Amtrak Northeast Corridor News
Sep 7, 2017, 9:22 am
#1
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Delta - Gold; Starwood - Platinum; HHonors - Diamond & Avis Preferred
Posts: 10,869
Amtrak Northeast Corridor News
We’re Enhancing the Customer Experience One Seat at a Time.
Amtrak is investing in an extensive overhaul of its train interiors on more than a dozen popular services operating in the Northeast and Midwest aimed at introducing a more modern, more comfortable experience.
Beginning this month, Amtrak coach cars will begin to undergo a series of major improvements including:
More details here: http://blog.amtrak.com/2017/08/amfleet-refresh/
Amtrak is investing in an extensive overhaul of its train interiors on more than a dozen popular services operating in the Northeast and Midwest aimed at introducing a more modern, more comfortable experience.
Beginning this month, Amtrak coach cars will begin to undergo a series of major improvements including:
- Brand-new seats
- New carpeting
- New LED reading lights
- New bathroom flooring
- Upgraded wainscoting and bulkhead
- New curtains in Business Class cars
- Redesigned galleys in the café cars
More details here: http://blog.amtrak.com/2017/08/amfleet-refresh/
Sep 7, 2017, 1:12 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: PSC
Programs: Hilton Diamond/IHG Platinum/DL Plutononium
Posts: 1,728
Seems very vague and unspecific... I hope it won't mean the end of the 2-1 Leather Business Class seats on some routes. The coach seats don't look different at all. I wish they would improve the Acela tray tables/seats.... I have no complaints about the current regional coach cars.
Sep 7, 2017, 3:01 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: New England
Programs: American Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,638
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Amtrak tries REALLY hard to pretend that they're an airline. They've even picked up the terminology.
Remember folks, an "enhancement" always means that something is being taken away!
On their Facebook page, they posted this announcement with the caption that they're coming out with "enhancements that we think you will like!"
Almost sounds like United's "enhancements" and "changes you will like" back in the Jeff Smisek days
Remember folks, an "enhancement" always means that something is being taken away!
On their Facebook page, they posted this announcement with the caption that they're coming out with "enhancements that we think you will like!"
Almost sounds like United's "enhancements" and "changes you will like" back in the Jeff Smisek days
Last edited by diburning; Sep 8, 2017 at 12:19 am
Sep 7, 2017, 7:14 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
We’re Enhancing the Customer Experience One Seat at a Time.
Amtrak is investing in an extensive overhaul of its train interiors on more than a dozen popular services operating in the Northeast and Midwest aimed at introducing a more modern, more comfortable experience.
Beginning this month, Amtrak coach cars will begin to undergo a series of major improvements including:
More details here: http://blog.amtrak.com/2017/08/amfleet-refresh/
Amtrak is investing in an extensive overhaul of its train interiors on more than a dozen popular services operating in the Northeast and Midwest aimed at introducing a more modern, more comfortable experience.
Beginning this month, Amtrak coach cars will begin to undergo a series of major improvements including:
- Brand-new seats
- New carpeting
- New LED reading lights
- New bathroom flooring
- Upgraded wainscoting and bulkhead
- New curtains in Business Class cars
- Redesigned galleys in the café cars
More details here: http://blog.amtrak.com/2017/08/amfleet-refresh/
On a recent TV interview, Richard Anderson pretty clearly said they're not looking at reducing seat pitch. Yes, he's the king of gutting frequent flyer programs, but I think he would have been more political and less specific when asked that topic if that were in the cards.
Sep 7, 2017, 11:33 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: East Coast, USA
Posts: 1,032
It's hard to see from the rendering, but the new "cushion" in coach looks "slimlined" and have more empty space at the feet. So the seat pitch may stay the same but the spaces are actually tighter. Reminds me of WN installing the (d)evolve seats and touting the seat pitch and claiming that they could add in more rows with "efficient design" ("really, this is an honest surprise, we don't see this coming" wink, wink).
Sep 10, 2017, 8:56 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: DCA, IAD (not BWI if I can help it)
Programs: UA 1MM 1K, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Explorist, status-free on AA, AS, B6, DL, WN, Amtrak, etc.
Posts: 1,480
It's new seat cushions, not seats (which on Amtrak are a lot bulkier than anything you'd see an airline tolerate). I highly doubt you could shave enough space with thinner cushions to squish an extra row of seats into a car.
Overall, these changes look fine to me. And LED lights alone should save Amtrak non-trivial money just from labor costs avoided by not having to replace incandescent bulbs all the time. Now if they could do something about the food for sale in the cafe cars...
Overall, these changes look fine to me. And LED lights alone should save Amtrak non-trivial money just from labor costs avoided by not having to replace incandescent bulbs all the time. Now if they could do something about the food for sale in the cafe cars...
Sep 10, 2017, 10:28 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
The food in some of the state-supported corridor routes (California, Washington, Michigan, etc.) can actually border on reasonably edible, in some cases (plus there are often quite good regional craft brews). I'm always disappointed when I visit the regular Amtrak cafe (on Regionals or long-distance trains) and find such a mediocre selection.
Oct 4, 2017, 11:49 am
#10
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Delta - Gold; Starwood - Platinum; HHonors - Diamond & Avis Preferred
Posts: 10,869
Oct 4, 2017, 3:33 pm
#11
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: New England
Programs: American Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,638
I highly doubt that there are more seats. They simply did a quick cushion change. If they moved the seats closer together, they'd have to redo the entire interior since the reading lights and power outlets would become misaligned.
Oct 4, 2017, 3:36 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: New England
Programs: American Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,638
The food in some of the state-supported corridor routes (California, Washington, Michigan, etc.) can actually border on reasonably edible, in some cases (plus there are often quite good regional craft brews). I'm always disappointed when I visit the regular Amtrak cafe (on Regionals or long-distance trains) and find such a mediocre selection.
Oct 9, 2017, 5:04 am
#13
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: NYNY
Programs: Marriott Ambassador & LT Titanium, UA Silver, AA PLT
Posts: 842
My recollection was that there were less rows of seats in the business class car. The config with the newly reupholstered seats seems to be like the standard coach cars.
Oct 13, 2017, 10:26 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ATL Lost Luggage
Programs: Kettle with Kryptonium Medallion Tags
Posts: 10,279
Coach Class -- Railpictures Photo of AMTK 82725, October 2017
Business Class -- Railpictures Photo of AMTK 81534, October 2017
Notice the hanging "Business Class" Banner in the 2nd photo, which confirms it is a Business class car.
Oct 14, 2017, 9:18 am
#15
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: B6, Amtrak, DL, AA, Marriott, Hilton
Posts: 274
Certainly looks nice, will be interesting to find out how comfortable the cushions are. As long as they didn't mess with seat pitch should be good.
Amazing to think that these cars are now on their third interior replacement/refurbishment (at least?). There was the original, then the late 90's/early 00's rehab in conjunction with the Acela brand launch.
Would love to know if they addressed the worst piece of customer-facing engineering though - the dreaded Amfleet "push up" restroom faucet!
Amazing to think that these cars are now on their third interior replacement/refurbishment (at least?). There was the original, then the late 90's/early 00's rehab in conjunction with the Acela brand launch.
Would love to know if they addressed the worst piece of customer-facing engineering though - the dreaded Amfleet "push up" restroom faucet!