2019 Winter Park Ski Train

[Thirdrail7]

I didn't see a thread for this, but it is operating despite the concerns voiced in the No More Charters Thread.

It looks like snacks are available. . It must be the contemporary ski train! ^_^

Amtrak Winter Park Express to offer snacks, beverages and bigger view

https://www.vaildaily.com/entertainment/amtrak-winter-park-express-to-offer-snacks-beveragesand-bigger-view/

New this year, Amtrak Winter Park Express trains will have snacks and beverages available to all passengers on board, using an Amtrak bilevel Superliner Sightseer Lounge Car with windows that start at the floor level and wrap into the ceiling of the railcar.

This on-board service improvement is in response to customers who have asked for coffee and other items on the trip up to Winter Park each morning, with snacks and other beverages on the evening return trip.

As in the case of all Amtrak services, the lounge car will be the social hub for the train, with open seating on both levels to view the trip through the Rockies to and from a ski resort named "Best in North America" in a USA Today poll.

Tickets for the passenger train service from Denver Union Station to the slopes of Winter Park Resort are on sale at http://www.Amtrak.com/WinterPark Express. The 2019 season features a continuation of fares starting at $29 each way and three additional Friday round trips, beginning Friday, Jan. 4.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Yep. I usually confirm things with 4-5 sources before posting here. Can't say I have never been wrong and had to "eat crow" (news about the dome in particular one time!) --- but I would say my info has been right 97-99% of the time when confirmed with 4-5 independent sources who would know the information.

Now the question is WHAT does the memo apply to?

A) New River Train

B) All PV moves

C) Amtrak Ski Train

D) Leavenworth Snow Train

E) Reno Fun Train

F) Amtrak Autumn Express

G) Steam trips that would require an Amtrak engine normally

H) Groups that charter one car of a regularly scheduled train (like the 20th Century RR Club)

or... gosh forbid all of the above

So far, we're above the average...but for how much longer? Who knows.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Back Trolling it seems.

The ski train is in the last year of a multi year contract.

So how are they going to staff the lounge?

Where the food going to be loaded, and off loaded after the trip.  How is Amtrak going account of the supplies and money.  No infrastructure at Denver for this type of service.  Sure it can be done.  But the devil is in the details.  It’s not like the detour of the LSL this summer, this is a weekend train and not a 7 days a week operation.

I am sure member “Seaboard” could do it, but Amtrak is a bit more of a Union operation.

 

[railiner]

We used to have a 'mini-commissary' at Denver back in the eighties.  Of course, back then, Amtrak controlled most of the Denver Union Terminal property, and had the room for it...not sure if that is the case in the current setup.   Perhaps they will have an outside caterer handle it, and have a temporary LSA  crew base, or have them deadhead  in and out from Chicago...

Not sure... :unsure:

 

[PVD]

Is the Ski Train an Amtrak train, or a train operated for someone else by Amtrak using Amtrak equipment and T&E crews? Think DownEaster. 

 

[railiner]

Not sure, but it seems to be an Amtrak train...no other partner's are involved in selling the tickets, like if it was a charter...

Anyway here is the very limited 'menu' they are offering...doesn't seem they would need an outside caterer for this...

https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/menus/routes/Winter-Park-Express-Menu.pdf

 

[cpotisch]

Anyway here is the very limited 'menu' they are offering...doesn't seem they would need an outside caterer for this...

https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/menus/routes/Winter-Park-Express-Menu.pdf

Yikes. That is pretty pathetic. What is the point in offering that limited a menu? It’s not hard to stock the standard frozen pizzas and cup noodles for people who might want a more filling snack before or after a day out on the slopes.

 

[PaulM]

Not sure, but it seems to be an Amtrak train...no other partner's are involved in selling the tickets, like if it was a charter...

Wouldn't the business model be more like state supported trains rather than charters.  The states pay; but Amtrak sells the tickets.

 

[railiner]

Yikes. That is pretty pathetic. What is the point in offering that limited a menu? It’s not hard to stock the standard frozen pizzas and cup noodles for people who might want a more filling snack before or after a day out on the slopes.

Frozen items would require refridgeration.  The other items would not....

 

[keelhauled]

Not sure, but it seems to be an Amtrak train...no other partner's are involved in selling the tickets, like if it was a charter...

The resumption of train service, under the name Winter Park Express, is the result of a partnership between Amtrak, Winter Park Resort, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the nonprofit Colorado Rail Passenger Association, which banded together and gave the financial support needed.

