Sleeper blankets

Here's an interesting thought. Most airlines and railroads with sleeper cars don't want you to take your blanket with you, because it costs them something. According to some quick googling, an airline blanket costs $12. Why not bump the price of the room $12 and encourage passengers to take their blanket as a souvenir? If the railroad printed something like "I had a great night's sleep on board AMTRAK" or "Sleep faster on Amtrak" (stolen from the Caledonian Sleeper), it would be a visible marketing tool. I keep a few old airline blankets next to the fireplace and my friends get a kick out of the LOT Polish blanket.

Here's the kicker: if you cut out the laundering used blankets thing, it probably would cut Amtrak's linen washing bill in half. What is that worth?

I'd rather see them sell them in the lounge/cafe car.
The last thing I need is to be charged $12 more for a blanket I wouldn't bother taking. I mean at this point I'd have well over 20 of them (3 of them along this year). What do I need with that many blankets?

Well they used to sell them in the Lounge car. I have one with the pointless arrow.

Wanna blanket?

https://m.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40 ... ak+blanket" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Does Amtrak sell blankets in the cafe car of long-distance trains? They aren't available in the online Amtrak store.

Maybe aamtrak could significantly upgrade its bedding and sell blankets, like hotel chains do?

Greg Moore wrote:I'd rather see them sell them in the lounge/cafe car.
The last thing I need is to be charged $12 more for a blanket I wouldn't bother taking. I mean at this point I'd have well over 20 of them (3 of them along this year). What do I need with that many blankets?

How about changing them every year? Now it's a "did you get your 2017 blanket?" game that encourages travelers to ante up every year for a sleeper trip.

Or create a blanket for every state and load them on cars randomly. People go nuts for Pendleton blankets with designs for every national park, plus many other groups. There's got to be hundreds of pendleton designs out there that people collect.

Tadman wrote:

Greg Moore wrote:I'd rather see them sell them in the lounge/cafe car.
The last thing I need is to be charged $12 more for a blanket I wouldn't bother taking. I mean at this point I'd have well over 20 of them (3 of them along this year). What do I need with that many blankets?

How about changing them every year? Now it's a "did you get your 2017 blanket?" game that encourages travelers to ante up every year for a sleeper trip.

Or create a blanket for every state and load them on cars randomly. People go nuts for Pendleton blankets with designs for every national park, plus many other groups. There's got to be hundreds of pendleton designs out there that people collect.

So, having taken at least one sleeper for each of the last 12 years.. I now have 12 blankets I don't need. But at least they have the year or state on them.

Yes, people may collect them, but for example National Parks, I can guarantee it's a VERY small number of people who go to national parks (I'd say less than 1% i.e. if out of 331 million visitors,3 million buy pendleton blankets I'd be surprised).

For your idea to have any real cost savings (especially cutting down on laundry, etc.) you need something like 80-90% buy-in.

I just can't see it.

Not a bad idea. If passengers don't want them, they can return them for a $10 deposit? Gotta wash the pillows and sheets anyway, so you won't get away from needing to wash at least some blankets.

Gilbert B Norman wrote:Wanna blanket?

https://m.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40 ... ak+blanket" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That is the one. Amtrak used to sell those in the lounge cars on the long distance trains. You saw them into the early 2000s

Now mind you they were intended got coach passengers.

If it's not made by North Star Woolen Mills of 100% Virgin Wool, it's not worth having...

Out of curiosity, what size were the Pullman blankets, and what size are the Amtrak blankets today? Also, what material does Antrak use now - fleece?

I asked that question once on a Beech Grove tour. I forget the brand name, but it is some sort of fire resistant stuff.

Pullman blankets were truly first rate. I have one in my collection and I cherish it.
I never measured it so right now I do not have the dimensions.
Noel Weaver

Short version: Twin bed, maybe a couple inches less on the sides. They didn't have to drape down...

Loved the Pullman blankets. Maybe 3 times thicker than Amtrak's version which are really like scratchy sheets. But then Pullman beds were about 3 times thicker than Amtrak's sleeping pad. And they were always spotless, no need for the cellophane wrap. If Amtrak's AC is working well we like to sleep in a cool room which usually requires asking the attendant for an extra blanket.