jp1822 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 3:17 pmFrom Amtrak's perspective, I really don't think there's any long-term vision for the LD trains, other than shutting the long distance trains down as quickly as possible, and perfect timing - COVID-19 can help propel the cause. One of the former Amtrak President's (was it Claytor?) remarked that if you are going to run a passenge0r train, run it daily, or not at all. ...
In addition to the "operate daily or not at all" - I'd also say that if the service and what little amenities can be offered on LD trains decline or are further abolished, Amtrak needs to just put these trains out of there misery.
And that’s the problem:
Amtrak doesn’t see a future. The LD trains are consistently popular when operated daily and priced accordingly. I’m not sure of load factors and will need to investigate those, but passenger-miles are fairly high - especially in sleepers. Diner service shouldn’t lose the money it does either, though it would take some serious work to raise it to break-even (I understand that provision may be eliminated.)
jp1822 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 3:17 pmThe idea of operating all long distance trains with single level train sets - combination of Viewliner Sleepers, Viewliner Diners (and an alternate car of some sort), Viewliner Dorm, and next generation single level coach car definitely "works." Single food service car for LD trains is just a matter of time, particularly East of the Mississippi with a modified Viewliner Diner car. A "Market" prototype concept is supposedly being worked on in Wilmington now.
A single food-service car is probably inevitable. All single-level trains shouldn’t be inevitable, but again, lack of vision on Amtrak’s part.
jp1822 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 3:17 pmFrom a financial standpoint - Amtrak is making a significant investment in tri-weekly service, and for the long-term. The "reduction in force" is going to first cause Amtrak to burn through cash, before realizing any savings. For those employees laid off or furloughed (think about the decrease just in LSA's and LD dining car staff in both tri-weekly and "flex meal" service), they are exiting with some sort of "severance" (and even buyout) package. Amtrak's even agreed to pay healthcare benefits for 1 years - for certain employees. Even Amtrak's share of RR unemployment will dramatically increase. Furloughed workers can be called back to work, but perhaps this is just an "insurance policy" for Amtrak in case either Houses includes language for restoration of daily service in the next year. So I think there's no vision to re-instate daily service voluntarily, only if mandated, as re-hiring and bringing stored equipment back out is going to cost just as much as the cuts Amtrak's putting through.
Right. If Amtrak were seriously interested in keeping LDs, they would have threatened to cut lower performers (the
Cardinal entirely, the
Sunset Limited east of SAN, the
Crescent west of ATL) and let the chips fall. This is a way to make LDs functionally less useful and reduce their support as a whole.
jp1822 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 3:17 pmPassenger train corridors likely have a future, but I think Amtrak even needs to re-think its role and service with the NEC, as working remotely has certainly spiked and likely here to stay. When the new Acela train sets are delivered, it may be Acela Express and Acela Regional once again!!!
This feels like a prelude to outsourcing the NEC and other operations. Normally there has been too much resistance, but politically I think we are at the “fire sale” portion of this administration where anything that can be privatized or shed to the high bidder, will be.