posted
I agree about all line additions, and posted about it in a different strand. And reinstate Florida through Atlanta to Chicago (stopping in Chattanooga, don't forget!!), make that Cardinal daily, bring back trains to Nashville, and Las Vegas, and Phoenix as well as that train through Wyoming to Portland (is this the Yellowstone one; definitely need it BACK), and for goodness' sake, bring back the extension of Michigan train to Canada. There also should be a train to Mount Rushmore and, as I mentioned before, and Asheville NC. I LOVE the idea of a train to Edmonton and would also love one up to Canada from North Dakota--to Winnipeg I guess. Also would be nice to have a train through Maine into Nova Scotia. Also would like to be able to take a train via Texas into Mexico, and California into Baja California . . . in fact, I'd like to get on a train in the NE and be able to go safely and cost effectively (for my budget) all the way to Argentina!!!
Also, esp for cities where trains stop at odd times, how about seasonal extra trains in high season; for example, there could be a second Denver to SLC train mid-April to mid-October (maybe stopping in the hottest months--esp this year!) and Amtrak should offer specials with hotels (who give Amtrak some money for the deal, of course) so people come west to Denver, or east to SLC, book in a hotel, stay overnight or two, then take the better-scheduled scenic special train. This train should have TWO observation cars, or be all observation cars!!! It could be privately run, even by a cruise line or Jet Blue or someone else--but prices have to be kept reasonable enough so that regular folks can afford it--not just for rich people like the Orient Express.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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I like your ideas but the big question is "Where will the equipment come from??" Amtrak has barely enough equipment to run the skeletal system they currently run. Unless they get a big influx of cash somewhere and are able to have cars built quickly, I don't see any new routes or increases in frequency happening soon.
I still worry that if Amtrak survives long term, where will the equipment come from? With their current contentious relationship with Bombardier, I could see that company telling Amtrak to take a hike when new Superliners are needed. Then again money is money and Bombardier might happily accept a large order.
Posts: 171 | From: Aurora, Illinois | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
One other suggestion is with the Cardinal. I agree that its service needs to be increased to a daily run, as should Sunset Lmtd service between Florida and New Orleans, but thats a different story. I would love to see the Cardinal rerouted from a terminus in Washington DC to one in Newport News/Norfolk. In addition to providing people along the coast with service, it would also connect with Richmond, and I know that there are a lot of people who connect from the Silver Service, but are forced to take a bus from Richmond to Charlottesville. If Washington DC is left intact, then change Chicago to St. Louis instead. I think its foolish to run a tri-weekly train that goes to the same destination at the Capitol Lmtd, but takes longer and costs a hundred dollars more! If either of these terminus' were to change, it would still provide service to all major cities along the route.
Posts: 82 | Registered: Aug 2004
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posted
Here is the definitive answer to what people want in rail service. For the Train to be able to beat the car. Especially on Regional Inter-city trips. If the rails are reliable people may look at using the trains more often.
Posts: 516 | From: New Haven, CT USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
Hi, I thought I was being neurotic by cleaning the bathroom every time I travel on a Superliner in CA. Let's face it, some people are, well, not so tidy & expect others to clean up after them. Clean facilities that operate without breaking down are very important, especially on LD tains. BTW, here in Australia on our state of Queenslands narrow (3'6") guage we run our fastest and most innovative services. Read the attached link mentioning the Drivers cam. Mike in Australia. http://www.ara.net.au/innovations/innovations.php?id=31Posts: 60 | From: Ballan, Victoria, Australia | Registered: Oct 2001
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One thing I forgot in my recent post on improving Amtrak. I would like to see Amtrak aggressively market itself in all markets but especially in the smaller markets where air/bus service is nil or minimal.
While great speed is not always possible, I could see advertising that emphasizes not having to worry about driving, especially in hot/cold, bad weather.
Posts: 171 | From: Aurora, Illinois | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
Clean facilites are a must. I, as I'm sure anyone here can say, have had several instances where onboard cleanliness was less than par. I will not go into detail, because some of the instances may be alittle too graphic for some, but you can imagine. The last post is also right about providing service where there is little to begin with. Often times, small towns with few travel resources can provide just as much or even more passangers than a larger city. I can attest to this, living in the Florida panhandle, I have seen towns like Madison and Chipley, which are very small, produce loyal riders. Each of these stops have typically brought ten or more riders whenever I have travelled through. This is why routesm such as the old NP line and the suggested southeast to northwest line would be so key. There are so many communities along these routes which have few travel options, and even fewer during snow-packed winters.
Posts: 82 | Registered: Aug 2004
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quote:Originally posted by gp35: Mike, how about this north/south route.
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.
Yesterday I was in Galveston Island. I passed by the Galveston train station/museum. My nephew took a picture. Today I looked at the picture. I could post it if someone tell me how. Anyway the picture is of the train station with a Carnival cruise ship Extacy in the background. The ship docks less than 1 blocks from the train station. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Amtrak taxiing cruise ship riders. This could work on this north/south route I suggested. And it could work in Miami. A good reason to extent the SL back to Miami.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
I would reroute the Texas Eagle through Abilene-El Paso merge with SL in El Paso. Then extend heartland flyer to Tulsa, Waco, Austin, San Antonio, Laredo and/or Corpus Christi.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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Won't work. You'd add 2-3 hours to the trip to make Galveston. Having commuter rail between Houston & Galveston would be a great alternative.
