MTH Amtrak 2017 Volume 1 Catalog

I just commented about this the other day. YES I'm definitely in.

Joe B.

Yes, and a set of viewliners would be great.

I was wondering what my next locomotive purchase was going to be. I already have about 14 units stacked up waiting for their turn on the test track (because of an inventory-recording logjam).

But I'd get one or two of these. Throw in a 6-car set of ballast hoppers (none show up on Ebay) and maybe a Genset too

My thinking about the Viewliners:

--It will be a looooooong  time before a full Viewliner train is even prototypical, assuming it's even destined to happen. Seriously, there isn't any consensus, official or railfan, on what the replacement for the Amfleet will be. It is NOT by any stretch of the imagination a done deal that there will ever be a such thing as a Viewliner coach.

--Currently there are Viewliner sleepers, baggage cars, and one diner (the 8400). Yes, it is slated to be joined by other diners, more sleepers and a relative handful of baggage-dorm cars (the VL equivalent of a combine). Right now, those last three are behind schedule (no surprise), and one of the best-kept secrets around is just what is holding them up.

--So what does this mean for hypothetical VL models? An opportunity to spread out tooling costs by offering the two main types first as add-ons to existing Amtrak sets (sleeper/baggage and sleeper/sleeper) rather than full four-car sets. End users can always buy one of each if they have the room for 8-10 car trains, and those on a budget or with limited space can still squeeze in one of the two setups. Later on when the diners and baggage/dorms appear in real life, those two can be added as a third option.

---PCJ

I am out. Man's got to know his limitations. My model RR era ends in 1998. So phase lv is the top step for me. 

I would love to see some AAPRCO passenger cars with that Amtrak P42DC.

http://www.aaprco.com/travel/cars-for-charter/

I have the original one MTH did through Walters.   I would like to pick up a 2nd locomotive with the RS 3.0.  

So pick, what is the "best kept secret" that is holding up production of these cars?