Kato Amfleet I 4-Car Bookcase Set Amtrak Phase VII Cafe & Coaches N Scale

Product Overview

During its early years, Amtrak relied heavily on passenger cars inherited from the private railroads whose intercity passenger operations it had taken over. Much of that equipment was aging, steam heated, and in need of modernization. Amtrak began addressing the problem in 1973 with its order for the first Amfleet cars from Budd.

The initial order produced 492 Amfleet I cars. Distinguished by doors and vestibules at both ends of the car, the Amfleet I fleet was produced in several configurations centered primarily around coach and food-service use. Their stainless-steel construction and distinctive rounded profile quickly became synonymous with Amtrak, and Amfleet I cars remain in service decades later, particularly on shorter-distance routes.

This Kato set brings the long-lived Amfleet I into the present day with Amtrak's Phase VII livery. The modern scheme uses a dual-blue appearance with different accent colors identifying service levels — red for first class, light blue for business class, and green for coach class. With a Cafe car and three separately numbered Coaches, this four-car set provides an excellent foundation for contemporary Amtrak passenger operations.

Why We Love This Set

There's something especially interesting about seeing one of Amtrak's most enduring passenger-car designs wearing its newest colors. The Phase VII graphics give the familiar stainless-steel Amfleet I a distinctly contemporary appearance, while the combination of a Cafe and three different Coach road numbers creates more variety than a coach-only set. It's a great starting point for a modern Amtrak train or an easy way to expand an existing contemporary passenger consist.

Amtrak, Amfleet and Viewliner are registered service marks of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation.