posted
I would like to get all reasonable suggestions for improving service here. I am a 14 year employee and would like to submit a thesis to Mr. Gunn with the help of passengers and fans of Amtrak.
I have a few of my own....yearly manadatory training in: customer service, ADA service, Emergency situations; satellite service in all long distance trains (CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, CNN, Disney, Animal Planet, TLC, Discovery, SCI-FI, ESPN, and a few others; free wireless internet on all short distance trains.
You get the idea. The more topics I can get, the better the thesis. And it will not just go to Gunn, I plan to send it out to others letting them know that there are those who care.
thanks gang!!!
Posts: 7 | From: Los Angeles | Registered: Jul 2005
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A kids coach. A coach with video games, books, board games, juke box for teens, etc etc. Nothing for kids on long distant rides.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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If Amtrak really want to get riders. An adult coach. Slots, Roulette table, cocktail waitress, a pole hehehe, live band.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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I love Amtrak. Dont get me wrong. But the biggest reason most people around here wont use it is the failure to maintain any resemblance of an on time schedule. Today I took a 'fun day-trip' from Salisbury-Charlotte NC, a 35-minute drive by car, and by Amtrak it took WELL OVER an hour! Were's the incentive? If a roundtrip plane ticket CLT-SEA is $238, and a roundtrip Amtrak ticket for the same trip is over $550, what am I most likely to choose? I have a trip booked to Tampa very soon and train 91 has consistently been 2-4 hours late arriving into TPA. Greyhound is FASTER!
As for onboard services? New Boeing 777's have monitors on the backside of every headrest, allowing passengers to INDIVIDUALLY view or play dozens of movies and video games that are available. Of course there are headsets involved too. Have a surcharge for its use to subsidize the cost. This could be used on non-superliner (they have an Observation Car that shows movies) trains that travel great distances in excess of 12 hours one-way; The 'Crescent', 'Carolinian', Silver Service to Florida, 'Vermonter', 'Cardinal', and 'City of New Orleans' for example. I have taken the 13-hour CLT-NYP 'Carolinian' in Business-Class, and several times the VCR/DVD/TV's were inoperative. No movies? Come on... Of course onboard movies/video games would have to cease at 'lights out' on overnight trains and move to a lounge car.
In another post someone mentioned Code-Sharing Amtrak travel and Guest Rewards Points with other transportation carriers. This would be an incentive to use a train instead of a plane. Even code sharing with Greyhound would not be such a bad idea. And have a better method of obtaining points. If I FLY 3000 miles and paid $238 for the ticket I am getting 3000 points, not 238 points. Two points for every dollar spent is not a very good 'reward' for Amtrak Guests. Matter of fact is is the worst Frequent Guest Program I have ever seen.
The snack cars on long-distance trains that do not have a dining car are somewhat of a joke. I understand the limitations of storing perishables, but $7 for a hotdog, coke, and bag of chips is insane. Theres got to be a way to offer a broader menu selection at an attractive price than the current ones.
Offer Military Veterans and Active Duty members a greater discount. Several years ago they offered a 50% discount through Veterans Advantage memberships. This would help increase ridership for those who may want to travel but have the choice between a 200$ airplane ticket, or a train ticket that goes to the same destination but is 50% off.
On long-distance Viewliner trains that offer only Coach or Sleeper accomodations, offer the Coach passengers BETTER pillows and blankets than the paper thin ones currently (or not even) being offered. I PAID 10$ for a blanket on the 'Carolinian' while travelling Business-class CLT-NYP and the blanket was amazingly awful.
If a train is late and off schedule greater than a specified amount (say 2-3 hours), offer vouchers for small discounts off of your next Amtrak travel or good towards food purchases in the snack/dining cars that you are on.
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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I could do without on board TV. I find that I have little interest in pop culture when I'm on a train. Too many better things to do.
My suggestions: 1. Refurbish the Sightseer lounges to provide more diverse types of seating, and provide a more plush, less sterile environment. Current seating faces people away from each other and discourages social interaction. An acquaintence of mine, who was the former head of Oregon DOT's rail division made this same suggestion to Gunn in person.
