Why Do Both Lionel Acela Sets Have End Business Cars

[D.Harrison]

The real Acela has two single vestibued cars...a first class car and a business car. Imagine my surprise to find that the end business car is in both the powered set and the add-on. That makes three end cars out of the six. What gives??

David Harrison

[RRCharlie]

David;

My Acela set and 3 pack add on is packed away so I can't confirm that the additional business class car is also an end car.

However, the consist of the train according to www.trainweb.org/tgvpages/acela.html is: Power Car, Business Class End Car, Business Class, Cafe, Business Class, Business Class, First Class End Car, Power Car.

Mel Hazen

Jacksonville, Florida

[DMUinCT]

Can't answer the questions on Lionel resoning.

  The all reserved Acela (their is 20 of them) has both "First Class" with 3 across seating and Attendent Food Service, as well as "Business Class" with 4 across seating. The Food Service Car (with beer on tap) and the "Conductor's Office" is in the middle of the train. The Conductor has a duplicate of the Engineer's CRT display in his office so he can also moitor the train.  There is no coach seats or standing room on this train.

This puts the "First Class" at each end away from the Food Service Car which is surrounded with "Business Class" passengers.

The Acela is designed to add, for more capacity, or remove cars ,for service, without canceling the whole trainset.