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On the Lake Shore Limited from Chicago to New York on November 7th the rail fare is $97. A Viewliner roomette costs $333 and a bedroom costs $934. Comparatively a room at the Hotel Roosevelt would cost $299 whilst a room at the Hotel Pennsylvania would cost $199 per night.  These are moderately priced mid-town hotels.  According to the IG's 2005 report on long distance trains, if I remember correctly, the subsidy for sleeping car passengers was greater than for coach passengers. Whether that is still true, given the dramatic run-up in sleeping accommodation charges, is unknown.   Approximately 2.2 per cent of Amtrak's system passengers and 14.7% of the long distance train passengers book a sleeper. The cost is out of reach for most Americans and probably most overseas travelers. Without the coach passengers there would be no long distance trains.  There are not enough rich people riding trains to justify an all sleeping car consist, ala Broadway Limited, Twentieth Century Limited, etc. in a bygone era.   Sleeping car accommodations are possible only because of the commoners in the coaches and the vast majority of Americans who don't ride trains.  Moreover, sleeping car passengers have their meals subsidized by the taxpayers as per previous discussions. What is the justification for a government owned and taxpayer supported railroad catering to a small group of elites, i.e. sleeping car passengers?
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