Which Amtrak routes have a Business class such as the Carolinian and then had the one table at the end of the car as opposed to the individual seat back trays at the other seats?
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Amtrak Business Class
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The Pacific Surfliner B.C. coach has individual fold down trays at each seat. (Although we recall someone once posting that the Pacific Surfliner has a special classification within the Amtrak system that is all its own.)
We rode in a Pacific Surfliner B.C. coach last summer to see what it was like. (We paid for our passage using travel points, and trip from San Diego to Los Angeles cost us more points than the trip from Toledo to Chicago in coach.)
For the extra charge, we did get to board before the regular coach passengers, and we did receive complementary beverages and snack packs.
We expected that the seats in the B.C. coach would be roomier, but this wasn’t the case. Also, we expected to see business people using their time on the train to work at their laptops, sort through business paperwork, etc. Instead, we saw mostly regular people like ourselves.
Isn’t “Business Class” the same thing as First Class on an airliner and why don’t they just call it that?
We rode in a Pacific Surfliner B.C. coach last summer to see what it was like. (We paid for our passage using travel points, and trip from San Diego to Los Angeles cost us more points than the trip from Toledo to Chicago in coach.)
For the extra charge, we did get to board before the regular coach passengers, and we did receive complementary beverages and snack packs.
We expected that the seats in the B.C. coach would be roomier, but this wasn’t the case. Also, we expected to see business people using their time on the train to work at their laptops, sort through business paperwork, etc. Instead, we saw mostly regular people like ourselves.
Isn’t “Business Class” the same thing as First Class on an airliner and why don’t they just call it that?
Acela150
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Are you referring to the full Business Class car? If so, almost all regionals do. Very few don't.
That is what I was referring to (and I fixed my typo as well)
My wife and I have a daughter in Richmond, VA and for the last two years we have taken a Amtrak from Greensboro to Richmond to visit on the Carolinian. I grabbed the Amtrak credit card when they had that 40,000 point sign up bonus and I also get the free companion coupons. Last year we did Business Class to have less people in the car due to Covid. That is somewhat our thoughts but my wife just wanted to go Business Class again and with the coupons we get with the credit card we save just about what the credit card costs to have each year so making that a wash is nice. Last year we found our seats at this table and she sort of liked it. This year our seats were directly behind the toilet so I took advantage of moving them and I asked my wife about the table seat again and she agreed that she wanted those seats. She is not the railfan that I am so I do what I can to make her happy on these trips. (I would be happy sitting in the baggage car on a metal floor.)
All of this got me thinking about this seating arrangement. On the Piedmont and maybe coach class Carolinian they have a few seats that face each other, but without a table and they have signage to only take these seats if a group of 3 or 4 are sitting together. Of course those seats are not reserved since they are not business class.
I know newspapers are dying but it would be nice to have an complimentary paper along the route. The Carolinian could easily pick up a few copies of the Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh, or Richmond paper on the northbound trip, and even if not enough for each BC passenger they could be stored near one end of the car. Though it is hard to find newspapers for sale in vending machines I always enjoyed reading a local paper when passing through a town if stopping for food or gas in a car.
And though it is only microwaved, tossing in one free meal from the cafe car would not hurt my feelings. I know it is a cost thing and I am not really a 1st Class traveler, that has lots of demands, but another perk beyond a free water or tea for me would not hurt my feelings either. Hence the newspaper. Maybe having a one day access code for a newspaper e-edition that could be downloaded over the Amtrak Wi-Fi would be good enough for me.
Your post, McLeansvilleAppFan, reminded me of those wonderful days in the early 2000's when there were a few "parlor" cars still left operating on some trains. I know there was one on the morning departure from Newport News-Williamsburg VA to New York (probably not so on the Carolinian). Parlor cars had single seats or table seating, a dedicated attendant, meals and drinks at your seat, etc. Except for Acela first class, that kind of service no longer exists to the best of my knowledge. With respect to Amtrak, it is my opinion that business class upgrade from coach is generally not worth the fare difference for the added amenities. I, however, probably should not comment of that in that most all my Amtrak travel over the past 15 years has been sleepers Georgia to DC.
Just completed a major trip DC-NYC-Toronto-Vancover. Rode business class DC-NYC on Northeaster, NYC-Toronto and Vancover-Seattle. I just don't think it worth the extra money. A lot to pay for free drink.
And the Business Class on the Downeaster is very nice. Huge single and double seats, good legroom, tray tables and windows with shades. One free non-alcoholic drink, and best of all, a curtained off area at one end of the train so no people slogging their way to the cafe car.
