Cafe Cars on the NEC

Has anyone noticed that Amtrak has decided to move the cafe car again? This time I found it on the 3rd car of the train. What on earth gives them the idea to keep moving them?

acela 2036 wrote:Has anyone noticed that Amtrak has decided to move the cafe car again? This time I found it on the 3rd car of the train. What on earth gives them the idea to keep moving them?

This is nothing new I think they move it around just to mix it up a bit. It is weird when they have 2 Cafe cars in the same consist but one is only used. Does anyone know if the Amfleet Cafe that looks like the Acela cafe interior is still rolling? I have not had it on any of the trains i have rode in a long time but I distinctly remember it.

ok

Amtrak in recent years has been running the cafe car on the NEC essentially adjacent to the business class car, which is located typically 2nd car from the motive power or 2nd to last car on the train.

However, now with the launch of "Northeast Regional" the decision was made to put the cafe car back in the middle of the consist. This is to be a standard practice for Northeast Regional trains. So business class passengers, that typically could just walk one car away and pickup their free drink - and also sort of be protected from non-business class ticketed passengers - now have to walk a little further and the conductor has to be a little bit more cautious on passengers boarding the business class car.

Course the exception would be those trains that are not Northeast Regional trains. For example, the Pennsylvanian is on the NEC from NYP to Philly before heading west to Pittsburgh. But it operates with a 1/2 cafe and 1/2 business class car. The Vermonter also used to operate on the corridor with this type of car - 1/2 business class and 1/2 cafe. Not sure if it is running now with a full business class car or the same type of business class car it has had for years (the 1/2 and 1/2). So as such, this car is positioned directly adjacent to the motive power. The long distance trains would typically also not follow this theory - although the cafe and diner are typically located in the middle of the consist, in between the sleepers and coaches etc.

The "lava lamp" cafes have all been removed from operation on the corridor. Another wasted expense to reconfigure these cars that only lasted in operation as sch for a few years. I suspect the Amfleet "Diner-Lite" cars will endure the same fate. Perhaps though they could be used on some of the daytime long distance trains (i.e. Adirondack, Palmetto etc.).

The "lava lamp" cafes have all been removed from operation on the corridor. Another wasted expense to reconfigure these cars that only lasted in operation as sch for a few years. I suspect the Amfleet "Diner-Lite" cars will endure the same fate. Perhaps though they could be used on some of the daytime long distance trains (i.e. Adirondack, Palmetto etc.).

I liked them i thought they were a nice car to have, what a shame. The Amcafe(as i call it) configuration is very cramp, The "lava lamp" was nice and open.

jp1822 wrote:Amtrak in recent years has been running the cafe car on the NEC essentially adjacent to the business class car, which is located typically 2nd car from the motive power or 2nd to last car on the train.

However, now with the launch of "Northeast Regional" the decision was made to put the cafe car back in the middle of the consist. This is to be a standard practice for Northeast Regional trains. So business class passengers, that typically could just walk one car away and pickup their free drink - and also sort of be protected from non-business class ticketed passengers - now have to walk a little further and the conductor has to be a little bit more cautious on passengers boarding the business class car.

On Northeast Regionals, the business class is the first car of the train, then cafe car. I feel like that is the best option because on the phone with Julie, she states, "Business class offers extra leg room with outlets for laptops AND EASY ACCESS TO THE CAFE CAR. When it use to be the 4th car, I don't think the access was not that easy because they had to walk through 2 coach class coach and have to deal with longer lines. But the good thing about that is, passengers in coach class did not have to walk through 5 cars to get there. But now since its the 2nd car, it may cause long longs for people who seat's are like in the 6 and 7th car, seeing that a typical regional consist is 7 or 8 cars

So a full business class car is running on NER trains. Is this just a 2-2 Amcoach with extra legroom? Did Amtrak ever have any full-length 2-1 cars back when it was called "club service"?

The Vermonter is still running with its half cafe / half business class (2-1) car. Haven't seen a full b/c car in a while on the line, and I usually see the train every other day.

Yes, Mr. Hogan, they did.

As delivered; Food Service #20670-20677 were configured with 33 Club seats.

acela 2036 wrote:

jp1822 wrote:Amtrak in recent years has been running the cafe car on the NEC essentially adjacent to the business class car, which is located typically 2nd car from the motive power or 2nd to last car on the train.

However, now with the launch of "Northeast Regional" the decision was made to put the cafe car back in the middle of the consist. This is to be a standard practice for Northeast Regional trains. So business class passengers, that typically could just walk one car away and pickup their free drink - and also sort of be protected from non-business class ticketed passengers - now have to walk a little further and the conductor has to be a little bit more cautious on passengers boarding the business class car.

On Northeast Regionals, the business class is the first car of the train, then cafe car. I feel like that is the best option because on the phone with Julie, she states, "Business class offers extra leg room with outlets for laptops AND EASY ACCESS TO THE CAFE CAR. When it use to be the 4th car, I don't think the access was not that easy because they had to walk through 2 coach class coach and have to deal with longer lines. But the good thing about that is, passengers in coach class did not have to walk through 5 cars to get there. But now since its the 2nd car, it may cause long longs for people who seat's are like in the 6 and 7th car, seeing that a typical regional consist is 7 or 8 cars

Not sure what you are talking about, but unless Amtrak has changed there policy again of cafe car placememnt, its still in the middle of teh train. If its an 8 car train, the cafe car is the 4th car.The cafe car is in the center of the train, or the near center. The whole point of the Northeast Regional rebranding with the newly redone cafe cars was placing them in the middle of the train to make the car easily accessible to ALL passengers and making the cafe more attractive to the passengers. Why should the car be next to the Business class just for paying a few extra bucks to ride. They are already getting a drink and snack with the price of a business class ticket.Coach passengers dont get that privledge.

Why should the car be next to the Business class just for paying a few extra bucks to ride.

You just answered your own question.

Jersey_Mike wrote:

Why should the car be next to the Business class just for paying a few extra bucks to ride.

You just answered your own question.

No I didnt. I was saying it to be sarcastic. The cafe car should be in the center of the train to make it more accessible to everyone.People in business class who get a complimentray drink and snack should also be spoiled by having the cafe car next to them just so that they dont have to walk? Please.....

Amtrak has stated that the relocation of the cafe car has been a success as cafe sales increased. It's all about revenue!
The only losers are the B class passengers.

I see why Amtrak has moved them to the center, but business class seems to be an even more complete waste of money than it was before. Unless the conductor constantly patrols the car, I suspect they'll be over-run by confused coach passengers. A clear "business class" sign (and/or a curtain) would help explain things . . . but knowing Amtrak, it will be a handwritten napkin scotch-taped to the door.

Also, they used to announce where the business class car was on the train (first car, last car) . . . haven't heard that in years.

Speaking of cafe cars, 137 today (in NHV as we speak) has a cafe car with the 'Northeast Regional" logo emblazoned on the side that was mentioned in a previous thread. At least, that's what I think it said; I couldn't quite make out the words from a distance.

Yes. I posted that same thing on here about 2 weeks ago. See the thread below.

http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=54577