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111-650: Amfleet is a fleet of single-level intercity railroad passenger cars built by the Budd Company for American company Amtrak in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Budd based the Amfleet design on its earlier Metroliner electric multiple unit . An initial order for 57 cars in 1973 to supplement the Metroliners on the Northeast Corridor grew to two orders totaling 642 cars, sufficient to reequip all

222-409: A coach and a baggage car , but the combination of coach and post office car was also common. Combines were used most frequently on branch lines and short line railroads where there wasn't necessarily enough traffic to economically justify single-purpose cars. As lightweight cars began to appear on railroads, passenger cars more frequently combined features of two or more car types on one car, and

333-602: A $ 24 million order with Budd on October 12, 1973, for 57 "non-powered Metroliner cars." These, together with new GE E60 electric locomotives, were to provide additional Metroliner service on the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak expanded its plans in June 1974, ordering 200 more cars for $ 81 million. On October 25, it added another 35 cars. Finally, in April 1975, with the first deliveries imminent, Amtrak added 200 more cars to

444-478: A 19 mi long (31 km) paved road was built from the Pueblo Memorial Airport . The first extension has been exercised and the lease has been extended through August 22, 2070. The first track to be started onsite was an initial 6 mi (9.7 km) segment of the planned Linear Induction Motor Research Vehicle (LIMRV) test track, built by Morrison-Knudsen ; it was anticipated that

555-535: A 50-year lease was signed by the DOT and the State of Colorado on August 22, 1970. The state land board acquired several small parcels to assemble a contiguous site, and under the terms of the lease, the cost was $ 10 and had two renewal options. Grading, soil stabilization, and storm drain construction began that August. Access was initially provided by a county-owned gravel road, extended by 6 mi (9.7 km); later,

666-434: A car through a door at the end of the car which led to a narrow platform. Steps on either side of the platform were used for getting on or off the train, and one might hop from one car platform to another. Later cars had enclosed platforms called vestibules which together with gangway connections allowed passengers not only to enter and exit the train protected from the elements, but also to move more easily between cars with

777-504: A choice is given between first- and second-class carriages , with a premium being paid for the former. In some countries, such as the UK, coaching stock that is designed, converted or adapted to not carry passengers, is referred to as "NPCS" (non-passenger coaching stock); similarly, in the US, some maintenance (engineering) stock can be known as "MOW" (maintenance of way). Up until about the end of

888-785: A combination of Amfleet and Heritage Fleet cars, supplemented in the 1990s by Viewliner sleeping cars. In 1990, Amfleets could be found on every long-haul route east of the Mississippi River : the Virginia–Florida Auto Train ; the Chicago– New Orleans City of New Orleans ; the New York–Florida Silver Meteor and Silver Star , the New York–Chicago Broadway Limited , Cardinal , and Lake Shore Limited ;

999-568: A cut-off track was completed, shortening the FAST loop from 4.78 to 2.72 mi (7.69 to 4.38 km), its present length; the shortened loop was renamed the High Tonnage Loop (HTL). Typically, TTC operated 100-ton cars over the HTL, so named for their loading capacity; with an empty car weight of 31.5 short tons (28.6 t), the total weight of 131.5 short tons (119.3 t) translates to

1110-673: A fast turnaround when changing directions in commuter service. Transportation Technology Center The Transportation Technology Center ( TTC ) is a railroad equipment testing and training facility located northeast of Pueblo, Colorado , owned by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). It was built in 1971 as the High Speed Ground Test Center ( HSGTC ) for the Department of Transportation (DOT) and its original purpose

1221-417: A food and drink counter. Lounge cars are an important part of the appeal of passenger trains when compared to aircraft, buses and cars; there is more space to move around, socialize, eat and drink, and a good view. The observation car almost always operated as the last car in a passenger train, in US practice. Its interior could include features of a coach, lounge, diner, or sleeper. The main spotting feature

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1332-707: A home in North America on some short and medium distance routes such as Eugene, Oregon , to Vancouver, British Columbia . Another type of tilting train that is seeing widespread use across Europe is the Pendolino . These trains, built by Fiat Ferroviaria (now owned by Alstom ), are in regular service in Italy , Portugal , Slovenia , Finland , Czech Republic and the United Kingdom . Using tilting trains, railroads are able to run passenger trains over

1443-411: A long-distance train operating between Texas and St. Louis; lounge seats replaced the coach seats. 21 dinettes were also refurbished for Metroliner service. By the 2010s all the remaining dinettes were rebuilt with all-table seating, save two which were converted into short-distance coaches. Budd built 40 Amfleet I "Amclub" club cars, similar to traditional parlor cars . These cars had a snack bar in

1554-585: A per-axle load of 33 short tons (30 t). In 1988, 125-ton cars were added to consists, better reflecting actual loads and capacities in the United States. The 125-ton car has a tare weight of 33 short tons (30 t) and an axle load of 39 short tons (35 t). This change was implemented as the Heavy Axle Load (HAL) program. In Fiscal Year 1995, the TTC received its most recent name change to

1665-492: A portion of the interior partitioned off for a galley , which is off-limits to passengers. A narrow hallway is left between the galley and one side wall of the car for passengers to use. The remainder of the interior is laid out with tables and chairs to look like a long, narrow restaurant dining room. There are special personnel to perform waitstaff and kitchen duties. Lounge cars carry a bar and public seating. They usually have benches, armchairs or large swivelling chairs along

1776-531: A side corridor to connect individual compartments along the body of the train, each with two rows of seats facing each other. In both arrangements carry-on baggage is stowed on a shelf above the passenger seating area. The opening into the cars is usually located at both ends of the carriage, often into a small hallway – which in railway parlance is termed a vestibule . Earlier designs of UK coaching stock had additional door or doors along their length, some supporting compartmentalised carriages. The compartment coach

1887-609: A similarly sized oval would be built for the TACRV guideway, and plans for an 11 mi (18 km) oval guideway for the UTACV had been added. In addition to SOAC testing, other early tests conducted at HSGTC included the evaluation of the US Standard Light Rail Vehicle (US SLRV). TTT initially offered testing with an electrified third rail; overhead catenary wire was added to TTT in summer 1975 to test

1998-725: A single manufacturer and usually of a uniform design (although the dining car on the German ICE 1 has a dome). In the 1960s and 1970s countries around the world started to develop trains capable of traveling in the 150–200 mph range, to rival air travel. One of the first was France 's TGV which entered service in 1981. By 2000, Western Europe's major cities ( London , Paris , Brussels , Amsterdam , Geneva , Berlin , Rome , etc.) were connected by high-speed rail service. Often tilting and high-speed cars are left in "trainsets" throughout their service. For example, articulated cars cannot be uncoupled without special equipment because

2109-666: A single vestibule. The Amfleet I has chemical flush toilets , while the Amfleet II has retention toilets. All Amfleet cars have trapdoors , permitting their use at both high- and low-level platforms . The distance from the rail to the bottom step is 17 inches (430 mm); to the floor level is 51 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (1.31 m). Budd built 361 Amfleet I coaches; 90 were configured for long-distance use (60 seats) and 271 for short-distance use (84 seats). All 125 Amfleet II coaches were designed for long-distance service and contained 59 seats. In all standard Amfleet coaches seating

2220-521: A way that they either roll or fold out of the way or convert into seats for daytime use. Compartments vary in size; some are large enough for only a bed, while others resemble efficiency apartments including bathrooms. In China, sleeping cars still serve as major travel classes in long-range rail transport. The classes of sleeping cars include hard sleeper (YW) with six bunks per compartment, soft sleeper (RW) typically with four bunks, deluxe soft sleeper (GRW) typically with two bunks. A similar car which

2331-586: Is 2×2; in the Amfleet II a single accessible seat accounted for the odd number. Amfleet seats have swing-down tray-tables for at-seat food service, as well as overhead and underseat luggage storage. There are two restrooms at one end of the car. There is a baggage rack at the end of the car. On some cars these have been replaced with a bicycle rack . Under the Capstone refurbishment program most Amfleet I short-distance coaches had three rows of seats removed, reducing their total capacity from 84 to 72 seats. During

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2442-443: Is a car that was normally placed between the train's motive power and the remainder of the passenger train. The car's interior is normally wide open and is used to carry passengers' checked baggage . Baggage cars were also sometimes commissioned by freight companies to haul less-than-carload (LCL) shipments along passenger routes ( Railway Express Agency was one such freight company). Some baggage cars included restroom facilities for

2553-521: Is built up from spot-welded stainless steel sections. The Budd Pioneer trucks have dual disc brakes on each axle ; a later rebuild added tread brakes . The wheels have a diameter of 36 inches (914.40 mm). The cars meet the FRA's buff strength requirement of 800,000 pounds (363,000 kg). The interior design recalled contemporary jet airliners . In common with airliners the cars featured narrow windows, which inhibited sight-seeing. The windows on

2664-491: Is similar to a corridor coach but without the corridor. Each compartment is totally separated from the other compartments, with no movement between them. Entry and exit from each compartment is only possible when stopped at a station. "Composite" coaches are also known. These are mixed-class cars featuring both open seating and compartments. One such coach is the Composite Corridor , introduced for British Rail in

2775-639: Is that the passengers were expected to stand for their entire trip. The first passenger cars in the United States resembled stagecoaches . They were short, often less than 10 ft (3.05 m) long and had two axles . A British company developed the first design for sleeping carriages , called "bed-carriages", which were built in 1838 for the London and Birmingham Railway and the Grand Junction Railway . When made up for sleeping,

2886-501: Is typically [2+2], while the hard seat in China has [3+2] arrangements. The seating arrangements and density, as well as the absence or presence of other facilities depends on the intended use – from mass transit systems to long distance luxury trains. Some cars have reclining seats to allow for easier sleeping by passengers not traveling in a sleeping car. In another variant, "closed" coaches, "corridor" coaches or "compartment" cars have

2997-664: Is used. It contains several cell compartments with minimal interior and commodities, and a separate guard compartment. Usually the windows are of nontransparent opaque glass to prevent prisoners from seeing outside and determine where they are, and windows usually also have bars to prevent escapes. Unlike other passenger cars, prisoner cars do not have doors at the ends of the wagon. Like baggage cars, railway post office (RPO; US term) cars or travelling post offices (TPOs; British term) were not accessible to paying passengers. These cars' interiors were designed with sorting facilities that were often seen and used in conventional post offices around

3108-465: The Amtrak Express brand, eventually introducing rolling stock like material handling cars, Roadrailers . Amtrak mostly exited the express business in 2003, now only using extra space in baggage cars on trains. In some countries, such as Russia, convicts are transported from court to prison or from one prison to another by railway. In such transportation a specific type of coach, prisoner car,

3219-512: The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) found that ridership increased 11% on the Amfleet-equipped Northeast Corridor trains, with at least some passengers choosing the slower but more comfortable Amfleets over the faster but less reliable Metroliners . The rollout of Amfleets throughout the system was restricted by the availability of locomotives with HEP or special generator cars . The first route outside

3330-506: The High Speed Ground Test Center in Pueblo, Colorado , for evaluation. The first Amfleet cars began running on the Northeast Corridor on August 5, 1975. Amtrak heralded their arrival, calling 1975 "the Year of the Amfleet." As the cars were distributed throughout the system, timetables would note that trains now had "Amfleet Service" and that trains had been "Amfleeted." A 1978 study conducted by

3441-485: The Northeast Corridor in 1969 under Penn Central and quickly gained acceptance with the traveling public, despite various engineering problems. Writing in the mid-1970s, railroad historian John H. White Jr. described them as "Amtrak's brightest star." In 1973, Budd still had the tooling in place from the Metroliner order, meaning that any new order derived from that design could begin almost at once. Amtrak placed

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3552-537: The United States Secretary of Transportation to select the site for HSGTC near Pueblo in December 1969. The Pueblo site offered the advantage of varied weather conditions, with average mean temperatures ranging from 14 to 92 °F (−10 to 33 °C) and annual precipitation of 11.84 in (301 mm), including 31.7 in (810 mm) of snow. Minimum site dimensions were dictated by

3663-420: The locomotive , are used to maintain passenger comfort. Budd moved the air vents from the bottom, where they had been on the Metroliner, to the top of the car. The top-mounted vents were less susceptible to clogging during snowfall. An Amfleet car is 12 feet 8 inches (3.86 m) tall, 10 feet 6 inches (3.20 m) wide, and 85 feet 4 inches (26.01 m) long. The car body itself

3774-529: The trucks . The coach is the most basic type of passenger car, also sometimes referred to as "chair cars". Two main variants exist. In one variant, an " open coach " has a central aisle; the car's interior is often filled with row upon row of seats as in a passenger airliner . Other arrangements of the "open" type are also found, including seats around tables, seats facing the aisle (often found on mass transit trains since they increase standing room for rush hour), and variations of all three. Seating arrangement

3885-440: The " horse cars " that were used to transport racehorses. Express cars carry high-value freight in passenger consists . These cars often resembled baggage cars, although in some cases specially-equipped boxcars or refrigerator cars were used. In the United States, the majority of these cars were operated by Railway Express Agency (REA) from 1918 to 1975. Following REA's bankruptcy, Amtrak took over express type shipments under

3996-409: The 1900s construction shifted to steel and later aluminum for improved strength. Passenger cars have increased greatly in size from their earliest versions, with modern bi-level passenger cars capable of carrying over 100 passengers. Amenities for passengers have also improved over time, with developments such as lighting, heating, and air conditioning added for improved passenger comfort. In some systems

4107-435: The 1930s, these had an open-air platform at the rear, the "observation platform". These evolved into the closed end car, usually with a rounded end which was still called an "observation car". The interiors of observation cars varied. Many had special chairs and tables. The end platforms of all passenger cars changed around the turn of the 20th century. Older cars had open platforms between cars. Passengers would enter and leave

4218-482: The 1940s with technology that would enable the axles to steer into a curve, allowing the train to move around the curve at a higher speed. The steering axles evolved into mechanisms that would also tilt the passenger car as it entered a curve to counter the centrifugal force experienced by the train, further increasing speeds on existing track. Today, Talgo trains are used in many places in Europe and they have also found

4329-524: The 1950s, the passenger travel market declined in North America, though there was growth in commuter rail . Private intercity passenger service in the U.S. mostly ended with the creation of Amtrak in 1971. Amtrak took over equipment and stations from most of the railroads in the U.S. with intercity service. The higher clearances in North America enabled a major advancement in passenger car design, bi-level ( double-decker ) commuter coaches that could hold more passengers. These cars started to become common in

4440-416: The 1950s; though such coaches existed from early pre-grouping days, at the end of the 19th century. In India, normal carriages often have double height seating, with benches (berths), so that people can sit above one another (not unlike a bunk bed). In other countries, true double decker carriages are becoming more common. The seats in most coaches until the middle of the 20th century were usually bench seats;

4551-519: The 1980s most of the Amfleet I long-distance coaches were refurbished for use on the premium Metroliner service on the Northeast Corridor. All have since been rebuilt, either as 62-seat business class cars or 72-seat short-distance cars. Budd built 54 Amfleet I "Amcafe" cars and 37 Amfleet I "Amdinette" cars. The cafés had a snack bar in the middle of the car and 53 coach seats; the dinettes had eight booths and 23 coach seats. Each café car weighs about 110,000 pounds (50,000 kg). The Amcafe design

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4662-410: The 1990s, criticized the choice to copy the airliner aesthetic: Amfleet is a totally American style that was meant to imitate airplanes. That's my quarrel!...The vision for the future of the railroad should be based on defining its own dreams, not appropriating them solely from someone else's experience. Amfleet I cars can be identified by having vestibules at both ends of the cars; Amfleet II cars have

4773-587: The 19th century, most passenger cars were constructed of wood. The first passenger trains did not travel very far, but they were able to haul many more passengers for a longer distance than wagons pulled by horses . As railways were first constructed in England , so too were the first passenger cars. One of the early coach designs was the "Stanhope". It featured a roof and small holes in the floor for drainage when it rained, and had separate compartments for different classes of travel. The only problem with this design

