All Aboard Florida Passenger Equipment Update

[schlimm]

This is Siemens' general international passenger car page:

http://www.mobility.siemens.com/mobility/global/en/urban-mobility/rail-solutions/passenger-coaches/pages/passenger-coaches.aspx

Siemens' AAF page.  The locomotives are Siemens Chargers and the plan is to expand consist to seven coaches.

http://inr.synapticdigital.com/siemens/AAF/

[CMStPnP]

OK, so I read somewhere that All Aboard Florida is going to start up with just Miami to West Palm Beach Service initially with a Diesel version of Amtraks new Electric Siemens Sprinter Locomotive.    The article I read stated it would be initially four coaches with a Locomotive at each end (which I think is smart for Grade Crossing protection).     Then when they have the new track to Orlando online they want to expand the passenger car consist to between 6 and 8 cars.    

I read that Siemens is also building the coach cars and I wonder if anyone has seen pictures or renderings of what they might look like.    The only interesting thing so far I have heard about them is they won't have the drop steps like former Budd Streamliner cars but instead will be designed to board at level and elevated platforms to avoid the use of steps.     I also heard that FEC insisted on stainless steel construction.     I am curious how they are going to look and it should be interesting because I suspect they are going to have much larger windows than existing Budd Cars have on them, certainly larger than Amfleet windows.

The coaches are also spec'd to have wi-fi and electrical plugs at each seat for laptop use, which along with their stainless steel construction might make them a level higher than Amtrak's latest coach buy.     It will be interesting to see how they look inside and out.