Amtrak presented at Chicago Union Station the modernised interiors of bi-level Superliner coaches, serving primarily midwestern, southern and western rail routes.
Under company’s modernisation programme all Superliner coaches, sleeping cars, dining cars and sightseer lounges will be refreshed. Viewliner I sleeping cars operating to and from the east and southeast will be similarly improved.
The rolling stock modernisation programme will improve the comfort with new seating cushions and upholstery, carpet, LED lighting, tables and curtains.
Over the next three years, more than 450 railcars will be refreshed under an investment of USD 28 million, extending the useful life and modernising the cars that were delivered in the 1980s and 1990s.
The first refreshed coaches will carry travelers this summer, with the other three types of Superliners deployed starting this fall.
Additionally, upgraded bedding, pillows, towels, and linens, as successfully tested on Auto Train, will be expanding to all private bedrooms and Roomettes starting this August. This will be followed by the installation of lotion dispensers in each bedroom and three-bottle dispensers of shampoo, conditioner and body wash in each shower, doing away with much of the single-use packaging in company’s sleeping cars.
Amtrak has also showed the first of its new U.S.-built low-emissions diesel-electric locomotives that are cleaner and faster than the ones they are replacing. The new locomotives are designated as ALC-42 for Amtrak Long-distance Charger, 4,200-horsepower and 75 of these units have been ordered from Siemens Mobility in Sacramento, California.
“We are marking a new era in customer experience for our historic routes that serve the country with comfortable and affordable coach seating and private rooms. These significant investments in the long – distance network lay the foundation for our next decades of service,” Roger Harris, Amtrak Executive Vice President said.
Amtrak long distance trains which travel on 15 routes carried 4.5 million passengers in the 12 months ending September 2019.
Share on:
