tonyp wrote: ↑Sun Feb 06, 2022 11:22 am
I've actually read the original tender specification for the Oscars and it required "seats suitable for long distance travel". I would consider that the contract was breached in that regard, but the slackos in Transport overseeing the contract didn't pull the builder up on it.
I once spoke to an Engineer of Sydney Trains, who was involved in the Waratah project. I asked him about those TRULY rubbish seats, which are short back about as comfortable as sitting on a garbage bins. His answer was that, as the engineer, they were heavily constrained by a XXX ton of various design rules. Given that the OSCARs were built in compliance to similar rules, i'd consider them a great success, and put that type of seat in every train in Sydney.
One of the constraints were that the seats had to reverse. Perhaps that's why they just didn't bother with the NIF. They could have always put in the XPT-style rotating seats, but of cause, the travelling public can't have nice things any more, such as carpeted trains. For suburban stock, sure, lino is easier to clean, but I find it reminds me of being in a hospital. Carpet makes the train "feel" comfortable and homely, and probably helps reduce noise.