Amfleet II seat reversal

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Joined
Nov 9, 2016
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628
Location
Portsmouth, VA
Curious:

When I took my trip in July from NPN to ORL, I boarded the Silver Meteor at RVR. I noticed that the coach car doors were at the front ends of the cars on the SM. However, on my return trip, the end doors on the coaches of the Silver Star (ORL to RVR) were at the rear ends. Which would mean that the seats were reversed.

On a typical AM2 coach, are the end doors at the front end or the rear end of the car?

Thanks!
 
In general, they face towards the dining car. (so if they are forwards of the dining car, they face backwards, if they are behind it, they face forwards.)
 
In general, they face towards the dining car. (so if they are forwards of the dining car, they face backwards, if they are behind it, they face forwards.)
Ok that makes sense. The SM consist, IIRC, was engines, coaches, cafe/lounge, diner, sleepers and bag.

So you mean that when the AM2 coaches are facing forward, the end doors are at the rear of each car?
 
I think since the diner has no vestibule, they try to have one from the adjacent coach (or sleeper) next to the diner....
 
The adjacent Sleeper's vestibule is at the Diner end in order to give the handicapped occupant of the H Room easier access to the Diner too. The Dining room end of the Diner is supposed to be at adjacent to the Sleeper.
 
The adjacent Sleeper's vestibule is at the Diner end in order to give the handicapped occupant of the H Room easier access to the Diner too. The Dining room end of the Diner is supposed to be at adjacent to the Sleeper.
Yep, because when I was on the Silver Meteor I went to the diner to get breakfast. I had to finish walking through the coaches and then the cafe/lounge before arriving at the diner car. I knew that the first sleeper car was at the far end of the actual dining area.
 
I think the question is more how the seats turn around which although I'm qualified to answer it will refrain from it. The heritage coaches I've worked on have the same exact seats because they are ex Amtrak.
 
There is a mechanism on which the seats swivel. It is activated in a manner that is insanely self evident if you look at the things for about five seconds.

Edit: I have never activated the mechanism, but it was so self evident that is what it was for further investigation would have been superfluous. Feel free to figure out what it is, but do NOT activate it. Crews get mad, and more so you do not have the knowledge to know for sure it has relatched, which is a major safety issue. So don't.
 
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I don't think the OP is interested in how to turn the seats...just curious which end of the car the vestibule is likely to be when he rides...
 
In the US people tend to prefer facing forward when they ride. Notwithstanding EMUs on commuter lines that may just go back out in the other direction with part of the seating in either direction, , coaches generally get their seats reversed. if the train is not being wyed or looped. Some cars have sets of seats that face each other in a foursome, they would be the exception.
 
The only time I care about where the vestibule is is when I have a car that doesn't have one. On my next charter I have one car that lacks a vestibule but seats about 70 so I need to position another car next to it with the vestibule end facing it. The rest of the time it doesn't really matter to me where it gets shoved as long as I can get people on and off the train rapidly.
 
That' s really the one reason that counts..... Even with VL sleepers, pointing the vestibule towards the diner only provides H-Room access for one car. Any other cars it doesn't help with H access.
 
As for riding facing forward...the only coaches that can only run 'one way', are the old Vista-Dome ones....IIRC, the seats in the dome cannot be turned...the steps are to the rear. The regular seats in the car may be able, but not likely to face opposite the ones in the dome...

Certain dome lounges (ATSF 'Pleasure Domes'), were the exception...the steps are in the front end, and at least the single seats do rotate...
 
As for riding facing forward...the only coaches that can only run 'one way', are the old Vista-Dome ones....IIRC, the seats in the dome cannot be turned...the steps are to the rear. The regular seats in the car may be able, but not likely to face opposite the ones in the dome...

Certain dome lounges (ATSF 'Pleasure Domes'), were the exception...the steps are in the front end, and at least the single seats do rotate...
Not true. I can flip any vista dome in two minutes. The dome seats are walk over. I had one car once the locking mechanism stopped working. So I had to take the seat apart and hammer it in. Needless to say that chair faced forward till I could shop the car. Before I fixed it. It sent two passengers flying.
 
