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On a Long Train Trip, Rare Pleasures Return

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[quote user="Murray"] From the New York Times: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/13/business/pleasures-return-on-a-long-train-trip.html?ref=businesstravel">http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/13/business/pleasures-return-on-a-long-train-trip.html?ref=businesstravel</a> <div style="clear:both;"></div> [/quote] This is a good article.  But it does not tell the whole story.   The same trip on January 15th would cost $420.  The cost of the rail transport would be $127 and the room charge would be $293.  Back out $40 for the fair market value of the meals, and the cost of the room would be $253. This is for an accommodation that is slightly larger than a broom closet.  A comparable room at the Sheraton in Baltimore, as an example, would cost approximately $160. This includes all taxes. It would be more in New York or Washington, but Baltimore is probably a good comparative market for the east coast as a whole. Also overlooked is the fact that the fare, including the room charge, did not cover Amtrak's cost of carrying the passenger over the distance of the journey waxed about.  The subsidy would be $277.88, based on FY10 numbers. Due to accounting changes, Amtrak is yet to report the numbers for FY11, which ended on September 30, 2011. And this is before interest, depreciation, and miscellaneous charges, although these would be minimal for the portion of the trip south of Washington.   If the cost of the taxpayer subsidy were added to the ticket price, it would be approximately $698.  Add on another 10 per cent for depreciation, interest, etc., and the ticket price, sans subsidies, would be $767.  Not many Americans could or would pay the total tab if they were billed the true costs of traveling by Amtrak, especially in sleeper class. But most people don't have a clue about how much the long distance trains cost or the subsidy they receive every time they ride one of them.
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