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

I wonder if these are failing testing too:

I would hesitate to believe anything other than the trusted sources in this thread. Transportation industry employees are infamous for gossip.

STrRedWolf wrote: But there's another issue, and this one can't be fixed: The design of the cars requires implementation of a new baggage policy of 1 medium suitcase, 1 carry on, and anything else beyond that is extra charge.

Welp, I can't take the Acela 2 for any conventions to Boston now! It's going to be the Regional.

Well, how many Acela customers are bringing more than a rollerbag and a backpack?

That's reasonably all someone can move by themselves without being a nuisance.

Do these really not have a baggage compartment?.... or do you simply not want to have to pay for the baggage?

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8th Notch wrote: ↑Mon Dec 02, 2024 7:34 am I’ll even go a step further and tell you that most T&E crews on the upper end of the corridor have 0 training on the new sets.

But they have been to Boston. Saw them in the yard. Nothing was done when they were there?

eolesen wrote: ↑Mon Dec 02, 2024 1:31 pm Well, how many Acela customers are bringing more than a rollerbag and a backpack?

That's reasonably all someone can move by themselves without being a nuisance.

Do these really not have a baggage compartment?.... or do you simply not want to have to pay for the baggage?

On average, it's probably less than 1. Around any comic or fandom convention? You'll get about 4 days where it's at least 1 per trip... and with some people, it's like two or more bags. And yes, you could *mail* things to the hotel you're staying at and pick them up... but for even the best padded-and-packed costumes, many folks know any shipping company is not your friend.

Of course, for Thanksgiving and Christmas? That likely goes to 25% of a trip.

Do these really not have a baggage compartment?.... or do you simply not want to have to pay for the baggage?

Can I get at least one form of travel where I don't get nickle and dimed for luggage?

I understand from a weight and boarding time standpoint the reason for airlines and busses, but this seems absurd for train travel. at most people can carry two things, I can only think of a couple of times with a couple oversized bags piled up in the handicap corner on the NER for a family traveling together. I can't think of anytime with Acela.

Looks like this lines up with the speculation from back in August about measuring peoples bags

bostontrainguy wrote: ↑Mon Dec 02, 2024 1:36 pm

8th Notch wrote: ↑Mon Dec 02, 2024 7:34 am I’ll even go a step further and tell you that most T&E crews on the upper end of the corridor have 0 training on the new sets.

But they have been to Boston. Saw them in the yard. Nothing was done when they were there?

The set in Boston is being used primarily by Alstom and mechanical. There has been no formal training on it for any T&E crews for revenue service, the select few that received some instruction on it is only for moving it as necessary.

Well, how many Acela customers are bringing more than a rollerbag and a backpack?

It depends on the day and train. For business-heavy trains, a fairly small number of people are traveling with full-sized luggage, but it's generally pretty rare. For my weekend trips, there always seems to be a couple people with outrageously sized luggage (granted, I'm the kind of person that will only take a carryon, regardless of trip duration).

I can only think of a couple of times with a couple oversized bags piled up in the handicap corner on the NER for a family traveling together

I'm a weekly rider (hooray for supercommutes!) between BOS and NYP, and there's always some larger luggage stored somewhere, but it's rarely a large amount, but still more common on weekends.

Regardless, I also hate getting nickled and dimed, but Acela is a premium product. If it's aimed at business travelers, then a big limit is less offensive since the target market generally isn't baggage heavy. It's also mitigated by the fact that there's a reasonably frequent and comparable service (NER) that won't have these restrictions.

All that said, it does seem to be a design failure not to be able to create a competitive advantage vs. airlines.

ChesterValley wrote: Can I get at least one form of travel where I don't get nickle and dimed for luggage?

Oh, please. It's Amtrak, where you are already getting a better deal without being taxed 7.5% on the fare, $5 for the privilege of using each airport terminal and $5.60 each way for the privilege of TSA rifling thru your belongings and using the naked scanner.

Wolf, if you have the money to pay for costumes, convention fees plus a few hotel nights and meals just to hang out with your pack for the weekend, you can afford a couple of bucks for your extra bags.

