Tri-Weekly or Every Other Day?

[jis]

And predictably the freight railroads will rise up in arms again. Anything that requires a string of freight cars attached to Amtrak trains is most likely going to be looked at with hostility by the freight railroads.

 

[CCC1007]

And predictably the freight railroads will rise up in arms again. Anything that requires a string of freight cars attached to Amtrak trains is most likely going to be looked at with hostility by the freight railroads.

Even if Amtrak enters into a revenue split agreement with them?

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Even if Amtrak enters into a revenue split agreement with them?

Why share revenue when you can have it all.

 

[CCC1007]

Even if Amtrak enters into a revenue split agreement with them?

Why share revenue when you can have it all.

I would consider splitting revenue to insure a combination of on time service as well as allowing express shipments.

 

[Gemuser]

It works for SZD on single train trips far, far longer than ANY passenger train trip in North America. Try 6,000 to 8,388 km for a single run! Pretty common in Russia AND the onboard staff go the whole way [5 to 8 days] with the train!

Maybe its time to think more "outside the box"

 

[jis]

We already know that just because something works somewhere else, does not mean it will work here.

Think sections and shared sleeping quarters.

Also another big difference is that the Russians actually need those trains to get around as their primary mode of transport. Unfortunately that is the case for only a relatively small minority of Americans. So rail operators have to bend over backwards to make things simple for their customers in the US. In places like Russia or India, give 'em almost anything on a schedule or not, and they will still ride in droves.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

We already know that just because something works somewhere else, does not mean it will work here. Think sections and shared sleeping quarters.

What about slumber coaches from Amtrak's past and curtained outward facing sections like on The Canadian? Those seemed perfectly acceptable and even managed to pass the Puritan freakout test once upon a time. Maybe not today though. In fact I'm starting to wonder if "separate but unequal" will eventually be making a return someday.

Also another big difference is that the Russians actually need those trains to get around as their primary mode of transport. Unfortunately that is the case for only a relatively small minority of Americans. So rail operators have to bend over backwards to make things simple for their customers in the US. In places like Russia or India, give 'em almost anything on a schedule or not, and they will still ride in droves.

The even/odd schedule sounds interesting and easy to remember to me. It's even kind of kooky and kitsch and might become a draw just because it's so weird compared to other routes. Unfortunately Amtrak has neither the money nor the clout to negotiate on equal footing with any of the class one owners. That being the case any schedule changes that increase passenger traffic in one area may also require a traffic reduction somewhere else.