Passenger Trains > Starlight no longer has the Arcade car

The game arcade service on the starlght has been removed.

At recent RaiPac meeting in Sacramento, Brian Rosenwald, advised they were looking at adding a "Business Class" section to one coach on the Starlight. So looks like the cars go to shops to remove the game machines and have
seats reinstalled.

So does a lower level become a "Business" class.?

Probably outdated nowadays. So many kids have Ipods and other handheld game devices that they don't see the need to feed a machine. Unless Amtrak could have an Xbox360 or PS3 hooked up down there with a high speed internet connection for MMA play! That would bring them in for sure!

Yay!!! They were a failure the day they went in service (literally---I was there).

The main complaints were:

1) Tokens only, and the token machine broke a lot (and there was a sign on the front that basically said "It ain't our problem--call the token machine company")

2) The games were not very modern

3) I never saw all games up and running at the same time. At least one game was always out of order

4) As mentioned above, most kids have much better games on their iPod, iPad, or iPhone. Or, they have a portable game player that they bring with them.

Biz class might work---I'll have to ponder that some more. I guess if it were a mini "board room" for rental, would that work? Hmm, probably not on this route. Besides, if they did that, we all know what would happen with the board room---it would become a secondary location for luggage, dirty laundry bags, supplies, and other crap.

Could be that "Business" on the Starlight would be for a upgraded service for those wanting to get away from the long haul bus folks.

I think a premium fare coach with access to the parlor car could be a nice addition on the southern part of the run. Capture non-price sensitive leisure business looking for a relaxing day trip on the coast line.

Dave

I think Business Class should mean 2 + 1 seating. Is that the case here ? (I doubt it).

This is simply a return to the past. The Coast Daylight had a parlor car, until the end, I think.

There should really be three classes of service on the trains:

*Sleeping Class - High fares
Access to the dining car (meals included) and Pacific Parlor Car and/or Sightseer Lounge/Cross Country Cafe.

---Separated by the Dining Car

*Coach First Class - Intermediate fares
Complimentary blankets and pillows, access the dining car (pay for meals) and access to the Sightseer Lounge/Cross Country Cafe

---Separated by a newly re-designed Cross Country Cafe/Sightseer Lounge with the cafe service area upstairs and built wall to wall which blocks passage between the two classes of coach, but service windows on both sides to serve both classes. Majority of lounge seating will be on the First Class Coach side.

*Coach (Steerage) - Low fares
Bare bones minimum travel - coach seat only. Access to purchase food at the Cross Country Cafe window.

I'm all for business class. It works very well on the Pacific Surfliners. For that matter I'd like to see it on the San Joaquins as well.
My two cents.

Have fun, be safe,
Bruce "Doc" Jones
Sierra Madre CA

The Starlight already has business class called the sleepers. Put conventional seats back in the cars and add it to the inventory. There are usually unsold sleeper space during the day run sections as the overnight accommodations tend to fill up between the bay area north to Portland.

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

webmaster Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Starlight already has business class called
> the sleepers. Put conventional seats back in the
> cars and add it to the inventory. There are
> usually unsold sleeper space during the day run
> sections as the overnight accommodations tend to
> fill up between the bay area north to Portland.


I though that was first class. And Not business class.

Jerry Martin
Los Angeles, CA
Central Coast Railroad Festival

The Parlor Car is full with passengers from the three sleepers that are on this train.

Business class would be nice for perhaps the "day-time" long hauls, with ticket price including meals in the diner.....If Amtrak can spare a modified Superliner car that had perhaps 2-1 seating, 2-2 seating and then perhaps a mini lounge area (perhaps in the rear of the car), that would then make it an interesting service as well.

jp1822 Wrote:
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> The Parlor Car is full with passengers from the
> three sleepers that are on this train.

Amen. Hard to find seats in there on a good day, but when one of the sleepers has air conditioning failure like on a recent trip, that car is the only place to go. I can't imagine that Amtrak would actually think that they can accommodate more people with access to the Parlour car. Oh, wait, yes I can.

Hi Everyone especially mundo and Coast Starlight 99:

I didn't know the Arcade cars still existed.

ken15

Posted from Android

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Parlor Car is full with passengers from the
> three sleepers that are on this train.
>
> Business class would be nice for perhaps the
> "day-time" long hauls, with ticket price including
> meals in the diner.....If Amtrak can spare a
> modified Superliner car that had perhaps 2-1
> seating, 2-2 seating and then perhaps a mini
> lounge area (perhaps in the rear of the car), that
> would then make it an interesting service as well.

I though maybe instead of that. Get Use a Cross Country
Cafe for the Lounge. Something like what is used on the
Auto Train.

Jerry Martin
Los Angeles, CA
Central Coast Railroad Festival

After a long day at Boston a few years ago we took #67 to WAS and chose business class. There are no sleepers on #67. The wider, roomy seats were great. On the Coast Starlight they would be nice for passengers traveling into the night but not riding all night, say until 1:30A.M.

John

Business Class on the Starlight is a test as to interest etc.

It will have 12 seats.

Allow Amtrak to test the water and increase revenue.

Too many on here, bitch about what Amtrak does and does not.

On one of the Tehachapi detour trips, I saw the Arcade Car. The games looked off-brand (not well known) and one or two of the machines were down.