[jonheller]

I would kill for a standard middle seat compared to the middle seat I get stuck in sometimes on my hour long commuter train.

It's a three seater that comfortably fits two. Not only is it a tight for for three, but there are no arm rests, meaning you are squeezed shoulder-to-shoulder the whole time.

I've taken other trains (notably NYC) that don't seem to have this. Only the MBTA seems cursed with this layout. Wouldn't be a huge problem if the train wasn't standing room only (for at least a half hour) meaning people are squeezed as-is.

[tatersolid]

Metra trains in Chicago have the opposite problem. The standard 2x2 seats in the main floor are way too wide, leaving 8-12 inches between two chubby adults. This results in the aisles being too narrow and everyone getting clobbered with purses and backpacks as passengers move down the aisles.

Don’t get me started on the inane layouts of the upper levels of these cars (half forward and half sideways seats, guaranteeing each passenger getting on and off a crowded train car has to trip over 12 sets of legs).

The sad thing is that rail cars cost hundreds of thousands and are customized to each railway customer. A bit of cheap mock-up engineering before purchase could allow maybe 10% more passengers per car, and much faster and more pleasant loading and unloading.