Via Rail: Budd better not break, 'cause that's all we've got! (Yes, I know Via has some more modern coaches, but a significant number of their trains still run with the same Budd stock they've been operating since the 40s.)
I should make a starter pack of videos and pictures to use when talking about the downfall of American passenger trains for the 21049712830471208th time lmao. Jokes aside I tell that story in most of my videos in-case someone is tuning in for the first time and isn't familiar with how Amtrak got started.
AmtrakGuy365 is the only youtuber that can make me watch over 10 minutes of random stuff that I do not care about whatsoever, and now I'm addicted to them.
The Amfleets have gone on to become an iconic part of American railroading, even more so than the Superliners. Perhaps I'm biased since I grew up in the Northeast, but when I think of Amtrak, I think of sleek, tubular cars racing up and down the NEC. My father on the other hand hated the round design and "naked wheels" as he would call them. He told me when he first saw an Amfleet on a trip down to DC in the 70s, he deliberately missed that train to take a long distance one with the heritage fleet. I remember as a kid, we would take the Adirondack from NYP to Montreal, QC many times and I would get so excited when they put Amfleets on the train and even tease my Dad about it, to which we would share a laugh. Those Amfleets have carried me on happy days, sad days, sick days and have just been an all around positive experience on my life. I live in Europe now and only visit the US once a year to see family, but when I do, I am sure to ride and watch them as much as I can. I know their time is almost up and I will miss them dearly when they go!
Meanwhile the horizons are known in the PNW as the worst except for the seats (though I believe our only other trains (2 Talgo sets) have better seats)
No I think you're right amfleet coaches are definitely the most iconic I'm sad they are starting to take them out of service I'd rather they just continue the iconic design and just revamp the whole interior with a modern take personally I don't think there was a better looking train than a p42 Genesis pulling amfleets
Of course those things were cool. Some of them did remain with Amtrak on the Coast Starlight for a brief time in the 1980s-90s. You can tell by their high difference with the Superliners
I say, hand those Amfleets and Horizons to start-up commuter/intercity routes and 100% replace the WWII cars on the Piedmont. Some states just don’t have the budget to buy new cars/rolling stock for their proposed routes. (Ex. Borealis) Amtrak has always used equipment shortages as a reason to not open new routes and this is where I think these old cars can help. I wouldn’t be proud of it, but something is better than nothing.
8:58 "Who thought this was a good idea?" Blame the Midwest and California for those ones; they did a combined order that's separate from the rest of Amtrak's order of Ventures and Airos.
Nah, the states asked Siemens to put in a more comfortable seat. Siemens' response was "and who else are you going to turn to if we say no?" And so it was.
Those of us in preservation have thought about that as well, but there are just too many missing pieces and no good central location available to do it. There is also a decided lack of will. Amtrak has always had more than a little bit of political controversy surrounding it. As far as I know they don't even have a decent archive. I worked in On-Board Service out of DC for 14 years in the '80s and '90s, and it was mostly a slog of survival. Nixon allowed it to be formed because the secret inside agreement was that Amtrak would be a way to get the freight railroads out from under passenger service, then it would be killed off in about five years. That is why originally there was no long-term plan for new equipment, it wasn't going to be needed. Turns out Americans like riding trains and it hasn't been that easy to kill over the last 50 years, but the Republicans keep trying, which is why the fleet is now really old and being replaced willy-nilly. As for museum representation, I think it may best be done with high-quality models on a museum-like layout representing every era of service. At least that's my idea.
I'm simultaneously mourning the impending retirement of those delightful 70s-futuristic tube designs, and also fairly confident that Amfleet II is likely to outlive me
Wow! I realized how well that Amfleet I coaches went on, ever since I saw it on Northeast Corridor. Since my my 19th Birthday. I can really tell that how comfy these seats are when I went my very first Amtrak trip from New York to Washington by taking the Early Bird of Northeast Regional: 151. And now I still can see the Amfleet Coaches roaming around on the Northeast Corridor until Amtrak Airo will roam on to the rails.
It's such a shame the venture cars are so much less comfortable. This is a concerningly common trend with all new transit vehicles across the US typically in the name of easier cleaning. WMATA's 7k series, BART, DART, and MBTA just to name a few. I also hate facing backward while travelling but now you have a 50% chance of it on the NE corridor. With car oriented cities in a country that can't invest in electrified rail transit transit is never going to be faster than driving, so the least mass transit should be is comfortable.
The state-owned Venture cars are in an off-the-shelf configuration. Airo renderings appear to have seats with more padding, but there’s only one way to be sure.
ive never flown on an airliner with seats as bad as the seats in a venture car. its painful even for short trips. hell ive been in city busses with better seats.
@@Mrcake0103 I love the old seats. For only going a handful of stops, they are fine. But going from DC to Fairfax County, it isn't pleasant (sadly that was my commute until recently). WMATA buses have better seats. But if you want bad, check out some of the Circulator electric buses (while it still exists), truly hell. Its just plastic, no padding
"I also hate facing backward while traveling" And this is a massive deal (to you anyways), how? A lot of trains in other countries have trains where half of the seats face forwards, the other half facing backwards, and this change to the Amfleets has benefited Amtrak in terms of adding trains. I have faced backwards while riding trains many times in the past, and didn't care a bit. I dunno if you have OCD or you have driven so much that facing backwards seems so alien to you, but facing backwards on a train doesn't seem like a massive deal.
Despite being from Melbourne, Australia I found this retrospective very interesting.. I guess I just love looking at the past. Glad to hear that they are being preserved!
There’s definitely something about these coaches that feels like being transported back to a different time (in a good way). I was not alive during the time these coaches were built, but I do like to pretend that I’m a dude from the 70’s smoking a cigarette and listening to my music as the world cruises by lol. May be kinda cringe to have a favorite memory of the coaches, but one is that when in DC there’s a long wait due to the engine being switched, and these two dudes were watching a baseball game on a laptop. They were kinda loud, but the remaining passengers on that coach migrated towards the laptop to watch the game and commentate along with the two guys. Just a nice moment of life and community on a train :].
It's funny hearing you talk about how old Amfleet's are when VIA Rail Canada still uses 70-80 year old Budd streamliner HEP cars. A replacement is already in the process but its truly wonderful to see the old Budds, some from 1947, still operating, still feeling modern, still comfortable and still well liked. Many are hoping the new LD fleet is very similar or based directly on the HEP cars.
I don’t think there’s a more iconic Amtrak train than an AEM-7 pulling a rake of Amfleets, but I also grew up on Northeast Corridor, so I’m sure I’m biased.
I think the Horizons are a band-aid solution, which FWIW, is sensible for Amtrak's infrastructure budget. I think European and Asian manufacturers are the way to go for new trains....at least for now.
03:03 "No quality work today means no work tomorrow" what a powerful slogan. The era where planned obsolescence wasn't a thing. In fact, Via Rail budd stainless steel cars are so durable that they are still rolling after more than 70 years! Perhaps today's society unofficial motto/mentality would be : "quality work today means no work tomorrow"😢
I have remembered some of these Amtrak Amfleet and Horizon Passenger Cars. They will always carry a great symbol for Amtrak as well as being a classic to all of us Railfans. It might be a shame that they will soon be replaced by the new Siemens Venture Passenger Cars, they will permanently give a legacy to the minds of Amtrak, Amtrak’s Intercity Commuter Services, and to a bunch of the Railfans too. Great history onto them.
As a consistent rider of the Lincoln Service, I can whole heartedly say I’m going to miss the Amfleets and Horizons, as a rider, because Venture Cars are quite uncomfortable and when I’m able to get in an older car I do it without question. As a railfan I always thought Amfleets and Horizons blended perfectly with any locomotive. The Venture cars look odd given the paint scheme of the SC-44 Chargers they are paired with most times. Here’s to the last hurrah of these classics!
They look so incredibly uncomfortable, what the heck is Amtrak thinking?! You *know* your product is the "long way" and your only advantage is to make it comfortable. What kind of drugs are the Amtrak execs on!? Pure insanity.
@@x--.Amtrak didn’t order these. The ventures currently in service are on state supported corridors. Midwest and California state DOTs ordered them from Siemens. Siemens didn’t give them the option to customize the order with more comfy seats and made them buy them basically off the shelf as is. Hopefully with more pull as a larger purchaser, Amtrak can bully Siemens into installing better seats on their purchases.
3:24 Is this section narrated by a computer voice? Its speech sounds unnaturally awkward, and not very authentic to the time period of these Amfleet advertisements.
"It's a story i have told many times before but here we go again" The same words i hear every time i watch an Amtrakguy365 video, and elsewhere, a story told again and again, the downfall of the Railroad system by the expanding interstate highway system, keep up the good work in making videos continuing the story
Alstom would obviously be the perfect choice for new doubledecker carriages on the California and Midwest services, even seeing as the new enhancements as part of the Amtrak Connects Us program is working on this project for more trains to more cities, and to accommodate more passengers. Some single level coaches by Alstom would be nice to see as well whenever some services are not ready to use the Horizon coaches anymore. Overall, the Amfleet and Horizon coaches will always be fan-favorites of mine.
Riding in the Amfleets has a cozy feel, mainly because of the airliner-style seats, the small windows and the curvature of the sides. The designers wanted to give you the experience of being in a modern airliner instead of the old fashioned boxy sided coach cars. When its cold and rainy outside, you just want to snuggle in those seats on your way to Boston or Philly.
I am absolutely going to miss the Amfleets. They are Amtrak for me. That being said I am really excited to see what the future holds for the new long distance single-level cars. I'd like to see Amtrak go with a variation on the Viewliner 2 that has coach seats built for long distance travel
The Amfleets are controversial among railfans, especially with their airliner-like design, but I love them. The large seats and tubular design gives the coach a cozy feel, and the seats feel very private. This in addition to the actual comfort of the seats. It’s ideal for sleeping and I find them to be great for intercity travel. If the windows were a bit bigger, I’d have no complaints. The Ventures are nice from an amenities standpoint, but don’t hold a candle to Amfleets in terms of passenger comfort, which is essential for coaches operating trips up to 14 hours. Even Brightline, which has a much smarter and more comfortable design than Amtrak Midwest, isn’t as comfortable as the Amfleets. Plus, modern train coaches are so oppressively bright, which makes sleeping hard, especially at night. The Amfleets aren’t too bright, which is ideal.
Honestly, I hope some private operators are able to pick up the Horizons as they leave Amtrak service, so that the Midwest can get some decent intercity trains again without breaking the bank. It won’t happen, but it’d be nice…
The Amfleets are probably gonna be sold to Tshiuetin Rail Transportation and the Amfleet IIs will probably be headed to VIA Rail to replace the old HEP1 Coaches on the Canadian if they run out of funding.
4:22 Generally no, power was not generated by a steam dynamo for train electricity. UP tried this with dynamo boiler cars and it didn’t work. Instead, most equipment used axle generators and batteries for train electricity in the steam heat days, 32 or 74 volt DC. Some equipment used steam for both heating and AC, using steam ejector AC. Others had electric AC and electric heat, or a mix of the two. HEP just simplified everything
The Amfleet and Horizon cars will always be a symbol for Amtrak and classic to us Railfans. I knew eventually these cars would be replaced but I still feel a little sad knowing they’ll be gone in the near future. Even though the Amfleet and Horizons will be gone they will always leave a lasting legacy in the minds of Railfans and commuters. Great video and I can’t wait for what will be coming next. ❤️👍🥲
Growing up in the 90s and early 00s on the west coast, the image of Amtrak I have in my head is still phase III F40PHs pulling Amfleet and Horizon. It was sad to see the cars get phased out for bilevel cars and the engines get replaced by Genesis, then Chargers.
THEY DON'T RECLINE?! THEY DON'T RECLINE?! What in the literal heck? The absolute killer feature of riding on a train over plane?! Who the heck is in charge and why do they want to kill the rail dream!?
The state DOTs don’t have nearly as much purchasing power as Amtrak so Siemens made them buy an off the shelf Venture and basically said “No. what you gonna do about it?” When the states asked them to install more comfortable seats. Siemens is only gonna go out of their way to make customizations for huge purchasers like Amtrak. Amtrak California and Amtrak Midwest which are just several states in a trench coat don’t have the pull for that.
Calling any aspect of Amtrak 'Iconic' tells those of us who were on trains prior to Amtrak you are very, very, very young. Traditional Railroads provided recliners with so much cushioning that it was like floating on a cloud.... modern Amtrak uses a seat and seating pattern reflective of a budget version of Value Jet with seat (hip) size and throw (from the rear of the seat cushion to the rear of the seat in front of you) that would give a 5 year old claustrophobia.
I've ridden on Amfleets twice last year when I took the Northeast Regional between Philadelphia and Washington DC and viceversa. I found them to be quite comfortable
I rode on amtrack this summer for the first time and I was pleasantly surprised by how spacious the car's were as well as their reclining being quiet nice. I even sat at a booth in the dining car with some strangers and talked trains. I had a wonderful time. I'd argue that if Americas amtrack was refined, it would be better then flying. Sadly, it seems as though the passenger experience may be downgraded with the new fleet of cars. But I suppose we'll have to wait and see.
Amfleet cars were the norm in Cali during the 1990s. Some horizon cars still are on the West coast doing relief service on Amtrak Cascades and Amtrak CA. I am ticked off I never got to ride an amfleet car because I couldn't afford an Amtrak ticket at the time.
I've only ridden Horizons a few times in the early '90s during a trip to Chicago, so I really don't remember what it was like to interact with them. I guess I just instinctively don't like them because they look exactly like/basically are the Comet IIs I have been riding my whole life on NJ Transit (thousands and thousands of rides by now since they are about the same age I am). I have grown to have a particular hatred of Comet IIs since they started running them in mixed consists with Comet IVs (a long time ago at this point), so you'll have a nice train of cars with center doors gliding past while you're on the platform, and suddenly you find that your spot lines up perfectly with the exact middle of a Comet II and the nearest door is 40 feet away in either direction. The '90s Taco Bell-inspired interior, added during their 2002-04 refresh to match the 1996-98 Comet IV interiors, also shows every spot of dirt that has ever landed on it. Not relevant to the Horizons at all, just part of my revulsion to seeing that shape on the rails. Anyway I will definitely miss the Amfleet I's because they are iconic and always pleasant to ride on, but it's hard for me to shake my preconceptions about the Horizons enough to feel much about them.
These days [outside of the US], locomotive pulled passenger trains are increasingly restricted to special cases, like night-trains. Most of the passenger rail traffic is done using MUs (multiple units) and regulations means that Amtrak cannot just buy passenger cars, they need to be adapted and re-certified for the US (the Venture is the US version of the Viaggio Comfort). All this makes it hard and expensive for Amtrak to procure carriages…
There aren’t so many off the shelf passenger cars anymore. It’s not the 1940s-50s, when just about every class one was buying from three main builders. Those being Budd, AC&F, and Pullman. Still, every new order Amtrak seems to have the tendency to reinvent the wheel with every new order. I’m in agreement that Viewliner was already in production for sleepers, baggage, and diners. Why couldn’t they save cash by using the design for a coach configuration?
