Michigan service Business class question

[Zach]

On April 4th my mom and I are traveling from Jackson Mi to LAX. When I booked it I booked business class on accident when I made the sleeper selection, no big deal really kind of wanted to try it out anyways. Question is, the business class cabin is now sold out according to amtrak.com will my mom and I be able to get a seat together it is 1x2 seating. It's reserved but not seat assigned reserved is my understand. Also, occasionally the Wolverine operates with Superliner equipment, what is the plan for business class passengers if Superliner equipment is used since as far as I know no Superliners have a business class section? It can be argued that the Superliner seats are better than Amfleet business class.

We are taking the SWC to LAX looking forward to it!

Thanks

 

[SarahZ]

I doubt they'll still be running with Superliners at that point. Superliners are primarily used during the winter months. We should be out of snowstorm season at that point and down to "occasional flurries". (I hope so, anyway.)

As for the 1x2 seating, we board in KAL, farther down the line from you, and we've been able to get two seats together every time. People in BC are pretty good about taking the single seats if they're a single traveler. If you can't get two seats together, the conductor will ask a single traveler to pair up with another single traveler so you two can sit together.

 

[tim49424]

Being that I too will be in Business Class for the first time (in July), booked by accident in conjunction with a sleeper out of CHI......I couldn't find it anywhere, so I'm wondering what is the difference between BC and coach is on the Wolverine?

 

[SarahZ]

BC - plush, comfy seats with lots of leg room. 2x1 seating. Tends to be super quiet (I've never seen kids in BC). Free drink. Free newspaper once in a while (this is hit or miss). If taking BC from Chicago, you get to board early with the seniors and disabled, and you get to use the Metropolitan Lounge.

Coach - standard seats, still comfortable, less leg room (but not uncomfortable), no free drink, board with the herd in Chicago, no lounge access (unless you have a same-day sleeper ticket).

 

[SarahZ]

BC:

Coach:

 

[tim49424]

Thanks, as usual, Sarah. I'd never even seen a picture of BC before. Looks really nice. I'd found information on BC on the Acela, but because I've always assumed that to be a whole different animal to the rest of the system, that the perks in BC would be different as well. Your information on the Wolverine turns out to be the same as the Acela so I guess you know what they say about assumptions. LOL It will be quite a switch from riding in coach and sleepers. even though it's for a couple hours each way.

 

[SarahZ]

Some of the BC cars have cloth seats instead of leather, but they're still quite nice.

 

[Zach]

I knew I could count on you Sarah Pics look nice only 12 seats in the cabin?

 

[SarahZ]

I knew I could count on you Sarah Pics look nice only 12 seats in the cabin?

I believe there are six rows, so 18 seats. The photographer was probably standing next to the two front rows.

 

[Larry H.]

I just booked a business class seat in two weeks from Centralia to Homewood.. I was shocked that the upgrade cost is now around 95.00 one way on top of the standard coach fare.. Last time I rode it the cost was about 35.00. And the cars run on the Carbondale line are not like the ones in the photos. They usually are the Heritage looking high ceiling cars. Last trip I took the seats were torn and the condition of the cars were not what one would think of as first class. No one ask if we needed anything..So really, what is the justification of that huge cost for a single seat? I know everyone will rant about being out of touch, but its just a crime that the public is being stuck with such high cost as part of a public system so called.

 

[SarahZ]

No, I'm with you. I don't like paying for BC since the trip is only a couple of hours and we aren't getting things like meals and such. The only time we ride in BC is when it's included in an AGR redemption for our annual trip to ABQ.

I used to be able to get BC for only $10-15 more than Coach, so I used it all the time until a couple of years ago. I feel like the prices skyrocketed at that point. I thought it was just a bucket issue, but I've priced BC months/weeks/days ahead of time, and it's consistently high.

The photo I posted is an Amfleet, I believe. When the Michigan trains run with Horizon (or is it Heritage?) cars, the BC seats are cloth. I've experienced both equally. We tend to get leather out of Chicago and cloth out of KAL, but that could be just coincidence/timing.