And the Billings/Spokane/Edmonton doesn't have enough traffic to justify the route. Boise/Portland/Seattle does have enough traffic, especially if the time is 10 hours different from the CS.
Posts: 1418 | From: Houston, Republic of Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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1) Hire and train professional type people who have basic customer service and presentation skills. People who know how to actually practice grooming and hygiene. Too many of my fellow On-Board crew don't give a 2nd thought about their presentation/lack of.
2) Then give those front-line employees support and respect. Provide a contract that doesn't always put the OBS worker on the short end of the stick. Upset attendants don't make for positive customer service. The corporate culture at Amtrak treats OBS like un-wanted step-childeren, yet we have the most impact on a passengers experience.
3) Increase on-board staffing!!! The current one TA for two/three coaches is inexusable and un-safe. Two dining car SA's(sometimes one in off season) makes providing attentive service impossible. If you've traveled on the Lakeshore Lmt. you know what I mean!
4) Make the trains comfortable an clean. Most of our rolling stock is dingy and tired looking. The coach seating is a torture for more than two hours. Miss those old Heritage car seats! Provide seat side entertainment so that the lounge car atmosphere isn't ruined with those blaring and tacky VCR's and people can do something old-fashioned- hold a conversation. Interiors should be exciting like the ones from the 70's. I prefer those bright bold grafics of red and blue, purple and orange. Amtrak cars in the 70's were more inspired than todays muted hues.
5) Hold other (non OBS) departments accountable for lack of performace.
6) Bring back the ARROW LOGO!!!
Posts: 4 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Several of the Amtrak Customer Service Reps at our local station are often rude and non-chalant about helping travellers.
Customers ask questions and the CSR wont even look up from his newspaper when answering the question with a grunt.
Or fuss when customers ask for assistance.
Or stand around and complain openly when customers are in the waiting lobby.
Or tell stories about their past encounters with dumb or stupid passengers...to other waiting passengers!
And they have three favorite phrases:
1) Cant help you 2) I dont know 3) Call Amtrak and ask THEM
I've seen dining car attendants that make Marine Drill Sargeants look like Girl Scounts, and Cafe Car cashiers that make rude and unbecoming comments about patrons after they turn their backs.
And I have seen Coach car attendants that are blatantly rude to the elderly.
I know these people work long hard hours.
Mandatory yearly training in Customer Service? Sometimes you CAN'T 'teach an olddog new tricks'...
...so you retire them.
An infusion of 'new blood' into the system would work wonders for Customer Service.
-------------------- 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
I'd like to ask Train Attendant West if Amtrak has performance standards for the On Board Crew and if such OBC can be terminated for some of the behaviors you and others mention? I would also be curious to learn more about how the corporate culture treats you? I believe you said unwanted stepchildren? How so? I'd like to understand. And for those of you who do go "beyond the call" to make passengers trips as pleasant as possible, you have my admiration!
I wonder if anyone who wants to hire on should have to go through a psych evaluation in order to work? OK, I'm being a little silly here, but if you are not a people person you should not be working for Amtrak. Then again, a good HR interviewer should be able to pick up the idea that the perspective employee would not be a good front line worker.
Posts: 171 | From: Aurora, Illinois | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
Very true dmwnc1959. But an infusion of new blood? What career minded person would want to work for a company that doesn't know it will exist from year to year, or be treated by that company as Train Attendant West states? Maybe training is minimal at best because of LACK OF FUNDS. Still, my hat goes off to all those service people who do their best or even more than that with these conditions. With the present situation that Amtrak is in I doubt that it will draw many well primed applicants, if it's hiring at all. Due to LACK OF FUNDS....credited to those who want to kill the LD trains.
Posts: 498 | From: New Hope, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2003
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quote:Originally posted by 20th Century: Very true dmwnc1959. But an infusion of new blood? What career minded person would want to work for a company that doesn't know it will exist from year to year...
Me! Hire me! And I am sure there are more out there like me that would love to get an employment opportunity to help 'turn Amtrak around', even if it is on its deathbed. Hire me for 1 year, I dont mind! I want to help... seriously!
Sometimes folks get too ingrained into their jobs that they hate it and dont realize it radiates out from them, and dont realize the harm they are doing to the company and its image as a whole just by them showing up for work.
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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Won't work. You'd add 2-3 hours to the trip to make Galveston. Having commuter rail between Houston & Galveston would be a great alternative.
And the Billings/Spokane/Edmonton doesn't have enough traffic to justify the route. Boise/Portland/Seattle does have enough traffic, especially if the time is 10 hours different from the CS.
I sent the Galveston Idea in to my Amtrak insider. They love the idea of Amtrak going to Galveston to meet up with Carnival cruise. The idea will be brought up at the next meeting.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:I sent the Galveston Idea in to my Amtrak insider. They love the idea of Amtrak going to Galveston to meet up with Carnival cruise. The idea will be brought up at the next meeting.
That would be great! The only way it would work is as a commuter line from Houston to Galveston. That UP track is all 25 mph or less track, so it would be a slow trip, until the line is upgraded.
Posts: 1418 | From: Houston, Republic of Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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posted
From my understanding is it would an extention to the South Central High Speed Corridor. The T-bone to Temple. So yes, a major upgrade to tracks.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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