ironically Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does Amtrak have anything presently or potentially
> (after repair/refurb) operable that *is* PRIIA
> compliant?
Nope!

As a practical matter, anything Amtrak
> can supply quickly for "interim" use to allow
> early retirement of the oldest Talgos would have
> to come from the back lot, and is at least as old
> if not older than the Bad Talgos.

Amtrak/WSDOT are working on this, however, the Host Railroads nation wide are wanting to implement minimum axle counts to help with signal shunting. The CN/IC already is doing this in the Midwest, and both BNSF and UP are rattling their swords, with BNSF wanting a 24 axle minimum and UP a 30 axle minimum. If this happens, it further impacts Talgo operations in the PNW!
>
> You're right that the new trains have to go out
> for a general procurement, and if Talgo proposes
> it would have to be with PRIIA equipment.


>The requirements could, of course, have Talgo written
> all over them, since conventional equipment would
> not be able to maintain the curve speeds of Talgo
> and therefore would not be able to run on the same
> schedules.

The curve speed of the Talgos should already be in the PRIIA specifications. Realistically, with the California/IDOT order,VIA, and a future Brightline order, Siemens is the logical choice.

I am not ruling out CAF, Bombardier, or Stadler, and would really like to see Stadler give Siemens a run for their money!

Of course, we also have the potential of CRRC (Chinese)totally under bidding everyone on this procurement, which could be a major disaster.