Phase III Amfleet IIs

[P40Power]

I was just wondering if any of the Amfleet II equipment is still operating in the phase III paint scheme. Its getting harder and harder to find any kind of equipment still in the Phase III, something that 5 years ago I never would have thought would happen. Amfleet IIs were the most numerous cars still in the phase III a few years back but recently all Ive seen have been ones in phase IV and IVb, which just dont do anything for me, but Id rather have them painted in that then that Acela scheme yiiikes!

Here is how I like my Amfleet IIs:

Im gonna miss seein cars lookin like this pullin into Pittsfield

 

[Viewliner]

I agree those look very good in Phase III, which is my favorite scheme, and I feel nothing looks bad in it (other than the Superliner I Lounges). Anyway, if there are any left in Phase III, its a very small #, which will receive the new Phase VI Scheme the next time they go for a PM. I did not see any on my trip last month, so I know there aren't many if any left.

 

[Viewliner]

By the way the car you have in the picture there, is now in Phase IV, I saw it on the Palmetto in Florida last month (along with the Vermonter Baggage Car).

 

[P40Power]

I also hear that most of the Amfleet IIs now have the new updated Capstone style interiors, which is a great improvement over the original interiors which were getting very old and grubby looking.

 

[P40Power]

Speaking of phase III, there are still quite a few Amfleet I food service cars in Phase III out there since I see them quite often. Now I have a question, does Amtrak sometimes redue a cars interior like into the Capstone style without painting the car into the newer paintjobs?

 

[Viewliner]

I also hear that most of the Amfleet IIs now have the new updated Capstone style interiors, which is a great improvement over the original interiors which were getting very old and grubby looking.

Yes, I only encountered one car still as-built on the entire trip, even that car was in Phase IV. I agree they're an improvement, particularlly those lounges with the smoking room.

In D.C. I did see a couple of Amfleet I's in Phase III (got a pic of it). I would suspect that a refurbished car will receive the lastest scheme after undergoing the refurbishment.

 

[P40Power]

I used to think that the original red interiors were fine, but after my last trip in a beautiful Acela Regional Business Class Car I was spoiled by the great lookin interior of the car and now I wouldnt want to ride in one of the old red colored cars . . . well I still would ride in one since a trip on a train is a trip on the train!

 

[battalion51]

P40 Power, no offense here, but the correct name for the newer pdated Amfleet II interiors is Concept 2000. It's been a good long while since I saw an Amfleet II in Phase III. Many of the cars are either in IVb now (Phase IV with the red safety stripe), or in Phase VI. Most of the cars that are still in III are Heritage Diners or Baggage car.

 

[P40Power]

No offense taken at all Battalion, well I enjoy the Concept 2000 interiors greatly. The phase IVb cars arent that bad, Im still not the biggest fan of Amtraks new logo but it isnt anything horrible. I saw a heritage diner not so long ago on the Lake Shore in Phase III and that thing looked terrible! The paint was all faded on it and there was rust and grunge marks all down the sides of the car as well! The looks of this car certainlly wouldnt make someone want to ride in it! The new darker colors of phase IV and IVb do have a good thing, they probably wont fade as easily or as bad as the Phase III colors. When Phase III fades it looks pretty bad, as does I and II.

 

[Julia]

I liked the phase III amfleets too, however I wonder how it would have looked with darker stripes(like the P40/42s in phase III). Concept 2000(better than the oringinal) is ok, but I think a new red interior design could have worked.

 

[P40Power]

Hey, its a good possibility that someone could have came up with a nicer newer red color design, the original wasnt all that bad at its time but 20 years and newer designs like the Concept 2000 eventually made it very unappealing. Darker stripes on the Amfleet IIs probably would have looked pretty good, since they did on the P42s.