Amfleet is a fleet of passenger intercity passenger cars built by Budd Company for American Amtrak companies in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Budd based Amfleet's design on some previous electric Metroliner units. The initial order for 57 cars in 1973 to equip Metroliners in the Northeast Corridor grew to two orders totaling 642 cars, enough to meet all services in the Northeast Corridor and many other routes throughout the United States. The first 492 cars, known as Amfleet I and finished between 1975-1977, were designed for short distance service. The second sequence of 150 cars, known as Amfleet II and finished between 1980-1983, is designed for long distance service. They are the last intercity passenger cars built by Budd.
This type of car includes short and short distance trainers, cafes, club cars, and lounges. Due to the construction of the car a lot of rebuilding has eliminated the car and club lounge that supports business class cars, club-dinets, and "dinners" of dining cars. Amtrak experimented with sleeping car conversions in the 1970s but did not pursue the idea. Amfleet I has a front room at both ends of the car for faster disassembly, while Amfleet II has a single front room. Amfleet II also has a slightly larger window.
Amfleets is the first space-driven new space vehicle ordered by Amtrak and the first cars built in the United States since 1965. Their introduction in the mid-1970s led to increased reliability for the Amtrak rail and passenger hikes. By 2015, Amfleet cars are widely used in the eastern and central-western parts of the United States, forming the backbone of Amtrak's single-level fleet.
Video Amfleet
​​â € <â €
Amtrak controlled almost all private-sector intercity rail services in the United States on May 1, 1971, with a mandate to reverse decades of decline. It retains about 184 of the 440 trains that had been operating the day before. To operate this railway, Amtrak inherited a fleet of 300 locomotives (electricity and diesel) and 1190 passenger cars, most of which came from the 1940s-1950s. These cars are old, in need of maintenance, and in many cases are incompatible with each other. The company recognizes the need and opportunity to standardize a single design.
Very few trains have been built for inter-city service in the United States since the 1950s; the last locomotive-driven cars were an order of ten trainers built by Pullman-Standard for the Kansas City Southern Railway in 1965. An important exception is the Budd Metroliner multi-electric unit. This 61-car fleet has begun operating between Washington, D.C. and New York City in the Northeast Corridor in 1969 under Penn Central and quickly gained acceptance from the traveling public, despite engineering problems. Writing in the mid-1970s, railroad historian John H. White Jr. describing them as "the brightest Amtrak star". In 1973 Budd still had tools in place of the Metroliner order, which means that any new order comes from designs that can start almost at once.
Maps Amfleet
History
Amfleet I
Amtrak placed a $ 24 million order with Budd on October 12, 1973 for a 57 "non-powerful Metroliner car." This, together with the new GE E60 electric locomotive, is to provide additional Metroliner services in the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak expanded its plans in June 1974, ordering 200 more cars for $ 81 million. On October 25 added 35 more cars. Finally, in April 1975, with the first immediate delivery, Amtrak added 200 more cars for orders of $ 86 million. It brought the first order to 492 cars, for a total cost of $ 192 million. Amtrak intends to use 212 cars on the Northeast Corridor service between Washington and New York; unlike Amfleet's electric Metroliners cars can continue into Boston, Massachusetts.
The public disclosure occurred at the Budd factory in Northeast Philadelphia on June 19, 1975, after four cars were sent to the High Speed ​​Test Center in Pueblo, Colorado for evaluation. The first Amfleet car began running in the Northeast Corridor on August 5, 1975. Amtrak heralded their arrival, naming the 1975 "Amfleet Year". When the car is distributed throughout the system, the schedule will note that the train now has an "Amfleet Service" and the train has been "Amfleeted". A 1978 study conducted by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) found that passengers increased by 11% on the Northeastern Corridor train that features Amfleet, with at least some passengers choosing slower but more comfortable Amfleets on the faster but less reliable < i> Metroliners .
