your reports to get started.
I try to be as active as possible, and haven't contributed much Oct-Dec as I work in retail, and it is our busy season, now that the store is slowing down I have time to get back into my train riding "hobby."
Cheers, David Z
PaulB Member # 4258
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I don't think the diner/lounge conversion program is terminated. This one car is a prototype. They will run it for a month or two, gather suggestions, and incorporate those into future designs. So the program is on hold for a bit.
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