Special announcement from Amtrak this weekend?

[me_little_me]

Does this mean Amtrak executives are NOT announcing they are being fired for cause?

Darn! It thought I nailed it!

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

Advertising, I won’t even say loss leader because at 25% off accommodations, Amtrak would still make a pretty penny. In the spirit of Black Friday having a 24-48 hour sale of rooms for the low season would drum up new customers. 25% off would also help the trains during the Jan-March doldrums. Short consists won’t last forever. The potential for the network trains really is unlimited if they were just managed well, which in my opinion they are not.

As was mentioned just above your post, the LD trains are selling out at the current prices. Why put them on sale just to deprive yourself of revenue?

 

[NYP2NFL01]

I cannot use the discount because my travel dates miss the date range by just one day!! They probably would not apply the discount to an existing reservation anyway!
So, a BOGO sale was the BIG announcement? I am too stinking upset!!!

 

[user 14106]

The NEC is where they need to boost revenue. If you take a look at the year end performance report it will be clearer why.

 

[user 14106]

And they do Long distance and auto train sales periodically - just not always at the same time.

 

[west point]

As I posted. Announcement date and time made to get minimum criticisms from the press. Also more importantly trying to avoid congressional and executive notice of how lame announcement is. As others have posted LD trains no effect. Still Amtrak trying to boost the NEC before there is a realization that LD travel needs more capacity that can be robbed from NEC without having any effect on NEC ridership

 

[Rambling Robert]

These potential passengers show their disappointment that the announcement was not Coach communal dining. They were also hoping a special rate in the CUS metropolitan lounge for a family communal shower.

 

[Ryan]

Advertising, I won’t even say loss leader because at 25% off accommodations, Amtrak would still make a pretty penny. In the spirit of Black Friday having a 24-48 hour sale of rooms for the low season would drum up new customers. 25% off would also help the trains during the Jan-March doldrums. Short consists won’t last forever. The potential for the network trains really is unlimited if they were just managed well, which in my opinion they are not.

Decent idea, poor timing. What's the point in drumming up a whole bunch of new customers when they're simultaneously contemplating going to less-than-daily service because they may not have enough staff to work the trains. You complain about mismanagement, but I'm pretty sure that attracting a whole bunch of new customers to immediately piss them off with limited availability and high prices would be a pretty bad idea.

Get the staffing right, get all of the equipment back out on the road, and then try to fill the trains with sales (preferably sales that aren't going to blow a hole in your revenue by discounting trains that are guaranteed to sell out at not-sale prices).

 

[Rambling Robert]

A BOGO offer or any discount really isn’t needed to attract potential passengers. When I talk about my Amtrak train trips to friends and relatives ... or even strangers :.., the typical response is “I’ve been meaning to take an Amtrak trip.”

Of course I’m serious about Coach passengers a reservation to available communal seating in the Dining Car. To me that’s a big reason to travel with Amtrak.

Yeah, the BOGO is a little bogus BUT - DC is a must SEE and is FREE at most of the 18 odd Smithsonian Museums. During the height of the pandemic I enjoyed a $39 night train each way Boston to DC. I enjoyed the ride, dinner at the Dubliner (near DC US) - and little things like the response I got giving a two dollar tip to an over worked “attendant” in the cafe. The experience was priceless.

 

[neroden]

Has Amtrak’s marketing department been told to antagonize and turn away longtime customers as they go after new ones? Or are they just dumb as dirt?

We know already that the answer is "dumb as dirt". These are the people who failed to publish timetables for over a year, remember? Timetables are the most basic piece of train marketing. Everyone knows that, except apparently the losers at Amtrak Marketing who made that idiotic decision.

 

[MARC Rider]

LD travel needs more capacity that can be robbed from NEC without having any effect on NEC ridership

What can long distance service gain in capacity from the NEC? If it's not Acela (which can't operate off the NEC), all the equipment are Amfleet 1 coaches. These hold 72 passengers in relatively cramped seating (at least compared to Amfleet 2 long-distance coaches), and have no curtains on the windows. They're really not suitable for overnight service. There's plenty of equipment around for longer consists, and thus more capacity on the long-distance trains, and, form some reports here, it appears that the consists are starting to get longer again. There's really no need to inflict Amfleet 1 corridor coaches on poor unsuspecting long-distance passengers who are used to a different hard product.

Also, be aware that service on the NEC has been cut back, too.

 

[Rasputin]

Has anyone tried a booking on this sale? I tried a dummy booking but went fairly far along in the process but never saw anything about putting in a C240 code.

