It appears that overseas, luxury excursion train service, or Luxotrain if you will, has taken hold where the generally State owned rail systems have exited various intercity routes. Coming to mind are such as the South African Blue Train, the Malaysian Peninsula service, the Orient Express, the Rocky Mountaineer in Western Canada, and the Indian Pacific in Australia.
But no Luxotrains, while tried, have ever taken hold in the US. No doubt, a reason is Amtrak's "more or less" exclusive franchise to operate intercity trains, and private sector Luxotrains while not excluded under RPSA 70, represent an inroad upon that franchise - and what government agency does not get feathers ruffled when someone else steps on their turf!
And besides, Amtrak Long Distance trains are likely now as "safe" as they have ever been over Amtrak's 45 year history, which means anyone really needing a "fix" can have reasonable expectation that they will get such aboard a "more positives than negatives" Amtrak LD.
It is a very safe assumption that if RPSA 70 had not been enacted, some regional agency would have operated service on the Corridor, but beyond that..Adios with worst case (industry perspective) being all gone by Staggers implementation during 1980.
So the point for discussion; would in a no scheduled intercity passenger train environment, the Luxotrain found more public acceptance?
Maturity and respect, please.
But no Luxotrains, while tried, have ever taken hold in the US. No doubt, a reason is Amtrak's "more or less" exclusive franchise to operate intercity trains, and private sector Luxotrains while not excluded under RPSA 70, represent an inroad upon that franchise - and what government agency does not get feathers ruffled when someone else steps on their turf!
And besides, Amtrak Long Distance trains are likely now as "safe" as they have ever been over Amtrak's 45 year history, which means anyone really needing a "fix" can have reasonable expectation that they will get such aboard a "more positives than negatives" Amtrak LD.
It is a very safe assumption that if RPSA 70 had not been enacted, some regional agency would have operated service on the Corridor, but beyond that..Adios with worst case (industry perspective) being all gone by Staggers implementation during 1980.
So the point for discussion; would in a no scheduled intercity passenger train environment, the Luxotrain found more public acceptance?
Maturity and respect, please.
