PAN UP's guide to knowing your passenger coaches. A must know for Amtrak Modellers.

sources for information
Trains.com
Popular mechanics
From Zephyr to Amtrak by David Randall
Zephyrs, Chiefs and other orphans, The First Five years of Amtrak by Fred W. Frailey
Sources for photos
wikimedia

[@uncipaws7643]

More recently you could also differentiate wheelchair-accessible coaches that provide access, space and a restroom suitable for disabled passengers in wheelchair, sometimes equipped with an onboard lift. Since these installations can be costly and take up a lot of space, in many cases the railways didn't introduce them by their own accord but only because they were required to do so because of newly introduced legislation. Also of interest is the platform level. If all platforms are high level, the doors don't need stairs to get in, except ladders for emergency evacuation. The platform levels lead to different door arrangements on doubledeck cars. So the new Caltrain units have two sets of doors (that aren't all used but it's a preparation for future high-platform operation).

[@johnplampin7274]

Almost no American platforms are high level because hi-cube box cars, auto racks and a few other freight car types would foul the loading gauge. And freight is king!

[@Reaper1770]

In sydney they are trying to replace the older regional train due to the lack of wheel chair accessiblity. The older trains have incredibly tight corridors and toilets that people struggle to get into

[@Reaper1770]

If i remember correctly, i believe that alot of the NECs platforms are hi level due to the metroliner program

[@johnplampin7274]

@@Reaper1770 true. And it makes loading and detraining must faster. But mostly commuter routes with little freight. Or the Metra Electric line in Chicago which is entirely passenger only.

[@Reaper1770]

For sure it makes easier for people to get off quicker and personally its much safer as you have a smaller chance of people falling when trying to get out of the car.

[@railwayjade]

OH MAN OH MAN, what an opening shot! My all time favourites- the Warbonnet Schme!

[@Reaper1770]

At first i was abit like the war bonnet is overrated but then it grew on me and i bought an alco PA in the warbonnet scheme

[@railwayjade]

We had what was called a Vapour-Clarkson steam wagon used until the mid 2000s!

[@johnplampin7274]

Generally speaking in the US, gallery cars are commuter trains with two levels but not really true double deckers as the main level is the lower level and the upper levels have seats suspended overhead. The Santa Fe hi-le el cars had the main level. Where you could walk from car to car on the upper level.

[@DubGathoni]

3:30, correction, having a fire on a train full stop is problematic.

[@Reaper1770]

You're not wrong at all

[@johnkeepin7527]

Indeed. There have been cases of fire on trains, even with electric train heating. Look up “Taunton sleeping car fire”; this occurred in 1976 due to thing being stowed close to a heater, which led to a fire.

[@Filip7370]

Fantastic seeing this material. Great it was not streached into 75 min documentary. Keep the good work!

[@Reaper1770]

Well i try and keep things bite sized or around the average lunch break length otherwise it's too much for me to edit in a single week and too much for someone during a short trip home on the train or lunch break

[@Filip7370]

@Reaper1770 if I can ask how it was on Australia, you had lounges, parlour cars? What sleepers etc...

[@Reaper1770]

We have sleepers but it was a mixed since our railway system is divided by states. We had a transcontinental train that had licensed built budd lightweights and sleepers. The transcontinental trains were run by Australian National which was run by the federal government. Our trains such as the southcoast daylight would feature a buffet car but it was mainly a coach service with no lounges. I believe the sydney melbourne train had a lounge at one point but we don't really use parlours in australia. We never really focused on interstate trains and mainly focused on trains that stayed within the state. So alot of the trips within australia on trains are around the 1.5 to 3 hour mark unless you're travelling out of the state itself. For the state of NSW which is the size of texas, we really only have frequent services in sydney, blue mountains, new castle and wollongong. Our intercity trains usually only travel for about 2 hours in terms of distance so the only ammenties we have are toilets and quiet cars. They are slowly being phased out for newer trains with tray tables, wifi and being disability friendly as the older V sets toilet doors are about 1.5 foot wide so its incredibly tight even for me.

[@Petboch]

14:31 I believe it technically was for the rheingold train of 1962

[@Reaper1770]

Yes you're right, it was also later used for the later TEE trains

[@Petboch]

@Reaper1770 thank you, great guide loved it.👍

[@Reaper1770]

Thank you it means alot

[@m26a1pershing7]

Are there consisten identifiable differences between cars of different manufacturers? Does it depend on the era?

[@Reaper1770]

Not really, what you're going to find is that the differences are more so with the railroads themselves. The railroads would furnish them differently or add their own features. For example the 20th century limited and the broadway limited use the same coach design but furnished and detail differently.

[@Reaper1770]

Easiest way to tell if its a budd car was the fluting on the sides however some railroads would put fluting on their older pullmans to match. Pullmans were usually smooth sided in general

[@johnplampin7274]

​@@Reaper1770and to add to the confusion, a 10-6 sleeper from Pullman might have had a slightly different interior layout than say an ACF 10-6 but not be very different externally.

[@johnplampin7274]

The books Some Classic Trains and More Classic trains, published in the late 1960s/early 1970s provide fascinating and comprehensive histories from the beginning of Pullman and other sleepers from the 1860s to the early Amtrak era. But I don't know of anything similar for more recent trains.

[@Reaper1770]

Even then an interior of on ACF 10-6 could look different from another just because of the railroad's taste in decor