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Just an observation, but I have been watching the Amtrak weekly deals. As of today, there aren't any weekly specials being offered. Maybe because of ridership being up, or just slow update on Amtraks part?
amtraxmaniac Member # 2251
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Even when there ARE weekly specials offered, they are primarily Midwest COrridor trains and OCCASIONALLY the Empire Buider. What the hey happened to the days where AT LEAST a couple West Coast LD trains (other than the Empire Builder). could be found in the weekly deals?
Anyways...
NO Bee...this doesn't surprise me a bit. Amtrak seems to be getting stingier and stingier. I remember just a few years ago where they had the 2 for 1 specials in the month of February. Anyone else remember?
Bee...your theory is as valid as any. Also, we are approaching spring break for may travelers, and Amtrak ridership will soar without sales.
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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Amtrak ridership is up -- way up -- everywhere, and perhaps it doesn't need special fare deals to fill the trains anymore.
Beewrangler Member # 7212
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Hello Henry, (I enjoy the blog and books). Well I see the specials are back up, which means a trip on the Pere Marquette to visit my favorite Chicago tobacconist Iwan Ries.
8 Hours southeast of Deputy Martinez's beat,
Bill
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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Hi, Bill, and thanks for the good word.
I went on the specials last night and discovered that the Pere Marquette's special fares were sold out for several dates. Did this perhaps mean that the train was sold out as well? Maybe not, maybe it's part of the bucketing formula, but it does suggest that Amtrak is doing much, much better in the ridership department than it did even a year ago.
Beewrangler Member # 7212
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Usually you have to be quick on the draw to get key weekend dates, (I don't think they offer many fridays and sunday returns usually sell fast on both ends). When we came down 2 weeks ago the train was probably at max capacity and that was on a thursday. At our second stop in Holland, MI, I noticed that the conductor was asking people to move their carry ons or whatever they had in the seat next to them so that people could find a seat. Lots of riders at that stop didn't get to sit with who they were traveling with. While waiting to board at Union Station, for the ride home, the line was longer than I can remember it in past trips and I am glad that we were almost at the head of it. Learned that many people didnt take advantage of the weekly special, and most booked tickets online. We booked ours 2 days out, so I know that they werent sold out at that date. I dont know how many total seats are offerend at the weekly special, which would be an interesting thing to know from anyone on here, but I have booked tickets on trains where the weekly special was sold out.
Ham Radio Member # 6587
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The trains are busy. Book early.
heyitsme_23 Member # 7217
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why don't they just add more cars? Its not like a plane where it has weight limits and a certain number of seats, the whole idea of a train is that it can get more engines and cars for peak travel times.
George Harris Member # 2077
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quote:Originally posted by heyitsme_23: why don't they just add more cars? Its not like a plane where it has weight limits and a certain number of seats, the whole idea of a train is that it can get more engines and cars for peak travel times.
Since this is your post 1, I will try to give a brief answer concerning something that has been discussed at length here.
1. Amtrak does not have that many extra servicible cars. Given money to do it, they have a number of wreck damaged cars sitting in Indiana and some more in Deleware. But minus the cash, they will sit there rotting and rusting away until they are fit for nothing except scrap.
2. Amtrak could effectively have more cars available where the demand is if they would rediscover lengthening and shortening trains at appropriate locations. As a particularly aggravating example: The Crescent equipment runs through all the way New York to New Orleans. South of Atlanta, the train is way under 50% loaded. This has been true of this corridor since long before Amtrak was even conceived. Normal Southern Railway practice was to have at least twice to three times the capacity between Washington and Atlanta than that offered or needed south of Atlanta.
heyitsme_23 Member # 7217
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Ah, well heres hoping someone up top gets voted in to help out our trans system a little
notelvis Member # 3071
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In response to George - I remember as late as 1977 departing Washington, DC on the FIRST SECTION of the Southern Crescent. Due to a special movement there were some 25 passenger cars going south in two sections that night as far as Greensboro, NC.
The remaining 15 cars were switched into a single section at Greensboro and another 5 or 6 of those were switched out in Atlanta.
The most memorable thing that night (and I was staying up to watch the show) was that the two southbound sections and the northbound Crescent all arrived into Greensboro within minutes of one another. I remember wondering when the last time there had been three passenger trains each on a separate track sitting in the Greensboro station at the same time.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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So long as Mr. Presley has addressed trains operating in Sections, but that it is so "gauche' to mention other sites, I'll ask for liberty and break this rule for material I recently posted elsewhere: http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=513366#513366
Amtrak207 Member # 1307
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The cars sitting in Deleware are sitting around waiting for overhauls and regular maintenance to the tune of $77,000 apiece. Most of the equipment sitting around in Indiana is in need of two-year maintenance and inspection, and since the life support won't cover it, there are no more Lakeshore dining cars. Amtrak's policies reflect an unwillingness to add equipment to state corridor services, especially the one near me. Since New York doesn't pay diddly squat (spelling?) for Empire Corridor trains, Amtrak is perfectly content letting them sell out over their entire routes two weeks in advance (yep, even west of Rensselaer on busy weekends) and not add any equipment. It feels good to be reminded that we're at the bottom of the heap. You get what you pay for, except for this case, where we've been getting free lunches for nearly 30 years. Unfortunately, they also hate adding and dropping cars. This is one reason why the Lakeshore Boston run is now a stub, not a section.
In contrast to that strike against, I'd like to thank Amtrak for putting the dome on the Adirondack. I remain hopeful that this car can return this fall.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Mr. 207, until yesterday, I might have thought that there would be an 'era of good feelings in NY'. Gov. Paterson, Sen Bruno (wow; does that guy ever look like he could have had a starring role in The Sopranos?), and Rep. Silver would 'sit down at a table as friendly as can be".
but now that it appears that a new chapter in "The Brothel Up the River' is about to be written, who knows. One thing certain: rail passenger and the host of needed programs within NYS will just be held hostage while the next episode of the "soap" plays out.
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