Siemens to manufacture 83 Airo Intercity Trainsets for Amtrak: Design, Delivery, Acceptance

Mr. Trainguy, aren't those photos you submitted on the previous page of the Café mockup for the Aviella sets, as distinct from the existing Acelas?

Now of interest; the RailJet food service car has the Cafe center car, some six tables at one end, and First Class revenue seating in the other. The Control car has First Class seating, along with Business Class that is a higher class than First (and in which I have never observed a paying passenger seated). There is also a full First Class car meaning there are equivalent of two cars for First Class seating. There are thence four cars for Second.

But lest we note that interior configurations are at the behest of the buyer.

Did a quick search and found this for a possible IDOT Midwest cafe car configuration. Like this Mr. Norman?

As is now well-known, Amtrak has officially dubbed the new transits as "Airo". I'd love to know who determines such branding and how. In this case, wordplay, perhaps, with "Arrow"? Too bad there can no longer be a Powhatan Airo or Red Airo , although the latter was never a day train as I understand, at least not when it ran its full length to/from Detroit.

Here we go, Mr. Trainguy:

https://youtu.be/TadeJF4VkvE

The video was shot inside a CD set, but, having ridden both, the only difference is the colors - and I think the CD livery is the nicer of the two.

The OBB offers plated meals, but a gal I met last August traveling Munich to Salzburg with a Golden Retriever who "couldn't get enough loving" said of the meals "they're expensive and not very good".

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sat Dec 17, 2022 1:49 pm . . . but a gal I met last August traveling Munich to Salzburg . . . said of the meals "they're expensive and not very good".

Perfect for Amtrak! Kidding . . . let's hope Amtrak surprises us all with their food choices.

Anyway thank you Mr. Norman for the video. There certainly doesn't seem to be enough seats in that cafe car for that train consist but better than nothing I guess.

BlueFlag wrote: ↑Sat Dec 17, 2022 10:27 am As is now well-known, Amtrak has officially dubbed the new transits as "Airo". I'd love to know who determines such branding and how. In this case, wordplay, perhaps, with "Arrow"? Too bad there can no longer be a Powhatan Airo or Red Airo , although the latter was never a day train as I understand, at least not when it ran its full length to/from Detroit.

When I first encountered the "Airo" branding the other day, it reminded me not of "Arrow" but of
"Aero".

"Red Arrow" is, or was, 48 years ago, when I rode it, an overnight train between Moscow and St. Petersburg (then known as Leningrad).

I work for a company that was created by merging three older companies together. Our name is an employee suggestion that was determined to not considered to be likely to infringe on a trademark in any country we do business in.

It wouldn't surprise me that the name is intended to invoke a number of things, but also not be at risk of a lawsuit over the name.

As reported by Trains.com, Amtrak's Office of Inspector General released a report about the early management of the Airo procurement, saying that some missteps have led to delays in the process, but Amtrak is taking steps to prevent further delays:

Trainsets. Three months after the company signed the contract with Siemens, its food
and beverage personnel reviewed the design of the food service car for the first time
and found that the galley layout would not meet the needs of its frontline staff and
customers and would have to be fully redesigned. For example, food and beverage
personnel, along with officials from product development, identified that they needed
additional food storage space to accommodate longer trips, as well as additional space
for customers to stand and move through the galley car. Because the company had
already signed the contract, this redesign resulted in a company‐initiated change order
of $42.5 million, which will delay the delivery of the first trainsets by up to five‐and‐a‐
half months.

Maintenance facilities. Program officials told us the maintenance facility workstream
got off to a late start, and the company did not assign staff to lead the design and
construction of these facilities until March 2021 - 11 months after Engineering staff
began working on the preliminary designs for the modifications. In addition, the
company did not engage with all stakeholders, such as onsite maintenance facility
supervisors, to understand each site’s specific needs and to avoid conflict and overlap
with existing and future maintenance operations. For example, in February 2022,
program officials visited the Seattle maintenance facility [Note: One of 21 maintenance facilities that will need to be modified to accommodate the Airo trainsets - the report talks a bit more about the facilities] to verify the preliminary
design. At that time, onsite personnel identified a design element that would have
negatively impacted maintenance and commuter train operations in the train yard,
ultimately resulting in a design change.

Since then, Amtrak has designated a Vice President in its Capital Delivery department to oversee the Airo procurement specifically, and, is in the process of instituting controls to identify areas where stakeholder input is needed for the project.

I presume the issue with the food service car is that someone designed it for shorter runs and not longer runs.

charlesriverbranch wrote: ↑Tue Dec 20, 2022 8:56 am "Red Arrow" is, or was, 48 years ago, when I rode it, an overnight train between Moscow and St. Petersburg (then known as Leningrad).

Red Arrow:

The Phila Suburban Transportation trade name.

An NY-Detroit (Fort Street) PRR train; Central pretty well had the NY market (GM and Chrysler were corporately HQ'd "where the $$$ are" in NY. King Henry saw no need to join them), but from Phila, the PRR train was more convenient.

Riverduckexpress wrote: ↑Wed Dec 28, 2022 10:53 am As reported by Trains.com, Amtrak's Office of Inspector General released a report about the early management of the Airo procurement, saying that some missteps have led to delays in the process, but Amtrak is taking steps to prevent further delays:

So it seems that top management signed a contract without first checking with the people who were going to have to work with the finished product. Guess that's why they make the big bucks ...

Prediction; think 2030 for first revenue service

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Thu Dec 29, 2022 8:48 pm Prediction; think 2030 for first revenue service

The redesign of the cafe car would delay the deployment that long? Crazy to think all of the AmFleets will be over 50 years at that point.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Thu Dec 29, 2022 8:48 pm Prediction; think 2030 for first revenue service

Hmmm... 2016 when the 2nd gen Acela was ordered, 2020 was prototype, supposedly running fall this year (2023).

Meanwhile execution of this one was summer of 2021, and they're expecting trainsets by 2026. So... possible? If everything goes right?

Of course you know the latter question just got answered.

"Airo" sounds like a train that wants to be a plane, unlike the Aerotrain, which was a bus that wanted to be a train.

I once heard David Gunn speaking, when he was head of Amtrak, and he said "Acela" is a room under the house (a cellar).