NeueAmtrakCalifornia
Service Attendant
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2019
- Messages
- 149
This is more of a general discussion than Amtrak-specific.
The average width of an American passenger train is 10 ft 6 inches (3.20 m). There are some wider trains like the MPXpress (10 ft 7.5 inches or 3.238 m) that have been encountered on the NEC (high-level platforms). The AAR Plate E specifies a maximum width of 10 ft 8 inches (3.251 m) and a maximum height of 15 feet 9 inches (4.8 m). However, some designs go past that height, like the Superliner family (16 ft 2 in or 4.93 m). If they can make a railcar design that's taller than AAR Plate E, maybe they can make one that's wider than that. The Russian Gauge 1-T specifies a maximum width of 11 feet 2 inches (3.4 m) but the Lastochka is even wider than that by 3 inches (at 11 feet 5 inches).
Recently, I read this blog post and this analysis highlighting the advantages of wider trains, among them the ability to add more seats and lowering crew costs. An ideal width would be 11 feet (3.35 m). This is the width used on the Shinkansen trains. These trains have been shown to hold 2+3 seats. Having wider trains also gives more leeway for the freight trains (who constantly balk at high platforms).
The average width of an American passenger train is 10 ft 6 inches (3.20 m). There are some wider trains like the MPXpress (10 ft 7.5 inches or 3.238 m) that have been encountered on the NEC (high-level platforms). The AAR Plate E specifies a maximum width of 10 ft 8 inches (3.251 m) and a maximum height of 15 feet 9 inches (4.8 m). However, some designs go past that height, like the Superliner family (16 ft 2 in or 4.93 m). If they can make a railcar design that's taller than AAR Plate E, maybe they can make one that's wider than that. The Russian Gauge 1-T specifies a maximum width of 11 feet 2 inches (3.4 m) but the Lastochka is even wider than that by 3 inches (at 11 feet 5 inches).
Recently, I read this blog post and this analysis highlighting the advantages of wider trains, among them the ability to add more seats and lowering crew costs. An ideal width would be 11 feet (3.35 m). This is the width used on the Shinkansen trains. These trains have been shown to hold 2+3 seats. Having wider trains also gives more leeway for the freight trains (who constantly balk at high platforms).