Ideas for Amtrak to raise revenue

[Bfputtzman]

1) Daily trains. Customers can’t “count on” service without.

2) In states like IL that have state-supported service stations, long distance trains should stop at all stations. For example, only the state trains stop at Plano while the SW Chief and CZ both blow by the station. The additional runtime should be offset by the additional frequencies that customers can leverage in making trips to/from, increasing revenue.

3) Where Amtrak routes cross interstates, a coordinated Federal DOT effort should establish a station with direct interstate access and dedicated on-/off- ramps. Imagine the inherent advertising and “regional draw” when you don’t have to navigate off an interstate 20-mins through an urban area to get to the station.

4) Strike a deal with major rental car companies to base their operations at Amtrak stations, just like airports. This is particularly important at rural towns that don’t have Lyft/Uber. Want to visit Burlington, IA and go to the casino and water park? Avis and Enterprise are both in town, but the closest (Avis) is 2.4-miles and a 50-min walk per Google. Many stations have excess space inside and ample real estate outside, and perhaps this should be a “no cost lease” to guarantee the move from present location with justification that enabling your customers to get “beyond the train” will increase revenues. Even the smallest airports I’ve traveled through have this - for a reason.

5) Strike a deal with a major hotel chain to operate “hotel cars” on long distance trains. Imagine going to the Hilton website and being able to book a Hilton between Chicago and Kansas City on the SW Chief. The car is decorated, furnished, and operated by Hilton staff with service and food you’d expect from that brand at a price commensurate with their hotels in either city. Could it drive down the price of Amtrak rooms making them more accessible to the masses?

 

[rs9]

2) In states like IL that have state-supported service stations, long distance trains should stop at all stations. For example, only the state trains stop at Plano while the SW Chief and CZ both blow by the station. The additional runtime should be offset by the additional frequencies that customers can leverage in making trips to/from, increasing revenue.

3) Where Amtrak routes cross interstates, a coordinated Federal DOT effort should establish a station with direct interstate access and dedicated on-/off- ramps. Imagine the inherent advertising and “regional draw” when you don’t have to navigate off an interstate 20-mins through an urban area to get to the station.

5) Strike a deal with a major hotel chain to operate “hotel cars” on long distance trains. Imagine going to the Hilton website and being able to book a Hilton between Chicago and Kansas City on the SW Chief. The car is decorated, furnished, and operated by Hilton staff with service and food you’d expect from that brand at a price commensurate with their hotels in either city. Could it drive down the price of Amtrak rooms making them more accessible to the masses?

2) I would think Amtrak has crunched the numbers on station stops and determined that ridership isn't high enough to support every stop.

3) The problem is Amtrak / virtually all railroads use rights-of-way that existed before the interstate system. For example, in Chicago, the NS right-of-way out of Union Station intersects with Interstate 55 at a pretty random point of the city that would would make no sense for travelers who don't have cars.

5) I like the idea, but wouldn't a Hilton level of service be a step up from current sleeper service? Why would we expect a price decrease for roomettes/sleepers in that case? Acknowledging that Amtrak's pricing is a choice, in and of itself.

 

[Bfputtzman]

2) I would think Amtrak has crunched the numbers on station stops and determined that ridership isn't high enough to support every stop.

3) The problem is Amtrak / virtually all railroads use rights-of-way that existed before the interstate system. For example, in Chicago, the NS right-of-way out of Union Station intersects with Interstate 55 at a pretty random point of the city that would would make no sense for travelers who don't have cars.

5) I like the idea, but wouldn't a Hilton level of service be a step up from current sleeper service? Why would we expect a price decrease for roomettes/sleepers in that case? Acknowledging that Amtrak's pricing is a choice, in and of itself.

2) Maybe they have, maybe they haven’t. If they did, when? If not or they did a long time ago, maybe this is a valid current idea to raise revenue consistent with the forum topic?

3) Agree and I should have been more clear with my initial comment that I was thinking generally “beyond metropolitan areas,” certainly not the mile or two from downtown like your example. I’m thinking more like the I-80’s and I-39’s of the world on the outskirts of metro areas to draw rural crowds from a broader area easier.

5) Yes, I’d assume Hilton would be a step up from current. Comment on price reduction is simply the thought that with increased supply on a train and additional competition that price for current service may have to decrease (or quality increase), but the overall revenue should still increase if the demand exists now but isn’t being fulfilled (I.e. sold out rooms now?).

 

[MIrailfan]

Paid premium internet service or paid tv access.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Paid premium internet service or paid tv access.

Make that satellite internet service available on LD trains (which currently don't have WiFi), and you'd probably have a LOT of takers.

 

[MIrailfan]

Video games/crane/prize games in the stations.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Video games/crane/prize games in the stations.

