WHY AREN'T THERE CENTER ARMRESTS IN COACH ON THE AMTRAK SUPERLINER TRAINS?
Posted by Steve4031 (Member # 1517) on :
I suspect so that people could stretch across two seats when train is not full. However, they put that evil plastic divider there instead. That's a main reason why I never go coach anymore.
Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :
It goes way back to the old days. The old Streamliner (a.k.a. Heritage) coaches did not have center armrests. As Steve points out, this made it very easy to stretch out across seats for overnight trips, assuming the adjacent seat is vacant (which is often the case).
Superliner I coaches originally did have center armrests when they were first introduced. As someone who was accustomed to the older cars without the armrest, I hated having it there for reasons just described. It did make sleeping a good deal more difficult.
I don't know when they were taken out, but at some point they were, and I am grateful. However, some Superliner I cars which still have the original seats still have the "evil plastic divider" (EPD) to which the armrest was mounted. If you look closely at the EPD it has two metal caps where the armrest was originally attached.
Superliner IIs and refurbished Superliner I cars have cushions that meet without the EPD, just a slight crack in which to lose coins.
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
[This message has been edited by Mr. Toy (edited 04-02-2002).]
Posted by Konstantin (Member # 18) on :
I remember when some coaches had the middle arm rest as Mr. Toy describes. I can't remember how they worked, but it seems that they could be designed like the arm rests in stadium style movie theaters. That way, they could fold up and be out of the way if you did not want them.
------------------ Elias Valley Railroad (N-scale) www.geocities.com/evrr
It did make sleeping a good deal more difficult.
However, some Superliner I cars which still have the original seats still have the "evil plastic divider" (EPD) to which the armrest was mounted. If you look closely at the EPD it has two metal caps where the armrest was originally attached.