Why don't passenger trains have parlor cars any more?

[Fadingechos]

I think I e-mailed you instead of a post.  I hate to repeat myself, but no one else will be able to get into the pictures if I don't . 

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[Fadingechos]

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Thank-You for saying Hi, Al.  This was the snow plow and it also runs, but it will never have tracks, to work with again.

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[al-in-chgo]

Welcome to these sites, fadingechos.   What a soulful moniker you have chosen! 

 

[Fadingechos]

Tracks removed. Engine still runs.

[al-in-chgo]

As a child,in 1961,I rode the a straight parlor car on the SP Coast Daylight.For some reason on this trip,the parlor was put on the front of the train,so I didn,t get to see the parlor observation.

I once rode in business class on a Rohr turboliner from NYP to Albany.On the turbos,business class was in the power car.I prefer riding business class when I go to Santa Barbara,due to the extra space between seats and the snack basket each passenger recieves.

Was the power car noisy enough to disturb you?   -  a.s.

 

[espeefoamer]

As a child,in 1961,I rode the a straight parlor car on the SP Coast Daylight.For some reason on this trip,the parlor was put on the front of the train,so I didn,t get to see the parlor observation.

I once rode in business class on a Rohr turboliner from NYP to Albany.On the turbos,business class was in the power car.I prefer riding business class when I go to Santa Barbara,due to the extra space between seats and the snack basket each passenger recieves.

[Tom Curtin]

Like so many others, I wish NEC trains had parlor cars, but given the very steep fares the Regionals are getting for business class, Amtrak is probably happy to profit in an environment that fits more seats into one carriage than did the old parlor cars. 

 

That's it!!!  Lots (most?) of today's NEC business travelers probably have no memory of 1-and-1 swivel seat parlor cars, so they don't know what they're missing.

[al-in-chgo]

I guess Amtrak never commissioned the building or rebuilding of parlor cars.  The Metroliner had them, but the Metroliner was built by Budd for PRR, although it didn't get rolling until it was Penn Central -- still, about three years before Amtrak. 

Like so many others, I wish NEC trains had parlor cars, but given the very steep fares the Regionals are getting for business class, Amtrak is probably happy to profit in an environment that fits more seats into one carriage than did the old parlor cars. 

 

[Tom Curtin]

The market for first class "parlor" seats has most definitely not disappeared, even though there are (AFAIK) no more true "parlor cars" in service anywhere.  Amtrak's first attempt at retaining a semblance of first class accomodations on northeast corridor trains was the 2-1 seat "Amclub."  A number of these remain on various trains as "business class."

The first class seats on Acela are identical to the business class seats on Acela.  Identical or not, business travelers eat them up. Business class seats on other NEC trains are simply lower-density coach seating. 

When designing the original amfleet Amtrak made the decision not to provide any more traditional parlor seating since the 2-1 Amclub allowed them to accommodate 50 percent more  bodies in the same amount of car space that a swivel-seat parlor would have.  Thus only 1/2 of a car on any NEC train was goven over to Amclub, with the exception of the amfleet metroliners which had full amclubs.

(I seem to recall originally Amtrak wasn't going to provide any upscale seating on amfleet NEC trains at all, and designed Amclub as an afterthought, to grudgingly bow to the business market.)

[wjstix]

Well I'm not sure it's really necessary anymore?? The idea of the Parlor car goes back to when coaches had 80 hardbacked seats in them; the Parlor car was a way that daytime trains could serve first class customers, by offering them a more comfortable and exclusive seating option. Today's reclining Superliner seats are comfortable enough for a one day trip, I don't know how many people would pay extra to ride in a parlor car now??

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

It appears that the market for the classic 29-seat & 1 drawing room parlor car with individual swivel seats has vanished.  Such a seating arrangement does not appeal to the business passenger on an expense account who is willing to pay the higher fare and 2-and-1 seating, which is not unlike airline first-class, is more attuned to this market.

