Midwest Venture introduction

[joelkfla]

Question is: What are they actually measuring? SW Airlines measures space between armrests, but since Amtrack doesn't have a center armrest - ???

Some guy on YouTube measured a coach seat on display in NYP back in 2019. Looks like it was one of the seats for the refurbishment. He said the seat cushion was 18.5" wide, and the seat back and headrest a bit wider.

 

[rs9]

Not to go off topic, but is this an example of a Horizon club dinette?

https://americabyamtrak.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/a4859d44-a153-4dab-8967-62fd6e382eb75.jpg
I dearly hope Lincoln Service business class customers are not subjected to that. I would try to move to coach...

 

[PVD]

Question is: What are they actually measuring? SW Airlines measures space between armrests, but since Amtrack doesn't have a center armrest - ???

Some guy on YouTube measured a coach seat on display in NYP back in 2019. Looks like it was one of the seats for the refurbishment. He said the seat cushion was 18.5" wide, and the seat back and headrest a bit wider.

A few years ago so many of the seats were in such bad shape cushion wise that it really didn't matter.. The new covers and cushions make a big difference. I am referring to AM-1, since I have not been in a refreshed AM-2. LD I do sleeper.

 

[PVD]

Not to go off topic, but is this an example of a Horizon club dinette?

https://americabyamtrak.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/a4859d44-a153-4dab-8967-62fd6e382eb75.jpg
I dearly hope Lincoln Service business class customers are not subjected to that.

yes, but most people like the split cars.

 

[rs9]

yes, but most people like the split cars.

I hate fluorescent lights, so not for me. Though I guess the fact there is business class is a positive enough.

 

[PVD]

That's the Horizons in general. Harsh lighting. But there are certainly more pleasant fluorescent lights available. Would not be surprised to see all of the tubes changed to LED replacements at some point. pretty good range of choices on color temperature available now.

 

[Acela150]

Looks like the Ventures grand debut is planned for February 1, 2022 between Chicago and St. Louis on 303 and 306.

Confirmed.

 

[ShiningTimeStL]

I will try to get out there and see these things in action myself. I work in the city now so if I remember, I can motor on over to downtown and hang out to see what I can see. I may or may not also write an article for NextSTL about it. This could have a seriously huge impact on the future of passenger rail in the region. It will likely attract ridership and draw more attention to rail service--it could very potentially save the Missouri River Runner as we know it, especially if/when new cars go into service on that train's remaining daily frequency. I won't have any PTO from work for a little while so if I ride, it will have to be a short weekend trip, but it's very, very tempting. I wonder what there is to do in Springfield or Bloomington this time of year?

 

[Burns651]

It's too bad American railroads didn't standardize on one of the broader gauges in use in the 19th century. We could have had both wider aisles and seats!

 

[Steve4031]

I am planning a round trip on 303-306 in the next couple of weeks.

 

[DSS&A]

Coach 4001 was parked at the end of track #1 at Chicago Union Station the last week of January apparently for orientation and training.

 

[jis]

First commercial run of Midwest Siemens Cars

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/news-photo-first-revenue-run-for-new-amtrak-cars/

 

[Amtrak25]

For some reason, I thought pre-Siemens cars had to be on the rear for the communication systems to work with the engine.

 

[jis]

For some reason, I thought pre-Siemens cars had to be on the rear for the communication systems to work with the engine.

I guess one less thing for railfans to worry about

Interestingly, according to a Notice of Contract Change dated 3/5/21 the new IDOT cars are being delivered to Beech Grove and not to Chicago. Does this mean acceptance work is being done at Beech Grove or is it just for storage space?

 

[ShiningTimeStL]

So have the new café and business cars not been delivered yet? In any case, thank goodness this is finally happening. Totally going to go check it out after work. Maybe. Weather could turn at any moment today, supposed to get ice and six inches of snow the next two days. Might not even have to go to work!

 

[Ryan]

Is the leaded plumbing issue only resident in the cafe car (and hence why that one is still Amfleet)?

 

[joelkfla]

">February 1, 2022

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Yay, it's finally happening!

(and that Twitter thread joelkfla posted is crazy talking about Amtrak sharing NICTD trackage???)

 

[joelkfla]

More photos from @HSRail:
">February 1, 2022

 

[jis]

Is the leaded plumbing issue only resident in the cafe car (and hence why that one is still Amfleet)?

I don't believe any cafe car has been delivered yet. But I could be wrong. Still trying to get verification of what has been delivered so far.

 

[MisterUptempo]

Yay, it's finally happening!

(and that Twitter thread joelkfla posted is crazy talking about Amtrak sharing NICTD trackage???)

The Amtrak Connects vision does mention NICTD/CSSSB under potential host railroads for the three Michigan Services routes and NICTD for the Chicago-Indy-Cincy/Louisville runs.

 

[MisterUptempo]

I don't believe any cafe car has been delivered yet. But I could be wrong. Still trying to get verification of what has been delivered so far.

According to the minutes of the Section 305/NGEC Executive Board meeting of January 25th, the following-

IDOT Café Car FDRs are in the closure stage and Galley open items are being addressed.

They are in final design review, so, likely they haven't even started building the café cars, then?

 

[jis]

According to the minutes of the Section 305/NGEC Executive Board meeting of January 25th, the following-

IDOT Café Car FDRs are in the closure stage and Galley open items are being addressed.

They are in final design review, so, likely they haven't even started building the café cars, then?

Yes, that is what I was looking for. Do you know what exactly has been delivered so far? Are they only the singleton cars or have any of the married pairs been delivered? If so are any of the married pairs in service today? Thanks!

 

[daybeers]

 

[MisterUptempo]

Yes, that is what I was looking for. Do you know what exactly has been delivered so far? Are they only the singleton cars or have any of the married pairs been delivered? If so are any of the married pairs in service today? Thanks!

Sorry. I don't have a breakdown, just the minutes from the meeting to go on. Here's the entire passage regarding the Venture car order from Jan 25, 2022-

On 1-25-22, Kyle Gradinger, Caltrans, provided the following update for inclusion in the meeting minutes:

The Cab Carshell final design has been approved and the cab structures are in production. Remaining Cab Car FDRs are in the final submittal and review stage and the cab car Clearance information has been submitted to Amtrak. IDOT Café Car FDRs are in the closure stage and Galley open items are being addressed.

The Cab Car Collision and Corner Post Appendix F testing is complete, and the test report is to be submitted in February. The cab car compression test report review is complete, and Siemens is reviewing comments. FAIs will continue for café and cab car subsystems.

102 cars are in production or have been produced at Siemens Sacramento Facility. IDOT and Caltrans cars are being prepared for Conditional Acceptance and revenue service while open items and relevant FMIs are being addressed.

4 cars are in test this month in the Midwest and are attached to current consists. Testing includes IT related items and the passenger information system.

John Oimoen, IDOT, announced that new Venture cars will be put into revenue service for the Lincoln service next week. This is great news!

Here's a link to the minutes.