Interesting article on seat assignments and wi-fi. Better late than never.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
I'm not certain that the railfan community will be all that happy with assigned seats; after all, they do like to bounce around based upon where "the view" happens to be. Even non-fans who ride The Adirondack frequently likely will switch sides at Albany to have their 'Lake/River view".
However, I do understand where the Forbes columnist is coming from regarding parties of two, and since the Corridor clientele, especially the Acela clientele, would likely be using air travel going anywhere other than by auto, all they know away from Southwest Airlines is assigned seating.
Now regarding Wi-Fi, even though I recognized during 2011 at a topic I originated over at Railroad Net, the need for Amtrak to "get with the program', I did not join the 21st Century until about three weeks before I went overseas last July. I really did not know what Wi-Fi was until I think during November I overran my contract allowance and started to "run it up'. I went to the Verizon store where some slacker 20 something salesman (well at least he had a job, so I guess he was one rung above that gang of worthless protoplasm in the TV show "Girls") looked at my Galaxy S5 and said "your Mobile Wi-Fi is off; even if you are home, your pulling your data off our cell tower rather that your Comcast router, which you're paying them for anyway' - and all in a rather "you dumb Grampy" mannerism. His 30 something manager gave me credit for the excess charge; the kid got a "get out of jail free" card from me for his incivility.
So therefore whenever I next travel Amtrak (who knows when that will be as Florida is only three days and fly next Friday), I'm sort of expecting Wi-Fi as I'd expect to use my plaything en route.
I actually paid Hyatt in Greenwich last September for Wi-Fi ($9.95/da), but I understand that is now comp if you are in their rewards plan. Same will be for Marriott in Miami next weekend.
Incidentally, here is an article from Yesterday's Journal regarding Wi-Fi at major chain hotels. Seems like on the low end, consider it free. Higher end? well.....:
I'm all for assigned seating - if you can choose your seat, as on many airlines, when making an on line reservation. Nothing aggravates me more than to see a train delayed while a member of the train crew slowly hands out little slips of paper with a seat number scribbled on it to the long line of boarding passengers. If a single traveler, chances are it's an aisle seat.
Pre Amtrak I remember a Florida trip as a boy when we rode coach on the East Coast Champion, probably 50-60 years ago. The ticket had our coach seat assignment clearly printed on it (something like 41A and 41W). Glad Amtrak is finally catching up.
Faster boarding means less station dwell time which enables a faster schedule without spending mega bucks to improve the track.
Posted by dns8560 (Member # 15184) on :
Some trains were designated all-reserved in timetables past. I guess that was only meant in terms of capacity?
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: I actually paid Hyatt in Greenwich last September for Wi-Fi ($9.95/da), but I understand that is now comp if you are in their rewards plan. Same will be for Marriott in Miami next weekend.
I rarely pay for Wifi - in fact I think the last time was on Delta flying to ORD a couple of years ago, more to see what Wifi in the sky was like (surprisingly good).
But most hotel wifi is fairly dismal: oftentime I have switched wifi off so that I get my faster 4G instead.
If seat reservations speed Amtrak boarding then I'm all for it. There never seems to be any hurry to board passengers in my experience, even when running late.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
quote:Originally posted by Geoff Mayo: Seat reservations speed Amtrak boarding then I'm all for it. There never seems to be any hurry to board passengers in my experience, even when running late.
Mr. Mayo, I think most of the experiences with slow boarding is account Conductors choosing to "streetcar" passengers, lifting their transportation as they board.
They are only looking out for themselves; what if there is a 'spotter" aboard (yes, Amtrak has 'em) and someone "skips"?
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
Seat assignments: What's the big deal for Amtrak? I was of the impression that most railroads do it. We got very used to it in Taiwan. I could walk up to a ticket window say or have written a destination and train number or time and be almost immediately handed a ticket with the train number, a car number, and seat number on it. All I had to do was to be able to read the Chinese characters to know which number was for which. And, this was on a system that operated four classes of trains, and lots of them. They would also sell tickets up to what they apparently considered to be a reasonable standing capacity beyond that. These tickets had the train number, but no car and seat numbers.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
quote:Originally posted by Geoff Mayo:
quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: I actually paid Hyatt in Greenwich last September for Wi-Fi ($9.95/da), but I understand that is now comp if you are in their rewards plan. Same will be for Marriott in Miami next weekend.
I rarely pay for Wifi - in fact I think the last time was on Delta flying to ORD a couple of years ago, more to see what Wifi in the sky was like (surprisingly good).
But most hotel wifi is fairly dismal: oftentime I have switched wifi off so that I get my faster 4G instead.
I had the Hyatt experience a few years back when traveling on the company's dime to a meeting in the same hotel. I went to the desk and complained to the essence that I usually stayed at places well cheaper then them and the WiFi was free, and in fact this was my first experience with having to pay for a hotel WiFi. They then comped me 6 hours of it. While on it later, I found that they did not mean 6:00:01, either. When I have to pay through the nose for the room I certainly do not expect to have to pay for every other little thing they have to offer.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
What I think must be watched is if you book a hotel through a third party site such as Expedia. Orbitz, Hotels.com, et al. In this case, somewhere I read Marriott is not so nice regarding Wi-Fi.
I've never used any third-party for booking air, hotel. or cars. I have no knowledge if they can offer you a better rate or not.
Posted by PullmanCo (Member # 1138) on :
Seat reservations: BACK TO THE FUTURE!!!
Who among us older folk remember reserved coach seats on: The City of Los Angeles/The Challenger? The Chief and The Super Chief/El Capitan? The Coast Daylight? The Texas Eagle? ... and any number of trains on lines East of the Mississippi (run by NYC, PRR, L&N, SOU, ad infinitum...?)
Posted by PullmanCo (Member # 1138) on :
As to hotel wi-fi, I will simply say that having just returned from Israel, the Dan chain (the Dan Tel Aviv, the King David Hotel) offers free in-room wi-fi, and we are talking world class properties.
I did discover it was better at the Dan Tel Aviv to do web stuff from the bar than it was from my room Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: somewhere I read Marriott is not so nice regarding Wi-Fi.
They were widely lamented for blocking customer's WiFi but it was more in their conference centers than the rooms - though that was their next plan. Reason? Money, of course. Paid-for WiFi earns them a lot more than customers using their pre-existing own plans.
Fortunately the FCC fined them $600,000 and told them never again. Marriot, of course, announced that they had decided not to pursue their original plans - as if they actually had a choice in the matter.
Posted by PullmanCo (Member # 1138) on :
One other comment: Israeli Railways offers free public wifi in their stations and on their trains. On a trip from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv it cut out a couple times in the canyons, but otherwise, it was more than good enough!
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