Why does Amtrak want to reduce the number of seats on the trains? That strikes me as extremely counterproductive. These trains are popular and often sell out.
According to someone I know who is a reliable and credible source, the Amtrak employees who operate the Downeaster are disappointed that NNEPRA chose not to accept Amtrak's offer of sending Horizon cars up here.
The primary reason for their disappointment, according to my source, is that the Amfleet cars are increasingly unreliable. They cited various problems and malfunctions, such as doors that won't open and roofs that leak whenever it rains.
Here's what I don't understand: if the Amfleets are that problematic, why would Amtrak want them for the Northeast Corridor? Or to put it another way: if the Horizons are so much more reliable than the Amfleets, wouldn't it make more sense to send the Horizons to the Northeast Corridor?
My source says that Amfleet problems are increasingly responsible for Downeaster delays. If that's the case, why in the world would Amtrak want to use those same cars on a high-intensity corridor where delays are much less tolerable?