Sleeper Sale Order
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They sell the empty one first 
I just booked two roomettes for our Gathering trip and the agent was very nice and said I could have whichever rooms were available. I asked if we could have either 4-5-6-7 and she said "sure". Now we are in #4 both ways. Such a deal.
Sleepers and bedrooms are sold using a "bucket" system but Amtraks bucket system appears to be unique. It used to be that the first travelers that purchased were given a low bucket fare for making their commitment early and as the rooms sold the prices escalated into a fare that could be 3-4X what the low bucket roomette/bedroom adder is. Now it appears that sleepers open at high or medium bucket and Amtrak adjusts the rates based on how they are selling. On routes like the LSL from NYP to CHI sleepers have regularly sold out so Amtrak adopted a system of extractive every last red cent from the traveler by taking advantage of the sales history. In some cases they are raising prices to exhorbitant levels. Best way to get a decent fare is to keep checking and be flexible on the travel dates. On some days/routes a roomette could cost $200 and on others it can be $800. It all part of the plan to charge as much as possible. Little do they realize that other forms of travel, especially first class flying, will eventually bite into their overnight business. If the TSA follows suit with a new program to prescreen passengers and lighten up on the intrusive security measures; I predict that Amtrak will take a huge hit. The sleeper adder is just not worth the $500-$900 for a one night 17-24 hour trip that Amtrak is charging. If people still decide to pay it then bully for Amtrak but in a depressed economy I predict the LD routes will suffer terribly.
Oh, I think Amtrak knows that first class flying can eat into their market. The big question is what their interaction with the TSA looks like and whether they can fend them off at the main stations (WAS, PHL, NYP, CHI, etc.). Fortunately, these are all shared with rather busy commuter operations (VRE/MARC, SEPTA, NJT/LIRR, Metra), which should be a noticeable stumbling block to trying to run folks through too much of a dog and pony show (trying to operate a security checkpoint at Penn at rush hour would seem to be asking for trouble).
All indications to date are that Amtrak isn't out-pricing their market, though they probably are testing it pretty aggressively. As to an economic downturn, I'd submit that there's an unlisted variable there: What causes the downturn? If it's generic, we have a problem. If it's induced by sustained high gas prices, though, Amtrak might be a net beneficiary of declines in air service.
At least for now, you can always book and if the price drops you can re-book later at no cost/penalty.
Edit: For what it's worth, I'm not noticing a big jump in forward booking costs. Checking my Christmas trip next year, the total cost is still <$800 RVR-OSC round trip using basically the same trains as last year. That is...basically, bucket movements, nothing more. The sleeper is up by $10 and the low bucket coach fare for the run is up by a few dollars...but it's all nothing to write home about.
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With respect; you've been predicting that for close to 2 years now on here. Yet prices continue to go up with no sign of decreased ridership.
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Ispolkom
Engineer
And trying to run one at Chicago Union Station would be remarkably silly, given that the first grade crossing northbound is less than half a mile from the station. Why carry a fifty-pound bomb on board when you could run a 10,000 lb. bomb into the side of the train?
Is this really the best answer?They sell the empty one first
I know that on the Superliner's room #2 goes first, then I think #3. Then they move downstairs and sell two rooms, before returning upstairs. Beyond that, I have no idea. And of course confusing all of that is the fact that they sell the first room in the 10 car, the next in the 11 car, the next in the 12 if there is one, then repeat.Is this really the best answer?They sell the empty one first
And of course special requests can upset the order too.
Bedrooms seem to sell E to A, assuming no curve balls.
On the Viewliners I think that they actually sell them in order starting from #1, but I won't swear to that.
I have no clue; sorry. I just know that I've snagged low bucket rooms on the lower level in the past. This was back before what appears to be the new trend of revenue management that often starts things out at a higher bucket price for the first day that rooms go on sale.
daveyb99
OBS Chief
The "bucket" system is nothing new. Airline have been doing that for decades. There are 26 buckets, labeled A to Z, and even a few more "night fare" with an N attached FN YN, etc. AMTRAK does have a smaller list -- check it our here
What is goofy about the AMTRAK system, and how it differs from the airline system, is AMTRAK actually links a room with a bucket -- as opposed to an airline which you can pick any seat. If they could de-link that function and let people choose their own (whether by an agent or via amtrak.com) it would be much better.
The airline revenue management people tinker with the fares all the time. Why would AMTRAK not do the same. And it might be "exorbitant" to you, but just as in the airlines, it is a perishable product (once the plane or train leaves, the product is not longer). Sure, $800 sounds high, but ask yourself: what is the value of the last sleeper on the day before departure. In this case, it is $800, as someone will buy it.
More than one person in the know, read someone with access to ARROW, has stated that's not correct. Amtrak does not link a specific room to a specific bucket. Revenue management simply tells ARROW that they want 4 roomettes in the low bucket and that's it. The first 4 people to book, or at least the first people that book those four rooms, get the low bucket.
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