| Title: | Humane Railroad |
| Notice: | Welcome to HUMANE |
| Moderator: | CIMCAD::PIERSON |
| Created: | Thu Apr 04 1991 |
| Last Modified: | Thu Jun 05 1997 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 1294 |
| Total number of notes: | 5900 |
I am on NARP's email list, and got this message. I am volunteering for this. I don't know if the stipend will cover the cost of a 40-mile round trip, but it's worth it just for the experience. Any other takers? From: US8RMC::"[email protected]" "NARP" 28-APR-1997 18:38:52.06 To: [email protected] CC: Subj: High-speed trains To NARP members in Mass., R.I., N.H.-- April 28, 1997-- Amtrak's Northeast Consumer Research and Forecasting is looking for ten volunteer NARP members and their friends to participate in a research focus group next week. They are looking into consumer feelings about interior design for the new high-speed train-sets. A group of ten NARP members did a similar session in Philadelphia last fall dealing with color schemes, and they seemed to find it interesting. The topic next week may be seat design. The session will take place Wednesday, May 7, 5:45 - 8:00 pm, with the location at One Maguire Road in Lexington. I have road directions to get there; otherwise they recommend taking the Red Line to Alewife and then getting a cab. The firm running these sessions will pay a modest stipend and provide a light supper. [Maguire Road is right off route 128.] If you are interested, please let me know as soon as you can, so I can get back to them. Since women are a minority in NARP's membership -- compared to rail passengers in general -- I encourage female NARP members to respond. Also, any of you male NARP members who has a wife, female significant other, female friend, etc., who might be interested, please let me know that too. They are looking for a variety of people in terms of sex, age, body type, etc. This is a chance to have a small input in the design of these new trains, so I hope to hear from at least ten of you! Thanks--Scott Leonard
| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1294.1 | Report | NETCAD::MORRISON | Bob M. LKG2-A/R5 226-7570 | Thu May 08 1997 16:38 | 22 |
The focus group was an interesting experience. There were about 7 people there. After a light supper, the two leaders escorted us to a mockup of a rail car with 5 double seats. The cars and seats are being built specifically for the new higher-speed service on the Northeast Corridor. We tried each seat in rotation and filled out a feedback form on each. Each seat had slightly different cushions on the bottom and back; the other features such as width and reclining were the same. After this, they led us to a conference room with a one-way-glass window (they told us there were observers behind the window) and a tape recorder running, and we had a structured discussion. The entire thing ran for 2 1/2 hours. About half of the people there were seriously involved in rail passenger service: a NARP official, a member of the North-South Station Rail Link task force, and another NARP member who rides the trains several times a month. The others were, like me, "ordinary people". My reaction, and that of most of the attendees, was that all of the seats were unsatisfactory. They seemed too narrow, too plain, and (as one person said) too much like bus seats. My sense is that Amtrak is trying to cut corners (sort of like some groups in Digital) on the passenger car design. If the final product is like this, I think it will backfire. People expect plush seats in all classes on intercity trains, especially in newly designed cars. If they feel the seats are uncomfortable, they are going to be turned off to the idea of traveling by train (except for really dedicated railfans). | |||||
| 1294.2 | NETCAD::MORRISON | Bob M. LKG2-A/R5 226-7570 | Thu May 08 1997 16:40 | 3 | |
Two more things: The NARP official was quite outspoken and I agreed with almost everything he said. And we were paid $65 each for our time, more than I expected. | |||||
| 1294.3 | Thanks for Carrying the Colors | DABEAN::REED | Thu May 08 1997 18:14 | 7 | |
Sorry I missed it (a bit too far away for a week night) but I'm glad
you were there. I agree in principle that train seats should be CLEARLY
superior to bus seats in order to hammer home the noise level and
ride comfort advantages that trains should always have over
rubber-tire travel modes, and usually do. At least the NEC is in
pretty decent shape compared to some Amtrak host railroads I have
ridden on; that should help no matter what seats they choose.
| |||||