Amfleet I Interior Refresh

[PVD]

They started selling tickets.....the connecting bus is ending....

 

[LookingGlassTie]

Will the upgraded coach seats be better for resting in? Even on the short-distance Regionals, it is nice to be able to "nod-off" sometimes, even if one doesn't go to sleep completely.

 

[Acela150]

Will the upgraded coach seats be better for resting in? Even on the short-distance Regionals, it is nice to be able to "nod-off" sometimes, even if one doesn't go to sleep completely.

Time will tell.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I don't believe anything is happening until it turns a wheel in revenue service.

 

[Palmetto]

Am I correct to assume the refurb work will be done in Beech Grove?

 

[Ryan]

From the link:

during the next several months, hundreds of Amtrak employees, alongside our industry partners, will perform the maintenance and overhaul work at facilities across the northeastern U.S. including Albany, New York; Sunnyside, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Wilmington, Delaware; Washington D.C. Lynchburg, Virginia; Norfolk, Virginia; and Roanoke, Virginia.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

I think this means that service to Roanoke is a real thing:

"... during the next several months, hundreds of Amtrak employees, alongside our industry partners, will perform the maintenance and overhaul work at facilities across the northeastern U.S. including ... Roanoke, Virginia."

Service begins Oct. 31. Why would you not think it was a real thing?

It was a little joke that couldn't. Sorry.

I thought I was noting that while service hasn't yet begun (tho I'm confident that it will), but ALREADY Roanoke is named as a facility for maintenance and overhaul.

That's going from zero to being listed along with Albany, Sunnyside, Philly, Wilmington, and Washington pretty dayum fast! Who knew that Amtrak had such facilities in place? Paid for by Virginia? Maybe they mean that NS has facilities in Roanoke (and Lynchburg? and Norfolk?) that will do some of the work on contract.

 

[neroden]

This seems like a well-thought-out move; they're doing a very cheap and simple refresh which shouldn't cost too much and which any shop should be able to do. But it'll look spiffier. (Of course, I bet when they take the surfaces off of some of those interiors, they'll discover hidden damage which requires sending some of the cars into Beech Grove for heavy work, but it's better to find that now rather than later.)

 

[PVD]

Is it Beech or Delaware for the AM1s? Either way, the point about uncovering hidden problems is certainly valid. Finding hidden corrosion under a cafe counter or restroom floor would not be a shocker...

 

[jis]

Is it Beech or Delaware for the AM1s? Either way, the point about uncovering hidden problems is certainly valid. Finding hidden corrosion under a cafe counter or restroom floor would not be a shocker...

Usually it is Bear DE or Wilmington DE.

 

[Blackwolf]

Now only if we can get new room modules for the Viewliner I Sleepers. I've always been repulsed by the roomette toilets (never going to be pleased with those), but on our LSL trip on the 11th from CHI-NYP I can attest that the roomette me and Mrs. Blackwolf were in was extremely worn out.

The only things that seemed "refreshed" were the fabric on the seats and the curtains, both being things I can imagine are redone on a regular basis. But the room itself was borderline broken. Carpet was brown and threadbare, the fiberglass of the walls and shelves were chipped and cracked all over, the module squeaked and rattled beyond what duct tape could fix. The rest of the car was in like condition, and the sleeper ahead of ours was a notch or two worse off.

If RailPlan is not completely bankrupt and out of business, I sincerely hope Mr. Andersen and Mr. Moorman are looking to fix these worn out car interiors next. Even if it means pulling sleepers off of some trains temporarily to do so. I can't see some of the interiors lasting too many more years before completely becoming a dumpster fire.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

Now only if we can get new room modules for the Viewliner I Sleepers. ... on our LSL trip on the 11th from CHI-NYP I can attest that the roomette me and Mrs. Blackwolf were in was extremely worn out.

...

If RailPlan is not completely bankrupt and out of business

...

I sincerely hope Mr. Andersen and Mr. Moorman are looking to fix these worn out car interiors next. Even if it means pulling sleepers off of some trains temporarily to do so. I can't see some of the interiors lasting too many more years before completely becoming a dumpster fire.

I assume RailPlan is doing O.K.

True that CAF reported problems with a key supplier that has gone out of business, but it had to do with the trucks, not the modules.

iiuc, the as-yet unfunded plan is to overhaul the Viewliner I fleet after all the V II's are delivered. So as CAF misses deadlines, the rehab program also gets postponed. Not a problem this fiscal year or next because nobody is ready. But Amtrak could need funding to do the make-overs when that time comes.

