The FY 2012 buget request for AMTRAK includes the purchase of 40 additional ACELA cars for 130 additional seats for each train set.. At present most peak travel ACELA trains sell out. AMTRAK certainly wants to get more of that demand. A note in the AMTRAK news release says they would need to modify service faclities in BOS, NYC, & WASH. It is disappointing that future lengthening was not planned for initially when ACELAs were first put out for bids. It may be that lengthened service buildings will be easily added to or then again???
Now the big question. Can AMTRAK get the funding?? IMHO I have my doubts.
Can they show an ROI? If so, they should be able to round up private money. Given how Acela does in general, it's hard for me to believe the additional cars wouldn't have a good ROI.
Can they show a good benefit/cost ratio? If so, why wasn't it in the press release?
If they are worth investing in, then SHOW IT! It would take at least some of the steam out of the critics.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
oltmannd Can they show an ROI? If so, they should be able to round up private money. Given how Acela does in general, it's hard for me to believe the additional cars wouldn't have a good ROI. Can they show a good benefit/cost ratio? If so, why wasn't it in the press release? If they are worth investing in, then SHOW IT! It would take at least some of the steam out of the critics.
But Don: How can you change the mind set that is over 40 years in the making. Probably no one at AMTRAK even though about showing a good ROI as a reason to add seats without adding anything but minimal additional operating costs (Same # of trains, crew)(just a little more electric power, 1 train attendant, some maintenance, computer ticket costs). It takes person like you to point that out. Even NARP has not put forward that idea.
I'm surprised they didn't order baggage cars for Acela.....
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