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Amtrak market push

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Amtrak market push
Posted by aegrotatio on Friday, February 27, 2009 1:23 PM

Today I started hearing Amtrak commercials on the radio.  These are not the usual Acela advertisements.  They were all about cross-country travel, sleeper cars, fine dining, scenery, relaxing, and getting away from it all.

 Reminds me of the 800-USA-RAIL campaigns from the 1980s.

 

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Posted by Awesome! on Friday, February 27, 2009 6:42 PM

aegrotatio

Today I started hearing Amtrak commercials on the radio.  These are not the usual Acela advertisements.  They were all about cross-country travel, sleeper cars, fine dining, scenery, relaxing, and getting away from it all.

 Reminds me of the 800-USA-RAIL campaigns from the 1980s.

 

I thought they were short of passergers cars?

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Posted by al-in-chgo on Saturday, February 28, 2009 8:20 PM

Ahh, but they can compensate for shortage of sleeping cars by jacking up the price until only people of substantial means can afford them.  And defiitely, yes, they could use more coaches, at least on the NEC.  Perhaps some older Amfleet-type cars can be prepared for service, now that Amtrak has a little more money:  there has been a lot of discussion about that recently right here in Gen. Disc. and also in Passenger.

al-in-chgo
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Posted by oltmannd on Saturday, February 28, 2009 9:21 PM

This is a SLOWWWW time of year for travel.  I'm sure there's all kinds of space on just about every train.

-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/

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Posted by henry6 on Sunday, March 1, 2009 10:34 AM

Lets face it.  Amtrak is very popular right now.  Getting a lot of good press and political exposure.  Support coming from politicians, highway lobbyists, railroads and railroaders, and railfans.  Good time to put forth and maintain the best mind awareness of what it is and what it can and has to do, for now and the future needs (read money, projects, maintenance, service enhancements and new routes, new (and maybe even broader) agreements with railroads,  and public support and understanding just to name a few reasons.  Of course there are empty seats now, future seats to be filled at the best price, and a need to have a good marketing plan in effect and working.

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