What Amtrak should aspire to

[Green Maned Lion]

The problem is, far too many things are "for show". LETS SAVE THE TAX PAYERS A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR! WE'RE YOUR GOVERNMENT! WE'RE HELPING YOU! RE ELECT ME!

$6 a year for a major system, lets cut that, but leave god knows how many alphabet soup dinosaurs that stopped having a purpose decades ago because they aren't visible.

 

[Konrad]

Check out the virtual tours of their passenger cars in the column on the right side of the page:Indian Pacific Onboard Services

The Indian Pacific's fares seem fairly close to what Amtrak charges. For example, a 3-night trip in a Red Kangaroo sleeper costs about $2400 US for two people. It's equivalent in space to an Amtrak Roomette, which from what I've seen costs about $800 per 24 hours or so (more or less, I know, depending on the route, buckets, etc.). If I could plan a "dream trip" to Australia & splurge on Gold Kangaroo service, it looks like I could get much nicer accommodations than are available on Amtrak, for roughly the same price.

I don't have a remote understanding of Australia's funding system for trains, but from a consumer standpoint it's very appealing. I'm going to have to read up on Australia's system for sure.

Sorry to disappoint but I've travelled on the Indian-Pacific a few times and I could not recommend Red Kangaroo service (not that I use it!). The roomettes are tiny and very cramped with the upper berth lowered and food service is provided in a 'Laminex Palace' where all (substandard) food must be purchased at whatever the company charges. The diner is also the lounge for the coach passengers.

Better to pay up for Gold Kangaroo and eat meals that are legendary and included in the fare (oddly, catered by Qantas - it ain't what they're serving in my part of the plane). The sleepers have their own bathrooms (and I do mean bathrooms - shower and toilet), the lounge is luxurious and the dining car is similarly decorated in a sort of art deco style.

But, and it's a big but, the fare compared to Amtrak is almost double the price. I like Amtrak but the food is pretty ordinary and the decor is sterile.

Anyone taking the Indian-Pacific should splash out for the Gold Kangaroo fare - Red Kangaroo is populated by backpackers and, remember, it's a very long way between stops - food options are the cafeteria or nothing.

 

[jackal]

Check out the virtual tours of their passenger cars in the column on the right side of the page:Indian Pacific Onboard Services

The Indian Pacific's fares seem fairly close to what Amtrak charges. For example, a 3-night trip in a Red Kangaroo sleeper costs about $2400 US for two people. It's equivalent in space to an Amtrak Roomette, which from what I've seen costs about $800 per 24 hours or so (more or less, I know, depending on the route, buckets, etc.). If I could plan a "dream trip" to Australia & splurge on Gold Kangaroo service, it looks like I could get much nicer accommodations than are available on Amtrak, for roughly the same price.

I don't have a remote understanding of Australia's funding system for trains, but from a consumer standpoint it's very appealing. I'm going to have to read up on Australia's system for sure.

Sorry to disappoint but I've travelled on the Indian-Pacific a few times and I could not recommend Red Kangaroo service (not that I use it!). The roomettes are tiny and very cramped with the upper berth lowered and food service is provided in a 'Laminex Palace' where all (substandard) food must be purchased at whatever the company charges. The diner is also the lounge for the coach passengers.

Better to pay up for Gold Kangaroo and eat meals that are legendary and included in the fare (oddly, catered by Qantas - it ain't what they're serving in my part of the plane). The sleepers have their own bathrooms (and I do mean bathrooms - shower and toilet), the lounge is luxurious and the dining car is similarly decorated in a sort of art deco style.

But, and it's a big but, the fare compared to Amtrak is almost double the price. I like Amtrak but the food is pretty ordinary and the decor is sterile.

Anyone taking the Indian-Pacific should splash out for the Gold Kangaroo fare - Red Kangaroo is populated by backpackers and, remember, it's a very long way between stops - food options are the cafeteria or nothing.

Ouch! On my budget (or lack thereof), I'm considering going coach. But if Red Kangaroo is as bad as you're saying, I'm not sure I could fathom just regular coach class.

I'd definitely like to try Gold Kangaroo simply for the experience, but it's just too much money for me at this point...I think. The online pricing system is confusing--there will be two of us, so what would the approximate cost difference be from Adelaide-Perth (most likely, though we might go from Sydney, too)? Are we talking a factor of 3 or 10?

 

[TVRM610]

But, and it's a big but, the fare compared to Amtrak is almost double the price. I like Amtrak but the food is pretty ordinary and the decor is sterile.

So you get what you pay for in this case. I personally will take ordinary food and sterile (although amtrak is starting to slowly get away from this part) decor anyday for a price I can afford. What are people really paying for? Yes extra touches are nice, but give me the basics for an affordable price and I will be happy.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

The refurbed Superliner 1 sleepers aren't sterile. The Supeliner IIs and Viewliners definitely are.

 

[TVRM610]

The refurbed Superliner 1 sleepers aren't sterile. The Supeliner IIs and Viewliners definitely are.

Yea... the refurbed cars are very very nice. If you can make the vestibule area of the superliners look that nice (with the faux wood panels and posters) you should get some kind of prize. The whole car looks amazing.

Likewise the newer single level diner cars (with the olive green seats) are quite nice as well, far from sterile.

 

[AlanB]

Likewise the newer single level diner cars (with the olive green seats) are quite nice as well, far from sterile.

What new single level dining cars? Amtrak has only had one new single level dining car in its entire existance, and that was the Viewliner prototype diner that didn't last for very long at all.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I think he means the ticomosa upgraded heritage cars... although they don't have green seats. Don't the Talgos have diner cars?

 

[TVRM610]

Yes, I meant new(er) refurbished single level cars. The cars themselves are the heritage series. I thought it was olive green seats, but it could be kinda khaki color, I could swear they were green though. Either way they are actual cloth seats versus the vinyl that you usually find. There are several out there though. They have the amtrak posters hanging in the hall. A counter (which is never used as designed but such is amtrak) and a kinda star-sky ceiling with pin-point lights.

I remember that viewliner Diner.. it was on the crescent years ago. It was nice.

 

[AlanB]

Yes, I meant new(er) refurbished single level cars. The cars themselves are the heritage series. I thought it was olive green seats, but it could be kinda khaki color, I could swear they were green though. Either way they are actual cloth seats versus the vinyl that you usually find. There are several out there though. They have the amtrak posters hanging in the hall. A counter (which is never used as designed but such is amtrak) and a kinda star-sky ceiling with pin-point lights.

Yes, that would be the Timoinsa rebuilds. I just wanted to be sure, since there are no "new" cars.

I remember that viewliner Diner.. it was on the crescent years ago. It was nice.

Nice for the passengers, horrible to work for the crew. And I understand fixing things that broke wasn't easy either.

 

[TVRM610]

I remember that viewliner Diner.. it was on the crescent years ago. It was nice.

Nice for the passengers, horrible to work for the crew. And I understand fixing things that broke wasn't easy either.

Why was it bad for the crew? Just weird layout in the kitchen or something? Or just the fact that things were breaking alot?

Even though that particular car wasn't good to work in for whatever reason, it sure would have been nice if Amtrak could have gotten several (well-designed) Viewliner Diners out of that shop before they closed.

 

[AlanB]

I remember that viewliner Diner.. it was on the crescent years ago. It was nice.

Nice for the passengers, horrible to work for the crew. And I understand fixing things that broke wasn't easy either.

Why was it bad for the crew? Just weird layout in the kitchen or something? Or just the fact that things were breaking alot?

My understanding is that the layout was terrible, waiters having to walk past the cook to get simple things that should have been handy to them. Things that the cook needed were laid out poorly, so they had to walk extra miles to do their job. I once heard one person suggest that who ever laid out the kitchen in that car had never worked in a diner in their life, much less a rolling one.