Greg Moore wrote:
Having commuted from WAS to BWI, I've got to say, even on a commuter run, the lack of luggage racks of any real size sucked. My understanding is the NJT design is even tighter (I rode one once, at about 2:00 AM New Year's Day, suffice to say, while sober, I don't recall much).
So I don't even buy the argument commuters don't require much. They may TOLERATE not much, but I'm sure they'd prefer more.
As for Viewliners why joke? It would make a nice shell for an Amfleet passenger car replacement.
I was trying to be generous for the sake of argument. I know how useless the NJT MLV are when it comes to luggage. They are no match for the EWR travel, particularly around holidays. When Amtrak borrows (and manages to return) the MUs for the Thanksgiving, the center doors are cut out and that area is used to store luggage. You can't do that with a MLV. Your only recourse is to use the concourse seating, which is needed.
At any rate, we're really drifting off into La-la land here, particularly with people mentioning Reading, Clockers and Septa.
As for the viewliner shell, I'm looking for something that is universal. Viewliners have 1 door that is manual operated, is heavier than the current coach fleet ( I think) and all of those windows would be useless on a coach. Indeed, it would be an annoyance, particularly for early morning travel. Not my idea for a good coach.
Before someone says "just add another door and train line it and....etc: If you do that, it isn't really a viewliner.