@railiner:

That was pretty much the upshot of my question; which end of the AM2 coaches is the vestibule generally located at. I mentioned seat reversal as a way of asking whether the passengers would be facing the vestibule end or if it would be behind them.
 
Up until a few years ago, the crew (or maintenance folks) of the Heartland Flyer took time to flip every seat at the end points; the train carries an engine (or NPCU) on both ends. Finally they got smart and left the coaches in a "push me, pull you" config, half one way the other half the other. Of course, the forward facing seats go first but I have yet to hear anyone grousing loudly about riding backwards.
 
@railiner:

That was pretty much the upshot of my question; which end of the AM2 coaches is the vestibule generally located at. I mentioned seat reversal as a way of asking whether the passengers would be facing the vestibule end or if it would be behind them.
I think the answer to your question is: It depends. I'm not sure there is a procedural as to whether the doors are at the back or front of the car in the direction of travel.
 
As for riding facing forward...the only coaches that can only run 'one way', are the old Vista-Dome ones....IIRC, the seats in the dome cannot be turned...the steps are to the rear. The regular seats in the car may be able, but not likely to face opposite the ones in the dome...

Certain dome lounges (ATSF 'Pleasure Domes'), were the exception...the steps are in the front end, and at least the single seats do rotate...
Not true. I can flip any vista dome in two minutes. The dome seats are walk over. I had one car once the locking mechanism stopped working. So I had to take the seat apart and hammer it in. Needless to say that chair faced forward till I could shop the car. Before I fixed it. It sent two passengers flying.
I didn't know that...are those the original seats that came with the car, or replacements? My memory is not that great, but I recall the Vista-Domes having Heywood-Wakefield seats that were contoured somewhat, and not being 'walkover' types. I suppose the seats could be removed and reversed, but not easily...but you seem to know them better than I do, so......
 
As for riding facing forward...the only coaches that can only run 'one way', are the old Vista-Dome ones....IIRC, the seats in the dome cannot be turned...the steps are to the rear. The regular seats in the car may be able, but not likely to face opposite the ones in the dome...

Certain dome lounges (ATSF 'Pleasure Domes'), were the exception...the steps are in the front end, and at least the single seats do rotate...
Not true. I can flip any vista dome in two minutes. The dome seats are walk over. I had one car once the locking mechanism stopped working. So I had to take the seat apart and hammer it in. Needless to say that chair faced forward till I could shop the car. Before I fixed it. It sent two passengers flying.
I didn't know that...are those the original seats that came with the car, or replacements? My memory is not that great, but I recall the Vista-Domes having Heywood-Wakefield seats that were contoured somewhat, and not being 'walkover' types. I suppose the seats could be removed and reversed, but not easily...but you seem to know them better than I do, so......
It also might depend which railroad you traveled with them. The cars I have experience with are all ex GN and ex NP. Could be replacements that Amtrak put in them in the 80s as the cars all have similar seats up top.
 
As for riding facing forward...the only coaches that can only run 'one way', are the old Vista-Dome ones....IIRC, the seats in the dome cannot be turned...the steps are to the rear. The regular seats in the car may be able, but not likely to face opposite the ones in the dome...

Certain dome lounges (ATSF 'Pleasure Domes'), were the exception...the steps are in the front end, and at least the single seats do rotate...
Not true. I can flip any vista dome in two minutes. The dome seats are walk over. I had one car once the locking mechanism stopped working. So I had to take the seat apart and hammer it in. Needless to say that chair faced forward till I could shop the car. Before I fixed it. It sent two passengers flying.
I didn't know that...are those the original seats that came with the car, or replacements? My memory is not that great, but I recall the Vista-Domes having Heywood-Wakefield seats that were contoured somewhat, and not being 'walkover' types. I suppose the seats could be removed and reversed, but not easily...but you seem to know them better than I do, so......
It also might depend which railroad you traveled with them. The cars I have experience with are all ex GN and ex NP. Could be replacements that Amtrak put in them in the 80s as the cars all have similar seats up top.
Now that sounds logical....Amtrak probably replaced the original heavier type seats, with lighter type seats in most of the lounge cars they retained for HEP conversion...
 
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