Passenger Trains > Trains.com story on Amtrak holiday operations

This is a good story, and it provides a nice perspective.  I do have to give Chicago credit for getting things out on time in a heavy snow.  Amtrak's performance was probably as good, maybe better, than the airlines.  

Sometimes I need perspective, and Trains provided it.

https://www.trains.com/pro/passenger/intercity/amtrak-weathers-midwest-storm-experiences-few-holiday-weekend-disruptions-nationally/

A nice puff piece to ensure continued access by Trains authors to cab rides and other "behind the scenes" action.

No extra trains, no extra cars, no leased equipment.  No extra work for amtrak.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/25 06:44 by Englewood.

A walk down memory lane with the Dec. 1981 issue of Rail Travel News
Pages 9 and 10 for a report on the 1980 Thanksgving consists in Chicago
RTN 235 Dec. 1981 (mailed Dec. 19) : Rail Travel News : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

1982 Thanksgiving consists on page 21 and 22
RTN 257 Dec. 1982 (mailed Dec.~ 19) : Rail Travel News : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive


 



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/25 06:41 by Englewood.

Good write up on the Holiday program  ,  the Acela train that had the fire at Providence was 2263 , not 2153 , trainset involved was # 12 .

To: Englewood

You have perfectly described the Cost-Cutting mind-set
of AmManagement over Revenue Growth.

During the busiest travel Holiday of the year--AmManagement
chooses -----"No extra trains. No extra cars. No leased equipment"

I think we all understand this by now.  If your annual bonus is base
mainly on cost cuts--well, that's what you're going to get.



 

Always enjoyed RTN  !  Getting back to 2025 :  extra trains in the 117x series  ,  longer trains = extra cars . Lots of extra work  for Amtrak . Still look through old RTN and PTJs . 1981 does not equal 2025 in the here and now .

With the reductions in staff, I wonder if Amtrak has the crews to operate many more trains? Even if they wanted to run extra trains and had crews, do they have trains?   Extra boards have been allowed to run down.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> With the reductions in staff, I wonder if Amtrak
> has the crews to operate many more trains? Even if
> they wanted to run extra trains and had crews, do
> they have trains?   Extra boards have been
> allowed to run down.

Part of the magic of the off-corridor train and engine crew takeover of the late 80's and early 90's.
No crews available for extra trains, and now for the 2000's no extra equipment.
T

ronald321 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To: Englewood
>
> You have perfectly described the Cost-Cutting
> mind-set
> of AmManagement over Revenue Growth.


I guess if you leave out the fact they charged more for the seats they provided, sure.   Charging more, in case you didn't know, increases revenue.  Also known as revenue growth.  Being able to grow revenue while reducing costs is management 101.

https://www.thetravel.com/absolutely-ridiculous-amtrak-soaring-prices-thanksgiving-routes/

Typhoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ronald321 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > To: Englewood
> >
> > You have perfectly described the Cost-Cutting
> > mind-set
> > of AmManagement over Revenue Growth.
>
>
> I guess if you leave out the fact they charged
> more for the seats they provided, sure.  
> Charging more, in case you didn't know, increases
> revenue.  Also known as revenue growth.  Being
> able to grow revenue while reducing costs is
> management 101.
>
> https://www.thetravel.com/absolutely-ridiculous-am
> trak-soaring-prices-thanksgiving-routes/


Uhhh… see the above “.com/absolutely-ridiculous-amtrak-soaring-prices-thanksgiving-routes/“

I think the jist of this is Amjoke is definitely following the Class Ones in the approach that they are eating their seed corn. The margins look great on paper, but are you growing the business? Are you laying down the seeds for increased demand for your product in the future? Can you deliver on your product today? Tomorrow? You are a Rail, you know what the Class Ones are doing. Do you think the industry is looking at long term viability or quarterly earnings for Wall Street to suck up like a vampire? Amjoke needs to get a quality product out there for a larger audience. Jacking prices up and making itself a cruise line is not the what LD’s or short trip travel is about. At least in this case.

Regards

Posted from iPhone

Drknow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Typhoon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ronald321 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > To: Englewood
> > >
> > > You have perfectly described the Cost-Cutting
> > > mind-set
> > > of AmManagement over Revenue Growth.
> >
> >
> > I guess if you leave out the fact they charged
> > more for the seats they provided, sure.  
> > Charging more, in case you didn't know,
> increases
> > revenue.  Also known as revenue growth.
>  Being
> > able to grow revenue while reducing costs is
> > management 101.
> >
> >
> https://www.thetravel.com/absolutely-ridiculous-am
>
> > trak-soaring-prices-thanksgiving-routes/
>
>
> Uhhh… see the above
> “.com/absolutely-ridiculous-amtrak-soaring-price
> s-thanksgiving-routes/“
>
> I think the jist of this is Amjoke is definitely
> following the Class Ones in the approach that they
> are eating their seed corn. The margins look great
> on paper, but are you growing the business? Are
> you laying down the seeds for increased demand for
> your product in the future? Can you deliver on
> your product today? Tomorrow? You are a Rail, you
> know what the Class Ones are doing. Do you think
> the industry is looking at long term viability or
> quarterly earnings for Wall Street to suck up like
> a vampire? Amjoke needs to get a quality product
> out there for a larger audience. Jacking prices up
> and making itself a cruise line is not the what
> LD’s or short trip travel is about. At least in
> this case.
>
> Regards
>
> Posted from iPhone

Airlines learned 20 years ago that chasing market share through low prices was a foolish business practice.  Amtrak is only about a generation late.