Huh? Every Surfliner trainset has two business class cars (not sure about the single Horizon trainset), and all Surfliner runs are daytime runs, unless you are unlucky enough to be on an extremely delayed 794.
The seat pitch of a Surfliner business class car is greater than that of a Surfliner coach... I've measured it, but you can also count the seats. Obviously if the Superliner car 3 has the long-distance seating configuration, it will have the best seat pitch of them all.
I second this. On my trips the attendant would serve BC passengers first before opening up to the coach passengers and would take orders at our seats if things weren't too busy. The BC car is at the South end of the train so you get a short walk to the concourse on arriving in Boston.
And my spouse, not particularly romantic, much prefers the single seats. The double seats have a very large fixed arm rest between them, with two quite functional cup holders. The complete opposite of the standard coaches which, when full, have a stranger leaning on your shoulder. Being a person of size, I'm the one you don't want to sit next to...
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Mystic River Dragon
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Oops—sorry, misread as 171 so just deleted my reply. Not sure if I’ve been on 176.
Acela150
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It uses the same type of equipment so your comment would have been fine. Really all the Amfleet equipment have the same overheads.
And I believe that 171 actually turns for 176.
Mystic River Dragon
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Well, having just read the above from Acela150, and since nobody else has chimed in, i will add my two cents here.
It will have open metal overhead racks above the seats—no closed bins. Also I believe there’s a luggage storage area at the front on one side when you first enter.
The seats in row 14 have a bit of extra space in back of them—some people store their smaller/medium-size bags there.
I try to reserve a seat in row 14 anyway—because it’s toward the back, you don’t have a lot of people walking by you.
Hope this helps.
Great information ! Rows 15 and 16 have the large tables right? So you say there is room behind row 14 to store luggage. Would that be 15"to 20" wide so maybe we could put our 2 larger suitcases(31"x14"x19" and 31"x12" x21") behind our seat?
The door to get on and off the train is only by the bathrooms and row 1 right, no doors to get off the train at the back of the train?
How far from your business car, I assume the BC is the last train right? How many trains forward was the Cafe Car?
Right now we are in Row 8,. I read somewhere it was a smoother ride in the middle of the car. Is that what you found or do you think row 14 would still be okay?
I think the only equipment Amtrak has with airline style overhead bins is the Acela.
Aren't the NE Regional business class cars generally Amfleet IIs?
Aren't the NE Regional business class cars generally Amfleet IIs?
jis
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No. They are ex-Metroliner Capstone Amfleet I cars.
We might have been okay with just coach, but we are on train for 450 miles. Just thought BC would give us more room for luggage, leg room and less traffic going in and out of car. I think we are going to be on for like 15 stops. 8 1/2 hours
We just have to be ready to get off at our stop with 3 regular suitcases, 2 carry-ons and 2 personal items.
I think we have like 6 minutes after we travel through Newark Airport, for our stop in Newark(Penn Station), I believe we have like one minute to get off the train at the stop.
No worries getting on the train, our train originates in Roanoke at 6:20am so no one will be on the train when we board and the train is at the platform for 20 minutes before it leaves. Roanoke
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Mystic River Dragon
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You’re very welcome. I’m not very good at measurements, but others on here are. I think the space behind the row 14 seats is good for small or medium suitcases but probably not large ones. Plus there’s no guarantee someone else won’t have grabbed it first.
I would put the large ones in the luggage rack in the front and leave from the front door. There is a back door, but in the unlikely possibility that it doesn’t open, you won’t then have time to get to the front one.
Yes, rows 15 and 16 are the ones with the table. I’ve always found row 14 smooth.
The cafe car location can vary, I believe, but it will be at least two cars away, possibly farther.
I’m not sure if row 8 has a full window view. There are a few rows with just a partial window view. I think row 14 does have a full window. Plus you can get up and look out the “railfan” window at the back.
Mystic River Dragon
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I just saw this after I posted. Definitely put your large luggage in the luggage rack at the front. And I would keep row 8 to be closer to the front door.
Hoping someone else will chime in with advice on Newark/Penn Station (I never got off there) and also help with other suggestions, especially about the luggage.
I would say if you plan to get something in the cafe car, do it before Alexandria. It closes soon after that til a while after it leaves Washington. Plus you will avoid the crowds.
So then what row ahead of row 8 do you think has a full window? If as you say there is a luggage rack at the front of the car I think I would feel more comfortable getting a chain of some sort and tieing all my bags together in that rack so I don't have to worry about someone taking one of my bags off at one of the stops?
You think that would be possible to tie my bags together in that rack?
You are seriously overthinking this.
Bring and use as many zip ties as provide you comfort.
Bring and use as many zip ties as provide you comfort.
