Railroads & Locomotives Passenger Service Genesis of Amtrak Superliner cars

Genesis of Amtrak Superliner cars

By Brian Schmidt | December 24, 2023

| Last updated on August 23, 2024

These bilevel passenger cars make up the bulk of Amtrak’s West Coast intercity offerings

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One of hundreds of Amtrak Superliner cars outside a building at the factory
Sleeping car 32009, appropriately named George M. Pullman, rides the transfer table as the last Superliner outshopped from the historic South Side Chicago Pullman works, Dec. 23, 1981. Joshua D. Coran photo

Train made up of bilevel Amtrak Superliner cars
The Santa Fe Hi-Level cars were the template for Amtrak’s Superliners, introduced in 1979. In this March 1995 photo of the westbound Southwest Chief at Ribera, N.M., the last five cars are Superliners, while the two ahead of them are ex-Santa Fe Hi-Level coaches. John C. Lucas photo

7 thoughts on “Genesis of Amtrak Superliner cars

  1. “In addition to Auto Train, the Capitol Limited, City of New Orleans, and(for a time) Cardinal were converted to Superliners with this order.”

    When did the Cardinal ever operate with Superliners? I thought tunnel clearances between Washington, DC and New York City (NEC) prohibited them. Did the Cardinal operate ‘for a time’ only between Chicago and Washington?

    1. For several times, don’t got exact, the Cardinal terminated in Washington,DC. In fact, it was originally terminated there before extended to NYC. Checking back, 1995-2002 train was equipped with Superliners during one of the periods of terminating in DC.

  2. RE: “Klauder also submitted several sleeping-car designs, including a Slumbercoach configuration, a sleeper-lounge, and a deluxe roomette car with serpentine hallway (patterned after an Australian car) that obviated the need to raise the bed to use the toilet.”

    Would love to see these drawings if you guys can get them.

  3. Did Lewis have a plan for paying for the new equipment? As far as I know, there were no grants or specific dollars allocated in a funding bill. The increase in capital costs probably led to Amtrak having to pare it’s route structure in 1979. Congress would never let them order equipment like that today without the funding in place.

  4. I think the Southwest Chief and Sunset Limited were using Hi-Level cars, not single-level cars, when they were replaced by Superliners.

    1. Sunset never had Bi-Level cars prior to Amtrak Superliners, IIRC. Recent postings indicate that ATK may again be seeking New Bi-Levels for select LD Routes. How long it takes from contract to actual revenue service is anyone’s guess tho.

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