Join Author Clive Cussler Aboard Amtrak
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jdwolfskill
Train Attendant
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Does anyone else but me feel this is an aaawfully tacky way to promote a book? If this guy's a best-selling author, then why does he need to hawk books on a train? In my way of looking at it, all parts of a train (except a private sleeping compartment) are confined public places. That's why you need to wear a headset when you listen to music. Perhaps we just want to look out the window, and don't want to hear this guy's tales. What if I went through the sightseer lounge selling things. Do you think I'd make it very far without being tossed off the train? 
JD,
First off let me assure you that he is a best selling author. I'm not real sure of the exact count, but he's easily got over a dozen novels to his credit. One of those novels was even made into a movie years ago.
As for this being his idea, that's definately not something he thought up. Amtrak has being trying to do things like this for the last two years, both on some of the California trains and on the Acela Express trains. Out here in the east, we've had a couple of famous chef's on board trains, one of whom was hawking a book, the other was not.
They've also been trying this five minute massage thing on various trains, we've had famous sports players ride trains, and a few other gimmicks.
Bottom line though, while it probably doesn't hurt the author, chef, player either, this is simply another way that Amtrak is trying to increase awareness of their trains and drum up ridership.
First off let me assure you that he is a best selling author. I'm not real sure of the exact count, but he's easily got over a dozen novels to his credit. One of those novels was even made into a movie years ago.
As for this being his idea, that's definately not something he thought up. Amtrak has being trying to do things like this for the last two years, both on some of the California trains and on the Acela Express trains. Out here in the east, we've had a couple of famous chef's on board trains, one of whom was hawking a book, the other was not.
They've also been trying this five minute massage thing on various trains, we've had famous sports players ride trains, and a few other gimmicks.
Bottom line though, while it probably doesn't hurt the author, chef, player either, this is simply another way that Amtrak is trying to increase awareness of their trains and drum up ridership.
jdwolfskill
Train Attendant
- Joined
- May 10, 2003
- Messages
- 23
Alan,
Let's see if I got this right. The passenger has a choice between flying between LA and SF, or taking AMTRAK. So if the book hawker is going to be onboard the train, he'll take the train instead. How clever!
Q: What do you call 10,000 marketing people in the unemployment line?
A: A good start.
Let's see if I got this right. The passenger has a choice between flying between LA and SF, or taking AMTRAK. So if the book hawker is going to be onboard the train, he'll take the train instead. How clever!
Q: What do you call 10,000 marketing people in the unemployment line?
A: A good start.
S
scott
Guest
Alan,
You are so right. This is a great idea. Clive Cussler is a world-famous acclaimed author.
WORLD WIDE, JD.
It will bring publicity to Amtrak. That will help. Also, Clive happens to love trains, and I'm sure he wants to have a nice train ride and at the same time tell some stories. Hey, it's free entertainment, and I'm sure he won't be speaking nonstop. As it is, Amtrak runs those damned movies, which winds up chasing a lot of people out of the lounge. I wish they'd stop the movies. Sound quality is garbage.
Anyway, I applaud the move and wish Clive Cussler and Amtrak lots of luck and profit.
Scott
You are so right. This is a great idea. Clive Cussler is a world-famous acclaimed author.
WORLD WIDE, JD.
It will bring publicity to Amtrak. That will help. Also, Clive happens to love trains, and I'm sure he wants to have a nice train ride and at the same time tell some stories. Hey, it's free entertainment, and I'm sure he won't be speaking nonstop. As it is, Amtrak runs those damned movies, which winds up chasing a lot of people out of the lounge. I wish they'd stop the movies. Sound quality is garbage.
Anyway, I applaud the move and wish Clive Cussler and Amtrak lots of luck and profit.
Scott
JD,jdwolfskill said:Alan,
Let's see if I got this right. The passenger has a choice between flying between LA and SF, or taking AMTRAK. So if the book hawker is going to be onboard the train, he'll take the train instead. How clever!
Q: What do you call 10,000 marketing people in the unemployment line?
A: A good start.
Hey I didn't say that it was a great idea.
Just that it wasn't the author's idea.I will say that I find the decision to put him on the Coast Starlight to be a bit odd.
This to my knowledge is the first time Amtrak has tried this concept on a long distance train.However the decision to put him on a Surfliner does help, I think. All of the other past events were also on short haul trains in CA or on the NEC and people did respond positively.
First off it does generate publicity and gets the Amtrak name out there. Secondly for a commuter or casual traveler heading downtown facing the choice of a car or a train, having an event like this might just entice them to try riding the train once.
Get them on once and they just might stay. Who cares if the get their autographed copy and then fall promptly asleep while Clive drones on. :lol: At least we got them on the train once and now have a chance of repeat business.
Here in the NE, we proved that getting someone to try the train just once could result in a loyal rider. After 9/11 many business people were forced onto Amtrak while Regan National was shut down. Yes some immediately returned to the air after the airport reopened. A few more defected when the Acela's fell apart last year.
But many of those forced onto the train have indeed stayed. They found out what the rest of us already know. The train is far more relaxing, more comfortable, one can spread out a bit, one can use their cell phone (I'm not sure if this is a good thing), and one goes from mid-town NY to downtown DC.
Finally it can be a nice little perk/diversion for the normal rider. The massage program has been very successful out in CA, with the regular riders. I don't know if it's attracted any new riders however.
The key is simply to give someone a reason to try the train, not to mention giving those regular riders a treat every once in a while.
Ps. Even though I might sound like a marketing guy above, I'm not. I'm a computer/network consultant.
:lol:Actually there was a Clive Cussler novel where Dirk Pitt found the wreck of the 20th Century Limited, if I recall correctly. I'm sure that it invoulved a famous train, that he found in a cave filled with water. I think that it was the 20th Century, but I'm not 100% sure.denmarks said:
I'll have to go and find that book, since its been years since I read that one.
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