 

[iggy]

"(I've never seen kids in BC)"

Lucky you - Lincoln Service multiple times ridden when children are present in Business Class. Like adults it really depends on the person / parents - if this is a bad thing or not. One of our worst trips last year had multiple children in BC whose parental units and Grandmother thought they should treat the whole car as if it was their own. A few other trips have included kids in BC but their parent(s) were better at keeping them respectful of others.

Passengers should keep in mind that priority boarding is hit and miss expect in Chicago or other large stations. Even in St Louis you may be ran though one or more coach cars when trying to get to your BC seat and you will not get what most would consider priority - you load at the same time as everyone else. Being ran through one or more coach cars - causing disruptions to other passengers is very common still unfortunately. Same problem with de-boarding in many stations.

Last year - the only time I have seen this - there was a just released Illinois Corrections prisoner heading home who had a Business Class seat.

Should be Horizon in most cases - although as mentioned above rolling stock can be swapped out for various reasons.

Horizon (railcar) - Wikipedia

I prefer Business Class for all trips that offer it. Although the reasons I originally fell in love with BC are dwindling now that others have "found" out about it. From my perspective when customer service is as it should be and rules followed - BC is well worth the cost. On Illinois Lincoln Service demand is high and at times could use a 2nd BC car to meet that demand.

 

[SarahZ]

Last year - the only time I have seen this - there was a just released Illinois Corrections prisoner heading home who had a Business Class seat.

This does not bother me. Former inmates travel on the LD routes as well. They've done their time and are a free citizen like the rest of us.

Another reason I skip BC now - the Wolverine runs with a Quiet Car. Kids are allowed in BC, but they are not allowed in the Quiet Car. So, for the price of a coach ticket, I get sweet, sweet silence.

 

[JoeRids]

I used to be able to get BC for only $10-15 more than Coach, so I used it all the time until a couple of years ago. I feel like the prices skyrocketed at that point. I thought it was just a bucket issue, but I've priced BC months/weeks/days ahead of time, and it's consistently high.

Right you are.. I priced out some dummy trips and am very surprised at the high upgrade costs for nice seats and a free drink. I guess if the market will bear it, it's good extra revenue, but at that price level I would expect a first class service a la Acela Express. The NY-BOS FC upgrade is I believe $87, not that much more than the B/C upgrade on some midwestern trains!

 

[Zach]

Sarah might have more of an idea than me, but it seems the Wolverine is at capacity in regards to BC...could it use a full size BC car? I live in NYC and ride the NEC a lot more than the Wolverine...I ride the Wolverine only when I'm visiting my mom and we are traveling somehwere. My recent experience has been the coach cars are Horizon and the BC/Cafe care is AmFleet.

 

[Larry H.]

I know I am old and recalling previous eras but in the early 60's my grand father and I used to take the GM&O from St. Louis to Chicago pretty often.. The train left very early in the morning and carried coaches as well as a full dinner, ( a real one with real made on board food) as well a great old Parlor Car.. At that time the cost of a parlor car seat, which actually was much nicer than the business class car, was only maybe a 20% higher charge than coach. Same for sleeper service. Its only since the inception of Amtrak that the cost of a bedroom or a parlor car seat has been considered as extreme luxury, (even though it certainly isn't) and priced at many times the coach fare.. It used to be a reasonable choice for someone who wanted to have a bed to sleep in or a bit of privacy. Not some extravagant extra that many seem to think today it is. In those days the parlor car had a fan tail viewing area, swivel seats that you could turn in any direction, and the porter would bring you drinks or food to the car, shine your shoes and always brushed off the passengers as they left the train.. Not to mention loading the luggage.. All for a fraction of the difference in fare compared to now.. And again, the fares stayed the same no matter what day, or what time, or how full the train was.. I am not sure we've made any real improvements.

