Silver Streak : Real Life George Caldwell travel cost/SPOILERS

Real-world "Silver Streak" fare calculator, year 2008.

George Caldwell is on a train, first- class (bedroom) from Los Angeles to Chicago. He's going to his sister's wedding, so let's assume that he did purchase a round-trip fare. This would cost him $2,828, according to amtrak.com

After being thrown off the train (twice), he does manage, with the help of a newfound acquaintance on the road, to get to Kansas City to reboard the train , with two more first class tickets with bedroom. This would cost an additional $682.00.

Assuming after the train crash, the station would be closed for sometime and he would have to fly back to L.A. This means he would get refunded half of the $2,828, but need to spend about $500 on an airline ticket to return home, if he went first class.

This means in fare only he would have spent $2,596 on train and airfares alone. Not counting BAGGAGE and FOOD FEES! Add in another $100 (yes his bags were destroyed by the Devereu thugs but he would need to buy some clothes to have while in town for the wedding).

Now, consider you still have to pay for meals on Amtrak(which is contrary to the film, where they simply filled out menu cards, were the meals free?), he would have spent a lot on drinks, champagne, and at least one very fine dinner. We'll estimate that out to be at least $300 because we all know Amtrak jacks there food prices as high as possible.

All the money he gave to the shoe-shine man in Kansas City, I think it was $50?

Grover Muldoon again borrowed some money from George's wallet to get a porter disguise. Let's say $25 for that.

So now we're up to $3,071.

Wait there's more.

POST-FILM Storyline!!!

Assuming the events post film unfolded in the present (NOT 1976), you can bet a book deal would be automatically in the works for George Caldwell, especially since he's already in publishing. I'm willing to bet he made a KILLING with the book of his misadventure/romance, and he could even sue the board of the Chicago Art Institute for "pain and suffering" due to the plot by Devereau to have him killed.

So George makes $25 million dollars, gives some money to Grover and dates Hilly for awhile, then dumps her because her office skills are quite lacking.

I used amtrak.com for the fare calculation but if any Silver Streak fans find anything I might have missed, please add on.

kfmg

Yep, it does suck to be George. One correction, he gave the shoe shine man $40.

"Yep, it does suck to be George. One correction, he gave the shoe shine man $40."

Yep. $30 for the radio, $5 for the bad hat, and another $5 for the shoe polish. We'll never know how much the guy wanted for the brush.

He keeps Hilly around specifically because when it comes to office skills, she sucks.

> Now, consider you still have to pay for meals on Amtrak
> (which is contrary to the film, where they simply filled
> out menu cards, were the meals free?),

I don't think the meals were ever free back then (i.e. included in the ticket price). For decades prior to that, diners were expected to write down their order on the card and hand it to the waiter. I've got some books on the old Pullman diners and the streamliners that used them (e.g. the Twentieth Century Limited), and not only do the old menus have prices on them, but also there's a footnote on the menu saying something to the effect of "All orders must be in writing" or "Waiters are not permitted to accept verbal orders."

>> Now, consider you still have to pay for meals on Amtrak
>> (which is contrary to the film, where they simply filled
>> out menu cards, were the meals free?),
>
> I don't think the meals were ever free back then (i.e.
> included in the ticket price). For decades prior to that,
> diners were expected to write down their order on the card
> and hand it to the waiter.

Okay, I stumbled across Fox (FMC) showing this in letterbox last night, so I was able to see that scene again. George does write down their meal orders on separate checks, but the waiter writes down the drink orders. Remember at one point where George orders the wine in French, and the waiter clicks his pen approvingly after writing it down? ("I give good French" :-)

Prices were on the menu for coach passengers. Those in sleeping accommodation can either dine in their compartment or in the dining car, and those meals are included in the fare. Booze would of course be extra ( except for Parlour Car service on the Coast Starlight 2013)