Viewliner

Viewliner
From left: a partially visible Viewliner I sleeper, a Viewliner II sleeper and a Viewliner II baggage car
A Viewliner II roomette
ManufacturerBudd Company (prototypes)
Morrison-Knudsen (Viewliner I)
CAF (Viewliner II)
Constructed
  • Prototypes: 1987–1988
  • Viewliner I: 1995–1996
  • Viewliner II: 2012–2021
Entered service1988–present
Number built
  • Prototypes: 3
  • Viewliner I: 50
  • Viewliner II: 130
Number in service
  • Viewliner I: 35 (October 2023)[1]
  • Viewliner II: 108 (October 2023)
Fleet numbers
  • Prototypes:
  •     2300, 2301 (Sleeping)
  •     8400 (Dining)
  • Viewliner I:
  •     62000–62049 (Sleeping)
  • Viewliner II:
  •     61000–61069 (Baggage)
  •     62500–62524 (Sleeping)
  •     68000–68024 (Dining)
  •     69000–69009 (Baggage/Sleeping)
Capacity
  • Viewliner I sleeper: 30
  • Viewliner II sleeper: 28
OperatorsAmtrak
Specifications
Car body constructionStainless steel
Car length85.33 ft (26.01 m)
Width10 ft 6 in (3.20 m)
Height14 ft (4.27 m)
Floor height51 in (1,300 mm)
Platform height51 in (1,300 mm) (high)
17 in (430 mm) (low)
Maximum speedPrototypes/Viewliner I: 110 mph (177 km/h)
Viewliner II: 125 mph (201 km/h)
Power supply480 V AC 60 Hz
BogiesGSI 70
Braking system(s)Air
Coupling systemAAR
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The Viewliner is a single-level railroad car type operated by Amtrak on most long-distance routes operating east of Chicago. The first production cars, consisting of an order of 50 sleeping cars, entered service in 1994. From 2015–2016, 70 Viewliner II baggage cars entered service. The new baggage cars are used on all Amtrak trains with full baggage cars, both single-level and bi-level, and replaced all of the Heritage Fleet baggage cars that Amtrak inherited from the freight railroads when it was established in 1971. From 2016–2019, 25 Viewliner II dining cars entered service, which replaced all of the Heritage Fleet dining cars. In 2019, 10 Viewliner II baggage-dormitory cars entered service. The last cars to enter service were 25 Viewliner II sleeping cars in 2021.

  1. ^ "Amtrak FY24-29 Five Year Service and Asset Line Plans" (PDF).