Winter Park (Colorado) Express is back

[Cal]

pr

 

[Cal]

So they have enough staff and SSL's to run this but not to put the SSL on the Eagle? Kind of irritating

 

[yyy]

View attachment 25417

So they have enough staff and SSL's to run this but not to put the SSL on the Eagle? Kind of irritating

The lack of SSL on Eagle is ridiculous. It is the longest route in the USA.

 

[CCC1007]

View attachment 25417

So they have enough staff and SSL's to run this but not to put the SSL on the Eagle? Kind of irritating

It is probably since this service needs 1, not the 4 needed for the TE.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

It is probably since this service needs 1, not the 4 needed for the TE.

Plus I'm guessing it's state supported.

 

[west point]

Denver base may be well staffed as opposed to other more remote locations ???

 

[Cal]

Denver base may be well staffed as opposed to other more remote locations ???

The SSL doesn’t require any staff members.

 

[Bob Dylan]

The SSL doesn’t require any staff members.

Nether would one on the Eaglette, the CONO runs an unstaffed Sightseer, why not the 31+Hour Eaglettes?

 

[Willbridge]

Plus I'm guessing it's state supported.

Not directly. When the UP demanded a concrete, train length platform and with somebody to clear snow, the Winter Park Resort came through with construction of a heated facility.

The return of Amtrak to Denver Union Station from its temporary site was subsidized by Colorado DOT. And ColoRail fought for three decades to keep developers from removing all of the tracks from DUS. When the UP stalled, two U.S. senators contacted them and helped to focus their thinking. Track 5 at DUS that someday will be used by other Amtrak service and is used by Trains 5/6 in emergency turnbacks was only saved from allocation to commuter service by the prospect of ski service returning.

That train runs on a business plan drafted by Conductor Brad and developed by several Amtrak people, including a good job by the Chicago media spokesman. From the start it was designed to use equipment that is not needed during the winter, so unlike the old Rio Grande Ski Train it does not run through the Christmas<>New Year's holiday period. The bar revenue per mile is rumored to be more than the revenue per mile on some regional trains.

Instead of complaining about this spurt of real business development I'd suggest that rail advocates look for niches in their own areas.

 

[neroden]

Amtrak has stated that they're prioritizing avoiding cuts on state-supported, or third-party-supported services because it involves breaking contracts, which they would really rather avoid doing. So if there are temporary cuts, they'll go to NEC and LD first if possible (in a few places it might not be possible, depending on where there is staff shortage).

 

[CCC1007]

Not directly. When the UP demanded a concrete, train length platform and with somebody to clear snow, the Winter Park Resort came through with construction of a heated facility.

The return of Amtrak to Denver Union Station from its temporary site was subsidized by Colorado DOT. And ColoRail fought for three decades to keep developers from removing all of the tracks from DUS. When the UP stalled, two U.S. senators contacted them and helped to focus their thinking. Track 5 at DUS that someday will be used by other Amtrak service and is used by Trains 5/6 in emergency turnbacks was only saved from allocation to commuter service by the prospect of ski service returning.

That train runs on a business plan drafted by Conductor Brad and developed by several Amtrak people, including a good job by the Chicago media spokesman. From the start it was designed to use equipment that is not needed during the winter, so unlike the old Rio Grande Ski Train it does not run through the Christmas<>New Year's holiday period. The bar revenue per mile is rumored to be more than the revenue per mile on some regional trains.

Instead of complaining about this spurt of real business development I'd suggest that rail advocates look for niches in their own areas.

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View attachment 25420

Here here on that last sentence.

 

[Cal]

It is probably since this service needs 1, not the 4 needed for the TE.

Good, fair point.

Instead of complaining about this spurt of real business development I'd suggest that rail advocates look for niches in their own areas.

I think it's great that this train does well and that Winter Park paid for the platform. It's just a bit irritating to see more SSL's being used for things other than LD trains which have long run times, especially the TE>

 

[user 1215]

The SSL doesn’t require any staff members.

So there is no car car on the Texas Eagle any more?

