Acela II (Alstom Avelia Liberty): Design, Production, Delivery, Acceptance

Nasadowsk wrote: ↑Sun Aug 25, 2024 7:13 pm last few trips have been that way. Minus my camera bag, which is an adventure (one Hasselblad, plenty of film, three lenses, three backs, light meter, and duster and cable release)

Well Mr. Nas, save the camera gear where for me, my Galaxy S9 gets the photos it gets (when the battery is dead maybe four hours later, that is when I go get an S24), "youz and meez, we same".

But the most recent encounter with people carrying more junk than they could ever need was this past January in
West Palm. Coming from Miami, where outside of what the hotel has to offer, I just plain don't know the restaurant scene, I'm getting off Tri-Rail (I've now had my Miami Central joyride on such), and here are two gals, Mom and Daughter, struggling with their each 24cu ft "storage lockers". All I had was my tote bag. My offer to help was gladly accepted, as if either of these gals, from Bogota, were 5'3", I'd be amazed.

Well, from those here who know the WP Amtrak-Tri Rail station, it can be a bit of a hoof to the taxi stand - especially when Amtrak #91 delayed things a bit, but we got there, and it was hugs, and "gracias amigo" (daughter knew some English, Mom, uh not too much). I then just just walked East on Okeechobee (when #97 on #91's markers showed up), then South on Rosemary to my favorite Italian restaurant (Il Bellagio). After Dinner, South to Brightline on Evernia and an $84 Premium ride back to Miami (not that I needed it, or wanted it, - already had my "quota" of vino - but it was all they had open).

And a final off-topic note on Brightline. I have learned that they are restricting sales for travel within the Mia-WP "corridor", if their computer thinks they can sell those seats for an MCO ticket. I've had my MCO joyride, so my future Brightline will be within the the WP-BOC-MIA "corridor" on my two trips "down below" I make (until my health decides otherwise) each year.

Surprised to be passed by one of these around Metropark about 15 minutes ago.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Mon Aug 26, 2024 8:34 am But the most recent encounter with people carrying more junk than they could ever need was this past January in
West Palm. Coming from Miami, where outside of what the hotel has to offer, I just plain don't know the restaurant scene, I'm getting off Tri-Rail (I've now had my Miami Central joyride on such), and here are two gals, Mom and Daughter, struggling with their each 24cu ft "storage lockers". All I had was my tote bag. My offer to help was gladly accepted, as if either of these gals, from Bogota, were 5'3", I'd be amazed.

I'm still getting hung up by that "24cu ft" because... well... that's about big enough to stuff two, maybe three people in there. That's a cube measuring nearly 3 feet per side. 24cu ft would be baggage car only, or maybe even freight.

Meanwhile any available mobile storage locker that's shorter than 6 feet in general and no wider or deeper than you are wide is well under 5 cu ft, and yes, I was doing web searches plus calculating the volume. Have I gotten on an airplane with such a thing? Yes, twice (in one round trip). I still have such a storage locker. Would I haul it on an Amtrak for a vacation? Hell no. I've already gotten two bags for that, and I have done the two carry ons plus two checked bags on a flight many times before.

So... yeah. If I get onto an Acela (which is looking doubtful now for the near future) I'm just taking the regular vacation clothes. Sounds like the pair you helped out were moving.

Mr. Wolf, how big is this thing?

The luggage I'm referring to is what a circus contortionist would be rolled out on stage to perform.

That is how big some of the bags that I've seen on my overseas travel and that those gals at West Palm had appeared to me. While "it never came up", I doubt if they tried to bring their bags into the aircraft's cabin.

Finally, to get back on the rails, when I was at Univ of Illinois and the IC ran Student Specials (the ones my Frat Brother once said to me "this looks like something out of Dr. Zhivago") and farebeating was a game, I once learned how a small girl (possibly a gymnast or contortionist) once was folded into a suitcase - just to beat a $5.00 fare!!!!

Wonder why I always did with a few less "suds" at Kams just so I had $$$$ to ride the Panama in their Parlor Car.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Mon Aug 26, 2024 8:34 am

Nasadowsk wrote: ↑Sun Aug 25, 2024 7:13 pm last few trips have been that way. Minus my camera bag, which is an adventure (one Hasselblad, plenty of film, three lenses, three backs, light meter, and duster and cable release)

Well Mr. Nas, save the camera gear where for me, my Galaxy S9 gets the photos it gets (when the battery is dead maybe four hours later, that is when I go get an S24), "youz and meez, we same".

One advantage for me - I can at least guess the exposure if the meter’s batteries go dead.

I’m sure the choice of vendors was politically motivated, but I’m not sure Siemens would have done better (maybe Stadler. Bombardier? Good riddance…). My last experiences on DB suggested that German precision was a myth. I’ve been on more than one train that died…

And their timekeeping isn’t any better than the NEC.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Mon Aug 26, 2024 2:07 pm Finally, to get back on the rails, when I was at Univ of Illinois and the IC ran Student Specials (the ones my Frat Brother once said to me "this looks like something out of Dr. Zhivago") and farebeating was a game, I once learned how a small girl (possibly a gymnast or contortionist) once was folded into a suitcase - just to beat a $5.00 fare!!!!