4884-515: The Amfleet I cars were 18 by 64 inches (45.72 by 162.56 cm); this was increased to 22 by 64 inches (55.88 by 162.56 cm) in the Amfleet II. Another factor in choosing small windows was the high incidence of rocks thrown at train windows in the 1970s. Reinforcing the impression of traveling in an airliner, the passenger seats themselves were built by the Amirail division of Aircraft Mechanics Inc. Cesar Vergara , head of car design at Amtrak in

4995-457: The Amfleet I order on June 9, 1977. Amtrak ordered 150 more Amfleet cars from Budd on March 13, 1980, at a cost of $ 150 million. These cars, dubbed Amfleet II, were intended to replace rolling stock on Amtrak long-distance trains, and featured larger windows, more legroom, and folding legrests. Budd delivered the first four cars on October 28, 1981; the unveiling took place on November 11. The final cars arrived on June 11, 1983. The Amfleet IIs were

5106-569: The Cascades fleet, the Airo would begin the process of replacing the Amfleet I fleet in 2027. Procurement for a new overnight fleet, including possible replacement of the Amfleet II cars, began in 2022. As designed, the Amfleet I cars could operate at speeds up to 120 mph (193 km/h). Both the Amfleet I and Amfleet II are now rated for 125 mph (201 km/h). Electric heating and air conditioning , operated by head-end power (HEP) from

5217-850: The Chicago– St. Louis, Missouri Abraham Lincoln and State House , the Chicago– Quincy, Illinois Illinois Zephyr , the Chicago– Carbondale, Illinois Illini and Shawnee , the Chicago– Dubuque, Iowa Black Hawk , the Los Angeles – Bakersfield, California San Joaquin , the Los Angeles– San Diego, California San Diegan , the Portland, Oregon – Seattle, Washington Mount Rainier and Puget Sound , and

5328-725: The HSGTC was renamed to the Transportation Test Center (TTC) in December 1974 to reflect its new mission. A contract was let in 1972 to begin grading the route for the Railroad Test Track (RTT), a planned 14 mi (23 km) high-speed loop operating conventional rail vehicles up to 160 mph (260 km/h); within the high-speed loop, a Dynamics Track sub-loop 9.9 mi (15.9 km) long would investigate passenger and freight train dynamics at slower speeds. The first portions of RTT completed were

5439-646: The Impact Track, 0.76 mi (1.22 km) long, and a segment of the Dynamics Track, which totaled 5.7 mi (9.2 km) long at full build. Work on the high-speed loop was started in 1975. A static facility was added to test tank car thermal insulation, named the Tank Car Torch Test Facility. The Facility for Accelerated Service Testing (FAST) is a dedicated facility to study wear and fatigue of railroad track; it first

5550-745: The LIMRV Test Track and a temporary Maintenance Shed were completed in April 1971; the HSGTC was dedicated on May 19, 1971, marked by a ceremony and ridealong by Secretary Volpe in the LIMRV. Although the FRA retained overall management of the facility, other government agencies were encouraged to participate, and the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) constructed the Rapid Transit Test Track (TTT) onsite to test transit cars;

5661-616: The LIMRV test track. The Rail Dynamics Laboratory (RDL), the first laboratory building onsite, was designed by Wyle Laboratories in 1970 and construction began in July 1972, by Houston Construction/Wilkins Construction. A well and water storage tank were completed in January 1973. Work on the Center Services Building (CSB) began in 1973, and design of an Operations building also started that year to relieve overcrowding in

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5772-637: The Midwest and California. Amfleet IIs continue to be used on single-level long-distance trains. Amtrak announced an overhaul of the Amfleet I interiors in September 2017. The following year, Amtrak began to investigate options to replace the Amfleet I cars altogether. In January 2019, Amtrak issued a request for proposals to replace the 470 Amfleet I cars and ex-Metroliner cab cars then in use. Proposals were due on May 1, 2019. In May 2020, excursion operator Railexco purchased three Amfleet cars from Amtrak –

5883-735: The Northeast Corridor to receive Amfleets was the Washington– Martinsburg Blue Ridge , on December 1. By November 1976, 350 Amfleets had been delivered and 78% of Amtrak's short-haul trains used either Amfleets or equally-modern Turboliner trainsets. Besides the Blue Ridge , routes using Amfleets outside the Northeast Corridor included the New York– Newport News, Virginia Colonial , the Chicago, Illinois – Detroit, Michigan Twilight Limited and Wolverine ,

5994-641: The PMB. The RDL was completed and occupied by April 1974, but the simulator had not yet been installed; multiple issues with development led to the simulator being redesigned to a double-ended vertical shaker and separate rolling unit without vibration. The CSB and Ops building were completed in January and August 1975, respectively. The LIMRV set a world record for rail vehicle speed at HSGTC on August 14, 1974, 255.4 mph (411.0 km/h). The site had cost $ 55 million to construct to-date, and plans were advancing to continue research on hovertrains . Meanwhile,

6105-538: The Seattle– Vancouver, British Columbia Pacific International . The Amfleet's modern HEP system proved invaluable during the unusually harsh winter of 1976–1977 , which sidelined many of Amtrak's aging steam-heated coaches. Amtrak suspended numerous routes and pressed the short-distance Amfleet I coaches into long-distance service. The new EMD F40PH diesel locomotive, itself designed for short-haul service, handled many of these trains. Budd completed delivery of

