Pullman Rail Journeys dining equipment availability

[Ryan]

How exactly is the switching done in Spokane? The lead locomotive breaks off and takes the Portland section, right?

 

[Anderson]

Just wondering, but if the contract was reasonably lucrative, couldn't Amtrak just "flip" the sections?

 

[NorthCoastHiawatha]

Just wondering, but if the contract was reasonably lucrative, couldn't Amtrak just "flip" the sections?

With the baggage car on the rear, that only compounds the issue of some platforms already being to short at some stations.

How exactly is the switching done in Spokane? The lead locomotive breaks off and takes the Portland section, right?

Yes, pretty much.

 

[TVRM610]

In all honesty, most wealthy people do not want to sleep on a train no matter how comfortable the mattress. It's loud, it rocks, and it's the size of a bunk bed. So who is this service for? Seems like rich people who like the idea of taking a novel old pullman train for fun, or for a railfan who is willing to spend money for a unique train experience. Is that enough to keep the idea in business? So far it wouldn't appear that way based on what I've heard.

It isn't about most rich people. Let's say there is capacity for 10 people per trip, and that two ways twice a week. Call it a capacity for 160 people a month (with round trips counting double). Let's say loadings are 60%, call it 100 far-paying passengers a month, that's 1200 a year, that's 6000 in five years. Let's say 20% of riders are railfans and nostalgics and fuddy duddies. That leaves 4800 rich people in five years. Probably less in reality as many of those will be return customers. Most rich people is a far bigger number that that.

I'm not sure if you picked the number 10 just for a math example but the capacity is way more than 10. The rear lounge has sleeping space for 8 (4 rooms) and the full sleepers sleep about 20 each. The early trains had 4 cars (1 being the dome diner) so I'm guessing the capacity for guests was about 50.

And what I hear is that the goal is to have these cars on multiple trains. I know I've heard NYC being the next goal, but Amtrak doesn't want to handle extra cars in Penn Station. (who can blame them!)

And while I have respect for Ed Ellis and the Iowa Pacific (LOTS of respect ) - this is the same man who managed "Amtrak Express" - that didn't seem to be very well thought out either.

With all that said.. I'm hoping that they make it. Would love to ride those cars on the Zephyr!

 

[AlanB]

And what I hear is that the goal is to have these cars on multiple trains. I know I've heard NYC being the next goal, but Amtrak doesn't want to handle extra cars in Penn Station. (who can blame them!)

I'm not sure why that would be. Amtrak handles PV's all the time through NYP. They won't park PV's in NYP, they get moved to Sunnyside and parked there. In fact, there were 2 or 3 PV's sitting in SNY just this past Wednesday when I went by on the #7 train.

And the last time that Amtrak had agreed to carry regularly scheduled PV's, trains to/from NYP were part of the offering. Unfortunately sales were horrible for the PV operator, and they cancelled almost all of the scheduled runs. IIRC, only one run on a Silver ever happened, and several runs on the CZ also ran. Almost all other offerings were cancelled due to lack of sales. And within 3 months or so, then entire idea was dead.

 

[MrFSS]

I have a friend who recently took the trip to New Orleans. Here are a few of the pictures he shared with us.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Nice pics and nice work if you can get it! Thanks for posting Tom, i'd ride if I could afford it! Hope they make it!

 

[TVRM610]

I just rode the City and Pullman had 1 car on.. Meanwhile Amtrak was sold out. Can't be a good sign for business.

Sadly... Some kids were throwing rocks at the train as we left NOL and got the Pullman car good.... One of the windows was in sad shape.

 

[The Panama]

Well we just returned from a trip on PRJ and the trip was just great. We left New Orleans on time and there were two cars-Adirondack Club and Chebanse. There had been 4 and 5 cars on trips last week but I guess since we had only 8 folks it did not warrant the Dome Diner. The crew and food was good - Burger or Club sandwich for lunch and Salmon, Chicken, or Steak for dinner. We had steak at my table of 4- 2 of my friends in their late 40's who had never been on a train, a 40 something year old consultant who took lots of notes and pictures and it made us think she might have been working for the company, and me- 60 year old who has ridden trains all my life.

The crew was a little different - sometimes quiet and sometimes engaging- maybe the 8 of us threw them a curve; two of the folks at my table never stopped talking!

The ride is enthralling and when one gets to Chicago it's sort of a downer that the ride is over.

J mullins

 

[TVRM610]

So you pay that premium price and you are still seated with strangers?

It's not that I mind the conversations as much as for that price I'd like to be able to stretch out. 4 people in a booth is a bit crowded.

 

[The Panama]

Happened to see the City pass yesterday with its Pullman Rail cars attached - the Dome Diner and sleeper Baton Rouge. While it stopped in Hammond, La a passenger, I think, asked if I was a fan and " yes I am.......". I asked about Ponchartrain Club and Adirondack club- the 2 observation cars-- he said

"The air conditioner's in the *******" assuming he meant its on the blink. Hope they fix it soon but at least they had the Dome Diner!.

JM