Refurbished California Superliner

[DowneasterPassenger]

Writing from train 713, riding one of those Superliners refurbished by Caltrans. Painted with California Amtrak scheme on the outside, and looks like LD train on the inside. Conductor says seats are new. 1/2 seats are reversed with 1 table for 4 in the middle. No cafe in this car (as some other refurbs have), the lower level is baggage and 4 restrooms. No LL seating and no ADA restroom. Bigger seat pitch than other Calif equipment. Windows with curtains. AC power at every seat. This is the first one I've seen on SJ line. These cars can be easily identified by the single door on each side.

 

[gswager]

I've rode like this on Pacific Surfliner last spring.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

No ADA bathroom? Well that is weird...

 

[DET63]

Does it have a name? I believe the Superliners that have been refurbed for Amtrak California are given a two word name, the second of which is Grove. But not all have been named, IIRC.

 

[DowneasterPassenger]

Doh, I forgot to look for the name! (I'm off that train now).

Other cars had LL seating and ADA bathrooms. I suspect that mobility impaired would be directed to those units. The Superliner had luggage racks where the ADA bathroom would be.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I'm surprised, because if I recall the layout of a Superliner coach-bag (which is what that thing is) the accessible restroom is in the same location as others. But the door is a bit odd on the Superliners. You can miss it if you're not looking. It faces into the vestibule area (where the exterior door is) has a handle a reasonable person could mistake for a grab handle, and the door is almost the entire width of the area.

It is, of course, possible they removed it for excess luggage capacity, but the carry-on luggage capacity on a Superliner coach-bag is the same as any other Superliner, located opposite the stairs.

 

[DET63]

Doh, I forgot to look for the name! (I'm off that train now).
Other cars had LL seating and ADA bathrooms. I suspect that mobility impaired would be directed to those units. The Superliner had luggage racks where the ADA bathroom would be.

The ADA bathroom would be above the seats, next to the ceiling? :lol:

 

[sechs]

If it's 31934, then, as I stated in this thread, the name is "Cedar Grove."

I'm not aware of any of the other California refurbs being baggage-coaches.

 

[espeefoamer]

I rode to Santa Barbara in a refurbished Superliner car last Monday. I didn't go downstairs to check out the restrooms. I don't remember the name either,but it was a Grove series.

 

[goodnightjohnwayne]

It seems to me that these rebuilt Superliners will be very popular with riders due to the spacious seating. I'm surprise that aren't sold as "business class?"

 

[DowneasterPassenger]

It seems to me that these rebuilt Superliners will be very popular with riders due to the spacious seating. I'm surprise that aren't sold as "business class?"

There aren't enough of them to put one on every train. Also it would be kinda weird to travel from, say, Fresno to Reno, and pay for business class on the San Joaquin and then coach class on the CZ for essentially the same type of seat.

 

[Guest_F59 PHI_*]

It seems to me that these rebuilt Superliners will be very popular with riders due to the spacious seating. I'm surprise that aren't sold as "business class?"

What spacious seating?

These are set up as 96 seaters...

 

[PetalumaLoco]

Writing from train 713, riding one of those Superliners refurbished by Caltrans. ...

CalTrain?

 

[sportbiker]

Writing from train 713, riding one of those Superliners refurbished by Caltrans. ...

CalTrain?

There is a CalTrain, but it's a commuter service running in the San Fran peninsula.

 

[DowneasterPassenger]

CalTrans = California Department of Transportation (same folks workin' on that Bay Bridge thingy).

CalTrain = a commuter rail to San Francisco on the peninsula

CalTrans funds Amtrak California.

California has a great tradition of using the same sounding name twice in confusing ways: Cerritos and El Cerrito, Brentwood Ca. and Brentwood L.A., Chino and Chico, MetroRail and MetroLink, Cal Trans and Cal Train, Medicare and Medi-Cal. Once we hear a good name, we gotta use it twice!