This also brings up a somewhat related topic I've had on my mind. For those of us who don't have a great deal of disposable income very far in advance, and who also do not "do" credit cards, either due to not being able to get one because of bad credit, or just basically not wanting to get into that racket (which is the case with me), it makes it very hard to book anything more expensive than a short trip in coach very far in advance with Amtrak. When using a debit card, you obviously must have the full amount in your bank account at the time you book the tickets, since it comes out immediately. Rather than following the airline model as it has been pointed out that they do, I really wish Amtrak would do like the great majority of hotels, and let you make a reservation without charging the card until a certain time on the day of the reservation/if you are a no-show. I think this would increase bookings, even if they would just do it for sleeper accomodations. This could also be done for a surcharge if necessary. (In other words lower price if you pay immediately, as opposed to not being charged until the day of the reservation - something else most hotels offer when booking.) Of course I'm sure they look at it like if they did that they'd lose out if someone cancelled - but hotels can manage this though, so I'm not totally sure why Amtrak can't. And they let sleepers go at lower buckets at the last minute (as in onboard upgrades) if there are any left anyway. I think the thing is, the assumption today is that EVERYONE has credit cards, and "too bad, so sad" if you don't. This is why big box stores have done away with layaway, too. Leaves you in a situation of having to save up for a long time to get what you want, which really is not generally a bad thing at all. But, in terms of Amtrak, sometimes by the time you have the money saved up, the buckets have went way up from where they would have been if you could have booked when those using a credit card were able to do so.
