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Better have the AEDs (Automatic External Defibrillator) charged up and on standby for those who went into shock when it was wine, cheese, and flowers being cut. Let the slippery slope down the water slide begin, for a nominal fee of course.
 
Most of my travel is long-distance and sleeper; I haven't taken an overnight coach trip since July 2010 (HOS-ALP-HOS). I did reserve a two-day LAX-HOS coach trip in March 2015, but eventually upgraded to sleeper when Amsnag informed me of a price drop.

PRIIA a few years back recommended squeezing in one extra row of coach seating. That wouldn't affect my calculus too badly. But if anyone is thinking of going "full airline" on us...well, I own a 2015 Chrysler 300 with leather seating. That will become my coach class transportation from then on....
 
I could see an additional row squeezed in on the LD's. But what I really think is in store is "true airline" seating on the Regionals on the NE Corridor. Prepare your butts for Ricaro slimlines!
 
I could see an additional row squeezed in on the LD's. But what I really think is in store is "true airline" seating on the Regionals on the NE Corridor. Prepare your butts for Ricaro slimlines!
I definitely could see the Amfleet 1s being the target here, it could work for higher density, lower time routes. With Amtrak not able to procure new coaches and facing a capacity crunch on the NEC, their hand has been kind of forced on this.
 
I could see an additional row squeezed in on the LD's. But what I really think is in store is "true airline" seating on the Regionals on the NE Corridor. Prepare your butts for Ricaro slimlines!
I definitely could see the Amfleet 1s being the target here, it could work for higher density, lower time routes. With Amtrak not able to procure new coaches and facing a capacity crunch on the NEC, their hand has been kind of forced on this.
Funding is the issue here, but in some ways Amtrak could use this as an opportunity to kind of "modernize" their product appearance along a route. While seats like Ricaro Slimlines won't be popular with the likes of us here on AU, including them as part of a redesigned interior may be a step in the correct direction aesthetically. I'm thinking along the lines of what VIA did for their Budd HEP2 project.
 
an extra row in a railcar is a big 4 seats On a six coach corridor train that would be 24 seats. do they have enough sold out segments to make the work involved pay off? It does involve moving overhead reading lights and possibly realigning receptacles, as well as buying/installing the seats themselves.
 
Most of my travel is long-distance and sleeper; I haven't taken an overnight coach trip since July 2010 (HOS-ALP-HOS). I did reserve a two-day LAX-HOS coach trip in March 2015, but eventually upgraded to sleeper when Amsnag informed me of a price drop.

PRIIA a few years back recommended squeezing in one extra row of coach seating. That wouldn't affect my calculus too badly. But if anyone is thinking of going "full airline" on us...well, I own a 2015 Chrysler 300 with leather seating. That will become my coach class transportation from then on....
I can't imagine this type of seating will be implemented on long distance trains. Guessing Acela and short distance ones.
 
Reducing legroom and pitch on the NEC would be a major deterrent for me. I think the coach cars are tight as is. However adding an armrest would be nice!!!

I don't see how a third seat would fit.
 
Most of my travel is long-distance and sleeper; I haven't taken an overnight coach trip since July 2010 (HOS-ALP-HOS). I did reserve a two-day LAX-HOS coach trip in March 2015, but eventually upgraded to sleeper when Amsnag informed me of a price drop.

PRIIA a few years back recommended squeezing in one extra row of coach seating. That wouldn't affect my calculus too badly. But if anyone is thinking of going "full airline" on us...well, I own a 2015 Chrysler 300 with leather seating. That will become my coach class transportation from then on....
I can't imagine this type of seating will be implemented on long distance trains. Guessing Acela and short distance ones.
Acela commands a premium price. Will that market stand for being squeezed into tiny seats with no legroom? I could see this maybe on Amfleet I, tho some of the early Amfleet cars already had a higher density.
 
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-amtrak-idUSKBN19X2UJ?il=0

Airline executive with an airline type idea. Have to guess Richard Anderson would be in favor.

Amtrak could always use higher revenue but if Amtrak had airline style seating why would anyone take the train and not fly?

Don't panic and place blame where it belongs. I alluded to this development quite some time ago. While it is an airline idea, it has nothing to do with Richard Anderson or Wick Moorman for that matter.

This is something Mr. Boardman's crew have been kicking around to coincide with the new Acela set. Absent funding for replacements, the AM1s are in need of an overhaul. Remember, the Capstone program was completed years ago. There a re multiple things on the table that will create more space. You may see the elimination of two bathrooms in each coach to create space. You may see reduced seat pitch to increase seating. After all, a great deal of the AMIs had 84 seats.

The reason I say don't panic is because nothing will occur without significant funding for such an undertaking. However, if an overhaul occurs (or new equipment is ordered), expect some extra choices when you make your reservations... with extra costs of course.
 
I can imagine NE Regionals going to a 3-class layout like the domestic planes- Business Class, Premium Coach (today's existing coach class) and Economy Coach (airline style cramped seating).