Amtrak needs to move faster on replacing these aging designs. Although I feel like them using the same tracks as Freight service, actually hinders them on upgrading things on a timely matter. So it's no wonder these cars were allowed to rot as they have, staffing issues not accounted. Otherwise, the situation would be a whole lot better for Amtrak, across the Atlantic especially.
Nice video! I actually rode in an Amfleet when my family and I rode Amtrak to Altoona before I started middle school in 2006. I will miss these cars as they go the way of their European counterparts such as the Eurofima IC and the BR Mk3 coaches. I'm just going to be waiting for the O gauge companies to make recent Amtrak equipment.
I'm guessing 90's Bombardier offered Amtrak an LRC coach option for their "Amfleet III" procurement, as they are perfectly suited to the regional mid-distance runs and VIA have proven them to be entirely compatible with the F40/P42 locomotives but the more mass produced Comet chassis was probably a cheaper option. Shame as the LRC cars have really nice ride quality even with the tilt system disabled and then removed during their last rebuild.
Well guys that’s what you get if all American train manufacturers go bankrupt. You get some nice German engineering combined with the German love of stif seats. It’s a little getting used to but it’s not so bad as some people claim it is. It’s actually way better for your back cause it forces you to sit a little straighter
I like the Amfleets, compared to the venture cars. The venture cars have too much that could go burrrrrr, you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Amfleets use a manual stair system, venture use electric stairs and electric locks to lock the toilet, that could go wrong, you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Yes ventures are modern, especially with the power outlets, but from what I've seen on UA-cam, that's the only thing people actually like about them, once the " new" factor wears away.
In the UK, we have local trains that were built in the early 1980's, and after a few refurbs since new, there still going strong. (For UK readers, they are class 150, 153, 156, and 158)
For me, the Amfleet and Superliner coaches were a big let-down relative to the Heritage coaches I rode in on the Southern Crescent. Amfleets and Superliners had seats that wouldn't recline very far (and were too closely spaced to do so), whereas the Heritage coach seats let me recline far back enough to use them as decent substitutes for a bed (and were spaced far enough apart to do so). And the toilets on Amfleets and Superliners were just terrible (always threatening to stop up on the slightest excuse and eventually doing so), like airline toilets of the 1970s and 1980s but even worse, whereas the toilets on the Heritage coaches just worked.
![Engines of Amtrak - GE Genesis [REMAKE]](/img/n.gif)
Remember kids,
Budd
Don't
Break.
Hell yeah
Budd
Don't
Break.
Tell that to the RDC
Laughs in Metroliner 💀
Via Rail: Budd better not break, 'cause that's all we've got!
(Yes, I know Via has some more modern coaches, but a significant number of their trains still run with the same Budd stock they've been operating since the 40s.)
0:52 he tells the same story every video about train history and yet you somehow still find different stock footage every time😂
I should make a starter pack of videos and pictures to use when talking about the downfall of American passenger trains for the 21049712830471208th time lmao. Jokes aside I tell that story in most of my videos in-case someone is tuning in for the first time and isn't familiar with how Amtrak got started.
@@AmtrakGuy365please
@@AmtrakGuy365I gotta hand it to you, the resourcefulness of whatever stock footage you have access to has paid itself back a lot.
@@AmtrakGuy365 You could put a link in the description somewhere to a video that fully explains everything
@@AmtrakGuy365 I always enjoy that early bit because it is something that few rarely know, and it helps when sharing your videos to people!
AmtrakGuy365 is the only youtuber that can make me watch over 10 minutes of random stuff that I do not care about whatsoever, and now I'm addicted to them.
Jinx m8
The Amfleets have gone on to become an iconic part of American railroading, even more so than the Superliners. Perhaps I'm biased since I grew up in the Northeast, but when I think of Amtrak, I think of sleek, tubular cars racing up and down the NEC. My father on the other hand hated the round design and "naked wheels" as he would call them. He told me when he first saw an Amfleet on a trip down to DC in the 70s, he deliberately missed that train to take a long distance one with the heritage fleet. I remember as a kid, we would take the Adirondack from NYP to Montreal, QC many times and I would get so excited when they put Amfleets on the train and even tease my Dad about it, to which we would share a laugh. Those Amfleets have carried me on happy days, sad days, sick days and have just been an all around positive experience on my life. I live in Europe now and only visit the US once a year to see family, but when I do, I am sure to ride and watch them as much as I can. I know their time is almost up and I will miss them dearly when they go!
Meanwhile the horizons are known in the PNW as the worst except for the seats (though I believe our only other trains (2 Talgo sets) have better seats)
No I think you're right amfleet coaches are definitely the most iconic I'm sad they are starting to take them out of service I'd rather they just continue the iconic design and just revamp the whole interior with a modern take personally I don't think there was a better looking train than a p42 Genesis pulling amfleets
can’t beat ex Santa Fe high levels
SANTA FE RAHHHHH
You can’t. Those things were sexy
Of course those things were cool. Some of them did remain with Amtrak on the Coast Starlight for a brief time in the 1980s-90s. You can tell by their high difference with the Superliners
@@Cupertinorail The Pacific Parlour cars on the Coast Starlight were ex-Santa Fe High level lounges and those lasted until I believe 2017.
