Amtrak Amfleet I coach refurbishment
Amtrak refurbished over 450 coach cars in the series known as “Amfleet I”. The work was done in three phases during normal car downtime to Amfleet I cars.
Phase I: Fall 2017
Business-class car improvements:
- firmer seat cushions with great lumbar support
- attractive, comfortable, easy clean synthetic leather seat exterior with eight year lifespan
- new textured stain-resistant Antron nylon carpeting–replacable as often as every 3 months as needed
- LED reading lights, nice white spectrum vs. old hot reading lights
- LED main aisle lights, nice white spectrum vs. dim, yellow incandescent
- new one-piece antimicrobial bathroom flooring, vs. old tiled flooring that retained odor
- vent cleaning and air filter replacement
The same changes were planned for Coach cars. Neither Coach or Business have armrests between the seats, only on the outer edge. While the feel of the seat is markedly improved, ergonomic factors are still reliant on the 40 year old seat frame.
These “Made in America” changes rolled out over 9 months, through summer 2018. Amtrak deliberated whether to replace Amfleet I in the 2020s, or to undertake a major refurbishment, gutting the Amfleet I cars and rebuilding the 40 year old interiors from scratch.
Phase II: Winter 2017
Business class cars:
- new curtains
- new wainscoting (below the windows)
- new bulkhead
The café cars are also to be refurbished.
Reference: August 2017 refurbishment notice