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This release from Trains' newswire came out of the blue. Didn't know this was in the works as Amfleet I replacement. I'd be happy to just get the new Viewliner order in production. ******** WASHINGTON — A design for a new bi-level intercity passenger car has gotten approval from Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration, and key state departments of transportation. Details of the design are available here: Short-Intermediate New Car Design
The design is the third generation of the so-called “California car” for its presence on Amtrak California trains. The newly approved design targets state-supported corridor services, but will also serve as the basis for design of long-distance cars that will eventually replace the Superliner. ******
Check out the single level drawing .pdf. Don't care for the facing seat design, but no doubt will save switching. Same on the new version of the Calif. Car bilevel design.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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1) New bilevel "corridor" cars 2) New single level cars
was incorporated into the PRIIA Act that G.W. Bush signed in 2008. These will be the cars used for the new services operated by Amtrak for states as part of the "higher speed rail" program. The specs were worked out by a group consisting of Amtrak, states, and Class I railroads. The bi-level car is basically an update of the California cars delivered in the 1990s. The single level car is something altogether new, not an updated Amfleet.
Amtrak is also working on specs for replacements for Acela Express.
Posts: 614 | From: Merchantville, NJ. USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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I looked at the drawings, and it looks like Amtrak is borrowing heavily from the interior layout of Acela Express. That's especially unfortunate in the case of the food service car, which not only has vestibules at both ends (why?), but offers virtually no seating capacity, just like the stupid cafe cars on AE. Why bother to drag around an entire car that can't seat more than 14 people? Just put a snack bar at one end of a coach; that makes more sense and costs a lot less.
Posts: 614 | From: Merchantville, NJ. USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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