Overnight Coach Configuration Ideas

[John_Perkowski]

You want a configuration idea? I'll give you a configuration idea.

LIEGEWAGEN. Those who've been on Deutsche Bundesbahn in the 70s-90s know this car. It's the standard 6 seat, 12 compartment 2d class car, with 72 seats total.

BUT... Put 3 racks on each wall, and you have 72 racks for overnight.

Footprint reduces to 80" compartment width for 6 people.

If you want a rack and coach fares, don't expect privacy.

Click here for a picture

[Miss Chief]

Not sure about the price point but I think the Delta One Suite design would be better sold as a business class seat where one can lie down instead of a real bed. It would be better suited for corridor trains instead of a real long distance train.

If I am traveling with family and friends for leisure, I would prefer a roomette, bedroom, sections, or a Chinese, Indian or Liegewagen style compartment for 4 to 6. But if I am traveling by myself for business, I can easily see myself choosing a Delta One Suite style over any of those.

[Jeff Smith]

Admin Note:

I sincerely appreciate everyone's contribution, and don't want to discourage. However, I'd appreciate more judicious use of the "quote" feature. It's not necessary to quote the immediately preceding post, image files verbiage and all, for a one sentence reply!

Now, back to the great discussion going on here!

[David Benton]

You want a configuration idea? I'll give you a configuration idea.

LIEGEWAGEN. Those who've been on Deutsche Bundesbahn in the 70s-90s know this car. It's the standard 6 seat, 12 compartment 2d class car, with 72 seats total.

BUT... Put 3 racks on each wall, and you have 72 racks for overnight.

Footprint reduces to 80" compartment width for 6 people.

If you want a rack and coach fares, don't expect privacy.

Click here for a picture

That would probably be best suited to the backpacking crowd, something Amtrak doesn't really attract a lot of.( lets face it , if your coming from a country where gas is $10 a gallon, your going to hire a dirty big car in the USA, and hit the highways). And nowdays they seem to prefer a more open party bus style.
I would think Amtrak would have to do some market research to see if they could attract enough passengers that would fill that kind of car.
I think something like this would suit them better . https://goo.gl/images/5cNPn9" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[John_Perkowski]

David,

Geee.







And, just for my fellow Moderator Naugatroll...


Everything old is new again. See also Car #9, Pioneer, and a gazillion 12 section, 1 drawing room cars...

[TrainPhotos]

Always thought these would be cool to bring back..

[bostontrainguy]

How about using something like this:

LI.jpg (84.71 KiB) Viewed 2476 times

Now are we talking more like 64 mini-suites in the center section with mechanicals, bathrooms and showers on the end levels?

[MACTRAXX]

BTG: Hopefully any new Amtrak overnight cars will not have cramped interiors similar to the pictured former LIRR C1 cars had...MACTRAXX

[bostontrainguy]

BTG: Hopefully any new Amtrak overnight cars will not have cramped interiors similar to the pictured former LIRR C1 cars had...MACTRAXX

Probably less cramped than the airplane version and at least in a train version you can get up and leave your cubicle and walk around and visit the diner and cafe/lounge.

[John_Perkowski]

I see 32 spaces in that photo, not 64.

If we are going to do THAT, then let's just go with this...

I ask you to remember, though, that Pullman found, as the years went on, that the section didn't sell.

16SECT.gif (12.35 KiB) Viewed 2371 times

[mtuandrew]

I see 32 spaces in that photo, not 64.

If we are going to do THAT, then let's just go with this...

I ask you to remember, though, that Pullman found, as the years went on, that the section didn't sell.

16SECT.gif

In theory, btg is suggesting a car with 64-person occupancy, not 32-person. (in practice, you can't fit that many bunks into a 6' ceiling, 14' 6" car without it feeling either like summer camp or a submarine. Single roomettes would just feel like so many coffins.)

The most I can see is a triple section (three bunks and a wall, converting into three seats) in each 4-foot section. Maybe some sort of gallery configuration with a row of double roomettes with singles above, but again, that takes a whole new type of car.

[Arborwayfan]

I think sharing a compartment with a few strangers would be worse than sitting with strangers in an open-section car. At least then the shared space is public and the bed is curtained. If the 16-section car wouldn't "fly" now in the US, I can't imagine how any of these others would work, either.

[bostontrainguy]

I'm talking about fitting the Delta One suites into a LI type car to get about 64 solo suites. There are no bunks involved. Go back and read a few posts about that new airline product that I am suggesting Amtrak consider for the "Night Owl" and other overnight trains on which they have recently introduced Business Class.

[CarterB]

I think sharing a compartment with a few strangers would be worse than sitting with strangers in an open-section car. At least then the shared space is public and the bed is curtained. If the 16-section car wouldn't "fly" now in the US, I can't imagine how any of these others would work, either.

In Europe, for decades, the 'shared compartment' Liegewagen or Couchette have been very successful. I have travelled by night train in Europe for over 25yrs, yearly trips, and have never had a problem. The couchettes come in 4, 5 or 6 bed per section configurations. The cost of a couchette is roughly $30EU upgrade over the regular coach fare. They even have some Talgo couchette train sets, which are basically like the old open section, with curtain, but much more modern.
http://www.360cities.net/image/talgo-ni ... ch-hamburg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
See : http://www.seat61.com/sleepers.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.talgo.de/images/Nachtzug/kaj ... ewagen.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.drehscheibe-online.de/foren/ ... 2,page=all" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mtuandrew]

I'm talking about fitting the Delta One suites into a LI type car to get about 64 solo suites. There are no bunks involved. Go back and read a few posts about that new airline product that I am suggesting Amtrak consider for the "Night Owl" and other overnight trains on which they have recently introduced Business Class.

Btg: could you elaborate a bit? I think I see what you mean - if we are talking MultiLevels, since the LIRR C-x cars won't fit through the North River tubes - but ignoring the ADA level access requirements, I still have trouble seeing how you can squeeze 64 D1 pods into one car with the steps and the vestibule and the bathrooms.