When will Amtrak debut their next livery?

[frequentflyer]

We know the the next group ALC42s are supposed to be in the new livery, no doubt the new Siemen coaches to replace the Amfleet will be in the livery. One would think Amtrak would a show ALC42 with a Superliner or Viewliner in the new livery colors at a media event.

 

[PerRock]

Amtrak's not that media savvy...

The new paint scheme looks to be designed to have a full-wrap on the cars; which while do-able on most of Amtrak's fluted fleet, isn't easy. They could wrap a Horizon I suppose. I think that the current fleet will keep it's Phase VI/IVb paint until replaced.

 

[Steve4031]

Hopefully after I can eat a decent meal on an east coast overnight train and the Texas Eagle. . .

 

[MARC Rider]

Hopefully after I can eat a decent meal on an east coast overnight train and the Texas Eagle. . .

Don't forget the City of New Orleans. They serve Flex food, too.

 

[neroden]

My answer: WHO CARES?!?!?!

I do not give a darn how the trains are painted on the outside.

I realize some people are fans of this, I guess.

 

[zephyr17]

I think they have a lot of problems to solve before worrying about paint, like getting their pre-COVID, formerly serviceable, but stored unserviceable, equipment back on the road. Making daily trains daily, as per Congressional mandate. Serving edible food on the eastern LDs, the Eagle and the CONO.

In short, getting their act together at an absolute minimal level.

As to livery, once they get themselves together a little bit, how about going to straight stainless with a nameplate, like Burlington or Santa Fe. Then just keep it. Classy, classic, and low maintenance.

 

[frequentflyer]

Amtrak made a big deal about a new livery, and I am following up on it. Amtrak thought it was important enough topic to have their PR team make two YouTube videos on the subject.




If one is interested in why they had to wait for a two hour late LD train with no SSL, surly employees, no full diner, and the AC was too cold. Sorry, Amtrak has not made any YouTube videos on those subjects. And wrong thread.

But don't worry, in the near future the train may be two hours late, but at least it will look pretty.

 

[PaTrainFan]

Amtrak made a big deal about a new livery, and I am following up on it. Amtrak thought it was important enough topic to have their PR team make two YouTube videos on the subject.




If one is interested in why they had to wait for a two hour late LD train with no SSL, surly employees, no full diner, and the AC was too cold. Sorry, Amtrak has not made any YouTube videos on those subjects. And wrong thread.

But don't worry, in the near future the train may be two hours late, but at least it will look pretty.

Amtrak has made a big deal about many things that have not come to fruition. How about the return of china? The exceedingly slow rollout of Superliner upgraded bedding and interiors? They haven't much credibility anymore with their bold pronouncements of coming attractions.

 

[frequentflyer]

Amtrak has made a big deal about many things that have not come to fruition. How about the return of china? The exceedingly slow rollout of Superliner upgraded bedding and interiors? They haven't much credibility anymore with their bold pronouncements of coming attractions.

True.

 

[zephyr17]

Amtrak has made a big deal about many things that have not come to fruition. How about the return of china? The exceedingly slow rollout of Superliner upgraded bedding and interiors? They haven't much credibility anymore with their bold pronouncements of coming attractions.

Slow rolling some of their brainstorms is not always a bad thing, like the proposed gutting of the Viewliner Diner galleys or ruining perfectly good Superliner diners by converting them to diner/lounges (aka CCCs).

 

[John Bobinyec]

What's more important than the livery is that the outside of the trains be kept clean and shiny.

Lots of dirt on a new livery isn't going to sell seats.

jb

 

[neroden]

What's more important than the livery is that the outside of the trains be kept clean and shiny.

Lots of dirt on a new livery isn't going to sell seats.

jb

There's always "New York Central Black", designed to look sort of clean when covered with coal dust

 

[mfastx]

I've accepted that Amtrak will never have uniform consists with respect to livery. In my opinion, it looks unprofessional and reflects a lack of direction, but whatever.

