Amtrak cab car No. 406 at Denver Union Station in January 2017.
Chip Sherman
DENVER, Colo. – The Winter Park Express will have a lounge car when it departs Denver for Winter Park, Colo. on Jan. 3.
Ever since the weekend ski train began operating in 2016, skiers and snowboarders have been asking Amtrak to sell snacks and beverages onboard the train. This week, Amtrak announced that their wishes would finally be answered. The lounge car will sell beer and wine and have ample seating so passengers can look at the former Denver & Rio Grande Western route’s stunning scenery through the big picture windows.
The Winter Park Express is a reincarnation of sorts of the Rio Grande’s “Ski Train” that ran until 2009. The new train is operated as a partnership between Amtrak and the Winter Park Resort. The train is scheduled to run every weekend from Jan. 4 to March 31.
For more information, go to www.amtrak.com/WinterParkExpress.
Cut food on long distance trains. But a two hour ride warrants expanded services. Hmmmm.
Given that the Sightseer Lounge is an additional cost to the private operator(s), the questions should be:
1) Will the private operator(s) be allowed to “dry lease” this feature car to staff and provision; retaining the revenues?
2) If not, and Amtrak staffs this car and selects the menu, does Amtrak also retain the revenues from the car? Who eats the losses?
In view of Amtrak’s harsh restrictions towards Charter and Special Trains, this part of the tariff should be carefully reviewed, including how Amtrak treats similar customers to identify any variances.