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[quote user="blue streak 1"]   <blockquote> <div><img src="/TRCCS/Themes/trc/images/icon-quote.gif" /> Sam1:</div> <div>     <blockquote> Do the numbers!  They can be found in Amtrak's Monthly Operating Reports.  If you think that I am not reporting accurately, then tell me the source of your numbers or show me why my numbers are incorrect.  Your just presenting isolated, subjective analysis in most instances.   The key takaway from my argument is that Amtrak should not be buying any long distance equipment.  Long distance trains are an anchorism.  They need to go the way of the horse and buggy.   </blockquote>   <div style="clear:both;"></div>   </div> </blockquote>   Sam.  will you agree that September is usually a time when fewer persons use all public transportation? Just checked Amtrak reservations.  For the next 9 days including today almost all crescent trains sleeper accomodations sold out. Cardinal sleepers sold out except Sa and Su. So equipment is needed to move both ways. A cite in Sept for the Downeaster is again looking at a slower travel time. I would expect that those trains are not booked until a few days before a person will travel? [/quote] Most businesses have peaks and valleys in their business cycle.  The key question for Amtrak is how many spills overs are there for a service, i.e. sleeping car space?  What are the incremental costs and revenues of adding capacity?  How frequently will the additional capacity be used?   How many could not get sleeper space on the Crescent?  Is it one or two?  If that is the case, adding additional equipment would not be cost effective, i.e. the incremental revenues would not justify the incremental costs.  On the other hand, if the spill over is half the space of a sleeper, then adding another car may be worth while, although given the subsidies required for sleeping car passengers, it does not matter how much the incremental revenues increase.  As the IG noted in his report, the probability of being able to cover the cost of the sleeping cars and dinning cars is low.   Another point is over how many segments is the sleeper sold out?  For example, if all the segments for the Texas Eagle sleeper is sold out on a consistent basis from San Antonio to Chicago, adding another car may be worth it.  But if it is only sold out between Poplar Bluff and St Louis, that is another story.  This is an operations research problem.  Unless Amtrak releases this information, none of the folks who post to these forums will know the business need for additional sleeping cars.   I should say that I enjoy trading ideas and challenges on Train's forums.  I like being a contrarian; it is part of my nature.  But I don't take myself as seriously as some other people apparently do.  At the end of the day, Amtrak management, with the support of the politicians, will do whatever they want.      Amtrak will muddle through unless the United States craters financially.  The long distance trains will keep running and they will continue to look much like the trains in the 1950s, i.e. coaches, dinners, lounge cars, and sleepers.  And as long as I am able, I will be on them.
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