ApproachMedium wrote: ↑Mon Nov 02, 2020 1:59 pm
They still are not going to do this for an additional reason. Sleeper would need a car attendant. And what do you do with the additional car? do you loose a 72 seat amfleet 1 that could possibly sell 30 plus tickets in place for a 15 room viewliner? or do you add the car to the train which then makes 7 revenue cars and requires to pay another brakeman?
Its not gonna happen. If you want more space, business class is pretty empty and has lots of room at each seat. the viewliner fantasyland isnt going anywhere anytime soon.
I doubt the Acela Express II Is going to be introduced with any big fanfare next year either. What was to be a happy turning point - will yield more cars heading to storage than in operation.
And lets face it - business class on the NEC sucks - what product differentiation is there between corridor coach class and corridor business class any more? None, other than a higher fare. and free soft drinks? It's a pathetic rip-off.
And I doubt the Viewliner option being proposed here is gonna happen either. But at least it has some differentiation and perks. It's also a way to get NEW cars out, rather than just going to what inevitably may be permanent storage while owned by Amtrak
Frankly, I don't think Amtrak can figure out which end us up right now. Some LD tri-weekly trains are running sold out with private rooms. Can Amtrak use that as leverage to gain passengers or market share? They've been touting and advertising for it!
Likewise, I don't think we will ever see the restoration of daily LD Amtrak trains, this is just the beginning of the "end."
Some corridor and State supported trains also haven't come back online....Yes, I realize the pandemic is playing a role in all this, to see some trains like the Adirondack or Vermonter not come back - not sure if they in the long term or not. States are hurting and train service is not likely their big priority.
For those trains that are running, just "what if" Amtrak happened to re-think how the trains (train sets) should be equipped and/or what options they should offer in the midst of a pandemic. We've all seen "what used to be" turned upside down.
However, if day rooms were added (even back in the early 2000's the Star and Meteor advertised day rooms in Florida travel.
- Suggest the car be setup so no attendant is needed and it stays in daytime use, not night time.
- Conductor and Asst Conductor "checks" on the folks here periodically (Viewliner positioned as last car of train).
- Lose the 72 Amfleet I coach, as the revenue potential would be greater with the Viewliner (roomettes for $300, bedrooms for $375). Premium pricing just like Amtrak's presently doing for Acela Express. At least you are getting some "square footage" with the Viewliner option!
- Still, the differential between Amfleet and Viewliner option is only about $2K in aggregate, so it's definitely not a "home run" for Amtrak.
- Some people in current environment would rather have a "private room" to travel in, and this option has seemed to be touted by Amtrak.
Businesses that have been able to survive or keep afloat through this pandemic are those that have had to think outside the box, and do things they normally didn't have to or want to do.