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Auto Train Adds More Coach Seats

21 Mar 2014 7:39 PM | Jackson McQuigg (Administrator)
From Amtrak:


--Jackson McQuigg

Comments

  • 23 Mar 2014 2:08 AM | Anonymous
    Unfortunately, the additional coach seating came at the expense of cutting the lounge car service for sleeper car passengers. I joined a FB site, The Amtrak Lounge, and there was a discussion on it. One person who in the group who actually works on the trains, said that the lounge car was probably dropped due to an HEP limit. I suggested that Amtrak could have compromised on this, as the contract with California is about to expire on the Superliner I coaches that have a small snack bar on the lower level. this way the Sleeper car passengers could have kept their lounge car, and the snack bar area for coach passengers could have been covered by the lower level cafe space on the Superliner I coaches from California; that lease will terminate when the new bi-level corridor cars go into service out there.
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    • 23 Mar 2014 11:23 AM | Jackson McQuigg (Administrator)
      Your comments are on point, Steve. However, Amtrak has publicly stated their desire to cut food and beverage losses in response to criticism from Congress and eliminating the loss-making lounge and replacing it with a coach is an effort to replace a customer amenity with new revenue. Will it work or backfire? We'll soon find out.
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      • 05 Apr 2014 7:34 PM | Anonymous
        If the criticism is coming from congress, not Amtrak's passengers, I'll hedge a good bet cutting food service will backfire on them. What's next? End of complimentary dining car meals for sleeper passengers?
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