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Well, the new Acelas were ordered and delivered as trainsts. and they're having their problems. The Airos are also being ordered as trainsets, we'll see how that turns out.One thing that I don;t understand is, if you are buying train sets to give your riders a consistent new experience, why would you not require things to be delivered as trainsets instead of getting the order delivered as a smorgasbord of cars in random order. bot VIA and Brightline took the approach of getting full train sets delivered at a time, as is California (mostly). But I suppose Midwest and Amtrak together have their own approach.
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Well yeah that was a bit of rhetorical flourish on my part. Oh I know why they did it. They should explain to people why they did it so that they ready they have to sell Business Class seat5s as Coach. It will be interesting when they suddenly up the price and Class on those BC seats being sold as Coach now confusing people , not that anyone cares perhaps. The funny thing is that the Midwest folks are having their problems too, one thing one would imagine they could avoid with the freedom to shuffle whatever together into trains.Well, the new Acelas were ordered and delivered as trainsts. and they're having their problems. The Airos are also being ordered as trainsets, we'll see how that turns out.
I would imagine that the Midwest folks wanted to ba able mix and match the new equipment with their existing rolling stock, which is something you can't do with a semi-permanently coupled trainset.
The funny thing is that the Midwest folks are having their problems too, one thing one would imagine they could avoid with the freedom to shuffle whatever together into trains.
The theory is is if there is a failure in one of the cars then that can be uncoupled and replaced on the fly. I know that Brightline does such anyway if there is a big enough failure that cannot be fixed overnight even in their semi-permanently coupled sets, So it does not appear to be an issue when push comes to shove.Which problem would uncoupling the married pairs avoid?
Metra had chimes - somewhat similar, if less elegant - to alert crew to curves.I'm still curious at the specific sound on the venture cars as I rode one not too long ago and still encountered the sound. I have ensured that there is audio in this video.
Previously, I received messages from other members that the previous video's audio didn't work. Does anyone know that this alert/chime means on venture cars? Just curious.
The California Ventures have the same thing. I think they’re a conductor call system when people hit the call bells. I noticed the little icon changes in the overhead screen when the chimes go off. I suspect that the placement of the bells in the bathroom is causing the call bells to be triggered frequently.I'm still curious at the specific sound on the venture cars as I rode one not too long ago and still encountered the sound. I have ensured that there is audio in this video.
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Previously, I received messages from other members that the previous video's audio didn't work. Does anyone know that this alert/chime means on venture cars? Just curious.
I think traditionally new cars have always been delivered as available from the factory, meaning mixed consists were the norm during transitional periods. I guess this also allows for training and familiarization of both operational and maintenance staff to be phased over a longer period. It saves on the need to somehow store entire consists until they are ready to go, and it also means the older equipment that is in the worst condition can be eliminated first and on a case-by-case basis.One thing that I don't understand is, if you are buying train sets to give your riders a consistent new experience, why would you not require things to be delivered as trainsets instead of getting the order delivered as a smorgasbord of cars in random order. bot VIA and Brightline took the approach of getting full train sets delivered at a time, as is California (mostly). But I suppose Midwest and Amtrak together have their own approach.
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Sounds like “Stand clear of the closing doors” warning chimes on The Subway….I'm still curious at the specific sound on the venture cars as I rode one not too long ago and still encountered the sound. I have ensured that there is audio in this video.
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I believe trains to Quincy have been running with the Business Class car for a while now (maybe a year, maybe more?). No idea about how they actually operate it.I recently passed the Quincy, Il station as the northbound Carl Sandburg was just departing. It had 3 ventures and an amfleet. I assumed the amfleet was the old cafe/business class combo. But then I noticed that the first venture car had "business class" printed on its side.
Are they now running with separate cafe and business class cars?
Cafe cars officially went into service Friday, June 14.I believe trains to Quincy have been running with the Business Class car for a while now (maybe a year, maybe more?). No idea about how they actually operate it.
I do believe the cafe cars had a soft launch recently too?
Yes, business class cars have been used as regular coach class since early 2023.I recently passed the Quincy, Il station as the northbound Carl Sandburg was just departing. It had 3 ventures and an amfleet. I assumed the amfleet was the old cafe/business class combo. But then I noticed that the first venture car had "business class" printed on its side.
Are they now running with separate cafe and business class cars?
Any pictures?Cafe cars officially went into service Friday, June 14.
Why?Yes, business class cars have been used as regular coach class since early 2023.
Because they were needed for coach seating capacity, but weren't proven enough/on all trainsets on a route yet to sell their seats as "business class".Why?
Trouble is how long is it going to take to get the rest of the cafes into service? I think they have three in Chicago now with no sign of any others. And how many months of testing will the new arrivals need. Hopefully there'll be enough to free Amfleet/Horizon cafes for the New Orleans-Mobile trains by October if those trains happen. And I guess they're trying to convert the Downeasters to Horizon to get Amfleet IIs off some of the intermediate eastern trains and on to LD trains (where they belong in the first place).Cafe cars officially went into service Friday, June 14.
Was the Viewliner a Baggage Car or a Sleeper? Or did you mean to say Amfleet?Today's 302 had a Charger on each end, a Viewliner, and 8 Venture cars. Does anyone know why it had an almost double consist?
I assume this is because 300 did not run today (reason reported was mechanical issues).