The following makes the assumption that all cost and other economic roadblocks could be alleviated, which, I know, is quite an assumption.
With regard to long-distance trains, if you could have 3 choices which would upgrade or enhance Amtrak tains and Amtrak services, what would be your top 3 choices?
Here are my top 3 picks:
3. A special "bistro car" to serve freshly prepared hot and cold sandwiches, a variety of beverages, and "Starbucks-like" coffee. The bistro car would be at the center of the train, with access by all passengers. The bistro car would be open 24 hours/day.
2. Bring back the "Pioneer".
3. Allow only freshly-prepared meals in the dining car, similar to the meals once prepared and served by the private passsenger trains before Amtrak. If you have a sleeper, give sleeping car passengers the option of having meals delivered to your room.
Richard
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Even though I hold that the on-board experience is "quite OK" (after all; has my long standing "more positives than negatives" rating been changed?) and the existing LD system is "doing its job" securing Federal level funding for the unquestionably regional North East Corridor, here are suggestions to bring the rail travel experience "parity" with "the other guys".
1) On-board wi-fi; even if I personally could care less, it seems like those younger than myself "expect it".
2) More at station auto rental outlets (staffed and with autos ready to go; none of this "we'll pick you up and take you there" stuff - used with apologies to that "insurance rental" outfit) with the objective of attaining same degree of utility as found at airports. OK; I wouldn't expect rental autos to be available at Deming NM, but Denver? Anyone such as myself who "always rents" would just consider this a requisite to stepping in the ring and being a contender (wonder why my LD journeys other than my acknowledged joyrides seem to be Auto Train, or to Orlando, Wash, and Stamford?)
3) Establish authorized agency relationship with the various on-line travel sites; even if I personally have never been near one, I am a distinct minority. Also, related, would be to establish the same utility regarding "ticketless" electronic evidence of reservation and payment for those who have "smart phones" as are either in place or under development by the airlines. Such steps as these would make "getting to Amtrak" far more familiar to those for whom commercial transportation means air transport.
And "one to grow on":
4) Explore feasibility of Auto Train Service on other routes (nothing under RPSA '70 to preclude this; in fact it was encouraged). Again my suggestions, based upon much experience with the "real deal", would be Galesburg-La Junta, Galesburg-Irondale (Denver), and Albuquerque-San Bernardino. This would simply be auto carriers added and cut from consists of the Chief and Zephyr with passengers handled in line space and in the class of their choice.
Posted by yukon11 (Member # 2997) on :
Here is a list of Amtrak stations showing which ones have rental cars available:
When they say "rental car available", I don't know if that means the rental car agency is in that particular Amtrak station or close and within walking distance of the station. For example, I don't remember a car rental outlet in the Eugene, Oregon station but there is one in the Whitefish station.
I like the idea of more Auto Train services.
Richard
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
I would like to see the Pacific Parlour concept of separate lounge space for 1st class passengers expanded to every long distance train.
While not the 'optimal' vehicle for such, maybe those extra Cross-Contry-Cafe diner rebuilds which are mostly surplus now could be modified for this service.
On the single-level trains my 'dream' would be the return of the old SAL 'Sun Lounge' cars. New Viewliner Sleepers which contain 5 or 6 bedrooms in one half of the car and then lounge space in the other. Add these to an existing consist with two viewliner sleepers currently and now you've got 24 roomettes and 11 or 12 bedrooms available.... and improvement over 24 roomettes and 6 bedrooms as is currently the case with the Crescent and Silver Star.
Yes, I realize that this is merely a pipe dream.
Posted by ehbowen (Member # 4317) on :
My dream would be to see a sustainable passenger car building industry. Right now what we have is the One Big Order, which is followed by years if not decades of nada. I'd like to see a medium-large order (big enough to justify opening the production lines) which is then followed on by orders of 20 or so new cars per year, every year.
Yes, this will be more expensive than the One Big Order (which is put out there for Low Bid and, historically, has been so unprofitable as to drive its builders out of the passenger car business for good more often than not). It won't create a large industry, but it could create a sustainable source to replace wrecked equipment and supply modestly expanded service.
And for my next trick, I'd like to create a time machine....
Posted by Konstantin (Member # 18) on :
I would eliminate the roomettes in the lower level of the Superliner sleepers. This would add more room so the restrooms could each be larger, with full-size fixtures.
I would like to see each train run in two sections, one all first class sleepers, and one all second class coach.