6216-659: The Transportation Technology Center, reflecting "a major consolidation of activities and broadening of functions conducted at TTC". Operations and maintenance (O&M) of the site typically has been supported by a contractor since the first permanent buildings were completed; a request for proposals was issued in Fiscal Year 1971, soliciting bids for an operations contractor, which would support test contractors, provide test track maintenance, and housekeeping services. The first O&M contractor

6327-726: The US and Canada resembled a roofed porch area. Larger windows were installed at the observation end on these cars as well. At this end of the car, there was almost always a lounge where passengers could enjoy the view as they watched the track rapidly recede into the distance. Often called "sleepers" or "Pullman cars" (after the main American operator), these cars provide sleeping arrangements for passengers travelling at night. Early models were divided into sections, where coach seating converted at night into semi-private berths. More modern interiors are normally partitioned into separate bedroom compartments for passengers. The beds are designed in such

6438-619: The US ;SLRV. Temporary site headquarters and personnel offices initially were set up in five trailers to support early testing; the Program Management Building (PMB) was the first permanent structure to be completed, housing administrative personnel, designed by Bertrum Bruton Associates (of Denver); the PMB was completed and occupied in February 1972. The East Auto Overpass was completed in July 1972, spanning

6549-596: The United States in the 1960s, and were adopted by Amtrak for the Superliner design as well as by many other railroads and manufacturers. By 2000, double-deckers rivaled single level cars in use around the world. While intercity passenger rail travel declined in America, ridership continued to increase in other parts of the world. With the increase came an increased use of newer technology on existing and new equipment. The Spanish company Talgo began experimenting in

6660-433: The United States on May 1, 1971, with a mandate to reverse decades of decline. It retained approximately 184 of the 440 trains which had run the day before. To operate these trains, Amtrak inherited a fleet of 300 locomotives (electric and diesel) and 1190 passenger cars, most of which dated from the 1940s–1950s. These cars were aging, in need of maintenance, and in many cases incompatible with each other. The company recognized

6771-575: The United States, the so-called "chair car" with individual seating became commonplace on long-distance routes. With the 1930s came the widespread use of stainless steel for car bodies. The typical passenger car was now much lighter than its carbon-steel cousins of old, though still much heavier than nineteenth-century wooden cars. The new "lightweight" and streamlined cars carried passengers in speed and comfort to an extent that had not been experienced to date. Aluminum and Cor-Ten steel were also used in lightweight car construction, but stainless steel

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6882-568: The Washington, D.C.– Cincinnati, Ohio Shenandoah . Regular sleepers returned to the Shenandoah in 1979 and the two coaches were returned to a standard configuration. These conversions were termed "Ampad." Passenger car (rail) The first passenger cars were built in the early 1800s with the advent of the first railroads, and were small and little more than converted freight cars. Early passenger cars were constructed from wood; in

6993-609: The Washington, D.C.–Chicago Capitol Limited ; the New York–New Orleans Crescent ; and the Washington, D.C.– Montreal Montrealer . Horizon Fleet coaches replaced Amfleet coaches on most Midwestern and California short-haul routes in 1989–1990. The Superliner II order in the early 1990s would lead to the removal of Amfleets from the Auto Train and Capitol Limited . The Cardinal used Superliners and terminated at Washington, D.C., between 1995 and 2002. At

7104-419: The backs of these seats could be adjusted, often with one hand, to face in either direction so the car would not have to be turned for a return trip. The conductor would simply walk down the aisle in the car, reversing the seat backs to prepare for the return trip. This arrangement is still used in some modern trains. A dining car (or diner) is used to serve meals to the passengers. Its interior may be split with

7215-479: The center, 18 club seats in a 2×1 configuration, and 23 coach seats. These cars provided first class service on select trains. Amtrak later referred to these as "split" Amclubs; club cars rebuilt with all-club style seating were called "full" Amclubs. None of the Amclubs remain in their original configuration. Three of the original club cars were delivered with all club-style seating for a total of 33 seats; five of

7326-457: The classic heavyweight combine fell out of use. A control car (also known as a Driving Trailer in Europe and the UK) is a passenger car which lets the train be run in reverse with the locomotive at the back. It is common on commuter trains in the US, Canada and Europe. This can be important for serving small towns without extensive switching facilities, end train stations, dead-end lines, and having

7437-456: The construction of the cars, multiple rebuildings have eliminated the club cars and lounges in favor of business class cars, club-dinettes, and "diner-lite" dining cars . Amtrak experimented with sleeping car conversions in the 1970s, but did not pursue the idea. The Amfleet I has vestibules on both ends of the car for faster unloading, while the Amfleet II has a single vestibule. The Amfleet II also has slightly larger windows. The Amfleets were

7548-462: The contract on January 1, 1998 and the contract has been renewed periodically as a single-source award since then. In March 2021, the FRA awarded the "care, custody, and control" contract to ENSCO , who assumed responsibility for operations and maintenance of TTC in October 2022. In addition, ENSCO will expand the use of TTC to support more general ground transportation research. The former TTCI

7659-420: The distance and geometry required for the high-speed trains under development to reach their top speeds of 250 to 300 mph (400 to 480 km/h); the minimum specified radius of curvature was 2.5 mi (4.0 km), making the planned test track/guideway oval approximately 5 mi × 8 mi (8.0 km × 12.9 km). Secretary John A. Volpe officially designated the site in January 1970;

