Are post Covid upscale U.S. vacations on rebuilt cars scheduled to start in 2023 traveling with Amtrak trains viable? Prices are over $1,000 per day per person (2 in a bedroom), compared to higher fares for luxury foreign trains.
[EDIT: Admin removed link to commercial site to make this post less spammy.]
At $1,000 a day I won't be riding anytime soon.
There's aren't many things I'll spend that kind of money on and a train ride isn't one of them.
If this question were posted over on Quora (as it probably has been, but I haven't had it fed to me yet) it would be flagged as spam.
Legitimate questions here would be 'what potential problems or issues might there be with a $1000/day model for luxury trains' -- and would include some of the attempts made over the years to provide such service, and explain how the new service would preclude making the same mistakes or suffering the same risks.
There have been several attempts to provide "luxury" tack-ons to Amtrak service. AAPRCO would be a logical place to contact to see the current state of attempts to get private-car service of the required caliber re-established at Amtrak.
OvermodThere have been several attempts to provide "luxury" tack-ons to Amtrak service. AAPRCO would be a logical place to contact to see the current state of attempts to get private-car service of the required caliber re-established at Amtrak.
Their going rate now is approx $10,000 a day for a private rail car charter includes crew but not catering. Most of their cars can't sleep more than 8 people so good luck on the $1000 a day figure for a sleeping compartment in one of them.
I was having him contact AAPRCO for information only, not to inquire about potential stock for use. I presumed he already had cars lined up on the general Ed Ellis model, with enough 'hospitality' to run the service for the price (and margin) he had in mind.
He can discuss the service and amenities here -- he just can't link to his Web site instead.
I'm interested in where he owns the land to park the cars when -- for whatever reason -- he can't gainfully convey passengers in them. (This being a timeless topic over on RyPN...)
We rode the VIA Rail Canadian's luxurious Prestige Class in October 2018 and the cost was not far off from $1000 per day; our itinerary was Toronto to Jasper OW. We connected with the Rocky Mountaineer's train from Banff to Vancouver in Gold Leaf service. Needless to say, this trip was a once-in-a-lifetime event and worth the expenditure. The Canadian Rockies are absolutely incredible by train and food service in the Canadian's dining car was fantastic.
The Prestige Class cars are refurbished Chateau series sleepers completely overhauled for the high-end tourism market. The regular Sleeper Plus class cars are more like Amtrak's sleepers but the food service is notches higher on board the Canadian. You must be prepared to book about a year in advance for Prestige Class accommodations. There are obviously many who are willing to fork over the cost for such a trip.
“Things of quality have no fear of time.”
Is this about "American Train Vacations"?
There was a discussion about that startup/idea not too long ago on another forum.
http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=46008
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
Warren JThe Prestige Class cars are refurbished Chateau series sleepers completely overhauled for the high-end tourism market.
Refurbished in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at a firm on the former Milwaukee Road Airline just past Miller Park Stadium heading West. A Passenger Railcar rebuilding firm that is Female owned no less.
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