@@sadams12345678 yes the only one that lasted past the 1990s
I say, hand those Amfleets and Horizons to start-up commuter/intercity routes and 100% replace the WWII cars on the Piedmont. Some states just don’t have the budget to buy new cars/rolling stock for their proposed routes. (Ex. Borealis) Amtrak has always used equipment shortages as a reason to not open new routes and this is where I think these old cars can help. I wouldn’t be proud of it, but something is better than nothing.
Ah yes, tubular fluted stainless steel, God's railcar.
It's totally tubular!
8:58 "Who thought this was a good idea?" Blame the Midwest and California for those ones; they did a combined order that's separate from the rest of Amtrak's order of Ventures and Airos.
The state owned Venture cars were basically off-the-shelf configurations. This order also predates the Airo train set order.
I was gonna say Siemens. But now I suspect these left coasters might be the more corrupt in passenger service
Nah, the states asked Siemens to put in a more comfortable seat. Siemens' response was "and who else are you going to turn to if we say no?" And so it was.
Just saying this, but we need a National Amtrak Museum asap
Those of us in preservation have thought about that as well, but there are just too many missing pieces and no good central location available to do it. There is also a decided lack of will. Amtrak has always had more than a little bit of political controversy surrounding it. As far as I know they don't even have a decent archive. I worked in On-Board Service out of DC for 14 years in the '80s and '90s, and it was mostly a slog of survival. Nixon allowed it to be formed because the secret inside agreement was that Amtrak would be a way to get the freight railroads out from under passenger service, then it would be killed off in about five years. That is why originally there was no long-term plan for new equipment, it wasn't going to be needed. Turns out Americans like riding trains and it hasn't been that easy to kill over the last 50 years, but the Republicans keep trying, which is why the fleet is now really old and being replaced willy-nilly. As for museum representation, I think it may best be done with high-quality models on a museum-like layout representing every era of service. At least that's my idea.
I'm all for it!
the amfleets are so unbelievably resilient.
Thanks for your quality work, budd.
The intro was definitely something
It was *_INSAAAAAANE!_*
@@InventorZahran Yup it was INSAAAANE!!!!!111!!!!!
I'm simultaneously mourning the impending retirement of those delightful 70s-futuristic tube designs, and also fairly confident that Amfleet II is likely to outlive me
Wow! I realized how well that Amfleet I coaches went on, ever since I saw it on Northeast Corridor. Since my my 19th Birthday. I can really tell that how comfy these seats are when I went my very first Amtrak trip from New York to Washington by taking the Early Bird of Northeast Regional: 151. And now I still can see the Amfleet Coaches roaming around on the Northeast Corridor until Amtrak Airo will roam on to the rails.
As always, you never disappoint with the quality of your videos
It's such a shame the venture cars are so much less comfortable. This is a concerningly common trend with all new transit vehicles across the US typically in the name of easier cleaning. WMATA's 7k series, BART, DART, and MBTA just to name a few. I also hate facing backward while travelling but now you have a 50% chance of it on the NE corridor. With car oriented cities in a country that can't invest in electrified rail transit transit is never going to be faster than driving, so the least mass transit should be is comfortable.
The state-owned Venture cars are in an off-the-shelf configuration. Airo renderings appear to have seats with more padding, but there’s only one way to be sure.
ive never flown on an airliner with seats as bad as the seats in a venture car.
its painful even for short trips. hell ive been in city busses with better seats.
So I’m not the only one who prefers the older seats in the DC metro.
@@Mrcake0103 I love the old seats. For only going a handful of stops, they are fine. But going from DC to Fairfax County, it isn't pleasant (sadly that was my commute until recently). WMATA buses have better seats. But if you want bad, check out some of the Circulator electric buses (while it still exists), truly hell. Its just plastic, no padding
"I also hate facing backward while traveling"
And this is a massive deal (to you anyways), how? A lot of trains in other countries have trains where half of the seats face forwards, the other half facing backwards, and this change to the Amfleets has benefited Amtrak in terms of adding trains.
I have faced backwards while riding trains many times in the past, and didn't care a bit. I dunno if you have OCD or you have driven so much that facing backwards seems so alien to you, but facing backwards on a train doesn't seem like a massive deal.
Despite being from Melbourne, Australia I found this retrospective very interesting.. I guess I just love looking at the past. Glad to hear that they are being preserved!
There’s definitely something about these coaches that feels like being transported back to a different time (in a good way). I was not alive during the time these coaches were built, but I do like to pretend that I’m a dude from the 70’s smoking a cigarette and listening to my music as the world cruises by lol. May be kinda cringe to have a favorite memory of the coaches, but one is that when in DC there’s a long wait due to the engine being switched, and these two dudes were watching a baseball game on a laptop. They were kinda loud, but the remaining passengers on that coach migrated towards the laptop to watch the game and commentate along with the two guys. Just a nice moment of life and community on a train :].
Love that you use the 1984 National Geographic film “Love those trains” in here. I had that VHS as a kid and wore the tape out!
It's funny hearing you talk about how old Amfleet's are when VIA Rail Canada still uses 70-80 year old Budd streamliner HEP cars. A replacement is already in the process but its truly wonderful to see the old Budds, some from 1947, still operating, still feeling modern, still comfortable and still well liked. Many are hoping the new LD fleet is very similar or based directly on the HEP cars.