7770-559: The end of 2012, 473 Amfleet I and 145 Amfleet II cars were still in service. The Amfleet I cars had traveled an average of 4,125,000 miles (6,638,544 km), the Amfleet II cars 5,640,000 miles (9,076,700 km). The Amfleet I cars continue to be used on corridor services in the Northeastern United States such as the Downeaster , Empire Service , and Northeast Regional , although they can also be found in

7881-437: The ends of the car. Early American sleeping cars were not compartmented, but by the end of the 19th century they were. The compartments in the later sleepers were accessed from a side hall running the length of the cars, similar to the design of European cars well into the 20th century. Many American passenger trains, particularly the long distance ones, included a car at the end of the train called an observation car. Until about

7992-558: The first 1.5 mi (2.4 km) segment of TACRV guideway was completed in March 1973, and a second segment of equal length was completed in November 1973. The UTACV program selected Rohr to build a Prototype Tracked Air Cushion Vehicle (PTACV), and construction of an inverted-T guideway began in May 1973. However, the high-speed aspect of rail transportation began to be de-emphasized and

8103-415: The first Amfleet cars to be sold for private reuse. By February 2021, Amtrak planned for the replacements to be trainsets rather than individual cars, with options for diesel, electric, or dual-mode propulsion. Siemens was announced as the preferred bidder in April 2021, with contract execution for 83 trainsets expected midyear. The equipment is expected to be delivered between 2025 and 2035. In July 2021, it

8214-539: The first new locomotive-hauled intercity cars ordered by Amtrak and the first such cars built in the United States since 1965. Their introduction in the mid-1970s led to improved reliability for Amtrak's trains and ridership gains. As of 2023, Amfleet cars are used extensively in the eastern and midwestern United States , forming the backbone of Amtrak's single-level fleet, with 580 out of the original 642 in service as of October 1, 2023. Amtrak assumed control of almost all private sector intercity passenger rail service in

8325-640: The first rolling stock purchased for the HSGTC in FY1971. It is now retired and in the collection of the Pueblo Railway Museum. The R42 cars were designated Test Car T-2 and T-3. The TTT was dedicated on October 12, 1972, during a ceremony that also included the unveiling of the State-of-the-Art Car (SOAC); the principal speaker was Secretary Volpe. By 1972, plans to complete the LIMRV test track oval had been dropped, although

8436-399: The foot of the bed was extended into a boot section at the end of the carriage. The cars were still too short to allow more than two or three beds to be positioned end to end. Britain's Royal Mail commissioned and built the first travelling post office cars in the late 1840s as well. These cars resembled coaches in their short wheelbase and exterior design, but were equipped with nets on

8547-698: The genesis of the HSGTC: the Northeast Corridor Transportation Project (1964) and the High Speed Ground Transportation Act of 1965 , which created the Office of High Speed Ground Transportation (OHSGT). OHSGT was absorbed by the FRA, part of the DOT, following that agency's creation in 1967. At the time, OHSGT, whose charter was to research and develop high speed rail transit, was investigating

8658-470: The individual cars share trucks. This gives modern trains a smooth, coherent appearance because all the cars and often the engines share a similar design and paint scheme. Traditionally the passenger car can be split into a number of distinct types. The most basic division is between cars which do carry passengers and "head end" equipment. The latter are run as part of passenger trains, but do not themselves carry passengers. Traditionally they were put between

8769-455: The initial 2.4 mi (3.9 km) segment of a planned 9.1 mi (14.6 km) oval was started in March 1971 and completed in August by Morrison-Knudsen. The remaining 6.7 miles (10.8 km) were completed in September 1972 and checked on September 8 using locomotive DOTX 001 and two NYCTA R42 subway cars . DOTX 001 was a 3,000 hp (2,200 kW) GE U30C locomotive,

8880-686: The initial segment would later be extended to a full 21.8 mi long (35.1 km) oval and a parallel oval guideway would be completed for the Tracked Air Cushion Research Vehicle (TACRV). In addition, preliminary design work continued for the Suspended Vehicle System (SVS) and the Tube Vehicle System (TVS); SVS was designed to take advantage of existing rights-of-way and be capable of greater roll angles (and higher speeds), and TVS

8991-621: The last intercity cars Budd built. The continuing unreliability of the original Metroliners led to refurbished Amfleet I coaches displacing them in Metroliner service in 1981. New EMD AEM-7 electric locomotives pulled the trains. Unlike the Superliner-equipped trains in the Western United States, Amtrak's eastern long-distance single-level trains never operated with uniform consists. The trains operated with

9102-399: The locomotive and the passenger-carrying cars in the consist , hence the name. Some specialized types are variants of or combine elements of the most basic types. Also, the basic design of passenger cars is evolving, with articulated units that have shared trucks, with double-decker designs, and with the "low floor" design where the loading area is very close to the ground and slung between

9213-531: The meals were prepared. The introduction of vestibuled cars , which for the first time allowed easy movement from car to car, aided the adoption of dining cars, lounge cars, and other specialized cars. In the early 1900s, safety concerns led the railroad industry to transition from wood to steel construction. Steel was heavier but this transition took place simultaneously with a transition to higher-powered locomotives. The Pennsylvania Railroad began building all-steel passenger cars in 1906 due to concerns about fire in

