Next cut: Amtrak Dome Car Ocean View (??)

[the_traveler]

Look at the PPC when it operated.

It was advertised as an amenity on the CS. It even stated that it was used as a Lounge car for sleeper passengers. AND, it stated you could have your meals in the PPC and also get drinks in the PPC.

Most times when I rode, I saw less than 10-15 passengers in the entire car. I rarely had a problem getting one of the coveted swivel seats. Very few sleeper passengers ate in there (most times less than 3 tables) - but I did see many sleeper passengers walk to the Dining Car. And I very rarely saw anyone order drinks.

But as you say, it was advertised right on the schedule for the Average Joe to see!

 

[PVD]

I think it is sort of sad that so many people don't appreciate many of the things that made travel special. I guess it is a function of many factors, particularly that it is within the reach of such a wide part of the population, and it has became just another routine. Growing up, the trip was as special as the destination, I daresay that other than a cruise, that is rarely the case today. That said, spending money on advertising/promoting something with a niche audience, when it could be spent more productively on things with a broader appeal, is probably not prudent.

 

[railiner]

. Growing up, the trip was as special as the destination, I daresay that other than a cruise, that is rarely the case today..

Agreed!

My motto, paraphrases that of the Cunard Line...."Getting there is half the fun"...I say that, and "Getting back is the other half"....

 

[PVD]

In the off season, look how low the price is for a transatlantic crossing on the Queen out of NY. It's lower than the B/C airfare. Almost everyone is in a hurry, so to speak....

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Well, those of you have cash on hand, here is a good chance for you to step up and offer Amtrak a grant to cover all of the maintenance and operation costs of the dome car. Fat chance of Congress ponying up any of this money.

Even if I had the money to maintain a one of a kind specialty dome car I'm not sure Anderson's Amtrak would be the most logical beneficiary.

I have my doubts about whether a truly average Joe really cares about a Dome Car either way. When a Dome Car is on a train I have noticed that relatively few average Joes bother to move to it even for a short while to experience it. Average Joes today are very different from Joe's of the past I suppose. Given that they don;t bother with it when it is available to them, it is probably less likely that they will go looking for it in the internet labyrinth. Notwithstanding that, I think if something is being run it should be advertised better.

I've actually never seen the Great Dome on my train. Not once, not ever, and not that surprising since Amtrak seems to treat it like a rolling Rapunzel. I've been a huge dome fan ever since riding The Canadian and yet I often forget Amtrak even has a dome because it's made available so rarely and so far away from me. My guess is that there are a lot of people who would be willing to book a one-off dome ride at a reasonable premium. The main problem being that there is only one example, so any failure would be disastrous to the schedule, and the fact that it can't see over or around any of the long distance Western trains.

Almost everyone is in a hurry, so to speak....

We live in a society where millions of workers have no paid sick days, personal days, vacation days, or holidays. Many people struggle to find time and money just to visit friends and family during holidays, weddings, birthdays, etc. For these folks taking one leisure trip nice and slow likely means they'll have little or no time for anything else.

 

[cpotisch]

The main problem being that there is only one example, so any failure would be disastrous to the schedule, and the fact that it can't see over or around any of the long distance Western trains.

Also the fact that you can't go directly between Ocean View and Superliners. Great Domes have the end doors on the lower level, so unless you put it next to the trans-dorm it would be impossible to get to the Dome while the train is moving.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Our trip southbound on the Adirondack from Port Kent a couple of years ago included a great ride in the dome car. Lots of people enjoying the fall scenery but we were able to find seats for the entire ride down to Schenectady

 

[PVD]

The Dome mostly ends up where states choose to feature it on the trains they subsidize. As unique as it is, it would be much less of a step up for a train with an SSL, compared to what passes for lounges in the single level fleet. You are correct about the state of our society, what is really awful is how few of the sheep realize where we are in comparison to much of the industrialized world. If we put half as much effort into improving things as we do into patting ourselves on the back, most of the people would be far better off.

 

[KnightRail]

10031 departing Albany for Chicago and then on to Beech Grove. It’s fate at Beech Grove, overhaul or deadline. Players make your wagers.

 

[Thirdrail7]

1 It’s fate at Beech Grove, overhaul or deadline. Players make your wagers.

400 quatloos on joining the 10001 in storage.

 

[Seaboard92]

I’ll take that bet. It’s going to storage.

 

[tim49424]

Sad if storage is it’s destination but I’m glad I took advantage of the opportunity to ride in the dome car a few years back!

 

[TylerP42]

Anyone know when it'll be coming into Indy? May go get some photos.

 

[dgvrengineer]

I saw it go through Chesterton, IN this morning on the Lake Shore. So it should be in Chicago now. Probably will be added to Hoosier tonight or Monday.

 

[pennyk]

10031 departing Albany for Chicago and then on to Beech Grove. It’s fate at Beech Grove, overhaul or deadline. Players make your wagers.

Is there any update regarding the status of Ocean View?

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

One thinks it parked at Beech Grove but this weekend I did not see it.

 

[KnightRail]

Is there any update regarding the status of Ocean View?

Stored at Beech Grove. Wonder where Maine and New York stand regarding future autumn usage.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Stored at Beech Grove. Wonder where Maine and New York stand regarding future autumn usage.

I suspect they have already been informed the car will no longer be available to them..without significant contributions.

The fact the car is stored probably gives us a hint about their response.

 

[junebug]

How would you compare the ability to view the scenery on the dome car, to the sightseer lounge cars?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

How would you compare the ability to view the scenery on the dome car, to the sightseer lounge cars?

Like night and day...

 

[jis]

Like night and day...

That's a short dome though, which have much better viewing characteristics IMHO, than the long domes, like the Ocean Vuew.

 

[railiner]

Agreed. However, the Ocean View does offer at least some forward visibility, if sitting close to the front. And better upward visibility, but not as much downward visibility, as compared with a Sightseer Lounge...

 

[KnightRail]

I suspect they have already been informed the car will no longer be available to them..without significant contributions.

The fact the car is stored probably gives us a hint about their response.

Although it still has 2018 dates, apparently nobody has told the dot com folks to take this page down:
www.amtrak.com/fall-travel-on-the-great-dome-car

 

[Seaboard92]

The website could be because I’ve heard Amtrak has gotten rid of several copy editors, and other editor positions. Or that’s what I’ve heard in PV chatter

 

[Devil's Advocate]

That's a short dome though, which have much better viewing characteristics IMHO, than the long domes, like the Ocean Vuew.

Fair enough. I can't speak to the view inside Amtrak's unicorn dome because in all my decades of riding it has never once shown up on any train I've ever boarded.

Agreed. However, the Ocean View does offer at least some forward visibility, if sitting close to the front. And better upward visibility, but not as much downward visibility, as compared with a Sightseer Lounge...

The Sightseer Lounge isn't just missing 12 o'clock forward views. Anything from 10:00-2:00 can be impacted due to super wide window dividers, opaque interior structures like the unused snack counter, and excessive window tinting. One of the best features of a dome car is nighttime viewing but you can't see much of anything in an SSL at night.