Amtrak Amfleet Coaches

Two LGB Amtrak Amfleet Coaches arrived at the railroad in June, 2008, along with an LGB Amtrak Genesis locomotive and an LGB Amfleet Cafe Car. Each coach is over two-and-a-half feet long and they are our longest pieces of rolling stock. Each coach rides on two four-wheel trucks and is painted in Amtrak's current Phase IVb livery, though LGB calls it Phase V. One coach wears number 21135 and the other wears number 21169. The highly detailed exteriors feature opening side doors, drop-down steps, and an elaborate undercarriage. All eight wheels on each coach are metal and power the switchable interior lighting. The windows are fairly foggy, however, presumably to somewhat hide the lackluster interior. The vestibules are detailed but their doors don't open. The vestibules' interior lights also illuminate some clear plastic to simulate exterior lamps on the car ends.

The Amfleets, like the Genesis, came equipped with knuckle couplers instead of the hook-and-loop couplers found on most LGB products and on most of our rolling stock. The Amfleets and the engine included hook-and-looks replacements, though we haven't swapped them out. So far, the Amfleets have run very well. They effortlessly navigate our small R1 four-foot-diameter curves, though we have had to make some adjustments to our layout to prevent the long cars from hitting anything on curves. The Amfleets certainly look better on larger curves, and our new layout will make extensive use of R3 eight-foot-diamter curve track.

The Prototype

Between 1975 and 1978, Budd Company built 406 Amfleet I Coaches. 125 Amfleet II Coaches were built between 1981 and 1983, though those only have a vestibule on one end. The Coaches can carry up to 84 people and were designed to operate at speeds up to 125 miles per hour. Each is equipped with a restroom. The cars' heating and air conditioning are powered by the locomotive. The Amfleet Coach is 85 feet long, 12 feet 8 inches tall, 10 feet 6 inches wide, and weighs about 116,000 pounds. Amfleet rolling stock can be found in the northeast, south, and midwest United States.

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