There’s something about the look of the Amfleets that clicks with me. They’re just pleasing to look at.
I don’t think there’s a more iconic Amtrak train than an AEM-7 pulling a rake of Amfleets, but I also grew up on Northeast Corridor, so I’m sure I’m biased.
Genesis pulling Amfleets:
Love Amfleets, hate, Hate *HATE* Horizons.
I've been in hospital waiting rooms with more comfort and character than a Horizon coach...
I think the Horizons are a band-aid solution, which FWIW, is sensible for Amtrak's infrastructure budget. I think European and Asian manufacturers are the way to go for new trains....at least for now.
As a guy who rode an Amfleet
I approve
03:03 "No quality work today means no work tomorrow" what a powerful slogan. The era where planned obsolescence wasn't a thing. In fact, Via Rail budd stainless steel cars are so durable that they are still rolling after more than 70 years!
Perhaps today's society unofficial motto/mentality would be : "quality work today means no work tomorrow"😢
Amtrak has started putting Horizons on the Downeaster, so now us in New England can finally see them
the new interiors of the Amfleets are so nice. actually taking them tomorrow so thanks for getting me excited to ride them again
Amfleets absolutely stay rockin, best passenger car of all time, the fact the gov't didn't step in to save Budd is a national shame
Why do you say this please?
I have remembered some of these Amtrak Amfleet and Horizon Passenger Cars. They will always carry a great symbol for Amtrak as well as being a classic to all of us Railfans. It might be a shame that they will soon be replaced by the new Siemens Venture Passenger Cars, they will permanently give a legacy to the minds of Amtrak, Amtrak’s Intercity Commuter Services, and to a bunch of the Railfans too. Great history onto them.
"Should have nationalized Budd and sacrificed a couple of shot welders to the gods every year." - Shooter
As a consistent rider of the Lincoln Service, I can whole heartedly say I’m going to miss the Amfleets and Horizons, as a rider, because Venture Cars are quite uncomfortable and when I’m able to get in an older car I do it without question. As a railfan I always thought Amfleets and Horizons blended perfectly with any locomotive. The Venture cars look odd given the paint scheme of the SC-44 Chargers they are paired with most times. Here’s to the last hurrah of these classics!
They look so incredibly uncomfortable, what the heck is Amtrak thinking?! You *know* your product is the "long way" and your only advantage is to make it comfortable. What kind of drugs are the Amtrak execs on!? Pure insanity.
@@x--.Amtrak didn’t order these. The ventures currently in service are on state supported corridors. Midwest and California state DOTs ordered them from Siemens. Siemens didn’t give them the option to customize the order with more comfy seats and made them buy them basically off the shelf as is. Hopefully with more pull as a larger purchaser, Amtrak can bully Siemens into installing better seats on their purchases.
3:24 Is this section narrated by a computer voice? Its speech sounds unnaturally awkward, and not very authentic to the time period of these Amfleet advertisements.
"It's a story i have told many times before but here we go again" The same words i hear every time i watch an Amtrakguy365 video, and elsewhere, a story told again and again, the downfall of the Railroad system by the expanding interstate highway system, keep up the good work in making videos continuing the story
Alstom would obviously be the perfect choice for new doubledecker carriages on the California and Midwest services, even seeing as the new enhancements as part of the Amtrak Connects Us program is working on this project for more trains to more cities, and to accommodate more passengers. Some single level coaches by Alstom would be nice to see as well whenever some services are not ready to use the Horizon coaches anymore. Overall, the Amfleet and Horizon coaches will always be fan-favorites of mine.
Riding in the Amfleets has a cozy feel, mainly because of the airliner-style seats, the small windows and the curvature of the sides. The designers wanted to give you the experience of being in a modern airliner instead of the old fashioned boxy sided coach cars. When its cold and rainy outside, you just want to snuggle in those seats on your way to Boston or Philly.
"Budd don't f*cking break"
*picture of an Amfleet I achieving a full 12 inches of canter*
Amfleets are always gonna be better than the Ventures, Great vid Jared!
I am absolutely going to miss the Amfleets. They are Amtrak for me. That being said I am really excited to see what the future holds for the new long distance single-level cars. I'd like to see Amtrak go with a variation on the Viewliner 2 that has coach seats built for long distance travel
The Amfleets are controversial among railfans, especially with their airliner-like design, but I love them. The large seats and tubular design gives the coach a cozy feel, and the seats feel very private. This in addition to the actual comfort of the seats. It’s ideal for sleeping and I find them to be great for intercity travel. If the windows were a bit bigger, I’d have no complaints.
The Ventures are nice from an amenities standpoint, but don’t hold a candle to Amfleets in terms of passenger comfort, which is essential for coaches operating trips up to 14 hours. Even Brightline, which has a much smarter and more comfortable design than Amtrak Midwest, isn’t as comfortable as the Amfleets. Plus, modern train coaches are so oppressively bright, which makes sleeping hard, especially at night. The Amfleets aren’t too bright, which is ideal.
i recall amfleets replacing the rainbow era rolling stock. the fact the heat worked in the winter was huge.
