Has Amtrak considered reviving these lately? I'm guessing the answer is no, and I'm left wondering why...particularly on some shorter hauls (the NYP-WAS Regionals, for example) where demand is high. I've very rarely seen the cafe seating crowded, and as such the failure to use at least one half of the car does seem like lost revenue (even if it was 2-1 seating instead of 2-2).
Amclub Cars
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Acela150
Super Buff
I don't know if you've ever been on one of those NER's between WAS and NYP but BC sells for some odd reason. Or at least from what I've seen.
I've only been on the longer-haul ones (RVR/NPN-WAS and north as a rule; the few times I've done WAS-NYP exclusively, it's been on an Acela). My impression is that, the cars on 66/67 aside, Amtrak had phased these out (more or less) and was almost exclusively using "standard" cafe cars. Mind you, I did run across one on the MoRR back in the spring, but that was also a Horizon car, not an Amtube.
spidersfan351
Train Attendant
Anderson - Do you mean that 66/67 use the nice, leather 2-1 business class seats? I rode those on the Palmetto about five years back, and they were tremendous. That would be excellent, since 66/67 stops in Ashland - where I like to board.
amamba
Engineer
Yes, 66/67 are known for almost always using the 2-1 club/dinette cars for BC service. The reason these aren't used on the other NEC regionals is that a) they don't have enough of them and b) the full BC car sells out which is more revenue for amtrak. Plus, the extra seats in the lounge are often needed when the train is full with commuters and other folks that might not have a reserved ticket for the train.
Going back before the Acela came on board, I recall the club cars were used on select NE regional trains but even then not all trains had them. I have no idea why they stopped using them.
Because the Acela entered service and took the premium club car customers? The true "premium" customers are mostly likely riding Acela first class cars with a capacity of 44 seats which generate a nice boost in revenue for Amtrak at a hundred dollar plus markup per seat.
If the customers who still ride the NE Regionals are willing to pay extra for business class seating, Amtrak makes more revenue with a 60 seat business class Amfleet car than a split club-café car with 18 seats (or is it 21 seats?). Wonder if Amtrak is considering converting some of the remaining club-café cars to all café or even a few to a 60 seat business class car removing the café?
The cars known today as the Club-Dinettes, did not exist pre-Acela. While the seat cushions and controls have been updated, the seats used in the Club-Dinettes were all used in the Metroliner First Class cars. These were full length cars with 2 & 1 seating on both ends and the food service area in the middle. As more and more Acela trainsets came on line and the number of Metroliner trains was reduced, Amtrak started converting those first class cars into Club-Dinettes.
Basically they left the food service area intact, took out half the seats and put in tables. Those extra seats were then put into other cafe cars, including the Horizon cafe cars to create still more Club-Dinette cars. During the Acela brake crisis that sidelined Acela for several months, Amtrak quickly converted some cars back into full length Metroliner First class cars so as to run more Metroliners to take up the slack from the sidelined Acelas. Those cars were then converted back once again into Club-Dinettes as the Acelas came back on line after having their brakes fixed.
Basically they left the food service area intact, took out half the seats and put in tables. Those extra seats were then put into other cafe cars, including the Horizon cafe cars to create still more Club-Dinette cars. During the Acela brake crisis that sidelined Acela for several months, Amtrak quickly converted some cars back into full length Metroliner First class cars so as to run more Metroliners to take up the slack from the sidelined Acelas. Those cars were then converted back once again into Club-Dinettes as the Acelas came back on line after having their brakes fixed.
Acela150
Super Buff
I can remember riding in one of the Northeast Direct service trains back in 1997 when they still had I believe it was Club Class and it was the 2 and 1 seating. What a hideous seating pattern! :lol: Now that was the half cafe. But while walking the train we did walk into one of those first class cars from the Metroliner's. I believe I read on here that there's one or two still on the system today.
PerRock
Engineer
We have some Club-Dinettes here on the Wolverine.
peter
peter
Outside of NYP-WAS, I don't think there's anywhere in the NE that Amtrak would seriously consider axing food service entirely (and even on that stretch, that's a 4-hour run in most cases...which can be a long time if you don't have at least a decent soda machine). With that said, if there were trains selling out BC (or close to it), wouldn't having 78 BC seats make sense (i.e. a dedicated BC car and a split car)? Also, moving food service to one end of the car and having a 48-seat car (16 2-1 rows instead of 20) might also make sense in some cases if BC wasn't close to selling out. Making the car coach could also work, too...again, depending on demand.
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I was not suggesting removing the café car from trains. Amtrak has - or did have - an excess number of café cars in the Amfleet Is when they are now running just one café car in a typical consist. Amtrak is converting 20 Amfleet I café cars to all coach (revenue) cars with the stimulus funding. Checking the On Track On-line Amtrak fleet info, 19 out of the 20 have been converted and released to the fleet as of September 1. Perhaps Amtrak now has the balance of coach cars, all business class cars, all dinettes, and club-dinettes they want - while trying to keep them all running until Amfleet I replacements show up.
Mixing 2x1 business class seating with a 60 2x2 business class car could lead to some grumpy passengers wondering, hey, why did I end up in the 2x2 seats? :lol:
I know the 2x1 and 2x2 stuff got mixed...and honestly, if they did mix things, I'd consider reviving Club Class on those super-long Regionals (66/67, the daytime counterpart, and the Lynchburger). 2x1 makes a difference on longer trips IMHO.
Club Class was Metroliner First Class service, pre Acela. Shortly before Acela came online Club class was renamed First Class. But you would have never found Club Class on a Regional, it only existed on the Metroliner service.
Custom Class back then was what we now call Business Class.
Yup, those are generally Horizon Club-Dinettes however. I suppose that in a pinch you might find an Amfleet Club-Dinette out there, but normally they should be Horizon cars.
cpamtfan
OBS Chief
I don't think they need to put seats back in..people love using (..and sometimes hogging) the booths. Why go to more seating?
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