9324-425: The mid-19th century, trains grew in length and weight. Passenger cars, particularly in America, grew along with them, first getting longer with the addition of a second truck (one at each end), and wider as their suspensions improved. Cars built for European use featured side door compartments, while American car design favored what was called a train coach, a single long cabin with rows of seats, with doors located at

9435-557: The multilevel semiprivate berths of old. Now that passenger cars were lighter, they were able to carry heavier loads, but the size of the average passenger that rode in them didn't increase to match the cars' new capacities. The average passenger car could not be made any wider or longer due to side clearances along the railroad lines, but they generally could get taller because they were still lower than many freight cars and locomotives. The railroads soon began building and buying dome and bilevel cars to carry more passengers. Starting in

9546-608: The need and opportunity to standardize on a single design. Very few railcars had been built for inter-city service in the United States since the 1950s; the last locomotive-hauled cars were an order of ten coaches built by Pullman-Standard for the Kansas City Southern Railway in 1965. An important exception was the Budd Metroliner electric multiple unit . This fleet of 61 cars had begun operation between Washington, D.C. , and New York City on

9657-562: The order for $ 86 million. This brought the first order to 492 cars, with a total cost of $ 192 million. Amtrak intended to use 212 of the cars on Northeast Corridor service between Washington and New York; unlike the electric Metroliners, the Amfleet cars could continue through to Boston, Massachusetts . A public unveiling took place at the Budd plant in Northeast Philadelphia on June 19, 1975, after which four cars were sent to

9768-520: The original style were rebuilt to match. As the original Metroliners were withdrawn many of the Amclubs were refurbished for use in Metroliner service. Three were rebuilt for use on the Montrealer ; booths and lounge seating replaced the coach seating and club seats. These were later rebuilt as all-table dinettes. Most clubs were rebuilt as club-dinette cars, with one half given over to booths and

9879-473: The other having 2×1 business class seating. Others were rebuilt as full-length business class cars, with 62 seats. Still others were converted to 72-seat coaches. Budd built 25 Amfleet II "Amlounge" lounge cars . They differed from other food-service cars in that the snack-bar was off-center. On the shorter side were 27 seats in varying configurations; the longer side had ten four-seat booths. Amtrak rebuilt 14 of them as smoking lounges between 1998 and 2000: in

9990-613: The same tracks at higher speeds than would otherwise be possible. Amtrak continued to push the development of U.S.-designed passenger equipment even when the market demand didn't support it, ordering a number of new passenger locomotive and car types in the 1980s and 1990s. However, by 2000 Amtrak went to European manufacturers for the Amtrak Cascades ( Talgo ) and Acela Express trains, their premier services. These trains use new designs and are made to operate as coherent "trainsets". High-speed trains are made up of cars from

10101-460: The same protection. Dining cars first appeared in the late 1870s and into the 1880s. Until this time, the common practice was to stop for meals at restaurants along the way (which led to the rise of Fred Harvey 's chain of Harvey House restaurants in America). At first, the dining car was simply a place to serve meals that were picked up en route, but they soon evolved to include galleys in which

10212-489: The services on the Northeast Corridor and many other routes around the United States. The first 492 cars, known as Amfleet I and completed between 1975 and 1977, were designed for short-distance service. A second order of 150 cars, known as Amfleet II and completed between 1980 and 1983, were designed for long-distance service. They were the last intercity passenger cars built by Budd. Car types include both long- and short-distance coaches, cafes, club cars, and lounges. Since

10323-523: The short end an enclosed lounge replaced the seating area. All 25 cars were rebuilt as diner-lite cars between 2006 and 2010. In this configuration the short end has 19 seats, arranged in booths; the long end has seven booths and a conductor's office. The Amfleet II lounge weighed 113,000 pounds (51,000 kg). In the late 1970s Amtrak converted two Amfleet I coaches into sleepers ( Nos. 22900 and 22901). Two prototype Superliner roomette modules were installed, displacing twelve seats. The cars were used on

10434-548: The sides of the car. They often have small tables for drinks, or may be large enough to play cards. Some lounge cars include small pianos and are staffed by contracted musicians to entertain the passengers. These cars are often pulled in addition to the dining car , and on very long trains in addition to one or more snack or café cars. Café cars , such as the Amtrak café cars , are simpler, lacking window-facing seats, instead, rows of tables with facing pairs of bench seats, split by

10545-426: The sides of the cars to catch mail bags while the train was in motion. American RPOs , first appearing in the 1860s, also featured equipment to catch mail bags at speed, but the American design more closely resembled a large hook that would catch the mailbag in its crook. When not in use, the hook would swivel down against the side of the car to prevent it from catching obstacles. As locomotive technology progressed in

10656-586: The train crew, so many baggage cars had doors to access them just like any other passenger car. Baggage cars could be designed to look like the rest of a passenger train's cars, or they could be repurposed box cars equipped with high-speed trucks and passenger train steam and air connections. A special type of baggage car came equipped with doors on one end to facilitate transport of large pieces of equipment and scenery for Broadway shows and other productions. These "theatrical" baggage cars were assigned theatrical names (i.e. Romeo and Juliet ), and were similar to

10767-530: The tunnels it was building to access Manhattan's Pennsylvania Station, which opened in 1910. Other railroads followed because steel cars were safer in accidents. During a transition period, some railroads put steel frames underneath wooden cars. By the 1920s, passenger cars on the larger standard gauge railroads were normally between 60 ft (18.3 m) and 70 ft (21.3 m) long. The cars of this time were still quite ornate, many of them being built by experienced coach makers and skilled carpenters. In

