Amtrak's wine tasting under fire

[Ryan]

And I've paid for lots of crap that I've never used and never would want my money to go towards.

Welcome to living in a modern society.

These people **** me off.

 

[JoeBas]

And here I am working like a slave to keep John Mica in $9 paperclips.

OUTRAGE!!!

 

[Nathanael]

If memory serves, sleeper fares are about the same, adjusted for inflation.

Your memory does not serve. On some eastern trains, Prices are much much higher, adjusted for inflation. On some mountain state trains, they're lower.
On Auto Train the food is included to avoid cash handling. Apparently a startling amount of staff time is spent on cash handling on trains like the LSL. Everyone on Auto Train has to eat anyway, simpler to include it with the ticket. You can question whether Auto Train should run at all, but if it does this is the most efficient way to run it.

 

[Ryan]

If memory serves, sleeper fares are about the same, adjusted for inflation.

Your memory does not serve. On some eastern trains, Prices are much much higher, adjusted for inflation.

You're going to have to show some numbers for that, my memory matches Paulus's.

Edit: This thread supports that idea: http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/44949-fares-then-and-now/

 

[PRR 60]

I believe the free meals and wine on for all passengers on the Auto Train is a continuation of the service provided by the private Auto Train service prior to Amtrak taking it over. When Amtrak took over the service after the Auto Train company went bankrupt, they did not want to be perceived as degrading what was a very popular service and continued the prior service levels.

 

[Ispolkom]

If memory serves, sleeper fares are about the same, adjusted for inflation.

Your memory does not serve. On some eastern trains, Prices are much much higher, adjusted for inflation.

You're going to have to show some numbers for that, my memory matches Paulus's.

Edit: This thread supports that idea: http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/44949-fares-then-and-now/

Let's do apples-to-apples: Chicago-Washington on the Capitol Limited cost $70.32 in 1963, which one inflation calculator equates to $520.34. The same trip today (one person in a roomette) is $370 on a randomly picked day in April. Of course, now you also get three meals in the diner. Memory is served!

(Edited to correct calculating error)