As long as the players don't get so distracted that they miss boarding their trains! Such games would also be a bit more risky in unstaffed stations (like my local one), as they would be a tempting target for thieves wanting to steal the coin boxes (or the prizes).

 

[joelkfla]

Video games/crane/prize games in the stations.

They would be owned and operated by a contractor, as they are in bars, and I suspect revenue going to Amtrak would be quite limited.

Such games would also be a bit more risky in unstaffed stations (like my local one), as they would be a tempting target for thieves wanting to steal the coin boxes (or the prizes).

Theoretically, the coin mechanisms could be removed and they could be equipped with credit/debit card readers.

Major rail hubs (and airports) used to have game arcades, as can be seen in old photos & floor plans. I guess they didn't generate enough revenue to justify the space they took up.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Major rail hubs (and airports) used to have game arcades

"Major" being a key word here, as those places were staffed, and the game arcades (as you said) would have had a contractor operating them and coming to the locations to service them as needed. Arcade games in unstaffed stations not only wouldn't have anyone but the arcade operator monitoring them for servicing & inspections, but wouldn't have sufficient ridership going through the stations to play them and generate revenue (at least for the arcade operator).

 

[BlackDiamond]

Seems to me you don't see as many arcades as you used to perhaps because people have games on their phones or tablets which they can play for free.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Seems to me you don't see as many arcades as you used to perhaps because people have games on their phones or tablets which they can play for free.

Crane games and gumball machines would make more sense to have a physical presence, as the player would get something tangible (at least a gumball!) from them.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Most stations have no food, no bar, no pharmacy, no connections, or even a clean bathroom, but we're going to focus on arcade machines instead of something practical or useful. Arcades still exist in major cities but the revenue is tiny relative to cost of purchasing and maintaining the machines.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

or even a bathroom

I guess I should be thankful our local station has a bathroom! (No public transportation in town, but no one cares if you leave your car parked in the station's parking lot.)

 

[west point]

Interstate rest areas have credit card only vending machines. That way no cash to steal.

 

[John from RI]

One idea is for each train on routes up to about 500 miles would carry an extra designated fixed fare coach for late ticket buyers. This could get more riders who now use other modes of transport and who cannot accomodate the long times Amtrak requires to make a reservation.
The one problem I foresee is that everyone might try to buy a ticket on this coach to avoid Amtrak's rider unfriendly ticketing system. However, the number of tickets sold would be limited to the number of seats available so if a person waits too long there would be no tickets left. That is the same thing Amtrak does now.
This would be a coach. There would be no change for people wno want Business Class or 1st Class seats.

 

[west point]

One idea is for each train on routes up to about 500 miles would carry an extra designated fixed fare coach for late ticket buyers.

forget any of that happening before FY 2025 Just not enough equipment.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

forget any of that happening before FY 2025 Just not enough equipment.

Wouldn't just fixing the ticketing system be better (not that, imho, airline ticketing is particularly easy or user friendly).

 

[MIrailfan]

Sublease space in stations for stores, restaurants, etc.

Make headsets available for purchase in Coach/free in Business and Sleepers where railfans can listen to the rail traffic the engineers/conductors use on their route.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Sublease space in stations for stores, restaurants, etc.

Make headsets available for purchase in Coach/free in Business and Sleepers where railfans can listen to the rail traffic the engineers/conductors use on their route.

Amtrak doesn't own most of the Stations they use, they're just Renters!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Even if Amtrak owned their own stations most do not have enough passenger traffic for stores and restaurants to survive, most passengers who want "headsets" already have their own earbuds or headphones, and most passengers have no knowledge or interest in listening to random radio chatter.

 

[MIrailfan]

Amtrak doesn't own most of the Stations they use, they're just Renters!

That's why I said Sub-Lease.

Even if Amtrak owned their own stations most do not have enough passenger traffic for stores and restaurants to survive, most passengers who want "headsets" already have their own earbuds or headphones, and most passengers have no knowledge or interest in listening to random radio chatter.

Railfans would be interested. Untapped market.

 

[west point]

Not enough traffic at all but the most active stations. Even that tiny store at San Jose does not have enough traffic. Caltrain traffic as well as Amtrak.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

That's why I said Sub-Lease.


Railfans would be interested. Untapped market.

I know at least one of the YouTube railfan channels I follow (youtuba, I think) routinely brings along a gadget which allows him to listen to the train crew chatter during his trips.

 

[railiner]

That's why I said Sub-Lease.


Railfans would be interested. Untapped market.

The ones that do, already have scanners. Besides, there is less and less operational talk on the radio's.

 

[MIrailfan]

The ones that do, already have scanners. Besides, there is less and less operational talk on the radio's.

whys that?