Is it true that Amtrak upgraded the interior as well as the seats on the Amtrak California Car fleet? The last time I was on the San Joaqin was in 2006 and they had the old California Car Style. Does the new San Joaqin seats look like the Pacific Surfliner?
Also do the new stock of California Cars used on the San Joaqin have a bell that rings when the doors are open every few seconds unlike the Surfliner or did they do away with it and have a conductor at the door?
BTW have they updated the cafe car interior as well? I have heard some rumor about there being a lounge car akin to the Superliner is that a myth or are they adding it to Amtrak California?
Posted by travelplus (Member # 3679) on :
Any ideas? Thanks
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
I'm not sure about the refurbishment of the San Joaquin/Capitol Corridor fleet (they share the same equipment), but the Surfliners are going through a refurbishment.
Just to clarify things a bit for you, there are 3 different types of cars you might encounter on a San Joaquin or Capitol Corridor train.
1) The original California Cars (coach cars and cafe cars) 2) The "Surfliner" build of California Cars (these are a bit newer and have a slightly different interior and reclining coach seats), and these cars were built in both coach and a cafe car. The "Surfliner" style of cafe cars on the San Joaquin/Capitol Corridor are coach upstairs, and cafe downstairs--not an entire cafe car like in the original build of the California cars 3) Superliner coach cars that have been leased and refurbished for use on the San Joaquin/Capitol Corridor trains. The doors on these cars do not automatically open, thus you can not board or detrain from these cars.
All of the coach cars (except the Superliners) have the blue light and "bing.....bing....bing" sound when the doors are opened.
The Superliner lounge car that you heard a rumor about his true. However, this is a "cafe/coach" car. Upstairs it a Superliner coach car. Downstairs you will find the cafe. I forget how many of these they have, but there are a few of them running every day.