Second W2KB above. I recall meetings at Chicago which were held in a hotel at O'Hare Airport, where sandwiches were sent into the meeting room at lunchtime. Except for those based in Chicago, that was the closest anybody got to Union Station.
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urr304 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 10:22 am I wonder how much overnight sleeper accommodations declined from traffic that shifted to reclining seat coaches by budget travelers who previous would use section accomodations? Remember most coaches were not reclining seats and used by people who only traveled for shorter distances.It was more that airline coach saved time for the organization and money on the travel than anything else. Why be gone 40 hours LA to Chicago each way plus the meeting time when the trip could be done afternoon of day 1, evening flight and hotel in Chicago, meeting day two, fly home day two evening.
urr304 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 09, 2023 9:45 am I was thinking of the eastern overnights where many who would have bought a section were satisfied with a reclining seat coach.There's a problem, and many fellow convention folk were facing this: fellow passengers of all ages. Yes, including young kids who wouldn't settle down.
Myrtone wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 5:20 amSo in that case did passengers of the Montrealer get woken up at the border to present passports and go through customs?I rode Northbound in Sleeper on the Montrealer in Feb., 1992. At that time the trip time was longer because the train detoured through New London, Connecticut and Palmer, Massachusetts, but the border crossing was after dawn and arrival in Montreal was well before 10 a.m. The Sleeping car Porter distributed Canadian Immigration forms before I went to sleep. Back then, Passports weren't required for everyone leaving the United States, and Canada was happy with my Voter's Registration card.
Myrtone wrote: ↑Sun Oct 08, 2023 10:33 pmBut planes do not travel between city centres, intercity trains do.A highly overstated claim that is meaningless to the majority of America that does not live in city centers.
wigwagfan wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 4:15 pmNot only that, airlines have built airports around the immediate population center.Myrtone wrote: ↑Sun Oct 08, 2023 10:33 pmBut planes do not travel between city centres, intercity trains do.A highly overstated claim that is meaningless to the majority of America that does not live in city centers.
Not to mention if we use the two largest metro areas that I am closest to, more people actually live closer to the airport than the major Amtrak station. And with so many companies not being, having relocated out of, or are seriously considering relocating out of the city center, a downtown train station is meaningless for the majority of business travellers.
RandallW wrote:In these contexts, it seems Amtrak can only serve its customers if local governments are willing to allow it (and don't just entirely compete against it).And yet, every "Amtrak" station within 500 miles of me is "Amtrak" in name only, but a fully owned service provided by a City or State government, or a transit agency. Funded with local tax dollars for its rehabilitation (not Amtrak funds).