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A few days ago on this forum I questioned what trains if any were equiped with all bedroom sleepers. The responses indicated the Autotrain was the sole route so equiped. On another rail forum the question of train consists and staffing morphed into a debate on sleepers. We've traveled only the past two years on Amtrak long disctance services but have had numerous conversations with folks who either through ignorance or space availability have booked "roomettes". We first became aware of the dissatisfaction with roomettes on the CZ between CHI and EMY. Later the same situation was a topic of conversation on the SWC. This year it again popped up on the SL out of NOL to LAX, the CS, LAX to SEA and the EB SEA to CHI. In ALL cases the folks we spoke to who had booked roomettes, either without full knowledge of what they were like or because they were the only space available indicated they would do what ever was necessary the next time to have a bedroom. Now (finally) to the crux of my post: I believe Amtrak is overlooking a large pool of travelers who are more than willing to fork over the premium for bedrooms by NOT either purchasing all bedroom sleepers in lieu of mixed configurations or retrofitting a number of the current fleet of mixed configuration sleepers to all bedroom units. It's my belief the increased yields would at least offset the initial investment if not show a decent profit. A simple poll of potential travelers on the long distance routes should give some idea of anticipated demand. Best regards, Rodger
dilly Member # 1427
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I'm sure the railroad's hierarchy has been debating over the subject of "All Deluxe" sleepers (and repeatedly shelving the idea) for as long as Amtrak has been in business.
It all comes down to available cash. And priorities.
Currently, Amtrak is saddled with an elderly collection of single-level dining cars, a large Amfleet roster that's also showing its age, far too few single-level sleepers, and an Acela fleet that's turning into a bottomless money pit. Building new cars isn't in the budget, and converting old cars isn't in the cards -- there are too few sleepers as it is.
True, all-bedroom cars would be popular on highly scenic routes like the Coast Starlight and California Zephyr (which, like the Auto Train, carry a heavy contingent of vacationers and retirees with considerable disposable income).
But I don't think Amtrak's more utilitarian, "plain vanilla" routes -- the Lake Shore Limited, Texas Eagle, Crescent, etc. -- will ever attract large enough numbers of big spenders to keep a string of All-Deluxe cars filled full time.
Then again, completely sold-out sleeping cars (and crowded coaches) are largely a summer phenomenon on most routes. If Amtrak significantly increased the number of deluxe bedrooms, many would ride empty, Monday through Thursday from late September to mid-May. During most of the week, for most the year, the ridership just isn't there.
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