I can't figure out what the big red knob is for. I'm assuming this is in the regular cars and not Business Class. I wonder how the recline works. It appears that these seats are constructed like most new airline Business Class seats where the recline doesn't affect the person behind you but is contained within a "shell" or "pod".
I'll keep my eyes open of Friday and will report back if I see them as we head to SAN and the first cruise of 2010.
Frank in dry, for now, SBA
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
I have a friend who works the Surfliners, and he said that the recline works just as you describe, Frank. You sort of slide your butt out and the cushion comes out and the back comes out and lowers (if that makes sense)---but it does not effect the person sitting behind you.
I think the big red knob is a hand-grip. There is one on the aisle seats for people walking through the train, and then the one in the middle for people getting up or sitting down in their seat. They don't have to grab the person's head cushion any more for balance when getting in and out of their seat. That's my guess though---I can't confirm that.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
That is Steve's surge protector/power strip. He brings it on train trips to protect his laptop and other gizmos from getting zapped from surges in the train's electrical power. I have never been able to find one that small--it's very handy to have! I think he also uses it in Superliner sleeping cars that do not have the retrofitted outlets that "stick out" so that you can plug stuff in. For the older outlets that are flush-mounted with the wall in sleepers, a plug that has a transformer on the end (those big black box things), it will not fit into the outlet because of the material around the outlet. Having a surge protector like that gives you the extra inch you need in order to plug in the bulky plugs.
Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
I think you may be onto something, Smitty. The hand-grip idea would be a good one. It would also be a good place to hang things.
After taking a second look these pictures must be in a Business Class car. There are curtains on the windows (if I remember correctly the regular cars don't have them) and there are "anti-macassars" (white paper covers to protect the top of the seat back from staining).
As I said, I'll have my eyes peeled on Friday and again on the 22nd.
Frank in gloriously sunny SBA
P.S. Steve: If you read this could you tell us where you got that nifty surge protector? Does it work on the older Superliner cars?
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
In short, if one (i.e. me) who does not own any of these portable playthings other than a cell phone (it makes calls; period - and I haven't used it since November) were riding Coach (or even Acela First) and the pair of seats had to be shared (wasn't necessary on my CHI-MDT-CHI journey during December), one had best be prepared, if sitting by the window, to have someone else's power cords draped over one's lap.
disclaimer; author pays all household bills by check, has never bought any tangible property "on-line", and possibly, had there not been a need to get a "Y2K ready" computer, might not be "on-line' today.
Posted by Moderator (Member # 2933) on :
I asked Steve and he replied that he's sure he "purchased the surge protector at a CVS Drug Store or a Target Department Store. The neat part about that one, that is unique, is the 3 prong plug folds into the surge protector and isn't likely to poke or damage anything in your computer bag or suitcase." "There is another one that I have that you can purchase online at Amazon.com at: http://tinyurl.com/amzsurg1 The neat thing about the one at Amazon.com is that you can rotate the 3 prongs to face any direction. I've found that quite useful when there was something in the way of the direction that the unit needs to plug in. You can adjust whether it plugs into the outlet up, down, or sideways." "There are a lot of the Amtrak Superliner Coach Cars that are used on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner line as they don't have enough of the new Surfliner Cars. They have added outlets at all the seats in the Amtrak Superliner Coach Cars that are running on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner route and my surge protector works fine in those cars too."
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
Excellent info--thanks! I'm ordering the one at Amazon..
Posted by Greg (Member # 66) on :
I bought the Belkin mini surge protector a couple of nights ago from Walmart for less than $20. It's really slick, ideal for travel on Amtrak.
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Getting me one, too. (Who says thread creep can't be useful?)
Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
And getting back to the seats, they were not on either of my most recent Surfliner rides (2/12 and 2/22) and nobody onboard knew anything about them.
Ride were uneventful with near capacity in Business Class both directions.
We were pretty close to on time going and about 15=20 minutes late on the return yesterday due to track work, freight congestion (due to problems in the San Joaquin Valley) and a "man and his dog" walking on the tracks north of Ventura. The conductor said she would have been very sorry to have hit the dog.