Went racing last weekend at Savannah, GA. Stayed at a Sleep Inn.
In the past they would have a 'breakfast bar' and maid service cleaning the room.
NaDa. When I went to the track Saturday morning - No Breakfast Bar. When I returned Saturday evening - the bed was in the same condition I left it.
I really feel the the room rate should be lowered account of the curtailment in services provided by the facility - I am sure they have reduced their employment 'footprint' along with the reduction in service.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
There could be a demand for more persons who have not recovered from Covid-19 to travel on Amtrak. The main item is the long term damage to lungs. It may be that these persons will not be able to survive the high cabin altitudes of airplanes. they can expect 6000 - 8500 feet cabin altitudes depending on flight levels flown.
since the sunset / Eagle trains cross the divide the lowest altitude at about 4000 feet (nar El Paso) that could be a big boost for traveling that route to / from the west coast ? The east coast for trains do not exceed what altitude ? Anyone know ?
https://www.unionleader.com/news/health/coronavirus/scientists-beginning-to-grasp-covid-19s-lingering-effects/article_b13b8528-7e2e-5730-a105-47d1403cf2f3.html
Update summary on vaccines:
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/27/tracking-the-hunt-for-coronavirus-drugs-and-vaccines-211416
CMStPnPHe stated he wants to see an elimination of "seats" on some consists of the LD trains (no idea what that means, does that mean LD Coaches?)
Otherwise it probably means what you say: running only enough cars on a given train for projected demand. A problem I have with this is that there is increasingly little 'mechanism' for those without Internet access and the right kind of checking account/credit card to board or ride these trains ... and I suspect a relatively large number of prospective LD coach riders may be in that category. We had the spectacle of someone who was apparently summarily put off an Amtrak train because there were something like 40+ people with confirmed reservations waiting to board -- try as I might I can't find the supposed story either from Amtrak or supposedly objective media. Look for more 'poor optics' if the number of seats and safe standees (if indeed there is such a thing) when "demand consisting" is implemented.
In my opinion it is nonsense to provide LD service without sleeping accommodations -- in fact I think there should be more types, perhaps even including hostel-style racked bunks or berths. There might be more of a rationale for Motel 6 level subsidy than 'luxury' sleepers; there might be still more for business-class 'pods' both in initial provision and marginal cost of maintenance and stocking provided business improves as a consequence. (Note that an ideal time to retrack a car for pods is when the 6' separation for searing of any kind becomes a mandate...)
An article in Scientific American that states the desire to get back to normal has colored our rational thinking about a sucessful vaccine. Would add that we need to think about the virus that still has no vaccine. Can think of Aids, Sars, Mers, Ebola
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bad-news-about-the-pandemic-were-not-getting-back-to-normal-any-time-soon/
Overmod CMStPnP He stated he wants to see an elimination of "seats" on some consists of the LD trains (no idea what that means, does that mean LD Coaches?) Perhaps what it ought to mean is a removal of tracked seats so the effective 'seat pitch' satisfies social distancing in all directions. Otherwise it probably means what you say: running only enough cars on a given train for projected demand. A problem I have with this is that there is increasingly little 'mechanism' for those without Internet access and the right kind of checking account/credit card to board or ride these trains ... and I suspect a relatively large number of prospective LD coach riders may be in that category. We had the spectacle of someone who was apparently summarily put off an Amtrak train because there were something like 40+ people with confirmed reservations waiting to board -- try as I might I can't find the supposed story either from Amtrak or supposedly objective media. Look for more 'poor optics' if the number of seats and safe standees (if indeed there is such a thing) when "demand consisting" is implemented. In my opinion it is nonsense to provide LD service without sleeping accommodations -- in fact I think there should be more types, perhaps even including hostel-style racked bunks or berths. There might be more of a rationale for Motel 6 level subsidy than 'luxury' sleepers; there might be still more for business-class 'pods' both in initial provision and marginal cost of maintenance and stocking provided business improves as a consequence. (Note that an ideal time to retrack a car for pods is when the 6' separation for searing of any kind becomes a mandate...)
CMStPnP He stated he wants to see an elimination of "seats" on some consists of the LD trains (no idea what that means, does that mean LD Coaches?)
Perhaps what it ought to mean is a removal of tracked seats so the effective 'seat pitch' satisfies social distancing in all directions.
