Amtrak
This kind of system can be programmed by
the operator directly through the train system,
so for example when the train is arriving at
the station, it can trigger automatic changes.
“More and more operators are insisting on this
technology,” says Allard.
Devil in the details
Overall, Allard emphasises it was vital to create
a level of comfort and perceived comfort
never seen before on a commercial train, and
to imbue the flagship design with Amtrak’s
brand identity. At the core is the idea that the
sum of all the little details adds up to a great
experience for passengers. “Amtrak was very
interested in subtle details,” he says.
ANNUAL SHOWCASE 2019 Railway Interiors International 43
SPLIT FLOORING
The flooring will be laid in three longitudinal strips, to make a corridor in the middle.
The idea behind this is to make it easy to replace each part and preserve aesthetics.
“The idea was always to think about how to maintain each of the different elements
in a very easy way,” says Xavier Allard. “We have designed this vehicle to maintain the
highest level of quality for a very long time.”
IN NUMBERS
US$2bn (€1.8bn)
contract with Alstom for
trains, technical support
and spares
28 trains ordered
11 cars per train – two
power cars and nine passenger
cars, including a cafe car
386 seats per train
25% increase in capacity
2 classes
6 LED screens in each car
20% energy saving
160mph (258km/h)
operational speed, 187mph
(300km/h) capability
250+ suppliers
95% of components
made in the USA
For example, the side panels below the
windows are indented by 1-2cm (0.4-0.8in) to
give more room for passengers’ knees. “It’s the
kind of detail that gives the train a very good
feeling of comfort; we have done everything
possible to make it more spacious,” says Allard.
Another detail is that the windows have been
made wider, with narrower wall sections
between them. “It’s always about details,” says
Allard. “We had the same idea as Amtrak –
to provide the best train possible in terms of
comfort. We had a very strong collaboration
with Amtrak’s designers and marketing people.
It’s been a pleasure to work together on this
flagship product, and we have also learned a lot
about the perception of design in the USA.”
Lighting was another key point in the design.
There is a mix of indirect and direct sources,
which use white LEDs. Allard says the idea was
to make the lighting darker than the previous
train, to create a calm feeling appropriate for
long-distance services. “We decided to meet
the lighting regulations using the lowest level
possible,” he says.
Again, he says it would be possible to
change the system to offer lighting scenarios
in the future. “It’s not about colours but about
warm and cool white tones, depending on the
time for example,” he says. “I don’t know if
Amtrak will go for this kind of feature, but we
have the possibility to adjust the lighting level,
depending on the trip.”
Amtrak
spent around
US$4m (€3.62m)
to refresh its
existing interiors
ahead of the new
trains entering
service