 

[SarahZ]

Sarah might have more of an idea than me, but it seems the Wolverine is at capacity in regards to BC...could it use a full size BC car? I live in NYC and ride the NEC a lot more than the Wolverine...I ride the Wolverine only when I'm visiting my mom and we are traveling somehwere. My recent experience has been the coach cars are Horizon and the BC/Cafe care is AmFleet.

Possibly. It might be an inventory issue at this point. As ridership increases and more trains are added (we're hoping they add a couple once the line upgrades are finished), it would be nice to have a full BC car instead of the cafe/BC cars we do now.

Then again, if they add more trains, we might not have the demand/need for full BC cars.

 

[Joe F]

I usually take BC from DER to CHI. I also try to get BC from CHI to DER, but since I'm arriving on the EB, making that connection is a crap shoot.

To me, the comfortable seats, newspaper and complementary beverage are worth the extra cost (especially when Henry is the attendant). Two things to keep in mind, though: (1) On westbound trains, the BC car is often on the head end. The locomotive horn can be rather loud in that position (I personally like the sound, but many people don't). (2) When boarding at DER, they often open only one door mid-train, and you have to walk through a couple of coaches to get to the BC section. If a lot of people are boarding, though, the will sometimes open a second door.

 

[SubwayNut]

I assume the new BiLevel Car order has full buissiness class cars like the Surfliners or are they doing something else or dropping buissiness class?

 

[PaulM]

I just booked a business class seat in two weeks from Centralia to Homewood.. I was shocked that the upgrade cost is now around 95.00 one way on top of the standard coach fare.. Last time I rode it the cost was about 35.00. And the cars run on the Carbondale line are not like the ones in the photos. They usually are the Heritage looking high ceiling cars. Last trip I took the seats were torn and the condition of the cars were not what one would think of as first class. No one ask if we needed anything..So really, what is the justification of that huge cost for a single seat? I know everyone will rant about being out of touch, but its just a crime that the public is being stuck with such high cost as part of a public system so called.

I found the $95 supplement for BC hard to believe. Also, I don't see an reason the Carbondale line would get much shabbier equipment that the Quincy trains. The "heritage looking" BC car was probably a Horizon. Since I've never seen a Horizon BC car on Quincy trains, I can't comment. But I did check fares for a random date (3/27) CEN to HMW:

Saluki: value (coach) 31, Premium (coach + BC supplement) 104 = $73* supplement

Illini: value 31, premium 55 = $24 supplement.

* Note: when you add the $104 premium option to the cart, the rail fare jumps to $80 and the BC supplement drops to $24. I believe that with the old website format the rail fare jumping when you select BC has been discussed at on time or another. At least with the new format you can determine with a little arithmetic the true supplement, $73.

I also checked closer in on 3/21 and we get

Saluki: flexible (value is sold out) 80, premium 104 = $24 supplement

Illini: sold out

I found another date where the supplement was actually $59. But none higher than $73.

 

[PerRock]

Sarah might have more of an idea than me, but it seems the Wolverine is at capacity in regards to BC...could it use a full size BC car? I live in NYC and ride the NEC a lot more than the Wolverine...I ride the Wolverine only when I'm visiting my mom and we are traveling somehwere. My recent experience has been the coach cars are Horizon and the BC/Cafe care is AmFleet.

Possibly. It might be an inventory issue at this point. As ridership increases and more trains are added (we're hoping they add a couple once the line upgrades are finished), it would be nice to have a full BC car instead of the cafe/BC cars we do now.

Then again, if they add more trains, we might not have the demand/need for full BC cars.

I doubt we'll see a BC car added, since we're getting the new Corridor BiLevels in a couple years time. Currently the Wolverine (and really all Michigan services) have their consists on a sort of static point until the new cars arrive.

I've been told the free soda is hit or miss as well. Some LSAs will allow you only one, others multiples, Also the Cafe isn't restocked in Pontiac, so if the trip out used up the bulk of the free sodas there may not be any left for the return passengers. Last time I took BC, by the time we got to Kzoo, they were out of freebies (and we were only allowed one each).

peter

 

[SarahZ]

Oh! I didn't know about the Bilevels. That's very cool.