2. Some sort of 24 hour food service for late night boardings and early morning breakfasts. I understand there was an experiment with this several years ago that was well received by the riders. I prefer to eat on my schedule, not Amtrak's. At the very least, keep the diner open later than 9:00am for breakfast. 10:00 is better.
3. NEVER run out of food.
4. Actually have music selections on the Superliner sleeping car sound systems. They are already designed for that. USE 'EM! Include a channel to listen to railroad transmissions, like United Airlines does.
5. Sell 35mm film in the cafe for people who run out.
Posts: 2649 | From: California's Monterey Peninsula | Registered: Dec 2000
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One of the longest Amtrak Routes I can think of that is neither a Superliner or Viewliner is the 'Carolinian' from CLT-NYP. The services on it are abysmal and for a train ride that can often stretch to 15 hours it can often be unbearable. And when the Northbound 'Carolinian' crew/conductor changes in Raleigh (2 1/2 hours after leaving Charlotte) EVERYONES ticket and ID's are checked AGAIN! This practive has to stop. If I already have a seat check, and my ticket has been taken what is the point in checking it again? And the Snack/Lounge Car shuts down and everyone is kicked out 30 minutes each side of Richmond, Va. WHY?
On overnight trains offer another class of service with upgraded amenities like on overnight regionals in the NE corridor. Offer Coach, *Business-Class*, and Sleepers. This would really be nice on the Viewliners that often travel for 25-30+ hours.
I am not sure if this is already in place, but each seat in coach class on all long-distance and overnight Viewliner trains should be fitted with an airplane-style selection system for 10-12 multi-channel offerings. I now bring a CD player. But thats just me.
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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Better timekeeping and upgrades to the bathroom operating systems to try to insure trouble-free operation. Fix things that seem to be broken on every car - raggedy window curtains, rattling hardware, lumpy seats, speakers that won't allow you to hear announcements. Better communications to passengers regarding delays. Dining table with moveable seats for apssengers with mobility issues - it's terribly hard to get out of those close quarters when you use a cane. I love traveling by Amtrak, but when so many have bad experiences it's hard to convince others to try it!
Posts: 122 | From: Milwaukee, WI USA | Registered: Jun 2004
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I am only 13 and everbody here is smarter than David Gunn! I say upgrade the long distance trains like they're doing to the Empire Builder. Especially make the Sunset more enjoyable to be on,like the Coast Starlight then people won't care it its late!
posted
David Gunn is no idiot, Amtrak can barely keep there LD trains going, They obviously cannot afford to put in TV and Wifi on all trains..but they can deffinetly do things like stop running out of food, give toiletries, and use sound systems and monitors like on the business class on ther surfliner or the viewliner rooms...they spent money putting them in and as Mr. Toy said they really need to use them!! Also, as someone else said...they should lower prices, I do not care because I am usually in a sleeper, but coach passengers must pay extremely high prices for a meal and for a bottle of wine $10...Its selling a few Vrs. selling several for a lower price. And some new souvenirs would be nice, they only have playing cards, blankets, and pins, and even in the Parlour car they did not have anything on my last trip.
And I agree with Grandma Judy..little things that need some sewing or paint etc. should be fixed. Also, bathrooms need to be cleaned more on Ld routes..
Posts: 1082 | From: Los Angeles, CA. USA | Registered: Aug 2003
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1) Yearly and Mandatory Customer Service Training for all Front Line Service Employees.
2) Realizing that timekeeping is out of their hands, Amtrak should print a disclaimer on every ticket that states that their trains are dispatched by xyz railroad company and they (Amtrak) have no control over the schedule.
3) Reinstitute the Head of OnBoard Services position and give him/her true authority to handle whatever passenger problems come up.
4) Renegotiate the contract with Onboard Servce Employees, so that they can be fired for lack of performance (like any other job).
5) Find a way to rotate passenger car use so that they can be shopped more often at Beach Grove and repairs(especially small ones)can be effected.
6) Communicate regularly with your passengers when problems come up...especially timekeeping related.
Posts: 171 | From: Aurora, Illinois | Registered: Jun 2005
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Wow those are deffinetly some good ones..I wish David Gunn could read this whole thread!
