Siemens to manufacture 83 Airo Intercity Trainsets for Amtrak: Design, Delivery, Acceptance

And we still haven't learned the lesson "it's not the equipment". It's the service.

Must be why we have sold out trains all the time, because of that crappy service.

And I thought it was because of so many cars sidelined awaiting repairs. Maybe both?

Right, we’re adding trains to the NEC because we have so many sidelined cars. Makes sense.

I seems to me the new trains in the NEC are being provided by using existing cars already in operation more effectively than they were in the past by turning trainsets faster in terminals, not by bringing equipment out of storage.

So yes, it could be that trains are full because cars are sidelined, and that trains are being added to address that without bringing sidelined equipment into a state of good repair.

Imagine that, Amtrak suddenly discovering how to increase utilization after 40 years.

People may have hated the Anderson regime, but his bringing people from Delta into the planning organizations did have its benefits in areas like this.

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lensovet wrote: ↑Mon Mar 11, 2024 2:44 pm Must be why we have sold out trains all the time, because of that crappy service.

Good Lord this is such a false equivalency. As if restricted coaching stock and artificially low prices don't affect that.

lensovet wrote: ↑Mon Mar 11, 2024 9:25 pm Right, we’re adding trains to the NEC because we have so many sidelined cars. Makes sense.

Orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

They are moving cars around to better utilize them, or robbing peter to pay paul.

Tadman wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 7:12 pm

lensovet wrote: ↑Mon Mar 11, 2024 2:44 pm Must be why we have sold out trains all the time, because of that crappy service.

Good Lord this is such a false equivalency. As if restricted coaching stock and artificially low prices don't affect that.

News to me that paying $70 for a one-hour train ride is "low", but what do I know.

lensovet wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:43 pm

Tadman wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 7:12 pm

lensovet wrote: ↑Mon Mar 11, 2024 2:44 pm Must be why we have sold out trains all the time, because of that crappy service.

Good Lord this is such a false equivalency. As if restricted coaching stock and artificially low prices don't affect that.

News to me that paying $70 for a one-hour train ride is "low", but what do I know.

It pays me for an hours work and leaves some crumbs on the table.

Its not the $70.00 for the ticket that's the issue it should be the fact that Amtrak refuses to add a coach to a train that consistently sells out. However why should they if they can get a premium price for the seat AND the public is willing to pay said price.

Do you know that Amtrak has the freedom to add coaches to every train, and doesn't have limitations like platform length, yard facility / overnight storage space, or budget that doesn't constrain the total length of some trains?

Regarding that last one , it's highly likely that most Amtrak trains, even if they were consistently sold out, still wouldn't fully cover their own operating costs, and that the supporting entity (Federal or State) isn't willing to pay the extra expense of more cars, especially if adding an extra car requires adding extra crew.

RandallW wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2024 3:58 pm Do you know that Amtrak has the freedom to add coaches to every train, and doesn't have limitations like platform length, yard facility / overnight storage space, or budget that doesn't constrain the total length of some trains?

Regarding that last one , it's highly likely that most Amtrak trains, even if they were consistently sold out, still wouldn't fully cover their own operating costs, and that the supporting entity (Federal or State) isn't willing to pay the extra expense of more cars, especially if adding an extra car requires adding extra crew.

AAAHHH YYYAAA I work there. I add and subtract coaches and engines everyday.

It seems unlikely that there is even demand on every train during the day , yet they all are the same consist.
The question is wether the cost of changing consist lenght is worth the extra ticket revenue that a longer consist would bring , or the savings in running costs of running a shorter consist( i would think this would not be a saving ). also bearing in mind the other trains the consist might be assigned too in its 24 hour diagram .

David Benton wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2024 12:33 am It seems unlikely that there is even demand on every train during the day , yet they all are the same consist.
The question is wether the cost of changing consist lenght is worth the extra ticket revenue that a longer consist would bring , or the savings in running costs of running a shorter consist( i would think this would not be a saving ). also bearing in mind the other trains the consist might be assigned too in its 24 hour diagram .

This last sentence needs more emphasis. MARC does this all the time where a single consist will run on two or more lines over the day -- I used to find CSX train orders for MARC Brunswick line trains on my Penn/NEC line train up to Baltimore. With Amtrak going more push-pull, you're going to see a lot more of that.

I find it interesting that 40% of Northeast Regional trips (per the FY 24-29 Service and Asset Line Plans) terminate in Virginia, which suggests that any improvement to time through Washington DC will only increase passenger traffic between Virginia and points north.