I agree with you, Don. Amtrak isin the transportation business and not in the food service business. I can see a lot of benefits to contracting it out. Even Congressman John Mica might find something about Amtrak to agree with then.
CMStPnP Slightly off topic but.... You know what I found interesting is Amtrak is again selling snack items via push cart on the Chicago to Milwaukee trains. At least they were at Christmas time. I thought food service was a money loser but apparently not for this route. Curious why they are doing this on only a 85 mile run?
Slightly off topic but....
You know what I found interesting is Amtrak is again selling snack items via push cart on the Chicago to Milwaukee trains. At least they were at Christmas time. I thought food service was a money loser but apparently not for this route. Curious why they are doing this on only a 85 mile run?
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
oltmannd blue streak 16. Loco / motor availability 82% and passenger car availability 89% Passenger car availability of 89% seems a pretty good number for Amtrak. Argues that the fleet does not really need replacing right now, anyway. New purchases should support growth, not replacement.
blue streak 16. Loco / motor availability 82% and passenger car availability 89%
Passenger car availability of 89% seems a pretty good number for Amtrak. Argues that the fleet does not really need replacing right now, anyway. New purchases should support growth, not replacement.
Don; very good point -- 90% is AMTRAK'S stated goal. I wonder if this 89% is the result of the ARRA funds enabling AMTRAK to take care of all the deferred maintenance of the cars ? Maybe finally congress starving AMTRAK of funds needed for regular maintenance has been resolved ? One has to wonder if in the future the maintenance problem will once again rear its ugly head ?
No one has come up with even how much our spartan LD trains will fill up with the new equipment ? The decrease in passengers on the SWC for lack of coaches certainly is not very encouraging.
The break even I am about 70 - 80 % sure it includes state support ? know Piedmont's is because state owns all rolling stock.
blue streak 19. Break even SD routes were Keystone, Lynchburg, Newport News, Piedmont.
Several surprizes and some expected results
1. Despite "Sandy" was best October ever. Passengers up 1/2% vs 2011 revenue up 2%. Of course the figures were well under budget anticipations as # of pass 70.000 below budget.
2. All long distance routes not affected by sandy had higher #s except Southwest chief that AMTRAK noted that SWC had a reduction of capacity in coach. ( no reason given but suspect lack of superliner coaches ? ) SWC sleeper traffic did increase.
3. AMTRAK estimated that they lost about 133,000 ( vs budget of 70,000 ) trips due to sandy and expected the decrease to continue into November.
4. AMTRAK stated that if not for sandy Oct would have been a very good month.
5. load factor was 52% an increase from 50.%
6. Loco / motor availability 82% and passenger car availability 89%
7. Capital spending for new electric motors was $33,9 M less than budget which indicates lower progress payments and consequence a delay in delivery .
8.. Capital spending for the new Viewliner cars was also $ 8.9 M less than budget so also a delay.
9. Break even SD routes were Keystone, Lynchburg, Newport News, Piedmont.
10. Most delays came at hands of CP & CN . CP's delays Adirondack and Ethan Allen ( note; VTR is no longer delaying the Allen. NS's delays on Blue Water were as bad as CP & CN but otherwise were good.
11.. BBrRR no longer the worst but still not good probably due to decrease in CSX's coal traffic ?
12. Least delays were BNSY, NS, UP which were all almost the same. If UP could get the Texas Eagle running correctly they would have easily outdistanced BNSF & NS.
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