I'd like to see, JUST ONCE, Amtrak "experiment" in the OTHER direction. That is, Charge a little premium, or a lot, and provide Pax with all, well, at least "many" of the amenities that they once had. Fresh cooked food, china, linen, chocolates at turn-down, yada, yada, yada. It's hard to believe, that with almost 100% of the passengers pre-reserved, they couldn't pull a staffer from the extra board to accommodate this. Of course the china, linen, etc, would have to limited to one train, but I'd love to read the reviews THOSE pax might write......... SHM
Isn't that called the Coast Starlight? They still have China, glassware, linen table cloths (without butcher paper). Fresh fruit in the sleepers. Enhanced entrees in the parlour car (organic entree salad at lunch, lamb shank at dinner).
I'm not sure I'd call the CS a "test" as much as hold-over from when they had a kick-ass route manager, and some latitude to do things differently. Plus, nowhere else, on any LD, will you have the opportunity to have a First Class, (or I guess we'd have to call it "Sleeper Only") lounge, except maybe the AT, but who know how THAT will shake out........
"YES" it cost a
lot to travel sleeper class on Amtrak in LD now, especially during peak periods. But I am among the, I think, growing number of passengers who are
not willing to shell out the
big bucks, just for a space to sleep horizontally. (Meaning, no amenities, reduced service, re-heated food served on plastic, etc., etc.)
I am sticking with my mantra, "If I
pay first class prices, I
expect first class treatment and service". WTH is wrong with that? Maybe nothing, but none of the Amtrak LD trains are on the list of trains I want to experience, maybe because I've been on every one, at least a few times. My thinking now is, "I'd rather travel less, at a higher cost, but at a much higher level of service."
IRT here I come.......
I loved the CONO when it was run right, short overnight, two great cities, and had the amenities of a full diner, and lounge that was never, usually, too packed. Now,
SWA all the time baby,
SWA all the time....