when/why did Amtrak get rid of "coach," "sleeper," etc

[jis]

It is however clearly indicated on the departure board. And specially on TGVs each car door had a destination and train number display the last time I took one.

 

[GG-1]

If we were as well organized as the Europeans we'd have a train layout chart displayed at the entrance to the platform identifying each car with its car number, matching the car number on your reservation, so you'd know before hand where your car is located without being hand held by a live person too.

I sure hope someone holding my hand is alive :giggle: :help: :lol:

Aloha

 

[D.P. Roberts]

I'll agree that signs are cheaper; but with your proposal either way your employing someone to tell you where to go; because you don't board based on "oh this coach car looks nice" but on where your destination is. Putting "Coach" in big letters on the side is no more helpful then having it in small letters.

I have the 3rd sleeping car, from the end of the platform. Can you tell me which car is mine?

How about which coach car is going to Milwaukee?

peter

I was thinking of something bolder. I suck at Photoshop, so I found this, which is as close as I can get.

On most long distance trains, the sleepers are together, and the coaches are together - or at least in two sections. For example, the EB has the Seattle sleepers in front and the Portland sleeper in the back. If the sleepers were blue (like the second passenger car in the photo), it would be pretty easy to say "the blue car at the end", or "the middle blue car at the front."

Combine that with the signs that jis saw in Europe - if there were posters (or TVs / LED screens in the big stations) in the boarding area that showed typical consists, it would be easier to get everyone onboard their correct cars quickly.

 

[Ryan]

This should really be AU's official motto.

a solution in search of a problem.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

As for Chicago Union Station, don't forget we get the "kindergarten" walk to our sleepers. No need for any signage. When I get to the sleeping car the attendant is there and already has my name and room number and usually a friendly greeting. I have also observed that Amtrak personnel monitor and verify all the coach passengers tickets before letting them proceed to the tracks.

Incidentally, I thought the photo of the train with multi color cars with a blue car looked too much like 1972 with the mismatched cars on all the trains. Me, I'm very happy with the current design of all Amtrak cars and engines.

 

[railbuck]

It is however clearly indicated on the departure board. And specially on TGVs each car door had a destination and train number display the last time I took one.

The newer trains have electronic signs next to the door, but even the older trains generally have some sort of identification posted. And often it is rather important to be in the right car.

 

[crescent2]

...

Incidentally, I thought the photo of the train with multi color cars with a blue car looked too much like 1972 with the mismatched cars on all the trains. Me, I'm very happy with the current design of all Amtrak cars and engines.

Yes, consists look much better when they are consist-ent.

 

[andersone]

Good signage is hard to do,,, and as it is part of my professional life one has to balance information with aesthetic appeal. My rule for something like the identifiers for rail cars would be can I read it easily from fifty feet from forty five degrees? Position also makes a difference. Putting the data on either side of the door provides the opportunity for it to be blocked from view by folks standing in front of it. Moving that information to the top of the door eliminates this. The previous red/blue sleeper/coach scenario is awesome.

Now for my question,,, Am I getting so senile that I remember names on the superliners back in the day? (70's/80's?)

 

[Ryan]

Names as in states (mostly). Yes, that was a thing. Pity it's gone now.

 

[jis]

Names as in states (mostly). Yes, that was a thing. Pity it's gone now.

And then there are Edward Ullman and George Pullman.

 

[Ryan]

And the 6 Auto Train deluxe sleepers: A. Phillip Randolph, W. Graham Claytor Jr., Palm Bay, Palm Beach, Palm Harbor, and Palm Springs.

And I also once rode in the "District of Columbia", which technically isn't a state if we want to go full-on railfan-pendantry.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

And the 6 Auto Train deluxe sleepers: A. Phillip Randolph, W. Graham Claytor Jr., Palm Bay, Palm Beach, Palm Harbor, and Palm Springs.

And I also once rode in the "District of Columbia", which technically isn't a state if we want to go full-on railfan-pendantry.

A state of confusion. :lol:

 

[Ryan]

Only the small Federal part in the middle.

 

[railiner]

Just a semantic trivial observation......I see several posts referring to "coach cars".....isn't that a redundant description? Shouldn't simply calling it a "coach", be sufficient?

Alternatively, you could call it a "chair car". Similarly, you could either have a "diner" or a "dining car". Or a "sleeper" or a "sleeping car".

 

[rrdude]

IMHO, Amtrak's Marketing Dept/Operations Dept got snookered by the graphics design group. While many people like the "look and feel" of the current paint scheme. ("sleek, modern, understated.....yada yada, yada.....)

The marketing group needs to WAKE UP, and realize that their trains are in essence, ROLLING BILLBOARDS, on which they could ADVERTISE, to the hundreds of thousands of potential riders, mostly in cars, that watch a train roll by at some point, every day, in almost every state.

While I don't "like" the visual aspect of "BIG and GAUDY", hey, it's advertising, and it's FREE. Were I in charge of marketing, the outside of every Amtrak passenger car would make every railfan, historian, artist, or graphics person cringe.

