posted
I have just booked a trip from Buffalo, NY to Toronto on the Maple Leaf. I purchased Business Class tickets for my wife and I. Can some tell me what the layout is in the Business Class car? I have found exterior pictures of this car, but I can't seem to find any pictures on the internet of the interior of this car.
Thank you for your help.
Jim
Posts: 7 | From: Depew, NY, USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
When I took the Maple Leaf in December 2003 the business car had a cafe in the middle, tables on one end, and business class section on the other. It's an old Amtrak Club Car. The interior had yet to be renovated. It was still in the old orange and red decor. Course, they did renovate the Business Class car on the Vermonter within the past year (same layout as the Maple Leaf), so maybe by pure luck they have done something with the Maple Leaf's business car by now.
In December and May of last year when I was on this train, all of the cars were older Amfleets for with the orange and red decor - none had been renovated. It's too bad - as I would have hoped this train would have one or two renovated Amfleets in the consist. Via personnel (when they boarded in Niagara Falls) kept commenting how Amtrak puts their oldest and poorly maintained cars on the Maple Leaf - they were none too happy with the trainset. Perhaps VIA can loan the Maple Leaf one of its VIA 1 cars! Hah!
One other question. Do they let you board first if you are in the Business Class car?
If I was in charge of Amtrak I would make sure I sent the most modern equipment I had if it was an international train. On the other hand VIA Rail personnel only have to spend 3 hours on the train and Amtrak employees have to spend 8 hours on it.
[This message has been edited by ahrjmrecr (edited 03-17-2004).]
Posts: 7 | From: Depew, NY, USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Well I would at least mix up the consist with old and renovated cars - instead of giving it the bottom of the barrel - and this is exactly what this trainset was the both times I took it last year! Course, at this point, we just need to be grateful that it is still running!
No pre-boarding announcement in Toronto - or at least that I was aware of. In NYC there was just a general boarding call (no special boarding announcement for people in Business Class). Course, if you went to Club Acela in NYC, you did get to pre-board - but that's only if you have a pass for Club Acela for this particular train, as only First Class passengers and those with passes get admitted to the Club. No idea what they do on intermediate stops along the Maple Leaf's route. In general on the Amtrak system, you are only getting to pre-board if you have First Class accommodations (Acela Express, long distance trains, etc.)
posted
On trains like the Maple Leaf, "business class" is virtually identical to coach.
Sure, your section of the car may be less populated, and your seats may be slightly more comfortable. But not necessarily.
A few of Amtrak's cars are solely dedicated to "business class." However, many are mixed-use cars, as mentioned above.
That's not to say you won't have a perfectly fine trip. Just don't expect an onboard atmosphere that's radically superior to what you would have enjoyed in coach.
Except for those occasions when I get stuck in one of Amtrak's more elderly cars, I generally find coach very comfortable. Only "business class" on the Acela, the Pacific Surfliner, or the Cascades is a true improvement.
[This message has been edited by dilly (edited 03-17-2004).]
posted
I took it last fall and the business class had been recently renovated with a nice, but loud, red velour. The seating was 2 by 1. It was almost empty and was real nice.
BIG diffreence from coach on this one dilly.
If there is an easy way to post pics that someone can share I can show you.
posted
The 2and1 seating is in the amfleet "split club" cars that are used for business class on the vermonter and also interchanged on other trains where they use an 18 seat business class section.
Posts: 332 | From: Long Island, NY USA | Registered: Jan 2004
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posted
"I took it last fall and the business class had been recently renovated with a nice, but loud, red velour. The seating was 2 by 1. It was almost empty and was real nice."
That wasn't a recent rennovation. The Vermonter Business Class car was like this also, and they recently renovated it to the Blue interior - that's a recent rennovation. The loud, red velour has been around for a while.
posted
Yes, I've come across the red velour color scheme -- which some (but by no means all) of the business class cars have. But I didn't find it impressive enough to make me swear off riding in regular coach. The differences struck me as purely cosmetic. The view from the window is exactly the same.
Besides, for a relatively short trip like Buffalo to Toronto, I'm perfectly happy to ride with the "common folk." In the end, all that really matters is that the train gets me there in one piece.
[This message has been edited by dilly (edited 03-18-2004).]
posted
I like to sit in the Business Class car. I like the fact that I don't have to walk far to get something to eat or drink. It is a 4 hours & 45 minute train ride from Buffalo to Toronto. The Business Class car is more peaceful than coach for me. I don't care what color the seats are as long as they are comfortable, although it would be nice to ride in a newly renovated car.
[This message has been edited by ahrjmrecr (edited 03-19-2004).]
Posts: 7 | From: Depew, NY, USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Business class on 63/64 in the summer is almost a must. One of the reasons that this train gets the bottom of the barrel in regards to equipment is that VIA is not reliable on cleaning and servicing the cars. It's been a long ongoing battle.
Posts: 35 | Registered: Oct 2002
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posted
Just got done with a recent Maple Leaf trip on March 13 from Poughkeepsie to Toronto. I rode business class; the car on this run was not the 2-1 confiruration former club class car; it was the 2-2, blue upholstered former custom class seats. I guess businuess is worth the money (we had lots of room to spread out, except from Poughkeepsie-Albany) but these aren't nearly as luxurious as the old club car seats. What's most frustrating is that the seat pitch is not evenly spaced; some rows have all the legroom in the world, while others are identical to coach seating. Try to get a seat in the first or last row if you can (by Buffalo, you probably will have your pick of seats)
As far as I know, the only Amtrak runs that you are pretty much guaranteed to get former club seating are the Vermoneter and the Downeaster services. Any others that anyone knows of??
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