If doing this brings down fares on NE Regionals (some of which are pretty unaffordable if your company is not paying it) I don't mind taking the cattle class once in a while. After all, it is still a train and I love riding them over sitting in a metal tube in the sky.
 
I can imagine NE Regionals going to a 3-class layout like the domestic planes- Business Class, Premium Coach (today's existing coach class) and Economy Coach (airline style cramped seating).

If doing this brings down fares on NE Regionals (some of which are pretty unaffordable if your company is not paying it) I don't mind taking the cattle class once in a while. After all, it is still a train and I love riding them over sitting in a metal tube in the sky.
an Amfleet is still a big 85' long metal tube, just hurtling around on the ground
 
Amtrak already has this kind of cramped seating on offer when they run the Thanksgiving holiday specials that use borrowed commuter equipment. The MARC single level cars have 3-2 seating, and it's OK for a one-hour ride, probably would be bearable for a 2-hour ride, too.
 
My guess is that Amtrak's current coach seats will eventually be replaced with dense airline style seating. These new seats will include armrests with less recline combined with knee crushing pitch for taller adults. Middle seats will be priced cheaper than current coach tickets while window and aisle seats will increase in cost compared to now. Amtrak's 1980's style coach seats will be used exclusively for business class although with substantially increased fares to go along with the increase in size compared to the new coach class.
 
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Guess I read a different article - the significant news to me is not the seat pitch but rather that the house appropriations committee rejected Trump budget cuts and recommended funding about the same as last year at $1.4 Bllion.

As to seat pitch, Moorman didn't say all seats would have reduced pitch but rather that there would be an economy class with reduced pitch. Sounds like a good idea to reduce deficits and increase capacity. This would imply you could pay a few bucks more and still get the extended seat pitch we enjoy. And I suspect this was primarily directed at the NEC trains where capacity is a real issue.

Long ago many LD trains had a car or two for 'shorts' that had more seats than the rest of the coaches. Similar today to the Am i and II cars found on trains like the Palmetto. To make this work without a lot of passenger confusion and resulting station delays, Amtrak would need to finally figure out how to assign seating (both car number and seat assignment). Just back from from a long trip overseas. Only three trains out of 14 we rode did not provide specific seat assignments. They were short distance local trains. And almost all trains with both first and second class seating had platform signs to let you need where the cars were. As a result station dwell was minimal. And, the coaches had plenty of room to stow your luggage, even for the Americans with lots of huge bags. No baggage cars in sight.
 
Having three different classes or types of seating could be a problem for the crews insuring that people sat "where they belonged", and not try to get into higher priced seating...

Would probably require additonal train attendants to monitor....

I'm not saying I am against the concept, but just wanted to point out that possibility....
 
... but if Amtrak had airline style seating why would anyone take the train and not fly?
In that case, the airlines wouldn't be Amtrak's competition. it would be the self-driving cars coming down the line. Just sit back in your seat and let the computer do your driving.
 
Me too. Everything ran smoothly and pretty much on time, with passengers able to look after themselves for the most part. No hassles with my bicycle, either. Just roll it on and hang it – no drama, no handwringing. Particularly enjoyed the Austrian trains -- every bit as good as PaulM said it would be.

Just back from from a long trip overseas. Only three trains out of 14 we rode did not provide specific seat assignments. They were short distance local trains. And almost all trains with both first and second class seating had platform signs to let you need where the cars were. As a result station dwell was minimal. And, the coaches had plenty of room to stow your luggage, even for the Americans with lots of huge bags. No baggage cars in sight.
 
Having three different classes or types of seating could be a problem for the crews insuring that people sat "where they belonged", and not try to get into higher priced seating...

Would probably require additonal train attendants to monitor....

I'm not saying I am against the concept, but just wanted to point out that possibility....
Is that a problem today between Coach and Business Class on Regionals or Business Class and First Class in Acelas?
 
Good concept, but railiner is right, OBS are already loaded with work, especially on the NEC.

The idea of having Separate Cars for Economy,Economy+ and Biz and First Class

seems like a good idea. YMMV
 
Guess I read a different article - the significant news to me is not the seat pitch but rather that the house appropriations committee rejected Trump budget cuts and recommended funding about the same as last year at $1.4 Bllion.

As to seat pitch, Moorman didn't say all seats would have reduced pitch but rather that there would be an economy class with reduced pitch. Sounds like a good idea to reduce deficits and increase capacity. This would imply you could pay a few bucks more and still get the extended seat pitch we enjoy. And I suspect this was primarily directed at the NEC trains where capacity is a real issue.
That's what caught my attention too, and what Wick said made me visualize coach seats on the LD trains like we know them now, and a new section of 'economy' sardine can airliner like seats, likely near the doors at each end of a coach car.

Many coach passenger who ride Amtrak long distance trains have more convenient access to an Amtrak station at each end compared to an airport served by a commercial airline and/or travel a relatively short distance.
 
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