Passenger Trains > Another "Eastern Upgrade" news story

Amtrak reveals details about nonstop New York-D.C. service, new sleeping train amenities 
David Oliver, USA TODAY
Published 1:23 p.m. ET Sept. 13, 2019

WASHINGTON — A series of changes are on track to debut soon on Amtrak trains.After revealing new amenities exclusive to its new Acela Nonstop service between New York and Washington on Thursday, the company announced it's also updating its sleeping car trains, including a new sleeping car for its East Coast trains (the first such update in more than 25 years).

The Acela Nonstop route, which debuts Sept. 23, will offer items like complimentary coffee, tea, a light snack and an "at seat" cashless cart service that will allow passengers to purchase additional drinks and food without going to the dining car.  The nonstop trip will take approximately 2 hours and 35 minutes each way. Initially, only weekday service will be offered with the single southbound train departing New York's Penn Station at 6:35 a.m. and arriving at Washington's Union Station at 9:10 a.m. The northbound train will leave Washington at 4:30 p.m. and arrive in New York at 7:05 p.m.

USA TODAY caught a glimpse of Amtrak's revamped long-distance trains (covering routes over 750 miles) during a preview event Friday. The new Viewliner II sleeping cars will be added to trains in the next few months.While the sleeping car's layout isn't changing dramatically, its "roomlettes" will get updates, including a stronger table and four electrical outlets instead of just one. They will no longer have toilets (it was a little too close for comfort).  Upgraded bedding, towels and linens are also on the way and will debut on the company's Auto Trains. 


https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2019/09/13/USAT/18bb856e-8861-4236-b59d-1967008523d6-amtrak.jpg?width=540&height=&fit=bounds&auto=webp


Amtrak is also refreshing its long-distance coach cars on the Cardinal, Crescent and Silver Meteor trains in the coming months. Changes coming to the East Coast trains in the coming months include new seat cushions, curtains and LED reading lights. The company has also replaced carpets and introduced walk-off mats to improve cleanliness.   Roger Harris, an executive vice president and chief marketing and revenue officer, tells USA TODAY Amtrak's personal space on trains like this is "better than a domestic first class seat on an airline."

But why has it taken more than 25 years to update the sleeping cars?

"Sometimes big changes are too hard to make," Harris says. "Let's do the best we can for now and keep working on the future, but for the next five years, let's have it be nice," he adds.

(This article has one photo, presumably of a Viewliner II Bedroom)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2019/09/13/amtrak-new-acela-nonstop-train-details-upgraded-sleeping-cars/2302820001/



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/19 16:45 by GenePoon.

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The bed spread or blanket looks like a moving blanket.

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

"Roomlettes"?

John Webb
Trinidad, CA

Notice they skipped right over the Bag-Dorms and are anxously awaiting the 25 sleepers.

Posted from Android

I don't think sleeping car passengers will be too happy about leaving their room to use the toilet, especially in the middle of the nigjht. Will the rooms have sinks?

Customer surveys indicated many were grossed out having the toilet next to their bed.

Bad aim and dribbling from a male doing #1 can leave a smelly mess. Look at the floor surrounding every public urinal.

It has always been that way with economy Superliner rooms. With Viewliners, as with old Double Slumbercoaches, if occupied by 2, one had to vacate the room so the other could go.

Posted from Android

webmaster Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The bed spread or blanket looks like a moving
> blanket.

I was going to say the material would make a great tea cosy.....Also it does not appear to be too large!

pwh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't think sleeping car passengers will be too
> happy about leaving their room to use the toilet,
> especially in the middle of the nigjht. Will the
> rooms have sinks?

It's already the case for Roomette and Family Bedrooms in the Superliner equipment. A bit of an inconvenience in the middle of the night, but less awkward than an open toilet in a small room.

Sad.  Certainly not MY vision of first class.

-John

webmaster Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The bed spread or blanket looks like a moving
> blanket.


Good thing, because the train doesn't stand still all night.

As I have grown older, it will be nice to know the toilet is down the hall and not in the room. To me it was too close for comfort on the Viewliners. Even with sleeping in the upper bunk and leaving lower area for day time use, with the sink in the roomette will be adequate enough (that's a plus over the Superliner roomette). Will also reduce the repairs and maintenance prone toilets in the roomettes.

This is a picture of Viewliner bedroom - in a Viewliner II Sleeper that is. I think one may have been delivered, but that's it. I think Amtrak should be celebrating the arrival of its new Viewliner order, but would have been nice to do a release on the Viewliner "Sleeper Lounge" first. Nonetheless, good debut! Nice to finally see. Now to get the Viewliner II sleepers and do a refresh on the Viewliner I sleepers that are SEVERELY showing their age!!!!!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/19 21:31 by jp1822.

pwh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't think sleeping car passengers will be too
> happy about leaving their room to use the toilet,
> especially in the middle of the nigjht. Will the
> rooms have sinks?

I would LOVE not to sleep next to a toilet in a Viewliner Roomette.  Gross!

I never had a issue with the toilet in the room. Though I would never double up either - to small.
Don't remember any previous pee smells, or wet carpet. But the people have spoken, I guess - all
these years I never read or heard about these complaints. So now we will have just 2 toilets per car,
with 12 double occupancy rooms - can equal up to 24 people using these 2 toilets - big YUK!!

Coaches have 60 seats for 2 bathrooms. Viewliner economy rooms are not often double occupied.

Posted from Android

If they don’t serve the sleeper passengers food that’s worth eating, they may produce less poop. Thus, less need for toilet facilities. A win/win from management’s perspective. 

There's usually a 6 - 12 hour delay factor with that, and would have no effect if you knew what Amtrak offered and chowed down at Giordanno's before you boarded 30, 48 or 50.  

Funny how nobody ever had isues with the facilities in the roomettes of a 10-6 (had a hole in every room), as did a 24-8.
This was obviously done for maintenance purposes.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Coaches have 60 seats for 2 bathrooms. Viewliner
> economy rooms are not often double occupied.
>
> Posted from Android

Yeah and they get pretty gross pretty quick.

tmurray Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Funny how nobody ever had isues with the
> facilities in the roomettes of a 10-6 (had a hole
> in every room), as did a 24-8.

People have short memories or never experienced the 10/6 and 24/8s, as I did for decades.  Having the john in the room was no big deal, in fact it was the standard.

Artr House

I’m going to miss those in room toilets....oh wait, maybe that was the problem 😗

Seriously, I like the convenience when traveling alone, but when sharing the room its a problem, made worse by the lack of a shared toilet in elsewhere in the car.

Dave