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The profit chase is a fools errand. If Amtrak made money, but very few people rode it, or it had no social utility, it would be useless.

Amtrak doesn’t exist for railfans, thankfully. That’s especially good since, in my experience, the railfans judge Amtrak against the Super Chief/20th Century Limited mythical service standards. This began when Amtrak took over the trains. Amtrak was constantly being compared to the very best of...

This was part of the mock up for new long distance cars. My understanding is that both the Siemens cars and more Viewliners are options for the long distance car replacement order. A Viewliner lounge would be quite nice.

Having lived in Europe, it’s impossible to compare. Most stations have a newsstand that sells food, snacks and drinks of all kinds. Even platforms have vending machines on them. Very few US stations, except the very large ones, have any kind of take away food service while that’s nearly...

The committee isn’t going to cost anything. It makes sense to have an RPA Rep advising on this. The committee was a very smart addition to the legislation where we believe Amtrak needs input to make a sound decision. The food service debates may be the most absurd things I’ve ever read. I’ve...

I just want to thank you again for this. I really like your timetables. This is so important.

It wouldn’t make any sense to remove their most profitable and in demand product, the sleeper room, and replace it with non revenue baggage space. They have baggage cars, and need to use them.

Someone correctly pointed out that many through European trains mix it up. Traditionally in Europe, the dining car was a different color. I loved the rainbow era in the early Amtrak days. Each consist was a discovery of something new.

Something to bear in mind is that a very small percentage of long distance train travelers travel end to end. People that live in cities are the ones who constantly say “why don’t you just fly?” They don’t get that when an airport is three hours away or more, air travel suddenly isn’t very...

A month or so ago, I traveled, and the sleeping car attendant was obviously in poor physical condition. She really could not assist with bags, and was very slow in making up rooms. I tipped her well anyway, and felt badly for her, but I’m afraid that being a sleeping car attendant is physically...

The Palmetto should always run to Jacksonville.

A little off topic for freight, but Spain has broad gauge as well. Talgo makes trains with trucks that easily change gauges. The technology is definitely there to do it.

I don’t know what the right mix is, but filling baggage cars with express, and Amtrak and the railroads carried a lot of it, seems a lot more sensible since they bought a lot of baggage cars. They’ll have to build a bunch of combines since this bright idea fairy hadn’t landed when they sensibly...

Everyone hates the airlines baggage policies. The idea isn’t to be what everyone hates; the idea is to be the good different. Yes, I’m sure some bean counter has figured that. No offense to accountants, but they’ll put any business under. The perfect company is the one that cuts all expenses...

Great point. We know that the privatization of the infrastructure, Railtrack, failed. So yes, it was the Torries under Thatcher and Major that starved BR from investment, then when the scheme to privatize left the system in a mess, the government took it back over and rebuilt the infrastructure...

Getting rid of baggage cars is just another stupid idea. What they need to do is bring back Amtrak Express which was just easy money. The question of oversized items like skis and bicycles is another issue. They ordered, paid for by Amtrak customers and taxpayers, new baggage cars, and they need...

I believe there are amazing markets in the US for it. Norfolk-Richmond-Washington-New York-Boston and a number of New England points like Vermont, Maine and upstate New York. New York-Montreal/Toronto. Chicago-Detroit-Toronto. Washington-Atlanta. LA-San Francisco. The list goes on. That’s what...

The answer is yes. Auto Train was an employer under Railroad Retirement.

Well, my British friends would disagree. They have very fond memories of British Rail, and poll after poll shows the British people want it back. It’s one of the issues that has the greatest consensus. Not everyone in Britain can be a hopeless nostalgic. They must have a basis for their views.

Brightline must have a business case for the route or they wouldn’t do it. As one commenter mentioned, people over estimate the desirability of driving and air travel. Air is an irritating, expensive hassle. Driving is almost never as fast as the drive time would suggest due to accidents...