AMERICAN national passenger operator Amtrak revealed plans in late-March to stop the provision of charter services, and to end the long tradition of attaching private coaches to long-distance services.
Amtrak currently provides charter services using its own trains, or provides crew or diesel locos to some mainline steam charters.
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There are between 200 and 250 private cars licensed for use attached to Amtrak services. However, all of this activity (charters and private cars) reportedly earns under $5million in revenue each year, and in the view of Amtrak management is not cost effective for the planning and resourcing needed.
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A petition to ask Amtrak to reconsider its decision has been launched.
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