Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
[quote user="oltmannd"] [quote user="V.Payne"]The other big point in the paper is if Amtrak long distance consists we're expanded to about 8-12 revenue cars...[/quote] This may be a problem.  Is there market demand for LD train service on with the existing routes and schedules?  How low would fares have to go to induce that many more riders? I think it is somewhat of an urban legend that LD trains are "always full".  The fact is the load factor for these trains runs around 55%.  That is not "always full" - it might mean that certain segments of certain routes run full during certain periods of time - but that is not "always full", or even close. Don't discount the cost side of the equation.  What happens if you get the train staff out of the revenue space?  (rotate them off like T&E guys) Automate more of the food service? Stop cooking on the train? (serve meals like a dinner train) [/quote] If I were backing the expansion of the long distance trains, I would want to see a sophisticated market study of the potential for using the expanded capacity. In FY11 the average load factor for the long distance trains was 62 per cent.  I suspect that it varies widely depending on the segments, days of the week, and the season. The Great Southern Railway in Australia has taken a different approach to Australia's major long distance trains.  For most of the year, for example, there is enough traffic to run the Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin one day a week.  But during the winter months, when Aussies head north for the warmer climate in Darwin, the train runs twice a week.   The Great Southern Railway is a stock company.  Its operations are subsidized by the federal government, but it must earn a return for its investors. Thus the flexibility of scheduling the trains in accordance with market demand.  What a novel idea!
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