Pacific Coast Parlour Car

[cpotisch]

I'll be traveling from LA to Klamath Falls/Ashland OR with three friends, two persons per roomette, on the way to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2018 Season. Our first trip will be in April and a second trip in August, round trip. We have done this for a number of years now, sometimes with kids, sometimes just adults. The Parlour car was where we all got together to visit, watch the passing scenery and have drinks before and after dinner. Some how the idea of four people sharing drinks in a roomette does not sound like a good deal. I have tried the Coach version of a "View Car" which is usually crowded with the smell of hot dogs permeating the air. Sorry that Amtrack is punishing the sleeping car passengers (to save money?) who do pay a higher fare than coach passengers.

I haven't had the experience of 'the smell of hot dogs permeating the air' in any SSL I've taken (which, granted, is only three). The Pacific Parlour car is indeed beautiful and was a wonderful place to relax, but you can still get drinks in the dining car.

 

[Lonestar648]

I will miss the PPC on the CS, but there hasn't been a similar car on the other LD trains I have taken. I do believe that most of the western LD trains could use a second SSL during the summer super busy months..

 

[the_traveler]

If as you say Amtrak is punishing sleeping car passengers, they must only be punishing those sleepingcar passengers on the Coast Starlight. I ride the Texas Eagle, Southwest Chief, California Zephyr and many other Amtrak trains, AND pay those same big bucks as a sleeping cas passenger on those trains. Yet I have never saw a PPC on those trains! I have had to join the coach passengers in the smelly Sightseer Lounge!

So are you being punished, or being an elitist?

 

[KmH]

Sleeper car passengers always pay the lowest bucket rail fare.

What costs more than what coach passengers pay is the sleeper accommodation and the amenities included with the sleeper - like dining car meals.

 

[zephyr17]

I'll be traveling from LA to Klamath Falls/Ashland OR with three friends, two persons per roomette, on the way to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2018 Season. Our first trip will be in April and a second trip in August, round trip. We have done this for a number of years now, sometimes with kids, sometimes just adults. The Parlour car was where we all got together to visit, watch the passing scenery and have drinks before and after dinner. Some how the idea of four people sharing drinks in a roomette does not sound like a good deal. I have tried the Coach version of a "View Car" which is usually crowded with the smell of hot dogs permeating the air. Sorry that Amtrack is punishing the sleeping car passengers (to save money?) who do pay a higher fare than coach passengers.

I ride all the western LDs trains, and only the Starlight had the "Parlour" sleeper class lounge cars. All the rest only had Sightseer Lounge cars open to all passengers. Was Amtrak "punishing" the sleeper passengers on the Empire Builder, the California Zephyr, the Southwest Chief, the Sunset Limited?

Like your waxing poetic about something I've never noticed in any of the Sightseer Lounges with "...the smell of hot dogs permeating the air."

But maybe that only happens on "Amtrack" as opposed to Amtrak.

 

[zepherdude]

I don't think anyone is being punished. I have been hearing for years the cars are old and grey and they would be removed someday. Well that day has come. They are 50-60 years old and all good things must end.