Amtrak Midwest Lincoln Service - New Siemens Venture Coach Cars

New Amtrak Midwest Venture coach cars running to St Louis - Summit, IL

[@Ven100]

Having been on Brightline a couple times, I can attest to these Venture coaches being both comfortable and beautiful. That's with both classes.

[@233CFH]

I can't believe those are almost in service! I can't wait for us to receive them on the east coast. I'll surely miss the Amfleets when they retire. Edit: I also can't believe the size difference.

[@adamm2837]

I will join you in missing the Amfleets when they are gone. Yup, they have some short comings (as I'm sure the new Venture cars will have as well, nothing is perfect) but I always thought they were pretty sharp looking cars and they certainly have shown great durability and versatility over the years. I, along with many, many others, have grown up seeing and riding on Amfleet equipped trains and they have been symbolic of Amtrak service in many areas of the country for decades! The new Venture coaches look awesome and I hope they turn out to be successful!! The Amfleet cars will have seen 50 years of service by the time they are retired - they've earned it!!

[@lvovodessa]

Good to see such great German trains in the US. Enjoy them!

[@ronclark9724]

These Siemens coaches were built in Sacramento modified to pass FRA standards to run with freight... America's FRA standards are different than European standards...

[@TohaBgood2]

@@ronclark9724 Yes, but they’re still just modified US-adapted Vectrons with Viaggio Comfort cars. That’s not a bad thing! Siemens makes some of the best rail equipment in the world. Perhaps the best. There’s an old adage that “Siemens is the answer to your rail-related question. But what is your question?” Something like that.

[@virginiatolles1664]

The Venture coaches really look nice, but I surely am going to miss those Budd Amfleets!

[@coleallen3895]

I’m glad they moved the Amfleet to the back

[@supermarionathan1426]

Indeed. The consist looks much better with the Ventures right behind the Charger instead of the Amfleet between them! Although I do wish the Amfleet wasn’t there at all and that the consist was made up of Venture coaches only, but the business class passengers need at least a place on this train and the business class and cafe venture coaches haven’t been completed yet which is why they have to put at least one amfleet or horizon with the venture coaches.

[@thenostalgiaman]

@@supermarionathan1426 Well, Siemens isn't done with the order package yet so let's hope for the best of them to see new Cafe/Lounge Cars to replace the current Amfleet.

[@frankpearson8792]

Amfleets Have reclining Seats these New Venture cars don't, only the Seat reclines not the back of seat. Not good for Intercity Rail travel

[@cats0182]

The AMFLEET they moved to the back was the Cafe Car. I guess the Venture order doesn't include food service cars. Go figure.

[@cats0182]

@@frankpearson8792 Not good for ANY travel unless you're on the LIRR or MetroNorth or METRA, etc. Those are real commuter lines where reclining seats may not always possible or needed. Only AMTRAK could pull a stunt like this.

[@jeremywilliams5675]

Now that looks much better the old amfleet at the back

[@ronclark9724]

Never-the-less that Amfleet I coach has served Amtrak 50 years, five decades...

[@senorspahrtan]

I can’t wait for the Venture cafe cars to start showing up to get rid of those old Amfleets once and for all.

[@Northeast_trains]

dang do those venture cars look good!

[@ef66kenken]

👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@nolantherailfan5048]

Are they in service?

[@dhoosee]

Yes, revenue service, but only on the 303 Lincoln Service train as far as I know….

[@nolantherailfan5048]

The chargers sound like giant dodge rams

[@nolantherailfan5048]

The chargers paint scheme doesn't match the coaches

[@qwincyq6412]

@@nolantherailfan5048 the new VIA paint scheme for this style of equipment looks much better

[@ronclark9724]

@@qwincyq6412 Nonsense. Yellow and gray suck...

[@joscallinet6260]

As nice looking as this train is, it is "too little, too late" to get people to choose taking the train over driving their own car, hopping on a low-cost MegaBus or flying to their destination. Trains are no longer the accepted "American Way" to travel. The uncomfortable, non-reclining seats on these new trains will further discourage people from considering the train a viable travel option.

[@ronclark9724]

Worldwide trains, even HighSpeedRail trains, can't compete with the airlines attracting passengers beyond three hours. And that is a major problem in America and Canada as both nations are large in comparison to TINY European nations like Germany and France. And yes, I do know Germany and France are larger than many other European nations... New York City to Chicago is similar in distance as London to Vienna. How many of the British would rather fly that distance instead of riding a train, oh, I meant four different trains? Amtrak has two different sleeper trains that run between these two cities on two different routes. The Lake Shore Limited and the Cardinal. Not short distances to Paris, Brussels, Cologne, and Milan, but to Vienna... Four different trains...

[@frankpearson8792]

The New Venture cars seats don't recline like the Amfleets , this will make passengers more Uncomfortable . Amtrak needs to think like Pullman and Budd for Americans rail passenger comfort. Siemens build their trains according to European rail travel not for Americans traveling by Rail , Amtrak if these New Cars don't feel like being in A Pullman car or Budd then rethink building better Comfort!!!

[@dhoosee]

Ironically, Amtrak’s seats get smaller & more narrow, while Americans get larger & wider! I’ll take a quick ride & report back here

[@frankpearson8792]

@@dhoosee Kool Thanks 👍

[@deepnation10009]

@@dhoosee LOL! You got that right.

[@cats0182]

@Frank Pearson: There are very few of us alive today who remember the coaches built by Budd, Pullman-Standard, et. al. For some reason, AMTRAK is enamored with Siemens, a foreign company that assembles railroad rolling stock in the US to curry favor with politicians. The seat issue, if it becomes one, is on AMTRAK and no one else. Siemens would build the coaches with reclining seats if the AMTRAK building plans required them.

[@mrw4724]

@@cats0182 What would recommend Amtrak to do? There are only foreign manufactures that design and manufacture modern rail equipment. Previous generations became enamored with the jet/space age forcing America's railroad industry and a large part of the infrastructure into oblivion.

[@Greatdome99]

Get rid of the red stripe.

[@ronclark9724]

The red goes well with the dark blue above.... Keep the red, white, and blue!