10878-558: The use of magnetic or air cushion levitation of rail vehicles, but there were no suitable test sites. The 1968 amendment to the High Speed Ground Transportation Act authorized the Secretary of Transportation to acquire a test site. A proposed test site was investigated at the former Lowry Air Force Base near Denver, Colorado , but abandoned as the terrain was too rough; further site evaluation led

10989-533: The world. The RPO is where mail was sorted while the train was en route. Because these cars carried mail, which often included valuables or quantities of cash and checks, the RPO staff (who were employed by the postal service and not the railroad) were the only train crews allowed to carry guns. The RPO cars were normally placed in a passenger train between the train's motive power and baggage cars, further inhibiting their access by passengers. A colonist car or emigrant car

11100-490: Was Kentron-Hawaii, Ltd., starting from July 1972. Dynelectron won a competitive re-bid for the O&;M contract in 1976. Due to reduced funding that threatened to close the facility, the FRA entered a public-private partnership with AAR in October 1982, who would take over "care, custody, and control" of TTC. AAR consolidated its Research & Test Department at TTC from 1995 to 1997 and formed its TTCI subsidiary to administer

11211-403: Was a special sleeping car designed to take immigrants from ocean ports to settlement areas in western North America at the cheapest possible fare. They offered simple sleeping berths and a cooking area for immigrants who were expected to bring their own food and bedding. A combine is a car that combines features of a head-end and a regular passenger car. The most common combination is that of

11322-413: Was announced that $ 7.3 billion would be put towards the new equipment . In 2022, Amtrak announced that it plans to begin retiring Amfleet I cars by 2027, with all cars to be retired by the end of 2030. In December 2022, Amtrak reached an agreement with Siemens for 83 " Airo " trainsets for delivery starting in 2026, at which time they would begin by replacing the Amtrak Cascades fleet. After replacing

11433-488: Was at the tail end of the car – some more modern US designs had walls of the car usually curved together to form a large U shape, and larger windows were installed all around the end of the car; earlier designs had square ends with an observation open deck (preserved stock in Southern Africa, Oceania and many countries elsewhere.) Before these cars were built with steel walls, the observation end of heavyweight cars in

11544-400: Was expected to operate in all weather conditions at speeds up to 500 mph (800 km/h). The TACRV program was planned to be further developed into an Urban Tracked Air Cushion Vehicle (UTACV), with two separate designs by Vought (using a U-Channel guideway) and Rohr, Inc. (using an inverted-T guideway) operating at speeds up to 150 mph (240 km/h). The initial segment of

11655-493: Was recommended in September 1975. Tracks were laid for FAST within the RTT loop at TTC starting in spring 1976 and the first train began operating over the FAST loop on September 22, 1976. Trains operated at relatively low speeds up to 35 mph (56 km/h) for 16 hours a day; one early conclusion was that steel railroad ties were impractical, as they began to crack after bearing 26 million gross tons of freight. In June 1985,

11766-437: Was sectioned off into compartments, much like the coaches that were still in widespread use across Europe. Pullman's roomettes, however, were designed with a single traveller in mind. The roomette featured a large picture window, a privacy door, a single fold-away bed, a sink and a small toilet. The roomette's floor space was barely larger than the space taken up by the bed, but it allowed the traveller to ride in luxury compared to

11877-696: Was subsequently renamed as MxV Rail in March 2022. The Transportation Technology Center occupies a 30,000-acre (12,000 ha) site northeast of Pueblo, Colorado and just north of the US Army 's Pueblo Chemical Depot . The site has laboratories and approximately 48 miles (77 km) of railroad track used to test locomotives, vehicles, track components, and signaling devices. The tracks are designed to replicate conditions seen on service environments, varying from precisely engineered high-speed tracks to track intentionally designed with irregularities. In addition, there are two leftover guideways constructed during

11988-479: Was the preferred material for car bodies. Stainless steel cars could be and often were, left unpainted except for the car's reporting marks that were required by law. By the end of the 1930s, railroads and car builders were debuting car body and interior styles that could only be dreamed of before. In 1937, the Pullman Company delivered the first cars equipped with roomettes – that is, the car's interior

12099-454: Was to test several hovertrain concepts. When those projects were completed in the 1970s, the site was handed to the FRA. Since October 2022, operations at the TTC have been managed by ENSCO under a " indefinite duration, indefinite quantity " (IDIQ) contract establishing responsibility for research and development, testing, engineering, and training services at the TTC. Two United States Department of Commerce initiatives are credited with

12210-463: Was unpopular and Amtrak rebuilt the cafés into numerous configurations during the 1980s and 1990s. These included all-table dinettes, club cars for use in Metroliner service, and club-dinettes with a mix of tables and club seats. By the 2010s most cafes were configured as club-dinettes; some had been converted into all-table dinettes. Five dinettes were rebuilt for use on the Inter-American ,

12321-520: Was usually found in DMUs , EMUs , and locomotive -hauled passenger trainsets . They also generally intermediate cars within the consist and sometimes have driving control facilities . They may carry auxiliary equipment (E.g. the braking system, air conditioning, etc.) where space is limited. Although passengers generally are not allowed access to the baggage car, they were included in a great number of passenger trains as regular equipment. The baggage car

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