 

[jis]

I've accepted that Amtrak will never have uniform consists with respect to livery. In my opinion, it looks unprofessional and reflects a lack of direction, but whatever.

I suspect all the new semi-permanently coupled trainsets will have uniform livery within each set. Acelas do already.

 

[mfastx]

I suspect all the new semi-permanently coupled trainsets will have uniform livery within each set. Acelas do already.

Yes, the exception are some NEC trains and obviously Acelas.

But what happens when they throw a baggage car or other Viewliner on the consist? I realize this isn't a big deal lol just triggers my OCD lol.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yes, the exception are some NEC trains and obviously Acelas.

But what happens when they throw a baggage car or other Viewliner on the consist? I realize this isn't a big deal lol just triggers my OCD lol.

You should have been around in the early days of Amtrak when the "Rainbow Trains" gave us some real Colorful Consists!

 

[jis]

You should have been around in the early days of Amtrak when the "Rainbow Trains" gave us some real Colorful Consists!

Back then people used to get their OCD triggered when a train actually head uniform livery I suppose

 

[Cal]

This is what I want for Amtrak liveries:

-Standard livery for the national network + most corridor trains (so most of the network)
-Special liveries for specific corridor services such as the California services, Cascades, Acela, etc that reflect their service. However it should still be clear that it's an Amtrak (operated) service.

What I really don't want is like what's currently on the Surfline; Some surfliner cars, some superliner cars, and some California cars (from the CC and SJ) which makes for a really messy-looking consist.

 

[jis]

What I really don't want is like what's currently on the Surfline; Some surfliner cars, some superliner cars, and some California cars (from the CC and SJ) which makes for a really messy-looking consist.

So your position then is that unless properly liveried cars are available the train should be cancelled Got it.

In India they started with the noble goal (special livery for Rajdhanis, Shatabdis, Durontos and what not) and within a year discovered that when there is bad order etc. any two things that can be coupled together and has the right accommodation in them will be used rather than inconveniencing passengers. So things inevitably became the rainbow fleet. Then they gave up and standardized on their current red and grey livery for everything LHB and dark and light blue for ICF stuff. But it also takes many years to convert everything back to whatever standard you choose when you have to deal with some 70,000 cars. Such are the realities of life.

 

[Cal]

So your position then is that unless properly liveried cars are available the train should be cancelled Got it.

Well in that case uhh... about 75% of Admtrak trains should be cancelled.

Was simply stating what I wish for the future an that I dislike the current messy look of the surfline.

 

[AmtrakMaineiac]

If you want to have your OCD triggered check out videos of some of the European long distance trains where there is a mixture of cars from various national railroads, reminiscent of the pre Amtrak days here in the US when trains joined and split at various points. And on some systems the addition of colorful graffiti designs.

 

[Cal]

 

[frequentflyer]

Wow Amtrak must be taking this livery thing seriously

 

[toddinde]

Someone correctly pointed out that many through European trains mix it up. Traditionally in Europe, the dining car was a different color. I loved the rainbow era in the early Amtrak days. Each consist was a discovery of something new.

 

[MARC Rider]

Someone correctly pointed out that many through European trains mix it up. Traditionally in Europe, the dining car was a different color. I loved the rainbow era in the early Amtrak days. Each consist was a discovery of something new.

Heck, the Northeast Corridor trains the Penn Central days was like riding in a rail museum. Anything from pre WW2 P75s in PRR Tuscan red or PC vomit green, Budd stainless steel long-distance coaches, Budd stainless steel coaches with relatively cramped corridor seating, New Haven coaches (stainless steel with orange and black striping along the windows), and occasionally, a Silverliner set (mostly on the Clockers.) They had the "rainbow era" even before Amtrak. You never knew what you were going to be riding in until the train came into the station, and even then, if you were quick about it, you had a choice of what kind of car you wanted to ride in.