Dean
Posted by amtrak92 (Member # 14343) on :
5)Sun Lounges for the East Coast. I have had the pleasure to ride in a EX SAL Sun Lounge, that would be so nice.
4)I would have real food compared to food on the Railroad owned trains I never rode. As people would want it
3)Wi Fi on all trains. As GBN said, the my generation expects it. It would be nice for the ATCS Monitor.
2) Bring back the Floridian via Nashville. I would like to bring it to Atlanta, which ever is the fastest.
1) A Expanded Auto Train Program. The Current Auto Train is one of the most profitable trains, so why not copy that. Lorton-Chicago, Chicago-LA, Chicago-Denver, Chicago-San Fran, Chicago-Seattle, New York-Chicago.
It is too hard to just have three
Posted by palmland (Member # 4344) on :
My wish list is relatively small; make better use of the equipment Amtrak already has as well as improve onboard service. Some ways to do this:
- Improve turn times at destination so equipment doesn't sit for so long. This would provide additional cars to the fleet at little, if any, cost. The same number of cars making more trips means the potential for additional revenue. For example, both the CONO and Sunset sit at NOL 21 hours before they make a return trip. The Capitol also sits in Washington 21 hours, there are other examples. Yes, it would require some schedule changes and / or running equipment through to another train.
- Make use of those idle CCC cars. Use them on midwest corridor trains by changing Horizon or Amfleet cars to Superliner, or use as first class diner/lounge.
- Most importantly, improve consistency of on board service. This might mean more staffing, particularly in the diners and lounges. In the good ol' days, there were as many as 6 waiters in a diner. Now there are two. Add a kitchen helper /dishwasher. This would enable a return to 'real' china which would eliminate the boxes of disposable stuff that now litter the dining and lounge car tables as well as improve the quality of dining on Amtrak.
- Finally more training for all on board staff would greatly help the service consistency. Perhaps more supervisory oversight would help. In the days of the Pullman Co. a Pullman Supervisor made unannounced appearances on many trips to insure all porters were providing service according to their standards.
While there are lots of routes I'd like to see added, first things first. Realistically, I think any new routes will not be LD, but rather state sponsored runs. My nearby states, NC and VA are pro-passenger and that service should continue to grow. But, how do you interest them in trains across state lines? For instance, its only 100 miles from Lynchburg, VA (and its new service to the NEC) and Greensboro, NC, where the successful Piedmont trains make a stop.
Posted by Mike Smith (Member # 447) on :
1. Hire my wife & I to do undercover assessments of on-board staffs at least once a month on all long distance trains. 2. Make the Texas Eagle a daily to LAX. 3. Have a daily train from SAS to NOL.
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
My wish list would be:
1. Parlour car for sleeper PAX on all long-distance trains, and dining car on trains that go great distances and currently don't have them (like the Maple Leaf and the Palmetto).
2. Bring back LOTS of trains (including the Pioneer, Chicago-Toronto, the full Sunset Ltd, and Florida-Atlanta-Nashville) and make all trains daily.
3. Discount deals for cab rides and hotels.
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
I don't ask for much, just a reversion of service in FL back to what it was a while back:
1. The Sunset Limited to run from NOLA to Jacksonville or Orlando.
2. Ocala to be served by a train, not a bus.
3. Tampa to be an actual start/end point for a train, not just a stop.
Posted by Jerome Nicholson (Member # 3116) on :
1.Bring cafe food/drink up to the level of Acela. The Bistro Car idea would be nice. 2.Spread Pacific Parlor Car experience to other trains. Add them to next Superliner order, and revive Sun Lounge on Eastern trains with Viewliners. 3. Single - level Sightseer Lounge cars for Eastern trains. Could double as Bistro cars.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
We forget that "le Pub" (Bistro whatever) is a "been there done that" with Amtrak. Circa 1972, Amtrak was making efforts to have the travel experience part of the vacation, and The Montrealer, long been known as a "party train' hence its unofficial name of "The Bootlegger", was such a train that Amtrak experimented with.
The consist, in addition to Sleepers and a full service Diner, included a Lounge Car that was christened "Le Pub'. The car was a one-time US Army Hospital Car and was refurbished with the dark red and purple "Chinese house of ill-repute" motif that was "oh so '70's'. On board was a professional entertainer, and with the dark motif along with "light up if you please; rest of youse sorry bout that" mindset of the day, all I could think is this must be "The Black Hole of Calcutta'. Walking through that dungeon, which I acknowledge was not necessary as the consist was lined Bag-Dorm, Sleepers, Diner, Lounge, Coaches, reminded me of Basic Training and the gas house.
