In a simple reason, once it is gone,it is gone. Whether it be equipment, stations, skilled employees, etc, once the last train runs, all of that and more are gone
If that is your rationale, we would keep running trains to prairie ghost towns. With nobody riding.
The whole point of making economic decisions is to derive the most utility from the money spent. Things that don't deliver utility do get shed. We may mourn a few, but then we move on.
One can make an individual sad story about the wilderness resident losing their train...,but is that utility worth the expenditure?
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Maybe the success of it would be if it operated differently.
RMTR is run very well, thank you. And generates lots of wealth. But it is not transportation infrastructure . Mostly it's a tourism attraction. Sure, passengers get a ride to a destination, but the big utility is the experience. You could not shift much of the Calgary-Vancouver air or highway business to RMTR by running it differently.
For example, had the Charlevoix gone to the Gare du Palais and connected with the rest of the NA network, it may have attracted more passengers.
Another example would be for the Agawa Canyon train. Since there is a group of people who want a train along the route extended to Oba Lake, this could be operated in conjunction of it.
For the RMR, Maybe the problem with it is you need to spend a night in a hotel and you cannot do both ways.
Point is, maybe the problem is that the type of service is the problem.
RMTR runs both ways, and you can ride it both ways (if you can afford it).
Switching RMTR to an overnight train would be a disaster.... half the scenery goes by in the dark, and your train capacity (hence revenue) falls dramatically, and your overhead costs soar. The beauty of RMTR is it's an all-coach train with high seat density and simple (relatively) equipment. For the customer, sleeping in a motel in a bed that doesn't rock and roll in a much more spacious room is quite acceptable, because you get a second day's worth of scenery and first class service.
- Paul
PS: I got curious and turned off "ignore", to my regret. It's going back on. Not much serious discussion going on here.