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ChesterValley wrote: ↑Mon Dec 02, 2024 7:36 pm

Do these really not have a baggage compartment?.... or do you simply not want to have to pay for the baggage?

Can I get at least one form of travel where I don't get nickle and dimed for luggage?

I think it's called a Chevrolet Suburban but the up front costs are pretty hefty. See if maybe CSX has a couple for sale from the track gang, although you may have to de-stink them.

My family is taking a multi-week Christmas trip this year and our Explorer would require a roof carrier to manage all the baggage due to children and dogs taking up space inside the car. Ergo my wife and son are flying and I'm taking the dogs and baggage in the car. 20+ hours of solitude and talk radio punctuated by Buc Ees stops for two-leg and four-leg bathroom breaks. Sounds great.

I'd take the Sunset if it weren't $4000 for a family of three to do round trip.

eolesen wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2024 10:26 am Wolf, if you have the money to pay for costumes, convention fees plus a few hotel nights and meals just to hang out with your pack for the weekend, you can afford a couple of bucks for your extra bags.

Barely (and no, I don't have that costume, so don't ask about a pun). Most folks have one costume that fills just a travel bag and the head piece is the carry-on, held in lap... and are saving up just to make the trip.

..but then, I've seen more than a handful of people who take full container totes of costumes. Those are the suspiciously wealthy ones, and I doubt they actually take the train.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2024 11:05 am

eolesen wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2024 10:26 am Wolf, if you have the money to pay for costumes, convention fees plus a few hotel nights and meals just to hang out with your pack for the weekend, you can afford a couple of bucks for your extra bags.

Barely (and no, I don't have that costume, so don't ask about a pun). Most folks have one costume that fills just a travel bag and the head piece is the carry-on, held in lap... and are saving up just to make the trip.

..but then, I've seen more than a handful of people who take full container totes of costumes. Those are the suspiciously wealthy ones, and I doubt they actually take the train.

Or as we call them, "Cybersecurity Professionals"/old skool 2600 folks

Here's all needed for one week overseas last October. Somebody, fix the attach photo app so you won't have to flip your device on its side.

I still think the scene of George Clooney giving Anna Kendrick the "packing lesson" in "Up In The Air" was classic. Wonder why I haven't checked a bag with anyone in now forty years.

Where to start. This may be veering outside of Acela II, but you'll have to bear with me here.

FatNoah wrote:It's also mitigated by the fact that there's a reasonably frequent and comparable service (NER) that won't have these restrictions.

I'm very concerned this isn't a policy that will only apply to Acela with the new Airo sets being built I think they are following similar overhead accommodations judging by the publicly released photos and Via rail instituting a similar baggage policy after accepting their new trainsets.

eolesen wrote: Oh, please. It's Amtrak,

I suppose I'm taking it from the perspective that Amtrak is selling itself as the better alternate to flying in its latest advertising campaign and one of my major sales pitches to people to take Amtrak is how hassle free it is once you're on the train. Slowly instituting all the polices that people hate the airlines for cuts away at the advantage Amtrak has. I still stand by my statement about getting nickle and dimed, yeah I could afford another 20 bucks or so for a bag and for Aclea corporate expense accounts will soak it up but it's the principle of the matter. Plus at least to me I can understand Airlines because of the weight impacting fuel burn and ground crew logistics and airline revenue models based on turn around time, but it's carry on for trains. Trains can handle weight a hell of a lot better than other forms of transport, plus there's only red cap service at specific stations so people are hauling it in themselves. It's not like there's been a series of high profile incidents (that I'm aware of) where conductors have delayed trains having someone drag on all this luggage.

Tadman wrote: I think it's called a Chevrolet Suburban...

You bring up one of the the points about Amtrak that I've been back and forth on which is fundamentally what is Amtrak for and who should it serve? If it's for revenue maximization I suppose I'd agree with you about the car, if it's for moving as many people by rail to reduce traffic and/or carbon emissions Amtrak is not structurally set up between it's rolling stock and crew availability or in other words funding to accommodate that. I just have a concern that these decisions on rolling stock will permanently lock in Amtrak to this scheme given how it only seems like they get issued new rolling stock every 20 years if they get the funding

What no Louis Vuitton? For that matter doesn't Lexus have matching Coach leather bags?