NO shame! The designs should SCREAM OUT LOUD, "Ride the train", "Dinner on Board", "Sleeping Car", "Lounge Car", "Next Time Take The Train", etc., etc., etc.

It's about putting BUTTS IN SEATS (or BEDS), and Amtrak should do everything possible to maximize these rolling billboards.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Excellent idea dude! The best thing the old time passenger trains had going for themselves after the frequent trains, with connectivity and the excellent food and service, was the individual Colors for each RR! While tastes vary! Pennsylvania Red,SFs War Bonnet Engines, UP Yellow,SP Orange and Black, Zephyr Silver,NYC Grey etc etc were distinctive and noticed!!!

The Rainbow Trains when Amtrak started in '71 were another story of course!LOL)

 

[D.P. Roberts]

IMHO, Amtrak's Marketing Dept/Operations Dept got snookered by the graphics design group. While many people like the "look and feel" of the current paint scheme. ("sleek, modern, understated.....yada yada, yada.....)

The marketing group needs to WAKE UP, and realize that their trains are in essence, ROLLING BILLBOARDS, on which they could ADVERTISE, to the hundreds of thousands of potential riders, mostly in cars, that watch a train roll by at some point, every day, in almost every state.

While I don't "like" the visual aspect of "BIG and GAUDY", hey, it's advertising, and it's FREE. Were I in charge of marketing, the outside of every Amtrak passenger car would make every railfan, historian, artist, or graphics person cringe.

NO shame! The designs should SCREAM OUT LOUD, "Ride the train", "Dinner on Board", "Sleeping Car", "Lounge Car", "Next Time Take The Train", etc., etc., etc.

It's about putting BUTTS IN SEATS (or BEDS), and Amtrak should do everything possible to maximize these rolling billboards.

I agree wholeheartedly!

In order to appease more traditional railfans, some of the money that comes in from all this marketing could be used to restore the flowers in the dining car, the wine and cheese tastings, and the sleeping car amenities. Everyone wins.

 

[Guest]

Ideally I would like to see Amtrak do something similar to what Indian Railways does- the type of accommodation is painted clearly in English and Hindi on the sides of the car, and then there is space for up to four interchangeable boards to explain Origin and Destination, Train Name, Coach Number

Put everything up there clearly, if you still can't understand it, sorry, bad luck!

 

[andersone]

I think BURMA SHAVE style advertising would be so cool .... car 1: Tired of the TSA Noise? car 2: Then sit back with us car 3: and avoid those boys ,,,, the permutations are endless,,,,,

 

[railiner]

While I wouldn't like to spoil a handsome matched consist with brash ads....I would accept them if they showed proven positive results. That is, so long as they don't do complete "wrap jobs" that cover the windows, as well...

 

[FormerOBS]

It seems like the most confusing problem for first-time passengers was always the actual identification of their car. They were told their accommodation was room D in the 5340 car; but when they went out to the platform, they saw a big 5-digit number painted on each car, and the number didn't look at all like the number the agent, back in the station, had mentioned. So they wandered up to any attendant at any door and asked. Then they were told to ignore the painted number and look for the small lighted number by the door. Of course, we always had signage, but who reads signs????

Shortly after the names were removed from all the sleepers, V.P. Emmitt Fremaux (spelling?) rode the Auto Train and I told him I thought it was a real shame that somebody had decided to remove the names. I told him this was an old RR tradition; and tradition, whether we want to admit it or not, is part and parcel of the rail travel experience. In particular, I told him it was inexcusable that the names of A. Philip Randolph and W. Graham Claytor had been removed. This happened around Hallowe'en time (don't remember the year), and nothing happened for a few months. Then around February, the names were restored on those two cars. I don't think the new font is as attractive than the old one, and Mr. Randolph's name is misspelled (Phillip), but the names did come back. Strange that they would misspell Philip: the old correctly spelled name can still be clearly seen on the other side of the door, about 10 feet away from the new. I don't claim that I'm responsible for that change. There may have been many others who expressed the same view.

Now don't get me started on the change in language that has turned an "Economy Room" (essentially an improved section) into a "Roomette". I know what a roomette is. I worked many a 10 & 6 in my day, and I know that the things Amtrak calls roomettes, are not. My Webster's (which is admittedly old) calls it "a small, private room in some railroad sleeping cars, furnished with a bed that folds into the wall, a toilet, wash basin, etc."

Names on he cars were always a clear tipoff that this was a special car. In Amtrak days, that meant a sleeper.

Somebody mentioned that SCA's don't like to board coach passengers and send them through the train. It's more than that. A Sleeping car experience is supposed to be something special. I remember a trip when a coach passenger started into my sleeper and I told him he needed to return to the coach section. He said "But I just want to see the sleeper." I told him if he was seriously interested in an upgrade, I would page the Chief who would discuss it with him. His response: "No, I don't want to pay for it. I just want to see." I told him privacy is one of the things the sleeping car passengers are paying extra for. "...but I just want to see." And I answered "I understand that. But privacy is all about me preventing you from doing that." Then I told him he could ask the ticket agent at the destination station, and they would be glad to give him a tour for future reference when the passengers have left the car.