Wonder why I always did with a few less "suds" at Kams just so I had $$$$ to ride the Panama in their Parlor Car.

Never was a fan of Kams... too many Greeks and always smelled too much like spilled beer and recycled beer....

Cochran's (Wright & Green) and R&R (Round Robin, on Daniels south of Green) were more my speed.

I will admit to have fare-beaten once on a northbound hop to Paxton (my car had blown an engine, and had to be fixed at the Amoco up there). The ticket office was closed, and the conductor never got around to our car by the time.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Mon Aug 26, 2024 2:07 pm Mr. Wolf, how big is this thing?

4 cubic feet.

The luggage I'm referring to is what a circus contortionist would be rolled out on stage to perform.

Likely 18-24 inches per side. Let's be generous for 2 feet. 2*2*2=8 cubic feet. If it was 18 inches per side, it would be more like under 4 cubic feet.

That is how big some of the bags that I've seen on my overseas travel and that those gals at West Palm had appeared to me. While "it never came up", I doubt if they tried to bring their bags into the aircraft's cabin.

Finally, to get back on the rails, when I was at Univ of Illinois and the IC ran Student Specials (the ones my Frat Brother once said to me "this looks like something out of Dr. Zhivago") and farebeating was a game, I once learned how a small girl (possibly a gymnast or contortionist) once was folded into a suitcase - just to beat a $5.00 fare!!!!

Wonder why I always did with a few less "suds" at Kams just so I had $$$$ to ride the Panama in their Parlor Car.

Yeah, airline carry-on is even tighter... although, geesh, over five bucks? They must of had too much before boarding to "think" up that screwy idea.

Probably Mr. Wolf, some well-to-do North Shore kids (Kenilworth, Winnetka) who got their "highs" from beating the system.

Nasadowsk wrote: ↑Mon Aug 26, 2024 4:07 pm My last experiences on DB suggested that German precision was a myth. I’ve been on more than one train that died…

And their timekeeping isn’t any better than the NEC.

Well Mr. Nas, my trip a year ago Munich-Nurenberg made me start wondering as well about "German Precision". Going North on an ICE, 265 klicks was attained, but slow orders negated any such. Return to Munich was "disaster zone" yes an announcement of a broken down train was made, but it was in German (thank you, very special waitress, for translating - you were "rewarded" - € - also for being a very nice gal), but all told misconnected back to Salzburg. Eventually got a Bayern Regional, which had several "hot cars".

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Mon Aug 26, 2024 4:51 pm geesh, over five bucks? They must of had too much before boarding to "think" up that screwy idea.

I'm guessing that's $30 in today's dollars, a pretty big deal to a college student regardless of your parents' net worth...

My DB adventures have included slow zones, stoping and waiting on really super elevated curves, a busted S-Bahn, an ICE that caused me to miss my connection in France, and an intercity that banged around more than the LI’s M-7s did when new…

Once you get past the weirdness of the French, the National Society for Iron Roads does a better job these days. Even if the Sybic is a weird locomotive…

Bash Alstom all you want, NYC seems to be happy with their subway cars, and they kinda do hold a few speed records.

I’m starting to think there’s a LOT more to the story about the new trains than is being reported.

Agree, in ten years of riding DB/ICE, it has gone downhill. The vaunted German sense of order and good repair is not what it once was. SNCF also seems to be coming closer in terms of "alles in ordnung".

Of course you could ride the RENFE AVE(ICE) and it makes the domestic ICE trains seem brilliant. AVE is usually dirty and late because of the RENFE culture.

Volks, even if I "didn't go over" this year (just too old and now with health issues), I think you will find the Austrian OBB still the model of efficiency. There is no HSR - only HerSR - 200 klicks, but constant "big ticket" infrastructure - tunnels Rosenheim-Innsbruck (lose the scenery along the Inn, but it's all about getting you from here to there), Brenner Pass, Semmering, into Wien (not in love with it; too many converging streets that get Mr. Google lost, once I rode the Riesenrad, no reason to go there again), and elsewhere about their system.

And finally, second only to Switzerland, Austria is probably the most scenic nation in Europe; and no; GBN is not on the ANTO's (tourist bureau) payroll - just my thoughts from nine trips in the past ten years.

Seconded. The OBB Railjet is a terrific premium service. It goes 125mph and it looks like a dedicated HST from both ends despite actually being conventional Siemens electric motor and coaches. I've often said, I don't think people love the Acela because it's an HST and can go 150mph. They love it because Amtrak insists on premium service standards and timliness, and there is a clear delineation to Regional trains.

In my book, a "looks HST" that only offers First and Business would be just as sucessful as a true HST provided the standards and reliability were maintained.

Tadman wrote: ↑Wed Aug 28, 2024 9:31 am
In my book, a "looks HST" that only offers First and Business would be just as sucessful as a true HST provided the standards and reliability were maintained.

Agreed, and on our side of the pond I think that's exactly what Brightline is demonstrating.