Frankly, I wish they used the the vintage D&RG Ski Train set they shoved out of the way. What a shame that was lost.

 

[joelkfla]

So there is no car car on the Texas Eagle any more?

Frankly, I wish they used the the vintage D&RG Ski Train set they shoved out of the way. What a shame that was lost.

What's a car car?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

What's a car car?

I think he meant cafe car

 

[daybeers]

Here are the terms and conditions found on the website of the first screenshot at Winter Park Express. Interesting that AGR points can't be redeemed for it and they are non-refundable.

• Valid for sale November 9, 2021 - April 3, 2022.
• Valid for travel January 14 - April 3, 2022 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
• Valid for travel between Denver, CO (DEN) and Winter Park Resort, CO (WPR).
• Up to one (1) child ages 2 - 12 may accompany each adult at half fare.
• Children and infants must travel with an adult who is 18 years or older.
• Once purchased, tickets are non-refundable.
• Exchanges are permitted prior to the original travel date for travel on the Amtrak Winter Park Express, a fee may apply.
• Not combinable with any other discount offers.
• Amtrak Guest Rewards points are not able to be redeemed for travel on the Winter Park Express train.
• Other conditions may apply.

 

[joelkfla]

Here are the terms and conditions found on the website of the first screenshot at Winter Park Express. Interesting that AGR points can't be redeemed for it and they are non-refundable.

Sounds like it's completely firewalled off from regular Amtrak.

Is it actually financed by a different entity utilizing Amtrak resources?

 

[Cal]

What's a car car?

My thoughts exactly.

So there is no car car on the Texas Eagle any

There is a cafe car. The TE uses a CCC which has a very similar layout to a normal diner, but with half of it acting like a cafe and a cafe counter. On the CONO (which has an SSL) they have this as well, where one LSA staffs the CCC and the downstairs Section of the SSL is blocked off, therefore requiring no extra employees for an SSL to be added to the TE.

 

[Willbridge]

Sounds like it's completely firewalled off from regular Amtrak.

Is it actually financed by a different entity utilizing Amtrak resources?

It's considered to be an excursion train.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Track 5 at DUS that someday will be used by other Amtrak service and is used by Trains 5/6 in emergency turnbacks was only saved from allocation to commuter service by the prospect of ski service returning.

Very noticeable when walking around the station that someone was thinking about the future here. Even if we lost one set of tracks going into the Station. Smiling Joe Boardman was ask about standing up and saving the southern approach tracks and he pass on it. Something about fighting fights you can win.

Instead of complaining about this spurt of real business development I'd suggest that rail advocates look for niches in their own areas.

That’s a hard statement to read, I have never travel on the ski train, but still glad it available. Rail advocates are know for destroying each other work, very sad way of advocating.

 

[jruff001]

I think it's great that this train does well and that Winter Park paid for the platform. It's just a bit irritating to see more SSL's being used for things other than LD trains which have long run times, especially the TE>

Well, there is not really much to see on the TE. The scenery from Denver to Winter Park is way better.

 

[Cal]

Well, there is not really much to see on the TE. The scenery from Denver to Winter Park is way better.

Not the point of the scenery, the point is that on the TE passengers don't have much place to go for 30 hours while travelling on it. The Winter Park Express is only a few hour run.

 

[Tlcooper44]

I dare say the scenery for the hour or two to Winter Park from Denver demands a SSL more than the TE. Not that both trains shouldn’t have one, but this ski train is sort of a joke without it.

That said, I doubt my opinion will be popular.

 

[Cal]

I dare say the scenery for the hour or two to Winter Park from Denver demands a SSL more than the TE. Not that both trains shouldn’t have one, but this ski train is sort of a joke without it.

That said, I doubt my opinion will be popular.

I agree, the TE scenery is nothing compared to that of the Winter Park Express. However even without an SSL the Winter Park Express does it's job and offers fantastic views.

 

[jruff001]

Not the point of the scenery, the point is that on the TE passengers don't have much place to go for 30 hours while travelling on it. The Winter Park Express is only a few hour run.

I understood your point, hence the "."