Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
[quote user="alphas"]Wasn't the Sunset Limited the Amtrak train that had the highest subsidy per passenger?   Something like $750 per passenger who travelede the entire route?  And the last I looked (granted it was a few years ago) there was decent bus service between New Orleans and the major cities to the east for those who didn't want to fly.  [/quote]The Sunset Limited failed to cover its variable operating expenses by 48.5 cents per passenger mile in FY 2007.  A passenger traveling from end point to end point on the Sunset in FY 2007 received a subsidy of $968 before other operating charges, e.g. interest, depreciation, unallocated charges, etc.  These charges, when allocated to the Sunset, probably added another 10 per cent to the variable operating subsidy, bringing the total to $1,064.80.  For the first six months of FY 2008 the red ink for the Sunset jumped to 54.3 cents per passenger mile.  Thus, the subsidy required to cover the end point to end point loss increased to $1,167.72.   Greyhound has one bus a day from New Orleans to Jacksonville.  It takes approximately 15 hours to complete the run.  It has two buses a day from New Orleans to Orlando.  The travel time is approximately 17 hours.Southwest Airlines has seven flights a day from New Orleans to Orlando.  It has four daily flights to Jacksonville.  Delta has one nonstop flight a day from New Orleans to Orlando.  The fare is $77.  Delta and the other carriers serving New Orleans offer another 59 flights, mostly one stops through Atlanta or Charlotte, from New Orleans to Orlando.  Equally good service is offered from New Orleans to the other major cities along the Gulf Coast served previously by the Sunset.Restoration of the Sunset from New Orleans to Orlando makes no sense.  I believe Amtrak management knows it.  This is probably the reason the Sunset Limited has not been restored between New Orleans and Orlando.   In fact, continuation of the Sunset makes no sense.
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag