Superliner seat configuration.

[MStrain]

Greetings folks. I have convinced my wife and 6 other friends to travel with me to New Orleans for a weekend trip this Summer. I have noticed in previous trips that on the side of each seat row there is a foot lever. Does this allow for the seats to be turned around to face the seats behind it? If so, that would be nice to be able to sit in 8 seats that would face each other. Does anyone know if this is possible?

For the sake of simplicity, lets just say that my wife and I are in two seats and our friends are in the seats ahead. Will the car attendant change the seats (if possible) to face us? That might be more hassle than its worth........just wondering.

I am wanting to make their experience super positive so they will all ride the train more!!!!!

Thanks in advance for answering my strange questions! :lol: and :blink:

MStrain

 

[D.P. Roberts]

No. Sorry.

Although I have seen some cars that have maybe two sets of seats permanently facing each other. That may have been on a Surfliner car instead of a Superliner, so don't quote me on that.

 

[the_traveler]

I don't think it's possible to switch just 1 set of seats. (One reason is the leg rest, another is the tray table.) I think the lever may be to allow them to turn ALL the seats at the end point, in case they don't wye the car.

 

[dan72]

Last summer on the EB, some seats were turned facing each other both on the upper and lower levels of my car. In fact, I ended up in one on the lower level for the return trip. Even if you can switch it, I don't recommend it as you will have very little legroom.

Dan

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

I'm fairly sure this was discussed extensively on another thread in this forum, and unless the Amfleets are different from the Superliners in some way that I failed to notice, each pairs of seats can be rotated independently of the other pairs, but it's best not to rotate the seats without the permission of the conductor. When doing this, it's also best if the facing pairs of seats are at the front end of the car.

 

[PerRock]

I'm fairly sure this was discussed extensively on another thread in this forum, and unless the Amfleets are different from the Superliners in some way that I failed to notice, each pairs of seats can be rotated independently of the other pairs, but it's best not to rotate the seats without the permission of the conductor. When doing this, it's also best if the facing pairs of seats are at the front end of the car.

I have seen superliners with "family seating" arrangements set up at one of the two ends or in the very middle. Often when it is in the middle one half of the car is facing the "wrong way". If you want a set set up in "family seating" I would talk to the conductor or your car attendant; and don't do it your self (not that I haven't )

peter

 

[VentureForth]

This question has come up a couple of times and from what I gather, the seats are physically capable of being turned around. However, onboard crews don't like it when you do it yourself and probably won't do it for you.

I really don't see the problem. Of course, you lose your tray tables and your foot rests, but socially it can be extremely rewarding - especially on shorter trips.

At the risk of being flamed out here, I suggest that you go ahead and do the turn around if it is capable of being spun, but only if it's a front seat. Otherwise, you could interfere with another pax and I don't recommend discomforting others for your own comfort (they may not be able to recline their seats). Maybe then, it would be easier to ask for forgiveness rather than permission. Expect a harsh talking to, that way you'll be prepared to stay cool and not get into a heated discussion over silly rules (they may pull the safety card).

Frankly, I've spun chairs on the bullet train in Japan (where rules are just about diamond-hard). Maybe they didn't bother me because I was an American and they thought I couldn't speak Japanese, or they just really didn't care. It really made the 3-hour trip bearable with five of us in four seats (including 3 year old). Of course those seats are made to spun and done so at every terminus (they don't wye trains over there for the most part).

 

[MStrain]

Thanks for all of the advice. I would not do it myself however as I would not want to peeve off the car attendant. I have gotten to know several of the outstanding attendants on the CONO and I imagine they would turn our chairs around if I asked them nicely. I always tip well when I detrain....they might remember me!!!!!

Thanks!

MStrain

 

[amtrakwolverine]

i remember back when i used to take via rail from windser to toronto a long time ago a group of teenagers turn the seats around in the LRC coach and got in trouble for doing it.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

I'm fairly sure this was discussed extensively on another thread in this forum, and unless the Amfleets are different from the Superliners in some way that I failed to notice, each pairs of seats can be rotated independently of the other pairs, but it's best not to rotate the seats without the permission of the conductor. When doing this, it's also best if the facing pairs of seats are at the front end of the car.

I have seen superliners with "family seating" arrangements set up at one of the two ends or in the very middle. Often when it is in the middle one half of the car is facing the "wrong way". If you want a set set up in "family seating" I would talk to the conductor or your car attendant; and don't do it your self (not that I haven't )

peter

This is the case on the Pacific Surfliners... there are seats facing each other - one pair in the middle, and a pair on both ends - in each of the cars. Due to the push-pull nature of the train, half of the seats are backwards.

Sorry I didn't even mean to bring this topic back to activity. I didn't realize it was so old, I was just trying to look a schematics thing up off of google. And I didn't realize it was so old.

 

[Employee]

If you turn the seats, you lose all of your legroom, and the back-to-back seats can't be reclined in any usable way.