Posts: 1082 | From: Los Angeles, CA. USA | Registered: Aug 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Grandma Judy: Fix things that seem to be broken on every car... speakers that won't allow you to hear announcements.
Amen. I once made a Westbound journey CHI-EMY on the CZ and the speakers NEVER worked the entire time in our coach car. Meal calls were made only by mouth, the National Park Service details were never heard, arrival and departure stations were rarely known. Felt like a 'mushroom', if you get my drift...
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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As the sole defender of EAST coast Amtrak services (or lack of) you may notice that I keep bringing up the issue of East coast Long-Distance and Viewliner trains, and then mention Superliners. As I get the opportunity to travel on both types of services at least 2-3 times a year I am under the impression that the the Superliners have the best amenities due in part to their size. All East Coast Long-distance trains 12-hours and greater should offer movies/visual entertaiment to Coach-class passengers. Even cross-country planes of 5 hours offer this, as well as a small FREE snack/drink or light meal choice of 5$. Service as little as this could EASILY be done on Viewliners.
Superliners have a dedicated 2-level domed Observation Car with lots of upper deck seating for coach/first class passengers, a spacious lower deck snack section, ample dinning car seating, with the option in the Observation Car of being able to watch movies.
I realize that double-decker and openly spacious Superliners may have a consist of 13 or more cars, but at least there is the option to go and watch a movie or stay in your car. I know on the East coast we are restricted in car height levels, but Single-level Viewliner coach (cattle) cars, seemingly cramped and dark in comparison to Superliners, offer no movies, expensive foods, and no dome car. Where is the incentive? And if you are on them for *20-30* hours these optoions would make a wonderful difference.
Trust me in saying that offering TV/movies, even if only in the lounge car for coach class passengers, is at least better than having nothing, which is what we have now.
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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I do not underastand much of this last post.
I ride both Viewliners and Superliners several times a year. The amount of room in coach seats looks no different to me. Granted, I always ride in sleepers, but I always pass through coach cars on every trip To make Viewliner coach cars sound cramped is most misleading.
I also am not sure what this is about snacks. The post implies that there are snacks available on Superliners that are not available on Viewliners. To the best of my knowledge, the snack bar stock on both types of trains is identical.
As for the suggestion that free snacks could "EASILY" be done on Viewliners, the fact of the matter is that this would be a huge undertaking and would cost a great deal. Cookies, sodas and fruits were removed from the sleepers for precisely this reason, and their numbers were small compared to the numbers in coach. As for movies, the sleeper compartments have had the video equipment removed because of maintenance and security problems. The Viewliner cars tried TV screens in coach cars years ago, but they met the same fate, alas.
Posts: 255 | Registered: Nov 2001
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quote:Originally posted by CHATTER: I do not underastand much of this last post.
I ride both Viewliners and Superliners several times a year. The amount of room in coach seats looks no different to me. Granted, I always ride in sleepers, but I always pass through coach cars on every trip To make Viewliner coach cars sound cramped is most misleading.
I also am not sure what this is about snacks. The post implies that there are snacks available on Superliners that are not available on Viewliners. To the best of my knowledge, the snack bar stock on both types of trains is identical.
As for the suggestion that free snacks could "EASILY" be done on Viewliners, the fact of the matter is that this would be a huge undertaking and would cost a great deal. Cookies, sodas and fruits were removed from the sleepers for precisely this reason, and their numbers were small compared to the numbers in coach. As for movies, the sleeper compartments have had the video equipment removed because of maintenance and security problems. The Viewliner cars tried TV screens in coach cars years ago, but they met the same fate, alas.
As for the 'free' snacks I meant more in the line of complimentary airline-size bag of peanuts or pretzels, not bags of chips or cookies. The 'Piedmont' offers not only a free drink (full sodas, full bottles of juices or bottle water), but a free snack (bagels, chips, doughnuts, etc) to ALL guests riding on her.
Nor did I mean snack 'availibilty', but areas of seating/lounges to enjoy these snacks other than my seat. Superliners have larger areas dedicted for this than Viewliners.
The 'Carolinian' for example, not even a Viewliner, can have 2 business class and 3 coach cars, but only 1 car that serves as both Snack Car and lounge. For a 12-15 hour ride, there are no options for coach class passengers for entertainment than the overcrowded snack car (which we get kicked out of 30 minutes either side of Richmond). From 8:35am until 10pm I have riden coach with little more to do than listen to my CD player. A movie or a Observation car would be nice.
And I was not speaking of the 'room' of the actual seats, but the overall feeling of the cars themselves. Superliners, to me at least, feel more spacious, more open, and seem to have larger windows in the passenger cars and a higher flatened ceiling. Viewliners feel more like an airplane with windows smaller than the Superliner and a lower roof top.
I thought the idea of this post/thread was to SUBMIT "REASONABLE IDEAS" to the author of this thread that would improve the quality of Amtrak, not take others ideas and chop them up for analysis. That is the job of the author of this thread.
My last trip on Amtrak covered an estimated 12,000 (thats TWELVE thousand) miles, all in coach class. And it was not the first 10,000+ mile coach class trip such as that. I do that EVERY year.
Let those who travel in Coach-class, who know cross-country long distance travel in coach, who have travelled tens of thousands of miles in coach class not only cross-country but up and down both seaboards a multitude of times, and know coach class travel better than those who happen to 'pass through' coach on the way from their sleeper to their 'free/included 3-course meals' in the dining car and always travel in sleepers, let US submit those deas that WE know would improve coach-class travel.
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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1) to reinstate what practicully everyone has said, a more reliable schedule. I really don't care if a schedule pushes a long distance train's arrival back an hour or two as long as that train either maintains or comes very close to maintaining that schedule.
2)More National Park tour guides: I've always enjoyed this service on a select few western routes, but why not expand it. Having a guide on the train for one day of a three day schedule is suitable. I think it's just a great idea to actually learn about the area your travelling through. Obviously, since Amtrak can not compete with airlines on their speed, they need to compete with the biggest thing trains have: scenery, and learning a little more about it would be great. Especially on the east coast trains, where none of this service exists, and there isn't much scenery in the first place. It would be nice to board the Silver Star and learn a little bit about the Civil War, our nation's capitol, and the Revolution.
3)I agree, better sound systems, and actual use of the channels which are installed in the superliner sleepers. I've always thought there is nothing more relaxing than listening to Jazz or Classical music while reading a paper at night and glancing out the window.
4) More Met Lounges (or whatever the heck their calling them these days): Theres a pretty good number of them, but some of the largest transfer points don't have any. There's one in Miami, which is nice, but a joke because its so small and offers practically nil, other than more sitting area. Orlando and Jacksonville, I've always thought should have a Met Lounge. So many people transfer from these to locations, from Silver Service to the Sunset Lmtd, that it really would be useful. In order for me to get home in the panhandle, after visiting my grandparents in Miami, I have to layover for a few hours or more in either station. San Antonio is another example, and don't get me started on waiting for the Sunset Lmtd there! The poor people who live there and depend upon the Sunset Lmtd at least deserve a Met Lounge!
Posts: 82 | Registered: Aug 2004
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quote:Originally posted by North American Railroader: 1) to reinstate what practicully everyone has said, a more reliable schedule.
In the planning stages of my upcoming Florida trip I was frustrated that none of the Amtrak website arrival and departure times matched the 'current' published timetables book (Apr-Oct 2005). They were not off by just minutes but several hours. And the connecting thruway buses were off by hours or totally not there. I called Amtrak today and they told me that as of a few weeks ago the timetables had been permanently changed effective August 1st. I leave August 3rd. I was also told that the Thruway connection bus I booked was no longer guaranteed since I booked it online 'Multi-city' and pieced together the itinerary myself instead of letting an Amtrak agent book it as a straight 'roundtrip' booking.
I never saw any announcment on their website that mentioned such a change, a new and permanent departure change of 6 hours...
Imagine if I had booked the trip and blissfully continued about my business until departure day. I would arrive 30-45 minutes early for the 12:15pm train, and there would be no train...it departed at 6am.
Suggestion: Use the website to keep us informed of these type of drastic unpublished permanent changes and removal of Amtrak Thruway services.
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Capltd29: How did you get a job with Amtrak at 14?
I'd like one at the Richmond, VA station, I am 16, what do you do as you job?
Capltd29, what I think was meant is purrzz70 has been employed for 14 years as an Amtrak employee, not that the job was obtained at the age of 14... ;-)
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
return trip SL leaves L.A. 9:30Pm...7 hours past current 2:30pm
arrives in Orlando at 3:45 am...start the day early. SL is usually late, so orlando time is closer to 6:00am.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:Originally posted by gp35: New schedule for the Sunset limited. city old time new ime Orlando 1:45pm 7:45 am etc etc
return trip SL leaves L.A. 9:30Pm...7 hours past current 2:30pm
arrives in Orlando at 3:45 am...start the day early. SL is usually late, so orlando time is closer to 6:00am.
gp35: I was wondering were you found this new schedule information for the Sunset Limited. For the new time schedules of the Silver Service to/from Florida I found it, but I called Amtrak re: the SL (they didnt know) and even looked at the website and cant find it...THANKS
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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This is not the new schedule for the SL. Although it should be. It is my suggestion for a new schedule.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:Originally posted by gp35: This is not the new schedule for the SL. Although it should be. It is my suggestion for a new schedule.
Very good. I know Amtrak has adjusted n/b Silver Services to meet up with the w/b Sunset Limited now.
Wish List for Schedule Adjustments?
I wish that Amtrak could adjust services from CLT-RGH to meet s/b 'Silver Services' to go to Florida. They had it before, but with the re-alignment of the Pametto it no longer exists. To avoid a 10-hour overlay I now have to take Greyhound to RGH, then Amtrak s/b. This was also great for meeting the w/b Sunset Limited to LAX.
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Capltd29: Yeah, i guess i should have read more carefully
Capltd29: I am impressed that at the age of 12 you have a wonderful career goal already picked out. When I was that age I was too busy playing with models and goofing off.
I just turned 46 years old on Wednesday and STILL dont know what I want to be when I grow up :-)
Keep that goal of yours in your sights, figure out how to achieve it, and go for it. Its never too early to start...
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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My number 1 suggestion: Do NOT show movies in the observation car of western trains when it is still light out. This is an insult to the scenery. If people want to see movies, they should go below--make that the "childrens room" if need be--or bring their own on computers.
My number 2 suggestion: Now that the NE corridor trains are mostly reserved, people (including foreign tourists) need to be warned that the ticket lines at some stations (such as NY's Penn Station) are long and slow, so if they are picking up tickets before a train at those stations, they need to get there WAY ahead of schedule, like 2 hours--and they'd be better off picking them up a day before or something like that. Also, Amtrak needs more employees selling the tickets at NY's Penn Station, especially in early morning.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by sojourner: ...they need to get there WAY ahead of schedule, like 2 hours--and they'd be better off picking them up a day before or something like that. Also, Amtrak needs more employees selling the tickets at NY's Penn Station, especially in early morning.
Even in a small station like charlotte NC, passengers show up 10-15 minutes before departure, stand in line (with their luggage that hasnt been baggage checked) to get their tickets from the ONE ticket agent, and often either hold up the train or miss it all together. I think the most amusing one was when this guy showed up at 6:18pm for a 6:14pm departure (I had just gotten off the 'Piedmont' and was waiting for a taxi) and he was serious about 'where was the train'?
Holding up a train by even ONE minute has a cascading effect down the line on a train that has a 13 hour schedule.
I have seen them leave people/families behind, and I know its their fault for trying to get tickets and check-in 5 minuntes before leaving, but if there had been at least ONE other ticketing agent on duty 30-minutes before departure to facilitate Customer Service needs, it would help out tremendously.
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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quote:Originally posted by sojourner: My number 1 suggestion: Do NOT show movies in the observation car of western trains when it is still light out. This is an insult to the scenery. If people want to see movies, they should go below--make that the "childrens room" if need be--or bring their own on computers
I do not own a laptop computer, nor do I own a $200-300 portable DVD player...
But I agree about waiting until sundown for showing movies. I really love a good movie, but I sometimes love the scenery even more, and its hard to enjoy majestic scenery with Jim Carey flayling around in the background....
In the Winter months when it gets dark around 5:30pm start the movies then. In Summer when it gets dark around 8:30pm, that is a good time to begin.
In Coach: more highly detailed rail guides would be nice (pamphlets or foldout maps, you could sell them for $1 or so onboard as souveneirs) to show were we are transitting through. I found one once in the Observation Car (left by a sleeping car passenger) of the 'Empire Builder' route. It was fascinating. I almost always bring a large Rand McNally Atlas, or AAA map of each state highlighted with the path of our rail journey, and am often surrounded by folks wanting to know where we are at.
Housekeeping: More than once I have had to tidy up the Observation Car because the attendants did not. Go through every so often with a trash bag to pick up the little things left behind. For some reason some people just cant make it to a trash can...
And I know this is going to sound crazy, but in the Summer months before going through scenic areas of spectacular offerings (say for instance the 'California Zephyr' before leaving EMY or between DEN-SLC or visa versa), make sure the Dome Car windows are cleaned, both inside AND out. In SLC and DEN on the CZ there is enough overlay time to accomplish this, weather permitting of course...
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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To throw in my $.02... Yearly training should already be mandatory, specifically on safety and crisis management.
Satellite TV and WiFi... Forget about it. The train furnishes its own views out the window. If you must incorporate new technology, add a camera to the front of the train and pipe the picture into LCD monitors in the sightseer/observation car so we could see what's about to pass in front of our face.
Upgrade all Superliners to 32016's standard. That is a seriously pleasant car to ride in.
Make sure all mechanical devices are working, especially bathrooms and ACs. If they fail, there should be a way to get a service tech to meet the train and attempt a fix.
Make the Sunset Limited a daily train. Have the Cresent split off to Dallas. Re-instate the Denver-Yellowstone-Boise-Seattle route. In fact, lets make that Houston-Dallas-Denver, etc., with connections to the SW Chief and Cal Zephyr.
Have passengers, such as myself, be the "quality control" eyes for the upper eschelon of Amtrak. For a reduced train fare, I'd do an assessment of the crew, the overall cleanliness of the train, and complete any inspection Amtrak would require. Amtrak would need to let all the service people know that passengers are being employed to assess the way their jobs are performed. {motivation for treating everyone well} A nice bonus program for all personell that exceed the expectations of the quality control passenger would really sell the program.
More Rangers explaining the routes, piped in on channel 4 of the speaker system would be great!
Posts: 1418 | From: Houston, Republic of Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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New Orleans-Baton Rouge-Galveston-Houston-Dallas-Denver-Billings-Spokane-Edmonton Canada.
Connections to Chief, Zephyr, Texas, Sunset, and Empire builder.
I added Galveston because of the beautiful station.
Cities added to the Amtrak family; Baton Rouge, Galveston, Lubbock, Amarillo, Colorado Springs, Billings, Calgary, Edmonton.
The reason people would use this route; Train route for southerns to go sking in Colorado or a trip to Canada in the winter. For the summer, Canadians and northern people could ride south to Galveston Island beaches or New Orleans summer vacation.
Billings and Galveston has dead end stations so the train would need engines at both ends of the train.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Do you think that WiFi may be a good thing for those folks on the NE Corridor? Do those folks that have laptops in the NE Corridor who are frequent Business tavellers, and need access, does this exist for them and would it be useful for them? I don't know these details...
It seems that it would be too difficult to institute West of the Mississippi and maintain any type of continuous connection. Same goes for Satellite.
It seems we all enjoy the magnificent views out the windows as we pass the rolling hills of the mid-west, the canyons, mountains, and mighty rivers of the Rockies, Sierra Nevadas, and Cascades, and the desolute beauty of the desert Southwest. But I have actually seen passengers (kids, teens, and adults of all ages) more interested in reading a newspaper or book, or sleeping, than even glance out the windows or take pictures. As many times as I have done these routes, personally I am still more fascinated at what is going on outside the windows.
But not everyone is on the train for that reason.