The launch of Amfleets throughout the system is limited by locomotive availability with HEP â € <â €
The modern Ampleet HEP system proved invaluable during the unusually harsh winter of 1976-1977, which removed many steam trainers from the Amtrak era. Amtrak stopped many routes and pressed the close-range Amfleet that I practiced to the remote service. The new EMD F40PH diesel locomotive, designed for short-haul services, handles many of these trains. Budd completed the delivery of Amfleet I order on June 9, 1977.
Amfleet II
Amtrak ordered 150 more Amfleet cars from Budd on March 13, 1980, at a cost of $ 150 million. These cars, dubbed Amfleet II, are meant to replace rolling stock on Amtrak long-distance trains, and feature larger windows, more legroom, and folding legrest. Budd sent the first four cars on October 28, 1981; disclosure occurred on 11 November. The last car arrived on June 11, 1983. Amfleet II is the last intercity car built by Budd. The unreliable continuity of the original Metroliners caused the refurbished Amfleet I to displace them in the Metroliner service in 1981. The new EMD AEM-7 electric locomotive drew the train.
Unlike the Superliner-equipped trains in the Western United States, the one-way long-distance train east of Amtrak never operated in uniform. The train is operated with a combination of Amfleet and Heritage Fleet cars, which was added in the 1990s by the Viewliner sleep car. In 1990, Amfleets can be found on every long-haul route east of the Mississippi River: Virginia-Florida Automatic Railway ; Chicago-New Orleans New Orleans City ; New York-Florida Silver Meteor and Silver Star, New York-Chicago Broadway Limited Cardinal and > Lake Shore Limited ; Washington, D.C.-Chicago Capitol Limited ; New York-New Orleans Crescent ; and Washington, D.C.-Montreal Montrealer . Coach Horizon Fleet replaced the Amfleet coach on most of the Midwestern and California short-range routes in 1989-1990. Order Superliner II in the early 1990s will lead to the abolition of Amfleets from Auto Train and Capitol Limited . The Cardinal uses Superliners and ends in Washington, D.C. between 1995-2002.
By the end of 2012, 473 Amfleet I and 145 Amfleet II cars are still operating. Amfleet I car traveled 4.125.000 miles (6.638.544 km), Amfleet II 5.640.000 miles (9,076,700 km). Amfleet I cars continue to be used on corridor services in the Northeast United States such as Downeaster , Empire Service and Northeast Regional , although they can also be found at Midwest and California. Amfleet IIs continue to be used on long distance level single trains. Amtrak announces an Amfleet I interior overhaul in September 2017.
Design
As designed car Amfleet I can operate at speeds up to 120 mph (193 km/h). Both Amfleet I and Amfleet II are now rated for 125 mph (201Ã, km/h). Electric heating and air conditioning, operated with head-end power (HEP) from locomotives, is used to maintain passenger comfort. Budd moved the air vents from the bottom, where they were in the Metroliner, to the top of the car. The above installed ventilation is less prone to clogging during snowfall.
The Amfleet car is 12 feet 8 inches (3.86 m) tall, 10 feet wide by 6 inches (3.20 m) long and 85 feet 4 inches (26.01 m) long. The car body itself is built from stainless steel parts. The Budd Pioneer truck has dual disc brakes on each axle; then rebuild the additional brake footprint. The wheels have a diameter of 36 inches (914.40 mm). The cars meet the requirements of FRA fan power of 800,000 pounds (362,873.9 kg).
Interior design reminiscent of contemporary jet aircraft. Like the plane, the cars feature narrow windows, which block the eyesight. The window on the Amfleet I car is 18 x 64 inches (45.72 x 162.56 cm); this increased to 22 by 64 inches (55.88 by 162.56 cm) in Amfleet II. Another factor in choosing a small window is the high incidence of stones thrown at the train window in the 1970s. Strengthening the impression of travel on an airplane, its own passenger seat was built by Amirail's division of Aircraft Mechanics Inc. Cesar Vergara, head of car design at Amtrak in the 1990s, criticized the option to copy aircraft aesthetics:
Amfleet is a fully American style that intends to imitate an airplane. That is my argument!... The vision for the future of the railroad must be based on defining its own dreams, rather than exploiting them solely from the experience of others.
