Siemens Venture Single Level Cars for CA/IL/Midwest

IDOT reports the cars are being delivered:

>>>>We’re thrilled to see the initial wave of new passenger railcars arrive in Chicago – the first of many more to come from Siemens for #AmtrakMidwest service.

After several weeks of testing, they will be put into Amtrak service, providing the latest in passenger amenities for riders in the Midwest. Stay tuned for more details as the new cars are rolled out...


https://www.facebook.com/100903797200/p ... 454567201/

The Siemens rail car order comes with two types of configuration, (1) married pairs and (2) individual units. Married pair units have a coach and speciality car married with doors on either end, while individual units are all coaches and have doors on both ends. The speciality cars of a married pair could be business class or food service entirely or in parts. They are not going to need as many doors as an individual coach.
I hope this simple explanation finally answered your question.

https://player.slideplayer.com/86/13968 ... ide_11.jpg
actually not quite as you say
mid train coaches have two doors
end coaches have 4
cafe and biz and wheelchair have 4

your idea seems more logical cafe people come from other cars less seats should need 2 doors
full coaches would seem to be more logical to have 4
but not so per the slide

Never-the-less, not all rail cars actually need 2 doors.

Has anyone looked at these cars for commuter service?

Other than Metro-North and LIRR for their EMUs, no one is buying single-level commuter cars anymore.

That might change. Pretty certain the RFP that Metra issued will consider single level cars, and there are a couple lower density lines where they might make sense.

If there were a couple hundred Horizons or Amfleets put on the used market, I'd guess they'd be snapped up by commuter agencies in a heartbeat. Nobody has the funding for new equipment, and Metra in particular hasn't been shy about picking up used locomotives.

Anybody know what the seating capacity is on these? Most of what I find has a vague reference to "increased capacity" on the lines they are planned to serve but nothing specific.

eolesen wrote: ↑Fri Aug 07, 2020 12:53 am That might change. Pretty certain the RFP that Metra issued will consider single level cars, and there are a couple lower density lines where they might make sense.

If there were a couple hundred Horizons or Amfleets put on the used market, I'd guess they'd be snapped up by commuter agencies in a heartbeat. Nobody has the funding for new equipment, and Metra in particular hasn't been shy about picking up used locomotives.

Metra seemed to be hinting toward bilevel, specifically Bombardier BiLevel cars or equivalent, more than single-level. I don’t think anyone else has fully considered the Siemens Venture (or Viaggio Comfort overseas) for commuter service yet.

Metra is broke and there's no hint of the State having money after all they've squandered with Corona.

eolesen wrote: ↑Fri Aug 07, 2020 12:22 pm Metra is broke and there's no hint of the State having money after all they've squandered with Corona.

Then they’re certainly not buying Siemens cars, or likely anything at all.

eolesen wrote:If there were a couple hundred Horizons or Amfleets put on the used market, I'd guess they'd be snapped up by commuter agencies in a heartbeat.

I think Amtrak wants to scrap all of the Amfleets. I think they have plans for the Horizon cars.



Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

ST Saint wrote: ↑Mon Aug 03, 2020 2:14 pm A little lunch time boredom in PowerPoint. It looks like the liveries will still mismatch some since the graphics flare up on the rear of the Charger. I just don't understand it.. Does anyone think they'll adapt the Chargers by removing the fins on the Cali units and matching the striping?

Regardless, still very excited to see new cars rolling out. Hopefully for Amtrak proper (and maybe Cascades?) they will have a livery that makes sense for existing chargers or whatever the ALC-42 will look like.

If you are still bored, how about trying the same with the Siemens car and the Viewliners? They are the exact same size and their profile looks pretty similar. Maybe Amtrak will finally have a matched set of equipment for once in their life if they do these in Phase III.

bostontrainguy wrote: ↑Sat Aug 08, 2020 5:51 pm

ST Saint wrote: ↑Mon Aug 03, 2020 2:14 pm A little lunch time boredom in PowerPoint. It looks like the liveries will still mismatch some since the graphics flare up on the rear of the Charger. I just don't understand it.. Does anyone think they'll adapt the Chargers by removing the fins on the Cali units and matching the striping?

Regardless, still very excited to see new cars rolling out. Hopefully for Amtrak proper (and maybe Cascades?) they will have a livery that makes sense for existing chargers or whatever the ALC-42 will look like.

If you are still bored, how about trying the same with the Siemens car and the Viewliners? They are the exact same size and their profile looks pretty similar. Maybe Amtrak will finally have a matched set of equipment for once in their life if they do these in Phase III.

This photo from a group I'm in does a decent job showing them side by side. They definitely do have similar profiles.

I think that's an optical illusion. The 45-degree bevel on the roofs (similar to many Siemens cars like Railjet and the sleepers on Paris-Moscow RZ) would indicate near-flat sides, perhaps a slight negative tumblehome. But nothing like the Viewliner.

From Siemens MObility on Twitter: