The thing I need to ask you is what exactly do you want to accomplish by advertising? I think you said "raise awareness." What sort of awareness would you like to raise? That Amtrak is, for the most part, transporting 70's-era trains with bathroom doors that don't lock properly. Or that many of Amtrak's roadbeds are shot to hell by the freight trains?

Perhaps you'd like to remind people of how good the food is in the dining car or how the waiters can pour coffee into your cup from two feet high without missing a beat. Perhaps you'd like to make the aware of the happy hours in the cafe car where you can get two margaritas or whiskey sours for the price of one.

I think the problem here is that whatever Amtrak promises, it is expected to deliver and its inability to do so was the reason they got rid of their "satisfaction guaranteed" program.

Amtrak is amazing because it somehow manages to keep its 30,000 mile network running for about the same amount of money it costs to run the 97-mile Bay Area Rapid Transit System. Amtrak is also an outstanding means of transportation because it is able to get a passenger from A to B for less energy than it would take to to propel him that distance on a motorcycle.

If people were "aware" of the realities that Amtrak faces, they probably would avoid it even more than they do now and that would be a real problem. Or maybe they would write their congressman and have them vote Amtrak more money so that they would become the sort of transportation system that you'd want to make fancy ads about.

Amtrak does a great job with the little it has and it has so little money that it can barely keep enough trains on the tracks to accommodate the amount of people who want climb aboard.

So then, once again, I ask you, exactly what kind of "awareness" do you want to promote by your hypothetical ad on American Idol? Tell us what you would say to the American people.

On second thought, you might have an idea there: Let's film the next episode of "American Idol" in the observation car of the Southwest Chief!

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Originally posted by cassrr:
Before Amtrak begins an advertising campaign to solicit new riders it should remedy the woes we current riders endure.

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As a frequent LD train rider, I could not agree with you more. Rode the SWC Chi-Lax ten days ago in coach; those assigned to the Lax coach looked out through unwashed, dirty windows; none of the restrooms in the three coached were cleaned enroute, BUT the train operated almost on time and the dining car staff was exceptional, so it's not all bad and things do seem to be improving if ever so slowly. We, as fans, need to consider how the general traveling public views their experience on Amtrak.

rick

I recall a trip a couple years ago on the Southwest Chief when I opened the door to a bathroom only to discover a gorgeous woman assuming a classical "crouching Aphrodite" pose on the can. Her shreaks are still with me to this day but, looking back, I must say I find it kinda funny.

David Gunn, the president of Amtrak recently commented in the Washington Post that "You'd think that after 170 years of railroading, you could have a crapper door that works," Gunn said. And he was talking about the lock on the Acella train, not the 70's-era long hauls we all know and love.

And as far as clean bathrooms are concerned. There is a sign posted in the bathrooms that say that people who use them should clean up after themselves. This sign is not there for decoration. If people take responsibility for cleaning up after themselves (and others) the bathrooms will stay clean for the duration of the trip. The attendants can only do so much.

About the service. I almost got into a fight with a fellow passenger on the Surfliner recently when he started to pick on an attendant who was checking tickets. Post Sept. 11, the job of the attendants have gotten much more intense because they now have to be sure that everybody is properly ticketed and seated in the right place. I am convinced, after taking the long-haul trains exclusively for over five years, that there are some people who should not set foot on a train.

Amtrak is not for people who do not have flexible schedules. Amtrak is totally at the mercy (with the exception of the East Coast) of the freight companies. Theoretically Amtrak has priority over freight and the freight trains can be heavily fined for not giving right of way. However, there are times when the freight trains would rather be fined than give right of way. I don't believe that this implies that the people who run freight are contemptuous of Amtrak. It's just a business decision. However, it is my feeling that freight can handle an eight hour delay much better than human beings.

Anyway, I think anybody who takes Amtrak needs to be taught some survival techniques. For example, they need to know that having a blanket in coach is a good idea and that having a book to read is prudent. Sleeping pills are a great idea to get through the night. People need to know that the cafe car does not take credit cards and that they should have cash on hand. They need to understand that tipping in the dining car is considered civilized behavior.

I could go on and on but the point is that Amtrak is necessary for our national security and it is a superior means of transportation (worthy of advertising on American Idol) because it is the only way to properly see this great country of ours.

Amtrak's service is, in my opinion, fantastic. The technicians who keep those trains running are very clever. They do stuff with bailing wire and duct tape that is worthy of a nobel prize.

Those of us who love trains need to praise the work of Amtrak to the stars because they deserve it. And we need to be forgiving of their occasional mistakes.

For example, I forgive Amtrak for taking my luggage off in Kansas City instead of Albuquerque. Mistakes happen.

A lot of revenue can be raised from that form of advertising. If nothing else how bout huge ads for riding Amtrack depicting a happy couple smiling while enjoying wine and fine dining as America passes by their window?

There is no escaping advertising in this world. Seeing GOT MILK? On the side of a passing train while waiting at a crossing wouldn't bother me if it means Amtrak will stay in business.

I seem to recall last year someone on this or another board who worked for an advertising firm. He indicated that they were working out some sort of deal to help Amtrak do some low cost, high profile, ads. I think the "BOGO" radio spots may have been the result of that.

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Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth.
-Mr. Toy

That's fine if you already know it's possible to take a train from, say, Chicago to Los Angeles.

But as others have noted, most Americans are completely unaware that long and medium distance trains even exist -- let alone which cities they serve.

Granted, Amtrak can't mention every destination in a 30 or 60 second commercial. But it definitely wouldn't hurt to list the top 20, along with the line, ". . . and 480 other Amtrak towns and cities coast to coast."

If you hope to entice a potential passenger into buying a ticket to a particular destination (or for that matter, any destination), you first have to make him aware that some of your trains actually stop there.