Viewliner

Viewliner
From left: a partially visible Viewliner I sleeper, a Viewliner II sleeper and a Viewliner II baggage car
A Viewliner II roomette
ManufacturersBudd 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)
  • 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
OperatorAmtrak
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 systemAir
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 Viewliner I fleet of 50 sleeping cars entered service in 1994. Several types of Viewliner II cars entered service beginning in the 2010s: 70 baggage cars entered service during 2015–2016; 25 dining cars during 2016–2019; 10 baggage–dormitory cars in 2019; and 25 sleeping cars in 2021.

The Viewliner II 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. Similarly, the Viewliner II dining cars replaced all of the Heritage Fleet dining cars.