Passenger Trains > L.A. based Amtrak Certified Private Cars for sale

While perusing the Ozark Mountain railcar website I noticed that along with many cars on consignment, there are three Los Angeles based Amtrak Certified private cars listed for sale.  The Acoma lounge and America business car are new listings; along with a major price reduction on the Salisbury Beach sleeper.  Is there an underlying reason for the listings and price reduction; possibly due to rising operational costs; an increase in Amtrak fees or restrictions on car maintenance in Los Angeles?  Maybe it's just three personal reasons unique to each owner and a coincidence. Any ideas? 

I understand the owner of Salisbury Beach passed away last year and the car has been for sales since then.

Dave

The owner of the America also passed away.  Not sure why the Acoma is for sale it has made several trips recently.

The Acoma is for sale for a $635,000 asking price...

Seth-

The fact that all three are located in Los Angeles is a coincidence.  Given that more private cars are based in Los Angeles than any other major Amtrak city (not counting Iowa Pacific cars), you would probably expect this statistically.

Recent changes in the charges for private cars have made operating them much more difficult.  Rent at the "Garden" in Union Station is now is about $1335 a month.  The per mile charge is now $2.85 per mile, and all the Amtrak rates are increasing tied to a nebulous "cost index".  Hopefully somerone at Amtrak will purchase an economics textbook amd read about fixed and variable costing models.  Huge recent increases in private car fees have resulted in a decline in private car use in Los Angeles.

TIOGA PASS 

Norman Orfall
Helendale, CA
TIOGA PASS, a private railcar

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aronco Wrote:
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> The per mile charge is now
> $2.85 per mile, and all the Amtrak rates are
> increasing tied to a nebulous "cost index".
>  Hopefully somerone at Amtrak will purchase an
> economics textbook amd read about fixed and
> variable costing models.

Too sensible. Instead they hired a new 'cost' manager, Ben Dover . . . 

$1800 switching fees at sparks

sethamtrak Wrote:
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> The Acoma is for sale for a $635,000 asking
> price...
>
> Seth-

​A mere pittance, LOL!
 

Hopefully our new Amtrak president will have the insight to see that private car movements are profitable and a stark contrast to other operating costs.  Thanks for your input.

The Asst. Cost Manager is C. Howett Fields... 

Our new Amtrak president is himself a PV owner.

d500 Wrote:
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> Hopefully our new Amtrak president will have the
> insight to see that private car movements are
> profitable and a stark contrast to other operating
> costs.  Thanks for your input.

dan Wrote:
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> $1800 switching fees at sparks

Does Amtrak have a switching crew at Sparks?  Or is this what UP charges for the switching, and Amtrak passes it along to the PV owner?

No Amtrak crew at Sparks. In fact, it is not a station stop.
UP handles switching.



knotch8 Wrote:
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> dan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > $1800 switching fees at sparks
>
> Does Amtrak have a switching crew at Sparks?  Or
> is this what UP charges for the switching, and
> Amtrak passes it along to the PV owner?

So does that mean that UP charges for the switching at Sparks, and Amtrak simply passes that cost along to the private car owner?

stash Wrote:
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> No Amtrak crew at Sparks. In fact, it is not a
> station stop.
> UP handles switching.

Doesn't Amtrak handle the switching with the road crew and power? That's the way it's done at Denver (for instance).  The only difference would be that a UP owned track is used rather than a station track.