Budd don't break! The Amfleet, our beloved tube on wheels.
NEW AMTRAKGUY DROPPED!!!!!!!!!111!1!1!!1!1
Great video, man. Would love to learn more about their bigger cars; Viewliner and Superliner! =D
Amfleet and Horizon the Goat Single Level Coach for Amtrak!
Great video on iconic Amtrak passenger cars.
Honestly, I hope some private operators are able to pick up the Horizons as they leave Amtrak service, so that the Midwest can get some decent intercity trains again without breaking the bank. It won’t happen, but it’d be nice…
LMAOOO ALREADY A BANGER 0:02
Yessir!
As a Chicago Great Western fan, I just have to give kudos to you for using a picture of a CGW passenger train around 0425
Hey jared thx for inspireing me to learn more about amtrak (and helping me get sleep)
Wow, a new Amtrak video! Now, do the Superliner next
The amfleets are iconic but I will not be missing the horizons
LEAVING MY EARLY MARK
The Amfleets are probably gonna be sold to Tshiuetin Rail Transportation and the Amfleet IIs will probably be headed to VIA Rail to replace the old HEP1 Coaches on the Canadian if they run out of funding.
good job! man do I love amfleets
4:22 Generally no, power was not generated by a steam dynamo for train electricity. UP tried this with dynamo boiler cars and it didn’t work. Instead, most equipment used axle generators and batteries for train electricity in the steam heat days, 32 or 74 volt DC.
Some equipment used steam for both heating and AC, using steam ejector AC. Others had electric AC and electric heat, or a mix of the two. HEP just simplified everything
I can’t stop watching this video it so good
The Amfleet and Horizon cars will always be a symbol for Amtrak and classic to us Railfans. I knew eventually these cars would be replaced but I still feel a little sad knowing they’ll be gone in the near future. Even though the Amfleet and Horizons will be gone they will always leave a lasting legacy in the minds of Railfans and commuters. Great video and I can’t wait for what will be coming next. ❤️👍🥲
Another amazing episode from You
Thanks for the new video, keep them coming
Growing up in the 90s and early 00s on the west coast, the image of Amtrak I have in my head is still phase III F40PHs pulling Amfleet and Horizon. It was sad to see the cars get phased out for bilevel cars and the engines get replaced by Genesis, then Chargers.
Crazy to think that those 3 AmFleets that went to Railexco are now in regular service in Mexico on the Tehuantepec Isthmus Railway.
THEY DON'T RECLINE?! THEY DON'T RECLINE?! What in the literal heck? The absolute killer feature of riding on a train over plane?! Who the heck is in charge and why do they want to kill the rail dream!?
God that sucks
The state DOTs don’t have nearly as much purchasing power as Amtrak so Siemens made them buy an off the shelf Venture and basically said “No. what you gonna do about it?” When the states asked them to install more comfortable seats. Siemens is only gonna go out of their way to make customizations for huge purchasers like Amtrak. Amtrak California and Amtrak Midwest which are just several states in a trench coat don’t have the pull for that.
Calling any aspect of Amtrak 'Iconic' tells those of us who were on trains prior to Amtrak you are very, very, very young. Traditional Railroads provided recliners with so much cushioning that it was like floating on a cloud.... modern Amtrak uses a seat and seating pattern reflective of a budget version of Value Jet with seat (hip) size and throw (from the rear of the seat cushion to the rear of the seat in front of you) that would give a 5 year old claustrophobia.
I've ridden on Amfleets twice last year when I took the Northeast Regional between Philadelphia and Washington DC and viceversa. I found them to be quite comfortable
Why is that?
Amtrakguy365! I used to watch you alot, I'm your biggest fan!
I rode on amtrack this summer for the first time and I was pleasantly surprised by how spacious the car's were as well as their reclining being quiet nice. I even sat at a booth in the dining car with some strangers and talked trains. I had a wonderful time. I'd argue that if Americas amtrack was refined, it would be better then flying. Sadly, it seems as though the passenger experience may be downgraded with the new fleet of cars. But I suppose we'll have to wait and see.
Amfleet cars were the norm in Cali during the 1990s. Some horizon cars still are on the West coast doing relief service on Amtrak Cascades and Amtrak CA. I am ticked off I never got to ride an amfleet car because I couldn't afford an Amtrak ticket at the time.
I really hope the new Airo’s will have the comfortable seats.
I've only ridden Horizons a few times in the early '90s during a trip to Chicago, so I really don't remember what it was like to interact with them. I guess I just instinctively don't like them because they look exactly like/basically are the Comet IIs I have been riding my whole life on NJ Transit (thousands and thousands of rides by now since they are about the same age I am). I have grown to have a particular hatred of Comet IIs since they started running them in mixed consists with Comet IVs (a long time ago at this point), so you'll have a nice train of cars with center doors gliding past while you're on the platform, and suddenly you find that your spot lines up perfectly with the exact middle of a Comet II and the nearest door is 40 feet away in either direction. The '90s Taco Bell-inspired interior, added during their 2002-04 refresh to match the 1996-98 Comet IV interiors, also shows every spot of dirt that has ever landed on it. Not relevant to the Horizons at all, just part of my revulsion to seeing that shape on the rails.
Anyway I will definitely miss the Amfleet I's because they are iconic and always pleasant to ride on, but it's hard for me to shake my preconceptions about the Horizons enough to feel much about them.
they dropped horizon lore
10:29 is that the Lake Forest Metra stop?
These days [outside of the US], locomotive pulled passenger trains are increasingly restricted to special cases, like night-trains. Most of the passenger rail traffic is done using MUs (multiple units) and regulations means that Amtrak cannot just buy passenger cars, they need to be adapted and re-certified for the US (the Venture is the US version of the Viaggio Comfort). All this makes it hard and expensive for Amtrak to procure carriages…
Meanwhile here in Canada, classic Budds continue to roll daily. Some ex-,Amtrak cars date from 1946.
6:59 Best part of the video
It’s a shame that Amtrak never picked up the Viewliner as the new single level standard to replace both. I think that was a missed opportunity
There aren’t so many off the shelf passenger cars anymore. It’s not the 1940s-50s, when just about every class one was buying from three main builders. Those being Budd, AC&F, and Pullman. Still, every new order Amtrak seems to have the tendency to reinvent the wheel with every new order. I’m in agreement that Viewliner was already in production for sleepers, baggage, and diners. Why couldn’t they save cash by using the design for a coach configuration?
well done on the script
Living out west with the Empire Builder passing through town in each direction daily, I’ve never seen these cars so it was fun to learn about them.
Amtrak needs to move faster on replacing these aging designs. Although I feel like them using the same tracks as Freight service, actually hinders them on upgrading things on a timely matter. So it's no wonder these cars were allowed to rot as they have, staffing issues not accounted. Otherwise, the situation would be a whole lot better for Amtrak, across the Atlantic especially.
Why did I just see a Grand Trunk Railway GP40 casually running near my local train station in Dearborn ( Detroit metro area)?
As a amfleet fan. I’m happy to see this video
Nice video!
I actually rode in an Amfleet when my family and I rode Amtrak to Altoona before I started middle school in 2006. I will miss these cars as they go the way of their European counterparts such as the Eurofima IC and the BR Mk3 coaches.
I'm just going to be waiting for the O gauge companies to make recent Amtrak equipment.
What is that video at 2:31? I've been trying to find it forever
I'm guessing 90's Bombardier offered Amtrak an LRC coach option for their "Amfleet III" procurement, as they are perfectly suited to the regional mid-distance runs and VIA have proven them to be entirely compatible with the F40/P42 locomotives but the more mass produced Comet chassis was probably a cheaper option. Shame as the LRC cars have really nice ride quality even with the tilt system disabled and then removed during their last rebuild.
Well guys that’s what you get if all American train manufacturers go bankrupt. You get some nice German engineering combined with the German love of stif seats. It’s a little getting used to but it’s not so bad as some people claim it is. It’s actually way better for your back cause it forces you to sit a little straighter
The gravity point is center for flyings. A jet wings on high golden meltings. One time only please.
Great video
I like the Amfleets, compared to the venture cars. The venture cars have too much that could go burrrrrr, you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Amfleets use a manual stair system, venture use electric stairs and electric locks to lock the toilet, that could go wrong, you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Yes ventures are modern, especially with the power outlets, but from what I've seen on UA-cam, that's the only thing people actually like about them, once the " new" factor wears away.
I would love to see these cars again. The closest train services closest to me had removed them completely due to the pandemic…
literally just started this video but i know it’s already gonna be a hit
also waiting for the eventual superliner retrospective video
What about the viewliners?
Meanwhile VIA Rail still uses 1950s built Budd cars on their long distance trains.
Good video!
Thanks For the overview👍🔥🙏❤️💪🇺🇸
Those stainless steel Budds can last forever !
Stainless steel . Just renew inside and change trucks if needed !!!
Awesome video
Hopefully the venture cars in the northeast will have much more comfortable seating like the new via rail cars do
I got to ride the horizons out of Seattle back into Bellingham
It was pretty fun
Some nice coaches
Btw the intro got me in Stiches 😂
Did you mention the Amfleet cab cars at all? I clicked on this hoping to see something about these.
He mentiond them on the Engines of Amtrak Metroliner Episode. Cause they are Metroliners, not amfleets
It's not hard out here to find horizons as they are mostly what Amtrak uses on the cascades services along side the 2 Talgo series 8 train sets.
In the UK, we have local trains that were built in the early 1980's, and after a few refurbs since new, there still going strong. (For UK readers, they are class 150, 153, 156, and 158)
For me, the Amfleet and Superliner coaches were a big let-down relative to the Heritage coaches I rode in on the Southern Crescent. Amfleets and Superliners had seats that wouldn't recline very far (and were too closely spaced to do so), whereas the Heritage coach seats let me recline far back enough to use them as decent substitutes for a bed (and were spaced far enough apart to do so). And the toilets on Amfleets and Superliners were just terrible (always threatening to stop up on the slightest excuse and eventually doing so), like airline toilets of the 1970s and 1980s but even worse, whereas the toilets on the Heritage coaches just worked.
Thanks😊