Acela II (Alstom Avelia Liberty): Design, Production, Delivery, Acceptance

[NH2060]

Nice presentation from LB Steel (Alstom sub contractor) showing fabrication of Avelia trucks.

Oh how I wish Amtrak stuck with the original livery

[Arlington]

What would be the rationale for increasing staff per train vs the current Acela?

[gokeefe]

More passengers on board.

[Arlington]

What is it about more passengers that demands more staff?
If boarding-and-alighting, has most of that been addressed by more doors per passenger?
If more doors, has most of that been addressed by automatic doors?

[mtuandrew]

What is it about more passengers that demands more staff?

Usually it’s that more passengers demand to see the staff Amtrak could run one-crew trains if it weren’t for those pesky people aboard.

[David Benton]

Which is why I would swap Assistant Conductors for more OBS staff . Nothing worst than the passengers seeing someone doing "nothing" (in the customers eyes ) whilst they are waiting for a single attendant to serve a car load drinks and snacks. Either that or trains and instruct the conductors to also serve passengers. From a safety perspective , its having a number of trained personnel on board , not what they are doing. Flight attendants are primarily there for safety reasons , they serve drinks etc as a bonus service.

[troffey]

I believe someone has specified before that only T&E crews fulfill those requirements, and that OBS do not have/don't count towards safety requirements, FRA regulations, etc.

[Rockingham Racer]

What is it about more passengers that demands more staff?

Usually it’s that more passengers demand to see the staff Amtrak could run one-crew trains if it weren’t for those pesky people aboard.

You mean like they do in Europe?

[Arlington]

I believe someone has specified before that only T&E crews fulfill those requirements, and that OBS do not have/don't count towards safety requirements, FRA regulations, etc.

This seems like a union-turf answer, rather than, say, that the FRA has determined that OBS are somehow unsuitable for training in safety, or that the FDA has determined that T&E staff can't touch food.

For answering questions...better information & apps*
For boarding & alighting...Avelia has doors that are both wider & automatic**
For fare collection...electronic seat-reservation at every seat***
For big luggage...interesting question of whether T&E, OBS, or platform attendants**** are the solution


*JetBlue has truly mind-blowingly-awesome text support. FAST, smart, responsive. I complained, via text, about a broken tray table, they noted the exact plane & seat, and credited me $10, versus nobody on-board or at the gate knowing what to do about a broken tray table (I tested all 3 despite having already gotten a response via text...next time I could text from my seat in flight). They also can rebook or book reservations.

**and does Avelia have more or fewer doors per seat than on today's Acela?
***could paper seat checks be eliminated by the at-seat display? Its been a while, but I seem to recall SNCF/DB/SBB conductors interacting with the at-seat display
****Acela, in calling only at big stations, is there platform staff always there? And I suspect traffic skews (moreso than routes served by Amfleets) towards less luggage per train, even if it has more passengers.

[gokeefe]

What is it about more passengers that demands more staff?

All kinds of things. Start with customer questions, concerns or needs and go from there. Sure, I get it, conductors aren't meant to be coach attendants but the trains don't run themselves and passengers can have all manner of issues occur that need to be addressed enroute.

[Arlington]

^ so if it is "answers questions & concerns*" sounds like a text/chat desk in Iowa could handle [the incremental load of additional passengers per train] better & faster (if the website, in-car "next stop" displays, or at-seat info hasn't)

*is this code for

"how long 'til Baltimore?"
"which end has restrooms?"
"where is [is this the] quiet car?"
"which way to the cafe?"
"which side will open at PHL?"

The new interiors have signs not only at the ends, but also two more at the 1/3 and 2/3 points. And tied to an information system showing next destination and relaying conductor announcements (visually, since ADA requires it)

[David Benton]

Maybe Mr Anderson will add, "Stand at the door and say goodbye"

[gokeefe]

^ so if it is "answers questions & concerns*"

Agreed simple requests have alternate options.

Here are some examples:

1. Could you please help me with the ADA accomodations? (eg. safety locks etc.)

2. Can you arrange for a Red Cap to assist us upon arrival?

3. My seat was accidentally taken by another person. Can you please help with the situation?

4. Which doors (all or just some?) will open when we arrive?

5. General concerns about other passenger behavior.

6. First aid for injuries or illness.

7. Passenger equipment issues (seats, lights, restrooms, doors, outlets, tables, shades).

[Arlington]

Radio ahead for a Redcap?

Like thinking we need more people to be Taxi dispatchers, that is a thought founded on the false assumptions that
- radio bandwidth is scarce
- wireless operators know a mysterious art
- voice-coded conversation is efficient

New Customers want app-mediated self-service

[Ken W2KB]

Radio ahead for a Redcap?

Like thinking we need more people to be Taxi dispatchers, that is a thought founded on the false assumptions that
- radio bandwidth is scarce
- wireless operators know a mysterious art
- voice-coded conversation is efficient

New Customers want app-mediated self-service

Radio bandwidth is scarce, which is why countries including the US have received billions of dollars of revenue from auctions of radio bandwidth in recent years.

That said, every seat in the Aer Lingus aircraft on my recent roundtrip to Ireland had an approximately 8 or 10 inch touch screen with information and entertainment, crew announcements, etc. The new Amtrak equipment should likewise include such an installation.