Amfleet Coach Seats

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NYP2NFL01

Service Attendant
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Is it my imagination? Or are the coach seats in Amfleet coach really uncomfortable? Trying to get some sleep on overnight routes is nearly impossible! No matter which way you try to adjust yourself, these seats really hurt your posterior! Has anyone else experienced this? I'd like to read your experiences.
 
I prefer the seats compared to the ones in the superliners and Acela.
 
A lot of it may not have to do with the seats but with the car itself. I prefer the Superliner over the AmCan because it has more room to wander about and more options for using the restroom. But as far as I know the actual seat and seat pitch are about the same.
 
It also depends if it's an Amfleet I (tight pitch) or an Amfleet II (large pitch). The Amfleet I's are mainly used on Corridor runs while Amfleet II's are mainly used for LD runs, although I was on the LSL that used an Amfleet I from BOS thru to CHI! :eek:

I'm glad I only rode it to ALB, but many in the car went from say WOR-CLE or SPG-TOL! Now that's uncomfortable! :eek:
 
the_traveler said:
It also depends if it's an Amfleet I (tight pitch) or an Amfleet II (large pitch). The Amfleet I's are mainly used on Corridor runs while Amfleet II's are mainly used for LD runs, although I was on the LSL that used an Amfleet I from BOS thru to CHI! :eek:

I'm glad I only rode it to ALB, but many in the car went from say WOR-CLE or SPG-TOL! Now that's uncomfortable! :eek:
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I thought that the LSL used Amfleet II coaches on that route,not Amfleet I coaches. Perhaps the LSL segment that originates from NYP will use the more comfortable Amfleet II coaches.
 
I would hope that they would at least consider throwing a business class car on in that situation. An Amfleet I for an overnight train? Yikes.
 
The train in question had 2 coaches from BOS - the first coach was the usual Amfleet II and the other was an Amfleet I. Originally I was seated in the II but then I was moved to the Amfleet I, being told it will be used for "shorts". Before I got off in a ALB, I saw many seat checks for ERI, CLE, TOL, SOB and CHI - all overnight trips!
 
I believe the Amfleet I, II, and the Superliner's are all basically the same ASI-built seat. The Amfleet I's do not have the legrest, due to insufficient pitch.
 
The Amfleet seats have nothing to do with the pitch for me. For me (6'2" overweight), these seats offer a more comfortable ride then the Superliner or Acela. Actually the Acela being a higher class has the worse seats that I have used on Amtrak. Of course I like Amfleet II over a a I
 
William W. said:
I would hope that they would at least consider throwing a business class car on in that situation. An Amfleet I for an overnight train? Yikes.
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Yep, Amtrak did that to me on the LSL (and yes, I was going overnight) once as well. Not acceptable, but they did it anyway. Worse, there were empty seats in the adjacent Amfleet IIs; I really should have just moved, but I was more accomodating then.
 
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Seeing headrest padding being brought up..

How much does Amtrak spend on those white paper head rests?? If they should cut anything it's that.. God knows how often they change them...
 
Acela150 said:
Seeing headrest padding being brought up..

How much does Amtrak spend on those white paper head rests?? If they should cut anything it's that.. God knows how often they change them...
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They are used to help preserve the life of the seats. Just look at that area on a Keystone set that doesn't have them and you can see a slightly darker patch of fabric in that area from all of the oil and dirt.
 
ronkstevens said:
Acela150 said:
Seeing headrest padding being brought up..

How much does Amtrak spend on those white paper head rests?? If they should cut anything it's that.. God knows how often they change them...
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They are used to help preserve the life of the seats. Just look at that area on a Keystone set that doesn't have them and you can see a slightly darker patch of fabric in that area from all of the oil and dirt.
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Ok so if every coach car has them why don't the Business Class cars that have fabric have them? Sure the BC cars are being changed over to a Leather type fabric. Theirs no good reason to have those stupid papers..

Coach Car... http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=448120&nseq=420

BC Car.... http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=448119&nseq=421
 
Those "paper things" are properly named "antimacassars", macassar oil being one of the unguents which came into fashion for oiled hair styles back in the Victorian era. See also "greasy kid stuff". While macassar oil itself has largely fallen out of fashion, there are enough natural oils in the hair that without the antimacassars high backed seats in public transports would soon show an unattractive dark spot and require (difficult) cleaning or (expensive) replacement.
 
Given that I am under doctor's orders to actually oil my hair, I am very appreciative of antimacassars. They're definitely worth it for lengthening the lifetime of the seats. Not quite as necessary on leather (which is actually supposed to be oiled regularly) but still useful to avoid staining.
 
Acela150 said:
Ok so if every coach car has them why don't the Business Class cars that have fabric have them? Sure the BC cars are being changed over to a Leather type fabric.
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Probably this is the reason. If you're planning to rip out all the upholstery in the next year or so, then protecting it seems less important... they still should have them, though.
 
I agree the ASI seats are a bit too flat and low. They could use a somewhat curved middle section or a curved headrest.

I believe they could use vinyl headrests which defeats the need for that antimacassar.
 
Acela150 said:
Seeing headrest padding being brought up..

How much does Amtrak spend on those white paper head rests?? If they should cut anything it's that.. God knows how often they change them...
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They are supposed to be changes at each staffed facility unless the equipment is short turned. When they were eliminated during the Warrington years, people complained and complained.
 
ehbowen said:
Those "paper things" are properly named "antimacassars", macassar oil being one of the unguents which came into fashion for oiled hair styles back in the Victorian era. See also "greasy kid stuff". While macassar oil itself has largely fallen out of fashion, there are enough natural oils in the hair that without the antimacassars high backed seats in public transports would soon show an unattractive dark spot and require (difficult) cleaning or (expensive) replacement.
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That is why whenever I settle into any high backed seat on any public conveyance that I will rest my head, I first vigorously rub a paper towel on it, sometimes with a drop of sanitizer. I get puzzled looks from some fellow passenger's, but knowing smiles from other's...... ;)
 
FWIW, the paper antimacassars themselves are very cheap and come in packs of, I don't know, thousands? If you're going to worry about associated costs, worry about the cost of labor replacing them several times every run, which takes a while.
 
neroden said:
FWIW, the paper antimacassars themselves are very cheap and come in packs of, I don't know, thousands? If you're going to worry about associated costs, worry about the cost of labor replacing them several times every run, which takes a while.
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Whenever I have ridden the Coast Starlight one of the first things I do is pull those things off the Roomette seats and carefully pack them in my grip since they have the Starlight Livery printed on them. One sits happily on display on a bedroom chair and the rest are snugged away in a drawer and will probably stay there until whoever does my Estate liquidation uncovers them :)
 
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