[passengerfan]

The Turbo Club provided individual swivel seats(at least in the Turbo Club dome which I was always lucky enough to get a seat in) the only cars of this type operating in Canada as the Rapido and other trains Club cars provided 2-1 seating as Al-in-Chicago mentioned. These cars provided meals from an Airline style galley. The Club cars operating in eastern Canada were originally built as parlors with 1-1 seating and with just a small area where drinks could be fixed including coffee They were all converted to Club cars in the late 1960's early 1970's. This was during the period when CN tried the Red-White-Blue fares and created a huge increase in ridership so much so that additional cars had to be converted to Club cars to satisfy the demand. At that time every train was packed and some like the Super Continental were operating daily at the maximum twenty cars and in some peak travel periods operated in two sections one all coach the other all Sleeper. It was during this same period that the CN went on a buying spree for used sleeping cars stateside. There was even a shortage of full dining cars and CN even rebuilt several coaches to dining cars as well as converted some dining sleeping cars to full dining cars. This was the period when the Lounges on CN introduced the famous saltiest pretzels anyone ever tasted, and beer and drink sales surged to new all time highs. The pretzels were free at every table and the attendant kept the bowls filled. 

[al-in-chgo]

I don't have photographs to go by, but I was under the impression that Acela Business Class is like Acela coach except there is an AC outlet for a computer and more service.

And that Acela First Class is like Business Class except that there is even more service and the meal of the day is paid for.

Nothing like the Canadian "First Class" I once encountered, which I believe had 2 + 1 seating and a dedicated attendant bringing free meal and bevs.  Or consider the swivel chairs on the Metroliner.  Cost more but much less cramped than coach.  You could swivel out to see the scenery, turn the other way to talk with the people on the other side, and have no one between you and them. 

Love to know what happened to those cars.  Pehaps they were rehabbed for suburban runs?

 

[passengerfan]

The Metroliner Parlors were full parlors with individual swivel seats and meal service ala airline style from an airline type galley.

Business class is offered on Amtrak Surfliners and the Talgos here in the west but are nothing like true Parlor cars. I believe some of the Capitol trains between Sacramento and the bay area offer similar business class, I personally have not tried that route. The San Joaquins at one time offered a similar service but it is no longer available.  

Via Rail Canada offers so called Parlor seating on trains in the Quebec City - Windsor corridor but here again they are really more like business class.

I have no idea if any of the midwestern routes provide similar services.

Maybe if more of this type service was offered on more routes it might bring back riders who otherwise are not interested in the train. 

At one time I had occasion to avail myself of Club car service on the CN frequently between Montreal and Toronto and TurboClub on the Turbo as it was called and found both to be superb. The Caterer for CN was CARA who at the time prepared Air Canadas onboard food which was superior to about ninety percent of the North American Airline food at that time.  

[daveklepper]

Metroliner parlor more like business class or more like Strassburg parlor?

[IRONROOSTER]

Business class on Amtrak is nicer than coach, but it is not even close to the parlor car I rode on, on the Strasburg railroad.  Same for the Metroliner I rode in the 80's.

Enjoy

Paul 

[daveklepper]

Don't some Amtrak trains have "business class" which is essentially the same idea?  In the Northeast corridor, don't Acela trains have this class in separate cars with larger seats and car attendents?  The Metroliners had it.  Also, I believe the LIRR offers something like this on Friday evening summer trains to the Hamptons and Montauk (maybe down to just one train).

Most tourist trains advertise some kind of extra deluxe package with a special car.  Then there are the longer-time tourist operations that are all super-delux and charge accordingly.

Some people on long distance trains that have only two classes of service, coach and sleeper, book sleeper space for privacy on daytime-only trips.

Other than that, it is a question of what the market is and what is the cost to provide the service.  Our elected representatives would certainly frown on coach passengers subsidizing the luxury of a few paying a slightly higher price!

[al-in-chgo]

on the question?