For another basic question I assume that the Amtrak booking site allows you to apply more than one voucher to a payment. Is that correct?
Thanks.

 

[jis]

For another basic question I assume that the Amtrak booking site allows you to apply more than one voucher to a payment. Is that correct?
Thanks.

In the past I have been able to use multiple vouchers. However, I would not vouch for what can be done today. As we all know, in matters Amtrak always YMMV.

 

[jebr]

Has anyone tried a booking on this sale? I tried a dummy booking but went fairly far along in the process but never saw anything about putting in a C240 code.

For another basic question I assume that the Amtrak booking site allows you to apply more than one voucher to a payment. Is that correct?
Thanks.

It does, though there's one voucher that I have that it just never wants to accept. Hopefully I'll be able to use it up on a single booking that I need to do soon anyways. Not sure what's different about it, but the system likes to randomly error out and cause headaches - thanks Amtrak IT!

 

[Trogdor]

What can long distance service gain in capacity from the NEC? If it's not Acela (which can't operate off the NEC), all the equipment are Amfleet 1 coaches. These hold 72 passengers in relatively cramped seating (at least compared to Amfleet 2 long-distance coaches), and have no curtains on the windows. They're really not suitable for overnight service. There's plenty of equipment around for longer consists, and thus more capacity on the long-distance trains, and, form some reports here, it appears that the consists are starting to get longer again. There's really no need to inflict Amfleet 1 corridor coaches on poor unsuspecting long-distance passengers who are used to a different hard product.

Also, be aware that service on the NEC has been cut back, too.

Midwest corridors are using LD coaches because of a lack of serviceable Horizons, with the Siemens cars not in service yet. If Amfleet Is replaced Amfleet IIs on St. Louis trains, those Am-IIs could go to an LD train.

 

[Willbridge]

What can long distance service gain in capacity from the NEC? If it's not Acela (which can't operate off the NEC), all the equipment are Amfleet 1 coaches. These hold 72 passengers in relatively cramped seating (at least compared to Amfleet 2 long-distance coaches), and have no curtains on the windows. They're really not suitable for overnight service. There's plenty of equipment around for longer consists, and thus more capacity on the long-distance trains, and, form some reports here, it appears that the consists are starting to get longer again. There's really no need to inflict Amfleet 1 corridor coaches on poor unsuspecting long-distance passengers who are used to a different hard product.

Also, be aware that service on the NEC has been cut back, too.

I'm not recommending it, but the Pioneer was originally operated with Amfleet 1 rolling stock for a one-night trip. The main trouble was that the amount of baggage on a sold-out train with no checked baggage service was overwhelming.

And when I rode the Night Owl in 1987 it was supposed to have one Heritage leg-rest coach for long-distance riders and the rest were Amfleet 1.

It was common for long-distance trains in the "Golden Era" to carry a non-leg-rest coach in the consist for short-haul passengers, employees traveling on passes, etc.

 

[jis]

Indeed, I am sure no one will complain too loudly if they are able to get a seat on an Amfleet I anywhere, as opposed to not getting a seat at all. This business of trying to gold plate all service or not provide any service at all if the gold plating is not available is a crazy thing to do I am afraid. But it appears to be quite common practice among the circle of rail passenger enthusiasts of late.

The "You can't start or run an overnight train because we have no Diners and Sleeping Cars available" syndrome. As pointed out above, The Pioneer started as a Coach only overnight service and then grew from there. Theoretically it could have continued reverted back to a single level Coach only service when a shortage of Superliners appeared, but the preference chosen was to can it instead with no thought given to continue anything on the route.

 

[west point]

The problems of the Siemens cars not in service is the cause of many capacity problems now and especially Thanksgiving. Why is the real cause of the delays seem to be a highly classified it is time to get some answers. Getting those cars in service will free up all AM-2s and Superliners assigned to the Midwest regionals. Then the reeded ups can go to LD trains where they belong.

If that is not enough single levels on long distance then use AM-1s for shorts.

 

[TinCan782]

Meanwhile, back to the "sale"...
Amtrak limits ‘Track Friday’ sale; service reductions possible in January as unions file suit
Discount period coincides with company’s postponed employee vaccination enforcement
https://www.trains.com/trn/news-rev...ions-possible-in-january-as-unions-file-suit/

 

[tricia]

We know already that the answer is "dumb as dirt". These are the people who failed to publish timetables for over a year, remember? Timetables are the most basic piece of train marketing. Everyone knows that, except apparently the losers at Amtrak Marketing who made that idiotic decision.

There's no reason this has to be either/or. Perhaps BOTH "told to antagonize" AND "dumb as dirt."