Beaten with the Ugly Stick

[EMDF9A]

One of the new AMTRAK CASACDES Talgo sets have arrived in Seattle. It is parked on the first stub track at King Street Station. One of my fellow T&R guides commented yesterday, as we were about to depart on#11 the Coast Starlight, that it "looked like it was severely beaten with an ugly stick". I can't say that I disagree. I guess my comment it that it is so ugly its cute.


I wonder when these will go into service? I know AMTRAK has announced additional CASCADES service from Seattle to Bellingham while the I-5 bridge in Mount Vernon is out. Perhaps they will get their inaugural run on those?

David
Seattle

 

[zephyr17]

A friend of mine thinks it looks like "Mater" in Cars. It does!

 

[MiRider]

All this talk and no pics?

 

[rickycourtney]

The design of the cab cars looks rushed. i know that some last minute changes were forced on Talgo (as i understand it, they originally had one seat for the engineer centered in the cab, but Amtrak wanted two side by side seats.) But it looks like in the rush to get the trains into production... they let form completely follow function and didn't go back to the drawing board to make these ascetically pleasing.

This temporary service would seem to be the perfect opportunity to press these new trainsets into service... but from an Amtrak news release it sounds like Sound Transit equipment will be used.

 

[SarahZ]

You can see them here. You might have to go forward a bit:

 

[Steve4031]

Beats the hell out of horizon cars. I you all think these cars are ugly, send them back to Chicago. I'll be glad to ride them.

 

[June the Coach Rider]

Once you are inside the train, who cares what the outside looks like, you are on the train, THAT is what matters.

 

[Big Green Chauvanist]

I saw it at KSS, but did not have my camera. I agree the engine is so ugly it's cute. We'll get used to it. The whole system should be so lucky as we are [to have Talgo's].

 

[amtrakwolverine]

Beats the hell out of horizon cars. I you all think these cars are ugly, send them back to Chicago. I'll be glad to ride them.

Now I happen to like horizon cars. More head room. The talgo cab car appears to have the engineer sitting lower and right in the path of anything that a Semi truck is hauling.

 

[boxcarsyix]

Much cuter than "Mater"

 

[Guest]

I think it looks like a wide-eyed puppy dog seeing the outside world for the first time.

 

[MiRider]

Thanks, Sorcha

I'm no connoisseur of engines but they all look nice to me.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Side note: It's a cab car not a engine. It does contain a genset for the hotel power, and fresh water tanks, but does not have the ability to move the train set.

I personal think the cab car outside is good looking, but just don't get the inside layout.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Once you are inside the train, who cares what the outside looks like, you are on the train, THAT is what matters.

Someone with your "who cares" attitude must have designed this butt-ugly mess.

 

[VentureForth]

Once you are inside the train, who cares what the outside looks like, you are on the train, THAT is what matters.

Tru dat. However, it has been very clear throughout the history of railroading that external beauty attracts customers, internal beauty and customer service retains them. Sounds like some don't like what's on the inside, either...

 

[Railroad Bill]

Hey, if we had some of those to ride between Columbus and Cleveland, we would be thrilled~~

 

[CHamilton]

I noticed this photo at NTD in PDX. Seems like the way to reduce the ugly factor is to take pictures head-on.

 

[crescent2]

It does look kind of cartoonish, but cute. Not sure "cute" was a look the designer would've been aiming for, though.

Regardless, I'd love it if they came through Atlanta! ANY additional Amtrak.... *sigh*

Easy on June! I took her post as trying to make a somewhat "positive" comment in the ugly-stick thread!

 

[crescent2]

Thanks for the pictures, Hamilton, and thanks for the video, Sorcha. Apparently, our "cute" assessment is not shared by all!!! And it doesn't look very protective of the engineer, but maybe looks are deceiving. ??

Such a wealth of Amtrak in Portland! It's a very rare sight anywhere near my neck of the woods. In the two years since we've traveled on Amtrak, I've caught a glimpse of exactly one Amtrak train (Crescent in Bremen, GA). I wanted to do a somersault.

I also got a glimpse of a bus with "Amtrak" on the front signage, somewhere a little north of Orlando this spring. But that's just not the same.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I noticed this photo at NTD in PDX. Seems like the way to reduce the ugly factor is to take pictures head-on.

Looks like a Toy Train too me, sure doesn't look Fuel Efficient and it's still Butt Ugly!!! Industrial Design used to be Art!!!

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Reminds me of the old streamliners, kind of like the M-10000 series.

 

[rickycourtney]

I noticed this photo at NTD in PDX. Seems like the way to reduce the ugly factor is to take pictures head-on.

it doesn't look very protective of the engineer, but maybe looks are deceiving. ??

If you look at the picture you can see two white columns behind the glass in this cab car... those are steel beams designed to prevent anything from coming into the cab in an accident. Behind the stubby fiberglass nose is crush-able metal designed to absorb some of the force from a collision.

All this metal is to comply with new Crash Energy Management standards... and in theory should protect the engineer and passenger in a crash. I hope we never have to find out how effective it is.

 

[crescent2]

That's good to hear. Thanks, rickyc.

 

[DesertRat]

It does look CARS-y.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

Send those trains or any Amtrak train to NASHVILLE, TN, and I'll gladly ride it.