Northeast Regional - Amfleet I or Amfleet II?

[LookingGlassTie]

Hey guys,

This coming Monday, I'll be taking the NER train from NFK to WAS. Does the NER have Amfleet I or Amfleet II cars? Or is it a combination of both types?

I've read that the Amfleet II's have slightly more legroom than the Amfleet I's (due to fewer seats per car). Correct me if I'm wrong on that.

Thanks!

 

[Triley]

Amfleet I only. You would be correct on less seats in an Amfleet II car. About 54 seats out so, if my memory serves me. Amfleet I coach class has 70. Amfleet I business class has 60.

Edit: Amfleet II cars have a capacity of 59-60.

 

[LookingGlassTie]

Amfleet I only. You would be correct on less seats in an Amfleet II car. About 54 seats out so, if my memory serves me. Amfleet I coach class has 70. Amfleet I business class has 60.

Thanks!

 

[PVD]

The Am 2 are geared a bit more towards longer distance travel, with greater seat pitch, deeper recline, footrests, and larger windows (with curtains). That being said, compared to most economy class cabins on aircraft today you will probably be pretty comfortable in an Am 1. Especially in terms of the underrated "seat width"

 

[user 13416]

The seats on the NER are way more comfortable than an economy airline seat, but one thing airline seats have that I wish the Amfleet I seats had is a moveable middle armrest. 7 hours NFK-PHL is a long time to spend with only one armrest.

 

[xyzzy]

The Wikipedia article on Amfleet at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amfleet has a lot of good information. Skip past the "history" section and go to "car types". Amfleet I coaches have 72 seats except for a comparatively small number of Amfleet I coaches assigned to Business Class (62 seats). Amfleet II coaches have 60 seats. For day trains (non-overnight trains, that is) that run south from DC, the only train that regularly gets Amfleet II is the Palmetto to/from Savannah. Not all cars on the Palmetto are Amfleet II but most are.

 

[PVD]

I think the A-2 might have gone to 59 when they pulled out the seat to create a single companion seat next to a wheelchair space.....

 

[Thirdrail7]

I think the A-2 might have gone to 59 when they pulled out the seat to create a single companion seat next to a wheelchair space.....

You are correct.

 

[railiner]

IIRC, Amfleet I, as originally configured, had 84 seats in standard coaches.

And if you think that was a lot, the HEP modified "Clocker" coaches packed in 88 seats....

 

[PVD]

the much larger ada bathroom, and the wheelchair space took care of that on the amfleets

 

[Acela150]

I think the A-2 might have gone to 59 when they pulled out the seat to create a single companion seat next to a wheelchair space.....

You are correct.

TR7, I've yet to see an Amcan II with 59 seats. Which would mean one is missing.. I've always seen them with the 2x2 seating.

Not saying you're wrong, but I've just never seen it.

Also as for why the Norfolk train has Amfleet I cars is very simple.. Amfleet I cars are designed to have the doors train lined open and closed. Amfleet II cars are manually opened. Which would make it painfully slow to open doors along the NEC. And if one notices many of the platforms are of high level.

 

[PVD]

This is the diagram I have for them....they are 2x2 except for the one wheelchair spot with the single seat for transfer or companion

 

[Acela150]

Thanks for the diagram PVD. I honestly think I haven't seen that. But it's also possible I've seen it and I just don't notice it.

 

[Hal]

I think the A-2 might have gone to 59 when they pulled out the seat to create a single companion seat next to a wheelchair space.....

You are correct.

TR7, I've yet to see an Amcan II with 59 seats. Which would mean one is missing.. I've always seen them with the 2x2 seating.

Not saying you're wrong, but I've just never seen it.

The seating is back to 2x2 seating. That was done five or so years ago. The upholstery was changed to blue and outlets added at the seats. The accessible seat is a double seat.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Acela150]

I think the A-2 might have gone to 59 when they pulled out the seat to create a single companion seat next to a wheelchair space.....

You are correct.

TR7, I've yet to see an Amcan II with 59 seats. Which would mean one is missing.. I've always seen them with the 2x2 seating.

Not saying you're wrong, but I've just never seen it.

The seating is back to 2x2 seating. That was done five or so years ago. The upholstery was changed to blue and outlets added at the seats. The accessible seat is a double seat.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you for that information. I've seen the blue seating.

 

[railiner]

This is the diagram I have for them....they are 2x2 except for the one wheelchair spot with the single seat for transfer or companion

That diagram has me puzzled...it looks like it has a vestibule and exit doors at both ends...I had thought the Amfleet II only had them on one end, or am I misinterpreting the diagram?

Weren't there some Amfleet I's that had reduced seating for "Metroliner Service"?

 

[StriderGDM]

No, the right end has a vestibule with the doors and traps. The left end has simply the pass-through door to the next car and equipment lockers. No vestibule.

 

[PVD]

There are Am-1 cars with reduced seating called BusinessClass cars (not to be confused with the well like Am-1 split cafe-B/C They are common on the NEC

 

[jis]

There are Am-1 cars with reduced seating called BusinessClass cars (not to be confused with the well like Am-1 split cafe-B/C They are common on the NEC

These cars are essentially what used to be Coach accommodation on Metroliners. They were "Capstonized" and became the NER BC cars (well many of them. There may have been some other conversion too).

 

[A Voice]

I think the A-2 might have gone to 59 when they pulled out the seat to create a single companion seat next to a wheelchair space.....

I might be mistaken (working off middle-aged memory!), but I'm 99% certain the Amfleet II coaches had 59 seats as built. TRAINS magazine had a "railroad news photo" in an issue that I have somewhere when the cars were first delivered (brake tests on the corridor), indicating the number of seats.

 

[PVD]

I'm not sure, that was quite a while ago. I was on the Crescent a few months back (in a sleeper) and when I walked the train for exercise walked through A-2 cars and don't remember for sure how they were set up. That was only 3 months ago.

 

[LookingGlassTie]

Well I took my trip earlier this week and I have to say that the Amfleet I coach seats are pretty comfortable and there is adequate space. Granted, it was only a 4 1/2 hour trip one-way, but it worked for me.

Which brings me to this question: do the Silver Meteor and Silver Star have A1 or A2 coaches (given that they're overnight trains)?

 

[jis]

A2

 

[Thirdrail7]

Which brings me to this question: do the Silver Meteor and Silver Star have A1 or A2 coaches (given that they're overnight trains)?

Silver Star Consist Details

Silver Meteor Equipment

 

[LookingGlassTie]

Thanks for the info.

It's good to know that I would have a little bit more room in coach for a longer trip (if I take the train to Orlando in the summer). I'm still debating on whether to get a roomette, but if I stick with coach, it will be more comfortable when compared to an Amfleet I car (at least for me).