phase color schems

[amtrakmichigan]

Is Amtrak on phase IV or phase V ? I just find it funny that Amtrak somehow finds the money to change the equipment from one scheme to another when there are plenty of other things that need to be done, like replacing burned out light bulbs at station waiting areas etc. I also find it funny that they go onto another phase before all the equipment was changed to yhe last phase. The phase III was the best looking phase in my opinion with the bold red white and blue stripes...it looked "all american". What's your input?

 

[Anthony]

I have long preferred Phase III on all equipment and still enjoy those consists which have a car or two that hasn't been dealt with yet

 

[Amfleet]

Appearance on the exterior is as an important as the appearance on the interior. When Gunn became head of Amtrak there were 3 different schemes on the Amfleet cars (III, IV, and Acela). A more consistant look was in need so Phase IVb was born. The paint/decals on the cars in Phase III and Phase IV were beginning to peel, some of them pretty badly. All and all I think the money that has gone into painting the fleet is well worth it. Brand identity is very important for a company.

 

[battalion51]

Right now we are on Phase V for locomotive paint scheme (shamu) and Phase IVb or VI (depending on what you call it) for the cars. The only cars that are having every car repainted at this point are the Amfleets, the rest of the fleet is getting it when it returns from damage wreck status. As of right now there are no plans to repaint EVERY car within a certain time frame.

 

[EmpireBuilderFan]

Right now we are on Phase V for locomotive paint scheme (shamu) and Phase IVb or VI (depending on what you call it) for the cars. The only cars that are having every car repainted at this point are the Amfleets, the rest of the fleet is getting it when it returns from damage wreck status. As of right now there are no plans to repaint EVERY car within a certain time frame.

Amtrak is probably not too worried about painting every car since all of the Superliners and Viewliners are in Phase IV anyways, which looks close enough to Phase IVb. I know David Gunn wants to get all of the equipment so that it matches to some extent. I wonder if the Horizons that are still in Phase III are going to get a paint job once they're done with the Amfleet.

 

[battalion51]

I'd like to see all the Heritage equipment get a paint job. The 1700 series baggage and crew dorms look like crap, but then again Amtrak did paint them grey instead of leaving the fluting as it was. Obviously the other cars in Phase III need it for the obvious reason.

 

[tp49]

As for replacing burned out light bulbs in station areas that is not necessarily Amtrak's responsability. That responsability could belong to the municipality that the station is located in as Amtrak does not own all of their stations but has lease agreements with the municipalities for maintenance.

 

[Viewliner]

I have long preferred Phase III on all equipment and still enjoy those consists which have a car or two that hasn't been dealt with yet

Glad I'm not the only one.

 

[AlanB]

I think that they should just phase out all of the phases. :lol:

 

[amtrakmichigan]

Right now we are on Phase V for locomotive paint scheme (shamu) and Phase IVb or VI (depending on what you call it) for the cars. The only cars that are having every car repainted at this point are the Amfleets, the rest of the fleet is getting it when it returns from damage wreck status. As of right now there are no plans to repaint EVERY car within a certain time frame.

But why doesn't Amtrak just pick a phase that everyone agrees on and keep it? For an example AMFLEET said this in his post: "All and all I think the money that has gone into painting the fleet is well worth it. Brand identity is very important for a company. " The Brand idenity is a very good point. Why dont they just pick a phase and use it for 20 years or so. If a car needs to have new decals put on, then put on the same decals that it had before. For an example, Sunday I went to the Ann Arbor, Mi station to do some ticket adjustments for my upcoming trip and watched the west bound Twilight Limited pull into the station. The "dummy" f-40 was in phase III, the Cafe was in phase IVb or V (amfleet) and 2 horizon coaches in phase IV and the powered Genesis in phase IVb or V. The consist looked like it was "thrown together" and very unprofessional. There is no "brand idenity" at all with this train or with Amtrak. I understand certain phases may go out of style after a while like the phase I that need to be changed. In my opinion the phase III should have been kept for a long time and still used today. It cost Amtrak money that they don't have to pay someone to develop a new "phase" then have the decals made etc..etc. My point in my original post about the "burned out light bulbs" in stations is just an example of where money could be going that passengers actually "see". Most passengers don't care what phase there coach car is.

 

[P40Power]

Most passengers don't care what phase there coach car is

I agree 100 % there, only the die hard Amtrak fans like us are intrested in the paintjobs and if anything, people know Amtrak by being the Phase III red, white, and blue striped trains. Well at least when I think of Amtrak I still think of phase III and the pointless arrow. . . maybe Im stuck in the past. But the very mixed paintjobs on Amtrak trains does look very unperfessional!

One mix and match that I always thought went along well for some reason was phase III Genesis units and Phase IV Superliners, they just looked good together in my opinion!

 

[Viewliner]

Most passengers don't care what phase there coach car is

I agree 100 % there, only the die hard Amtrak fans like us are intrested in the paintjobs and if anything, people know Amtrak by being the Phase III red, white, and blue striped trains. Well at least when I think of Amtrak I still think of phase III and the pointless arrow. . . maybe Im stuck in the past. But the very mixed paintjobs on Amtrak trains does look very unperfessional!

One mix and match that I always thought went along well for some reason was phase III Genesis units and Phase IV Superliners, they just looked good together in my opinion!

P40 Power, I'm right there with you. I think that Phase IV and especially the three sheets represent the era of mistakes under Amtrak (Warrington's) management. I still think of phase III and the arrow for Amtrak, both were brighter and more colorful. (Thats a key reason why I'm getting my Viewliners painted in Phase III). For nearly 30 years the arrow was Amtrak, and for about 15, so was Phase III. Phase III at least in my opinion looked best on the fleet universally, the one exception being the Superliner I Sightseer lounge. Even David Gunn seems to prefer the Arrow (I've heard his portrait uses that one).

 

[P40Power]

Well its too late to go back now, much of the fleet has been repainted. I dont mind the Phase IVb all that much, though I dont understand the tiny lettering like for Coach, etc.

Amtrak has definatly went the right way though interior wise, I love the new Capstone type colors with the light grays panneling, and the blue seats with the little purple accents within the blue (hard to describe what they are, but thouse who have ridden in these type of cars will know). Very clean, modern, and professional looking. Way to go Amtrak.

Thats where it counts most, in the inside.

Hey as long as Amtrak trains are still rolling, It doesnt matter what color or logos they have on them!

 

[battalion51]

I sort of wish they would have gone Capstone with the Amfleet II's as well. While Concept 2000 is nice, Capstone seems a little cleaner and more modern to me. As far as Phase III goes, it was an ok scheme, but I think it looked best on the Genesis Engines with the darker shade of blue, the lighter blue makes the cars look a little dated.