"I Did It Once"; Or Overnight Amtrak Business Travel

Here is a "fairly negative" article regarding an NY to Chi ride.

All told, the reporter appears to hold "I did it once, and that was enough."

Insider

Fair Use:

At first I was surprised by the price of the trip ($550). Flying from New York to Chicago could cost as little as $70 on a good day, which means it would cost significantly more to take the Amtrak.

When the day came, I was eager to find out whether the price of the ticket was worth it (short answer; it wasn't)

Now to address a related point relevant to the "Twentieth Century Limited" (A49) trip report. Elsewhere at a more advocacy related site, "the faithful" are wondering why business travel is not more prevalent in the markets Amtrak serves?

For example, why don't more business travelers opt for "The Century" or even the "Night Owl"? Why did the "Spirit of California" evaporate after about a year (replaced with an additional San Joaquin frequency) and is not running with "Lark" sized consists (eight Pullmans when I rode it circa '63) today?

Even though that 18yo Swedish kid thinks she can "shame people off planes" and that, to my surprise, a "Night Train" system over there is reemerging, I still hold such is for the lower end of the tourist market with Frommer in their backpack.

And I think the above is analogous to overnight rail business travel "over here". Get away from the Corridor, and I think any corporate travel desk - in house or outside - would look cross eyed at an employee request to use rail travel. Some employees have tried, and they must go through the "it's price competitive with a flight and hotel" song and dance; or even "I'll pay any difference" (ignoring, of course the time value of a Travel Desk "scratching their heads"). More likely than not, the employee required to travel from NY to Chicago will be told to be on a 6AM flight arriving 7A "on the watch", be there for your business day at 830A, then home on a 5P flight arriving, again "on the watch" at 8PM - time for "last Mile" and TSA formalities extra..

I don't know what the life expectancy of the "Night Owl" will be, but I won't be surprised if it's gone in a year. The hope such will expand beyond the "masochistic railfan" market, I think, is small.

Finally, and know so first hand, Amtrak Employee travel policy states, or at least did, "rail travel will be used whenever possible". That being said "there's a whole lot of flyin' goin' on".

The two times I used Amtrak as a corporate traveler, I was on my own to book it and request reimbursement later.

I don't see why anyone would trade a roomette for a queen or king bed with a private full bathroom at a Marriott or Hyatt. I say that as someone who always tried to use local transit when traveling vs. a taxi or later an Uber... Some creature comforts such as being able to sprawl on a good mattress and have unfettered room to get dressed aren't worth compromising on when you need to be fully on your game at 0900 in a foreign city.

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As much as an advocate I am for overnight Amtrak Business travel, I really think NY-Chi is a bridge FAR to far. At least not unless they cut off 4-5 hours off the journey and make it ontime.

I believe the 20th Century did attract overnight business travel. Pulling up the May 1965 Official Guide
for quick reference, the schedule was depart NYG 6:00 PM, arrive LaSalle 8:00 AM.

Westbound 49 (if on schedule) is about 4.5 hours longer.

I am allowed to use Amtrak for work travel, but the timing going to Pittsburgh is pretty horrific. It is far more expensive than driving due to the 2 extra nights of hotel stays in lieu of driving. I can leave my house in West Chester and make it to Pittsburgh in 4.5 hours if I time it right and do the same on the return. The Pennsylvanian takes longer and isn’t timed right.

As much as I love traveling on Amtrak - traveling overnight for business if your fine with flying is probably not the most efficient way to go. There are probably some station pairings where it can be competitive for example if you can get on the train in an evening and get there earlier than waiting till the next day and getting a flight depending on where you need to go - but again probably very limited. Now I’d probably do it because I’m afraid of flying - but That’s my own little weird thing and I’d expect to have to probably pay my own upcharge from coach to roomette -(as I’m sure coach is all my employer would pay for Amtrak)

Having said all that I’m not losing much sleep over this particular review from a leisure travel perspective - train travel of any kind and especially overnight train travel is not for everyone - and I don’t think full service dining or any other improved amenities would have made much of a difference in this case - but hey I’ll give him credit for giving it a shot. But do I think this means adios for the lake shore? Not at all.

rcthompson04 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 14, 2021 9:54 pm I can leave my house in West Chester and make it to Pittsburgh in 4.5 hours if I time it right.

Quite expensive with high PA Turnpike tolls (and going up each January). From Pittsburgh to Metro Philadelphia
(I-76 exit 326) is $31.40 (E-ZPass) and $64.10 (cashless bill) for class 1 passenger cars under 7,000 lb.

Just browse the PA Turnpike official 2021 tariff to see how high rates are now.

Mr. Thompson, I wouldn't advertise that too loud.

292 miles, 270min (4hr 30min) = 64.88mph.

Through the mountains and what was once the "seven tunnels", which are now four, the posted speed is 55mph. Admitted much is 70. Remember how Pennsylvania "held on to 55" long after other states rescinded it?

Of course as one neighbor when she asked me how long does it take to get to Coralville IA? (her kid was matriculating at U of Iowa; I used to go to Amana several times a year until both my friends there deceased. I always stayed at a Holiday Inn in Coralville - fifteen miles away). I said "about three and a half hours, dear". She then said "oh but that's Gil's speed; Bambi's speed would be three".

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Thu Jul 15, 2021 7:03 am Mr. Thompson, I wouldn't advertise that too loud.

292 miles, 270min (4hr 30min) = 64.88mph.

Through the mountains and what was once the "seven tunnels", which are now four, the posted speed is 55mph. Admitted much is 70. Remember how Pennsylvania "held on to 55" long after other states rescinded it?

Of course as one neighbor when she asked me how long does it take to get to Coralville IA? (her kid was matriculating at U of Iowa; I used to go to Amana several times a year until both my friends there deceased. I always stayed at a Holiday Inn in Coralville - fifteen miles away). I said "about three and a half hours, dear". She then said "oh but that's Gil's speed; Bambi's speed would be three".

I might be the slowest driver out there when I head to Pittsburgh early in the morning that is in a car. Google Maps says it is usually 4.5 hours on the dot. With one brief restroom and tea break at Blue Mountain Service Plaza I usually add a few minutes.

Something tells me, someone like Amtrak and their ad $$$$, "got to him" causing him to revise his article with a more "positive" tone:

Insider

Fair Use:

I took my first long-haul Amtrak train from New York to Chicago, and a few things surprised me.
I was shocked I could book a private room, with two beds and a small bathroom.
I was most surprised to find that the 19-hour journey didn't feel too long or boring.

I think the simple reality is that not everyone is going to like it. The world is full of different people.

Some will like sleeping in their own bed, waking up early, and flying to their destination.

Some will like flying up the night before, and enjoying the hotel.

Some will enjoy getting a sleeper car and taking the train overnight.

That's pretty much the gist of my takeaway as well - he makes some good points that Amtrak management should take note of - but the train is not for everyone.

Some might recall the Executive Sleeper (866/867), aimed at the WAS-NYP overnight business traveler.

I took the Executive Sleeper once from DC and actually slept great in the bowels of Penn Station. The car attendant had to wake me from a deep sleep around 7:30 AM because I had to vacate the roomette by 8:00 AM. Of course I was much younger then.