Amtrak is supposed to be transportation, not land cruises. The people who ride two nights in sleepers on LD trains are largely people there for some "experience" and this has no business being subsidized.
charlie hebdoThe people who ride two nights in sleepers on LD trains are largely people there for some "experience" and this has no business being subsidized.
The question is whether the 'rest of the operation' can be subsidizable if a pro-rata share of all the overhead cost isn't allocated to sleepers ... or, more directly, is the overhead of the 'opportunity transportation', the cost of running without sleeper accommodations of a given type, the correct measure to use when discussing LD trains as 'transportation'?
Certainly the 'shorter' segments that are supposed to be a key rationale of the non-sleeper service are better served with less expensive vehicles than Government-standards-compliant trains. Certainly most of the people riding more than a night are going to require better accommodation than the current excuse that much coach travel appears to be.
By extension, bringing bck PV "service" uses the same marginal test: does the revenue from hauling and handling a PV 'more than' cover Amtrak's direct cost, even by pennies? Does the direct cost of the pro rata share of things difficult to apportion, such as greater rail wear, factor into this the same as for Amtrak's equipment per axle? I certainly think it appropriate to require equivalent insurance coverage be the responsibility of the PV operator, but Amtrak's policy is 'not to ask questions' about liability but cap it at $225M ... something that might or might not count as 'subsidy' if one of the PVs causes a severe accident or its passengers suffer injury or illness of some kind ... let alone Amtrak's passengers. All this stuff quietly operated 'behind the scenes' up to recently, but in the new age of defined 'profitability' before Congress, that tired old scheme won't trot.
Succinctly stated, if there is a market for non-subsidized deluxe LD trains (doubtful) , Amtrak shouldn't be providing the service. Let private operators do so. Trouble is, most of those private land cruises failed.
What are the Amtrak trains like in the northeast corridor now? It's been many years since I've ridden one, but when I used to ride them, the rush-hour trains were absolutely packed to capacty - all seats and aisle space was occupied.
I'm guessing that has changed, due to a combination of safety regulations and decreased demand.
Shock Control What are the Amtrak trains like in the northeast corridor now?
According to Amtrak's Monthly Performance Report for September 2020, which covers FY20, system ridership was 16.8 million (rounded), down from 32 million in FY19, a decline of 47.4%.
Ridership on the NEC was 6.1 million compared to 12.3 million in FY19, a decline of 50.2%. Ridership on the state supported trains declined 47.6% while the long-distance trains saw a drop of 39.2%.
The NEC probably did not have many standing room only trains in FY20.
In FY20 the long-distance trains carried 2.7 million riders compared to 6.1 million for the NEC and 8 million for the state supported trains. Long-distance riders were approximately 16 percent of system riders, which was approximately 1 percent higher than the average for the past three years.
JPS1According to Amtrak's Monthly Performance Report for September 2020, which covers FY20, ridership on the NEC was down from 12.3 million in FY19 to 6.1 million (rounded) in FY20, a decline of 50.2%. Ridership on the state supported trains declined 47.6% while the long-distance trains saw a drop of 39.2%. System ridership was down 47.4%. In FY20 the long-distance trains carried 2.7 million riders compared to 6.1 million for the NEC and 8 million for the state supported trains. Long-distance riders were approximately 16 percent of system riders, which was approximately 1 percent higher than the average for the past three years.
Ridership on the state supported trains declined 47.6% while the long-distance trains saw a drop of 39.2%. System ridership was down 47.4%.
Thanks. I wonder how crowded the trains are. Even if ridership is down 50%, the rush-hour trains that I remember would still be pretty crowded.
Shock ControlEven if ridership is down 50%, the rush-hour trains that I remember would still be pretty crowded.
Didn't some jurisdictions ban standing entirely?
OvermodDidn't some jurisdictions ban standing entirely?
Perhaps. My experience goes back 25 to 30 years.
I heard many stories about how crowded trains were during WW-2. My mother was in Atlamta visiting her parents and teaching a music class when the Pearl Harbor attack happened. She had to take SOU rr to Chattanooga and transfer to a train to Bristol. Advertised timetable was about 12 hours but it took almost 24 hours to get home. Sabatoge was suspected at every nick and cranny. Trains were SRO and some cars were all women sitting.
As an infant I had to sit on her lap the whole way. Was told trains ran more on time once guards got posted at bridges/
Was told that I pushed suitcases all around the CHA station getting laughs from persons scared to death as to what would happen,
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