The Amfleet I car can be identified by having a vestibule at both ends of the car; Amfleet II car has one front room. Amfleet I has a chemical flush toilet, while Amfleet II has a retaining toilet. All Amfleet cars have trap doors, allowing their use on both high and low platforms. The distance from the rail to the bottom step is 17 inches (430 mm); to the floor level is 51 1 / 2 inch (1.31 m).
Coach
Budd built 361 Amfleet I trainers; 90 is configured for remote use (60 seats) and 271 for short distance usage (84 seats). All 125 Amfleet II trainers are designed for long distance service and contain 59 seats. In all standard Amfleet coach seats are 2ÃÆ' â € "2; in Amfleet II, one accessible seat is an odd number. The Amfleet chair has a swing tray table for on-seat food service, as well as luggage storage above and below the trunk. There are two toilets at one end of the car. There is a luggage rack at the end of the car. In some of these cars have been replaced with bicycle racks.
Under the limestone restoration program, most Amfleet I short distance trainers have three rows of seats removed, reducing their total capacity from 84 to 72 seats. During the 1980s most of my Amfleet long-distance trainers were updated for use on the premium Metroliner service in the Northeast Corridor. Everything has been rebuilt, either as a 62-seat business class car or a 72-seat short-range car.
Cafe
Budd built 54 Amfleet I "Amcafe" cars and 37 Amfleet I "Amdinette" cars. The cafes have a snack bar in the center of the car and 53 coach seats; the dining table has eight booths and 23 coach seats. Each cafe weighs 110,000 pounds (50,000 kg).
The Amcafe design was unpopular and Amtrak rebuilt the cafe into various configurations during the 1980s and 1990s. This includes all dinner tables, club cars for use in service Metroliner, and club-dinner with a mix of club tables and chairs. In 2010 most of the cafes are configured as club-dinetted; some have been converted into a dining table. Five dinets rebuilt for use on Inter-American , long-distance trains operating between Texas and St. Louis. Louis; lounge chairs replaced the coach seats. 21 dinets are also updated for Metroliner services. In 2010 all the rest of the remaining dining hours are rebuilt with the seating of all the tables, storing the two converted into short distance trainers.
Club car
Budd built 40 Amfleet I "Amclub" cars, similar to traditional living room cars. These cars have a central snack bar, 18 club chairs in 2ÃÆ'-1 configurations, and 23 coach seats. These cars provide first class service on selected trains. Amtrak then calls this a "split" of Amclubs; the club car is rebuilt with all-club style seating called "full" Amclubs.
None of the Amclubs remain in their original configuration. Three original club cars were shipped with all club-style seats with a total of 33 seats; five of the original styles are rebuilt to match. As the original Metroliner was drawn many of the Amclubs were updated for use in the service Metroliner . Three rebuilt for use on Montrealer ; the booth and the living room replace the coach and club seats. This was then rebuilt as all the dinner tables. Most of the clubs are rebuilt as club-table cars, with one half being given to the booth and the other having 2ÃÆ' â € "1 seating. Others were rebuilt as full-length business class cars, with 62 seats. The others were converted into 72 seat coaches.
Waiting Room
Budd built 25 Amfleet II lounge cars "Amlounge". They are different from other food service cars because the snack-bar is outside the center. On the shorter side there are 27 seats in various configurations; the longer side has ten chambers of four chairs. Amtrak rebuilds 14 of them as a smoking spot between 1998-2000: in the short term a closed space replaces the seating area. All 25 cars were rebuilt as cars switched between 2006-2010. In this configuration, the short end has 19 seats, arranged in a chamber; the long end has seven booths and office conductors. The Amfleet II Lounge weighs 113,000 pounds (51,000 kg).
Sleeping car
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments