This handy brochure has floor plans for every car used on most Great Northern streamlined trains in 1957. Twenty-four floor plans are included, including plans for cars on the Empire Builder, Western Star, Winnipeg Limited, Internationals, and Red River. For … Continue reading
Family fares were an early form of what is today called yield management, that is, varying pricing to both maximize revenue and fill all available spaces. I don’t know what railroad pioneered family fares or when they did so, but … Continue reading
One group that would like to see an end to Amtrak subsidies is intercity bus companies. But in 1975, when they issued this brochure complaining about subsidies to their competition, the bus industry itself was declining. Ridership had peaked sometime … Continue reading
This 9-inch-high brochure filled with children’s puzzles unfolds to be 48 inches wide. When folded one way, it shows a steam locomotive, tender, and wooden coach. When folded a different way, it shows a TurboTrain power car and coach (see … Continue reading
Aside from the photos on the cover, this 1979 brochure graphically shows VIA train accommodations in snazzy 1970s colors and styles–not quite psychedelic, but far louder than anything Pullman or the railroads would have used. Pictures of the lounge cars … Continue reading
Canadian National sleeping car spaces were probably equal to those of the Canadian Pacific, but coaches were distinctly inferior. As I recall, they had vinyl upholstery instead of cloth, less leg room, and lights that did not dim much at … Continue reading
Prodded by the Canadian government to improve passenger service, Canadian National purchased several of the TurboTrains built by United Aircraft, and they were inherited by VIA. While Amtrak stopped running TurboTrains before VIA was even created, VIA kept running them … Continue reading
In 1977, six years after Amtrak began, the Canadian government created VIA, which like Amtrak is a supposedly independent corporation that actually depends heavily on government subsidies. VIA took over Canadian Pacific and Canadian National passenger trains, but not trains … Continue reading
A frisbee, a beach towel, ceramic coffee tastefully decorated with the word “Amtrak” repeated seven times, or a set of four plastic coffee mugs with photos of Amtrak locomotives are the sum and total of the souvenirs offered by this … Continue reading
This 1987 brochure offers three attractive fare plans. Two of the plans are based on dividing the country into three regions: east of Chicago and New Orleans; west of Denver and Albuquerque; and a central region between Denver and Chicago. … Continue reading