Sometimes these folks take a train because they have to. They care less about what is outside their windows, and look forward more to what movie is being shown that night than what is on the dining car menu. Imagine that these folks dont own laptops or portable DVD players, or digital cameras, they have never seen the inside of a Sleeper car or even know the name of the train they are on. They have never heard of a 'Parlour Car', dont know the difference in a Superliner or a Viewliner, and budget 3$ for each meal. They are getting from Point A to Point B and are carrying all their stuff in a worn duffle bag and brought enough Lance crackers or Pop Tarts to hold them over until they got to their destination 36 hours down the line. I have seen these people, sat next to them for days on end, and bought them a hotdog that they seemed eternally grateful for.
Amtrak should not eliminate any of those amenities, regardless of route or service, that some would find as a 'luxury', but others might take for granted.
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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quote:Originally posted by mikesmith: If you must incorporate new technology, add a camera to the front of the train and pipe the picture into LCD monitors in the sightseer/observation car so we could see what's about to pass in front of our face.
OK, now that would be way too cool! Great idea!
quote: Have passengers, such as myself, be the "quality control" eyes for the upper eschelon of Amtrak. For a reduced train fare, I'd do an assessment of the crew, the overall cleanliness of the train, and complete any inspection Amtrak would require.
Hey, I need a job like this! Put me on the Payroll tomorrow...I know I'd be darn good at it!
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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I really like the idea of placing a video camera at the front of the engine, maybe even on on the rear (although this would probably be tough with switching cars in and out). I've been on cruise ships with the same amenite, and it's really nice on days when its either too cold or rainy to go outside; and of course on a train you can never go outside. Couple this along with the railway frequency, and a passanger won't ever want to leave their room again, ok maybe for dinner. A system like this would also be nice because it would allow passangers to see wild animals that often scatter before a train passes, and which the engineer sees (of course it would also broadcast "rail kill" and I doubt that would float with some people). I also really like the idea of a southeast-northwest route. It would allow people like me save the time of having to always travel to Washington DC and Chicago whenever we want to go west (I do not depend on the Sunset Lmtd, its more stress free, easier, and sometimes even shorter just to go the long route). Of course, if it started in New Orleans, I'd still have to depend on the Sunset Lmtd for a connection, and this I will not. Just last summer I had a planned connection with the City of NOL, and because of the Sunset's delay, we were bussed from Mobile to Jackson, and luckily we made that. If such a train is ever implemented, and the Sunset Lmtd in it's present form is left intact, the NW train should be extended to Florida, because it's practically usesless with the Sunset Lmtd. The fact is, such a train may even replace the Sunset Lmtd some day, by cutting cars to connect with the SW Chief, and having a one night train from Miami/Orlando-New Orleans connecting. It would be sad to see her go, but with the "service" or lack of it, which it currently provides, you just can't depend on it! As for going to Edmonton, I don't know. Canada is coming closer to requiring passports to enter (they may have already), which would make for a very long travel time. In addition, such a line to Edmonton would be a seasonal market. There wouldn't be that many passengers travelling all the way during Spring and Fall, and during Summer and Winter, it would be more of a 'one-way' flock either north or south. People here in the south are more likely to just drive a day away to North Carolina to ski, or maybe go to Colorado, rather than all the way to Montana and/or Canada. Seattle would be the better choice, with a connection to the Empire Builder to Portland.
Posts: 82 | Registered: Aug 2004
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quote:Originally posted by mikesmith: Have passengers, such as myself, be the "quality control" eyes for the upper eschelon of Amtrak. For a reduced train fare, I'd do an assessment of the crew, the overall cleanliness of the train, and complete any inspection Amtrak would require.
quote:Mike, that's more or less what Amtrak's Customer Advisory Committee does.
Mr Toy, that seems like a great retirement "job" {in about 10 years}!
Posts: 1418 | From: Houston, Republic of Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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quote:Originally posted by North American Railroader: I also really like the idea of a southeast-northwest route. It would allow people like me save the time of having to always travel to Washington DC and Chicago whenever we want to go west . . . the NW train should be extended to Florida, . . . connect with the SW Chief,
Sounds like a resurrection of Frisco/Southern's Kansas City Florida Special or a modified Sunnyland.
George
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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quote:Originally posted by mikesmith: Upgrade all Superliners to 32016's standard. That is a seriously pleasant car to ride in.
Could you be as so kind to explain this one...as much as I love train travel I don't know what the reference refers to.
THANKS :-)
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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