Capacity Management/Revenue Enhancement

[gokeefe]

with the new digitally controlled anti wheel-slip control the tractive effort should be brought to bear more reliably: nonetheless, some engine drivers argue that in autumn, due to slippery tracks, heavy trains are hard to accelerate.

This condition is exacerbated in push service. it can lead to various problems. Too much electronic braking in push mode is also a problem, and a general problem for the Acela sets in wet conditions and the fall. This is why the Keystones MUST operate engine lead between PHL and HAR in the fall when practicable. The blended brake applications and the associated wheel slip lead to flat spots which leads to shopped engines. Hopefully, the cab car modifications will help.

Wouldn't this be a problem generally with any electric engine?

[ThirdRail7]

with the new digitally controlled anti wheel-slip control the tractive effort should be brought to bear more reliably: nonetheless, some engine drivers argue that in autumn, due to slippery tracks, heavy trains are hard to accelerate.

This condition is exacerbated in push service. it can lead to various problems. Too much electronic braking in push mode is also a problem, and a general problem for the Acela sets in wet conditions and the fall. This is why the Keystones MUST operate engine lead between PHL and HAR in the fall when practicable. The blended brake applications and the associated wheel slip lead to flat spots which leads to shopped engines. Hopefully, the cab car modifications will help.

Wouldn't this be a problem generally with any electric engine?

Not just electrics. I can be a problem with certain diesels. The thing is, you can cut out the electric portion of braking on both classes of AEM-7s. Will an engine with full time regenerative brakes allow the same thing?

It doesn't seem like it (think HHP-8 and Acela sets) but time will tell. They are on their way.

[jstolberg]

Heard that there were some problems trying to get tickets to PAX Prime in Seattle. http://prime.paxsite.com/registration" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Apparently the web server also had trouble keeping up with sales this year to Comic Con in San Diego. http://www.comic-con.org/cci/attending-" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... ase-badges It looks to be sold out once again.

Almost 200,000 people took the trolley last year to the convention site during the 5 days of the show. http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 93036.html Amtrak didn't appear to add any capacity to the Surfliners, which made for some stuffed trains.

Now that the new Talgo sets have been delivered to Oregon, (relieving the need for protect equipment up there) and California is taking delivery of 14 refubished Comet 1Bs, how many cars can Amtrak add this year July 17-21?

Amtrak is now taking reservations on this normally unreserved train.

Advance reservations are required for travel occurring Friday, July 19, through Sunday, July 21, on all Pacific Surfliner® trains throughout the entire route. Amtrak California passengers are encouraged to book early to ensure a guaranteed seat during this heavily traveled opening weekend of the Del Mar horse races and San Diego Comic-Con convention.

http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/601/333/Sur ... -071,0.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[gokeefe]

It's funny in a way to read about this.

Of course "back in the day" the railroads would roll out their reserve fleets and then add double, triple, quadruple sections of trains to cover the difference.

Now, and with good reason, it isn't any option anymore to do this. Hence the opportunity for Amtrak to add substantial margins to revenues during those periods.

Nonetheless, all the more reason for Amtrak to continue to grow their fleet reserve pools. These annual trends are a known occurrence that with a long-term flexible fleet pool could be managed quite well indeed.

For example, in Maine I have felt for quite some time that an add on to the Viewliner order by MDOT could be partially covered through revenues (or in kind services/maintenance) by lending the cars to Amtrak during the peak winter season for travel to Florida when sleeper cars wouldn't be needed for service into and out of Maine.

[jstolberg]

This may be a personnel issue more than an equipment issue. If it were just an equipment issue, Friday might be a pinch, but commuter cars shouldn't be too hard to find on a weekend. It's been done on the other coast. Still, taking reservations in order to know how much equipment needs to be leased/borrowed might be a good idea.

[eastwind]

Of course "back in the day" the railroads would roll out their reserve fleets and then add double, triple, quadruple sections of trains to cover the difference.

That kind of depends on which "day" you're talking about.

In the '50s—probably. I wasn't there, so I can't say for sure, but that is my impression.

By the '60s, however, the more usual practice, at least in my experience, was to run few, if any, extra sections. On the corridor, the New Haven and the Pennsylvania might add a car or two to a scheduled run, but if overflow crowds showed up, they stood. Simple as that. That was a risk that everyone accepted. Your ticket got you transportation; there was no guarantee of a seat. Except in the parlor cars....

One Thanksgiving weekend I stood all the way from Providence to Stamford. I wasn't surprised, and I didn't mind because I was in the (packed) bar car where everyone was in a holiday mood.

With higher speeds these days, I'm sure standees are considered a safety concern and are not allowed. Hence the need for reservations and higher bucket fares, and more "sold out" trains. You can't just go down to the station and expect to get on the train you want any more. Now you have to plan ahead—one of the few down sides to faster trains on the corridors.

--eastwind

[JoeG]

I'ver long been puzzled why Amtrak won't add any cars in busy periods. Is it a shortage of equipment? Is it that they don't want to pay extra switch crews to do the adding of cars? (I would think that the extra revenue would more than cover this.) Is the union agreement such that they would have to add an assistant conductor for one extra car? I am sure the reservation system could handle it. Amtrak is giving up one of the main advantages of trains: The flexibility to add capacity as needed.

[ThirdRail7]

I'ver long been puzzled why Amtrak won't add any cars in busy periods. Is it a shortage of equipment? Is it that they don't want to pay extra switch crews to do the adding of cars? (I would think that the extra revenue would more than cover this.) Is the union agreement such that they would have to add an assistant conductor for one extra car? I am sure the reservation system could handle it. Amtrak is giving up one of the main advantages of trains: The flexibility to add capacity as needed.

They do add cars in busy periods and they do add capacity. It was mentioned in this exact thread plus the ARRA Amfleet Rebuilds and Amtrak Success Stories thread.

Perhaps you should read this thread in its entirety.

[gokeefe]

I'll second what ThirdRail7 said. They definitely add cars on a demand basis and this practice is managed very carefully everyday.

[JoeG]

On a personal level, my daughter just spent 4 years at SUNY Oswego. The nearest Amtrak station is Syracuse. Many times Amtrak was sold out and she had to resort to the Hound. So, I figured Amtrak was unwilling to add cars. I also believe that on Empire and Keystone trains as well as on the NEC, standees should be allowed. The track is well maintained and, as someone who does not have the best balance, I have never worried about falling on these trains. Amtrak would just have to say that seats are not guaranteed.

[SouthernRailway]

Not that I'm advocating for higher fares, but I see a lot more variance in airline fares vs. Amtrak fares for my commuting route: NYC to the Carolinas. One-way US Airways fares range from $90ish (bought way in advance at off-peak periods) to $1200ish (for trips this weekend).

Amtrak fares don't increase by such a large multiple during peak periods, and the Crescent, which serves the same route, is often sold out, at least in sleeping car space, even when booked far ahead. Those facts suggest to me that Amtrak could raise fares a lot more on the Crescent. I wonder how that train allegedly loses so much money, given that demand far outstrips capacity at least on the NY-Atlanta portion of the route.

[gokeefe]

Recently MARC started weekend service. I had found myself wondering what effect this would have on Amtrak. Returning to the April 2014 Monthly Performance Report (PDF Page 19/62) I found a brief reference to this change.

April demand south of New York was 8% below last year with the Baltimore-BWI-Washington segment down significantly due to MARC’s recent addition of weekend service. However, many of these seats in this segment were backfilled with sales in higher revenue markets…

A very interesting outcome to think that all along Amtrak had been forced to leave higher yield revenues and ridership on the table because of demand for very short distance trips in the Baltimore Washington corridor. Regardless, certainly good news there.

[gokeefe]

As we have seen over at the "Success Stories" thread and elsewhere in the Amtrak forum, ridership and revenues continue to grow. As mentioned, time and again, all of this is largely without the benefit of the soon-to-begin-delivery Midwest Bi-Level cars or the new Viewliner II (LDSL) fleet.

What I haven't seen is any indication of the current capacity management practices. Several years ago running 8 car trains was the standard for the NEC. We know that flexible consist management practices were instituted about three or four years ago which along new fare schedules led the Northeast Regional service into its first ever era of operational profitability.

Now the question in my mind is, "How much spare capacity is there?" One would think Amtrak is about as stretched as they ever have been, especially on the NEC. Ridership is not only very steady but continues to grow on the WAS-NYP system core. Since we haven't seen total sellouts for months at a time the implication is that Amtrak has made some kind of quiet change to certain technical practices which have enabled them to yet again increase utilization of a limited pool of available equipment.

[Suburban Station]

With higher speeds these days, I'm sure standees are considered a safety concern and are not allowed. Hence the need for reservations and higher bucket fares, and more "sold out" trains. You can't just go down to the station and expect to get on the train you want any more. Now you have to plan ahead—one of the few down sides to faster trains on the corridors.

--eastwind

the trains are just as fast in Europe and people stand. they changed it because people complained about standing as they raised the prices. that said, the day before thanksgiving is one day I would not complain, it's good just to be moving.

Not that I'm advocating for higher fares, but I see a lot more variance in airline fares vs. Amtrak fares for my commuting route: NYC to the Carolinas. One-way US Airways fares range from $90ish (bought way in advance at off-peak periods) to $1200ish (for trips this weekend).

Amtrak fares don't increase by such a large multiple during peak periods, and the Crescent, which serves the same route, is often sold out, at least in sleeping car space, even when booked far ahead. Those facts suggest to me that Amtrak could raise fares a lot more on the Crescent. I wonder how that train allegedly loses so much money, given that demand far outstrips capacity at least on the NY-Atlanta portion of the route.

you are absolutely right, by advocating for a larger spread you are actually advocating for both higher and lower fares. typically it's the lower fares they lose out on (with the silly two week advance purchase rules for the nec) but there are some places where higher fares might also make sense (probably where they are giving you a two week advance purchase discount that isn't necessary)

[gokeefe]

you are absolutely right, by advocating for a larger spread you are actually advocating for both higher and lower fares. typically it's the lower fares they lose out on (with the silly two week advance purchase rules for the nec) but there are some places where higher fares might also make sense (probably where they are giving you a two week advance purchase discount that isn't necessary)

If there's one thing we've seen in the past few years its that Amtrak should never miss an opportunity to capture additional revenue while still growing ridership.