 

[cpotisch]

Yikes. That is pretty pathetic. What is the point in offering that limited a menu? It’s not hard to stock the standard frozen pizzas and cup noodles for people who might want a more filling snack before or after a day out on the slopes.

 Frozen items would require refridgeration.  The other items would not....

True, but Cup Noodles wouldn’t. And really how hard is it to just use the freezer in that SSL? They find it to be worth it on basically every other train.

 

[railiner]

True, but Cup Noodles wouldn’t. And I don’t think running the freezer that is already there in the SSL is that big of an issue.

That would work so long as  there was sufficient space to store it in the car's freezer while the car was laying over, and the HEP was kept going...

 

[railiner]

The resumption of train service, under the name Winter Park Express, is the result of a partnership between Amtrak, Winter Park Resort, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the nonprofit Colorado Rail Passenger Association, which banded together and gave the financial support needed.

Okay, I get that it is not entirely funded by Amtrak...it has other support...but in every other way, equipment, ticketing, staffing, etc...it is no different than other Amtrak trains.

 

[BoulderCO]

We have reservations for one of the Friday trips in February.   The reservation process had all the look & feel of Amtrak.  

Looking forward to the trip as we haven't been on this train for many years.     Yes the menu does look limited.   Basically subset of Cafe Car food/drink served somehow in an Observation Car.    But it should be fun none-the-less.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Okay, I get that it is not entirely funded by Amtrak...it has other support...but in every other way, equipment, ticketing, staffing, etc...it is no different than other Amtrak trains.

It is different from any other Amtrak train.  The purpose, design, the customers. Not sure what your point is, if anything.  This is a seasonal train, that travels on weekend. With the only purpose of getting people to ski slopes with out jamming up I-70.  Sure seem to me to meets the technical requirements for a difference.

 

[VTTrain]

It is different from any other Amtrak train.  The purpose, design, the customers. Not sure what your point is, if anything.  This is a seasonal train, that travels on weekend. With the only purpose of getting people to ski slopes with out jamming up I-70.  Sure seem to me to meets the technical requirements for a difference.

Except for skiing, you just described the Cape Codder.

 

[cpotisch]

Basically subset of Cafe Car food/drink served somehow in an Observation Car.

Since the “Observation Cars” a.k.a. Sightseer Lounges are the standard Cafe/Lounge car used on Superliners, I assume the “food/drink [will be] served” the normal way, and not “somehow”. You know what I’m saying?

 

[PVD]

I was asking the question since staffing of the food service, and the menu, can vary by agreement with the "sponsors" of the train. I specifically mentioned the DownEaster since it is a case where the train uses Amtrak equipment and operating crews but has private non agreement cafe service provided by a vendor selected by the agency responsible for the train. Subsidized routes may also have different menus or added selections based on the desires of the sponsor state. In the world of Amtrak, it may walk like a duck and quack like a duck, but still not do AFLAC commercials...

 

[keelhauled]

I would expect that Amtrak/Winter Park heard the desire of passengers to have food/drink available, but the resort was reluctant to offer any significant meal service outside of its own restaurants that have spectacular markup and no sharing of revenue.  Therefore they specified snacks only, and Amtrak called up Aramark and ordered some number of boxes of candy and chips and whatever else for delivery at Union Station.

 

[railiner]

Since the “Observation Cars” a.k.a. Sightseer Lounges are the standard Cafe/Lounge car used on Superliners, I assume the “food/drink [will be] served” the normal way, and not “somehow”. You know what I’m saying?

Or....as this Winter Park resort ad calls them:  "The Lounge Cart"  

https://www.winterparkresort.com/plan-your-trip/getting-here/winter-park-express

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

LOL. It must be early, the more I read that ad the funnier it got.

Its supposed to be lounge “car” but they added a “t” throughout the ad.

 

[railiner]

Lounge Cart....kind of reminiscent of the old Aerotrain, "Cruisin' Susan" cart service, eh?

 

[PerRock]

Doesn't the Pere Marquette use a cart for it's cafe service?

 

[John Santos]

Doesn't the Pere Marquette use a cart for it's cafe service?

In England, they call it a trolley... Maybe they're hiring the witch who sells the snacks on the Hogwarts Express?  After all, she only works 4 days a year, so should be available.

 

[ehbowen]

In England, they call it a trolley... Maybe they're hiring the witch who sells the snacks on the Hogwarts Express?  After all, she only works 4 days a year, so should be available.

Perhaps she also crews the Knight Bus when Stan Shunpike is getting his required WDOT rest period....