 

[Acela150]

Is it Beech or Delaware for the AM1s? Either way, the point about uncovering hidden problems is certainly valid. Finding hidden corrosion under a cafe counter or restroom floor would not be a shocker...

Usually it is Bear DE or Wilmington DE.

I doubt Wilmington simply cause they're mainly working on the Electric Fleet most of the time. But at the same time I don't see why they couldn't handle a coach overhaul.

 

[tommylicious]

Isn't this that ex-airline CEO reducing legroom by 60% under the guise of a "refresh" ?

 

[JayPea]

Isn't this that ex-airline CEO reducing legroom by 60% under the guise of a "refresh" ?

Nothing at all about reducing legroom in the refreshing. There has been some talk about reducing legroom in some trains in order to create a third class of seating along with first/business class and coach, but that all it is is talk. And even at that I see nothing about a 60% reduction.

 

[jis]

Isn't this that ex-airline CEO reducing legroom by 60% under the guise of a "refresh" ?

No. He has explicitly said that there are no plans to reduce seat pitch, in his interview on CBS. Could we please stop spreading this canard?

 

[tommylicious]

Then he's reducing seat width?

 

[PVD]

There is no move on the table to reduce pitch or width. Width would be a waste unless you were going to 3+2 and that's never been a plan for Amtrak. Even commuter lines struggle with that. It would require all new seats (very expensive) and redone reading lights.

 

[jis]

Then he's reducing seat width?

No he is not. Just get over it. Think of some other cataclysm and worry about it instead.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Corrosion on an Amfleet, which is an all stainless steel monocoque design, would be rather weird.

 

[jis]

Corrosion on an Amfleet, which is an all stainless steel monocoque design, would be rather weird.

If there is any issue it would more likely be fatigue cracks at inconvenient places rather than corrosion I would think.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I would agree, but I don't think the Amfleets are really old enough for that to be a major issue at this point.

 

[PVD]

Fatigue cracks are often a function of design and fabrication quality, not age.

 

[Triley]

Wonder when they're gonna finally start to repaint the exterior to match the new baggage/viewliner cars.

Why would that need to be done? The Amfleet Is are very rarely in the same consist as a baggage car, and certainly even more rarely a Viewliner. They are branded Amtrak America, since that's what they wanted to put in the theme for long hauls.

Still no center armrests, even in business class. Really?

Are you willing to sacrifice seat width for that? People in this very thread would start losing it over reducing seat width for any reason. Only way to keep the seat width (or even increase it) is to go to 2x1 seating for all business class cars, cutting capacity by 15 seats, meaning fares would have to go up by 25% to bring the same fare potential per car. Then less passengers would upgrade, leading to....well, who knows.

I think this means that service to Roanoke is a real thing:

"... during the next several months, hundreds of Amtrak employees, alongside our industry partners, will perform the maintenance and overhaul work at facilities across the northeastern U.S. including ... Roanoke, Virginia."

Service begins Oct. 31. Why would you not think it was a real thing?

It was a little joke that couldn't. Sorry.

I thought I was noting that while service hasn't yet begun (tho I'm confident that it will), but ALREADY Roanoke is named as a facility for maintenance and overhaul.

That's going from zero to being listed along with Albany, Sunnyside, Philly, Wilmington, and Washington pretty dayum fast! Who knew that Amtrak had such facilities in place? Paid for by Virginia? Maybe they mean that NS has facilities in Roanoke (and Lynchburg? and Norfolk?) that will do some of the work on contract.

I highly doubt they're going to contract the service out. What I am assuming they're going to do is use existing mechanical crews (even though they may not necessary be qualified per the union to do the work?) at the servicing points. Roanoke and Norfolk will only be getting one train per day that terminates there, and eventually Lynchburg will be getting one again as well. You need to pay those people full time hours, so you may as well have them doing other work, since it doesn't take 8 hours to service a 7-9 car train.

Notice Richmond and Newport News, who handle two or more trains per day are not on the list. I haven't looked in to it at all, but my explanation seems to be the only reasonable one I can think of.

 

[MisterUptempo]

Isn't this that ex-airline CEO reducing legroom by 60% under the guise of a "refresh" ?

As others have pointed out, there will be no reduction in seat pitch. As a matter of fact the decision to perform a refresh on the Amfleet I's was made by the Amtrak board in March, 2017, perhaps earlier, long before the announcement of Anderson becoming Amtrak CEO in late June, 2017.