Mr. Nicholson, let's leave that concept in the past where it belongs.
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
Going again for a moment with a thought several people have posted -
A new generation of 'Sun Lounge' cars for the eastern 'single-level' trains would not be all that difficult to do using the existing Viewliner prototype.
Put about 5 or 6 bedrooms on one end and have a lounge in the half where the current viewliners have the roommettes. Those double rows of windows on either side would be the closest thing we've seen to a Sun Lounge since.... well.... the Sun Lounges.
All it would take would be a little m-o-n-e-y, right?
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
Where practical, add an additional train to as many routes as practical. It si worth noting that when North Carolina added the mid-day train, the number of passengers per train increased.
Although, sadly the daytime City of New Orleans schedule is no longer possible, a day train between Memphis and Chicago, preferably with a Carbondale to St. Louis section, would seem to be a worthwhile idea. A second, if not also a third Chicago - Minneapolis/St. Paul train, whith some work to speed up the line would also sound good.
The string of medium to larger cities along the Lake Shore Limited route simply cries out for another couple of trains each way.
Yes to a regular and consistent small quantity of equipment building, both in Viewliner body shells and superliner body shells to keep increasing capacity and also allow the current equipment to cycle through major refurbishment.
Sadly, forget about anything Chicago - Atlanta - Florida until major money can be spent on alignment improvements. There is simply no market for the low speed the current line can currently support.
Posted by yukon11 (Member # 2997) on :
I, for one, didn't know what a SAL "Sun Lounge" car was. Here is a photo:
Richard
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Take it from one for whom the Seaboard Sun Lounge is a "been there done that', they were beautiful cars. The photo submitted by Richard was "for real". And when I rode circa 1967, that is the dress code travelers adhered to.
Only "downside"; you didn't want to see those cars after they were "Bengstonized' into Amtrak's 70's motif.
Posted by Jerome Nicholson (Member # 3116) on :
quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: We forget that "le Pub" (Bistro whatever) is a "been there done that" with Amtrak. Circa 1972, Amtrak was making efforts to have the travel experience part of the vacation, and The Montrealer, long been known as a "party train' hence its unofficial name of "The Bootlegger", was such a train that Amtrak experimented with.
The consist, in addition to Sleepers and a full service Diner, included a Lounge Car that was christened "Le Pub'. The car was a one-time US Army Hospital Car and was refurbished with the dark red and purple "Chinese house of ill-repute" motif that was "oh so '70's'. On board was a professional entertainer, and with the dark motif along with "light up if you please; rest of youse sorry bout that" mindset of the day, all I could think is this must be "The Black Hole of Calcutta'. Walking through that dungeon, which I acknowledge was not necessary as the consist was lined Bag-Dorm, Sleepers, Diner, Lounge, Coaches, reminded me of Basic Training and the gas house.
Mr. Nicholson, let's leave that concept in the past where it belongs.
Actually, I was referring to a Bistro Car like the one on the "Cascades". Believe me, as one who remembers the CN equivalent of "Le Pub", that is one experience I would not care to repeat!
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Owing to Provincial liquor laws requiring a completely separate seating area for those choosing to imbibe, those on the CN were even Blacker" holes of Calcutta - and with even thicker foul fog.
Posted by palmland (Member # 4344) on :
No need to live in the past - the Hollywood Beach, a former SAL Sun Lounge/sleeper, is now owned by the L&C RR and available for charter. Click on the short video for it in this link.
I do remember those cars on the Meteor. My parents had a bedroom in one and I stopped by for a visit while the train was in Washington. But of course I took the later train, the leisurely Palmland for s spring visit to Florida in the 60's. Saw the Meteor many times during its evening stop in the small town that is now my home.
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
I had the opportunity to 'get inside' the Hollywood Beach last October when it was used as one of the first class cars on the Spencer-Asheville excursion. It has been restored to somewhat of an attractive car for it's charter service (some of the lounge area is given over to 4-person booths for food service now) and is part of what has sparked my imagination about what could possibly be done with a new genereration of Sun Lounges.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Present NYP-MYS frequency is "four a day" Weekdays; 'five a day" Weekends.
