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Does anyone here have photos that they can post of the new Lounge Car 1/2 tables 1/2 chairs? I want to see what it looks like for my upcoming trip.
Thanks a million!
Posts: 259 | Registered: Jan 2005
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Thanks a million. I love the new setup of the car as opposed to the old seats. Finally Amtrak is updating their route. Now I can sit at a table with my CD player laptop and enjoy the passing scenery.
Posts: 259 | Registered: Jan 2005
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I agree. I think the new configuration allows for a wider variety of activities and social opportunities. I've long desired something like this. However, the Superliner I cars have always had several tables on the lower level, so this seems somewhat excessive. I'd like to see a few less tables in favor of inward facing cocktail style seats to complete the picture. Then the layout, though not the comfort level and aesthetics, would be comparable to a Pacific Parlour Car.
It may be that this car is destined to become a combined lounge/diner.
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I still prefer outward-facing seats in the lounge car, to enable one to view the passing scenery, over inward-facing seats for the more "social" atmosphere.
The tables are nice, though, since you can both watch the scenery AND socialize at the same time.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Hmmm, I see this is the type of car we had on the CS northbound last in September. Nice view but the outboard facing seats are narrow. When the two of us, me and the spouse, sat together we were so crowded as to be uncomfortable, I mean the hips. OK, I know I need to lose some weight but the rest of the US is in the same boat. Or same tight train seat.
-------------------- Vicki in usually sunny Southern California Posts: 951 | From: Redondo Beach, CA | Registered: Aug 2006
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Keep in mind - this is not the design that will be adopted for the combo lounge/diner. That's a completely different setup. The pictures posted were refurbs started under David Gunn's watch. Not sure if they will continue, now that Amtrak is heading toward the direction of combo lounge/diner. This will likely lead to an excess of Sightseer Lounge cars - like this - as what's being refurbished for these combo lounge/diner cars are Superliner I diners!
Posts: 337 | Registered: Jun 2003
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In a few days the even newer "Diner/Lounges" will be tested on a few Capiol Limited runs. I look forward to seeing pictures of these.
Posts: 1082 | From: Los Angeles, CA. USA | Registered: Aug 2003
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I've sampled the new Superliner lounges on both the City of New Orleans and the California Zephyr. As I suspected when I first heard that Amtrak was about to unveil them, the cars have one major drawback:
The booths are designed to seat four people. However, it's not uncommon to see one or two passengers "hog" a booth all to themselves, even when the train is extremely crowded. Typically, they'll spread their belongings across the table and utilize body language to communicate (sometimes not-so-subtly) that interlopers are definitely not welcome.
Culturally, most Americans are highly reluctant to insert themselves into the personal space of total strangers, let alone share their own space. Even in Amtrak's dining cars, the average passenger shares a table simply because they're forced to by the crew.
There's no such enforcement in the lounge cars. As a result, passengers tend to enter the car in search of a seat, gaze longingly at each semi-occupied booth (some of which are occupied by a single traveler), and then leave in disappointment once they discover that all the non-booth seats at the other end of the car are already taken.
Because of all this, the new configuration effectively decreases, rather than increases, the number of passengers who can use the car for sightseeing or simple "lounging" at any given moment. Overall, it's a poorly thought-out idea, introduced by Amtrak officials who are clearly clueless about the fine points of human behavior.
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I agree with Dilly. The new Sightseer cars with the lounge tables at one end and the booth tables at the other are not ideal for a train that is running at full capacity. Passengers want to walk to the train and see other things aside from their coach seat and sleeping car. The Sightseer Lounge car is the natural choice, and one that you can best enjoy the scenery from.
The tables would have been better served by the lounge chairs throughout the car. But this will likely be a mute point when the combo diner/lounge cars are rolled out.
I think we'll see the combo diner/lounges first on such trains as the City of New Orleans, Capitol Limited, Texas Eagle (i.e. trains that operate for just one overnight run, as opposed to Southwest Chief or CA Zephyr that run for two nights end to end).
From personal experience. I usually spend most of my time in the Sightseer Lounge. But on my Empire Builder trip this last summer, the lounge chair seats were at a premium and the booth seats at full capacity. Thus, for the first time on Amtrak, I spent most of my time in the bedroom).
This is why I am interested to see what Amtrak does with a combo diner/lounge, when the Sightseer Lounge currently runs with space at premium with this new booth and lounge chair design.
There's no reason why they can't retain the Sightseer Lounge Car (perhaps just keep the upper level accessible) and just limit all food sales to one car - the combo/diner lounge. I think this whole excuse that Amtrak will also save fuel money by taking this car off is not worth the PR and complaints that will come flowing in. Cost is likely immaterial, but just another excuse that can be used. Recall that some Superliner trains used to run with more coaches than what they do now!
I've often suggested tacking on a surcharge for access to the Sightseer Lounge, as a way to save it from being removed - becoming a parlor car of sorts. This way it too, becomes a revenue car in the scheme of things.
Posts: 337 | Registered: Jun 2003
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Dilly is absolutely correct - seating for 4 will actually be seating for 1 or 2. On the Empire Builder, I got brave & asked a couple sitting sde-by-side if I could share their table. They were gracious & proved good conversational table partners - however, some other tables were "occupied" below capacity & those people did not look too friendly to new arrivals. I think I would hesitate to become person #4 if the other 3 seats at the table were occupied because it does force you into other people's personal space - during dining you have no choice.
-------------------- My new "default" station (EKH) has no baggage service or QuikTrak machine, but the parking is free! And the NY Central RR Museum is just across the tracks (but not open at Amtrak train times. . ..) Posts: 337 | From: Goshen, IN | Registered: Jun 2006
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