# A Millenial's List of Improvements/Ideas



## Skylark (Nov 16, 2021)

Warning - long thread!

I was told millennials were a big target market now, so my last recent trip I kept notes on what I'd like to see. I really doubt it differs much from the majority of passengers tbh.

Of note, I've only traveled on Superliners - so these suggestions are mainly tailored to those cars, and mostly to Roomettes at that. Some of these may already be in the works for Superliner refurbs. 

1) Bathrooms - oh man. I think I've gotten lucky and mostly only had the Superliner 1 refurb bathrooms with the "granite" style sink. These ones are fine. Small but workable. The type I had recently was the one with the sink and cabinet panel all along the side, dark grey, where you spray water all over yourself and the bathroom trying to use it. And can only wash one hand at a time. Can't get trash to go down in the can without sticking your hand all over it. Can't even bend over for the most part. Also, maybe a notification button light outside the door that can be lit up if bathroom needs servicing and attendant could get alerted. Also could prevent other passengers from having to discover this on their own () I saw a button in that bathroom but I wasn't touching anything else and didn't want to have to wait there.

2)Roomettes 
- nightlight and outlet for use by upper berth when pulled down
- 2 outlets by the pullout table, and more room around outlets to fit charge cubes, etc
- tables definitely need improvement - coach pullout tables were nicer
-more climate control (have seen this mentioned a lot). 4 directional vents, 2 on top (one on each side for head/feet) for upper berth, 2 for lower
- fix that lever that pulls out the bottom seats for the bed - kept cutting my leg on it when bed was down
- also for having beds made up - feels like you have to do it pretty early. 10 is ok but with a time change sometimes it's 9 and with dinner reservations starting at 8 that can be awful early. I get the SCA can't be up all night and needs to get up early. Maybe a general staff member not assigned to a specific car to do tasks like that? Monitor bathrooms overnight too. I get it, more staff more $$$.
- I'd like the printed route brochures back. I'm thinking a brochure box near the coffee, no need to put in every room but those that want one can grab it. I like them, especially as souvenirs.
- sell the new blankets! Maybe 50% off for sleeping car passengers? 

3) Announcements and Notifications
- in coach, I couldn't hear half of the announcements, some of which were quite important. Need to work on speakers and volume control in coach and in roomettes too.
- do more to standardize announcements. Some engineers really keep us informed, others don't say much. I feel it's better to know what's going on, people will likely be less agitated. Be clear about delays. I hate sitting there wondering. 
-maybe create an opt-in text line for announcements? I know there's Twitter, that's more for major items. Also, able to text in safety concerns rather than call or have to speak in person (I only saw a phone number but maybe that is already an option).
- a little speaker box in roomettes/bedrooms you can flip open to speak to attendants, like maybe dining car taking breakfast reservations but you're still in bed and don't want to open the door or yell...

4) Dining 
- the fresh flowers/tablecloth at dinner are nice, so is the free alcoholic beverage. Keep that up! I'll be even happier the day I can get something like a margarita.
- more lighter fare options, especially at dinner. Or some credit to cafe car. I'm not paying $10 for a small frozen pizza when I'm already paying $$$$$ for a roomette/bedroom. 
- a few more vegetarian/vegan options. More customizable salad options. The vegan chili was actually really good! 
- also more basic items on the menu. Sometimes maybe I just want pizza or a burger but not paying extra for cheaper food.
- stock - should not be running out of basics like halfway through the trip. Makes it especially hard for those with food allergies or sensitivities who can eat some items on the menu but not all. Or quite frankly at that price point should be able to get what you'd like barring extreme delays/circumstances.
- not gonna lie, a bar car could be cool. Especially in art deco style. Could probably really make up some $$$ there. I understand this used to exist on some routes.

5) General 
- more washing of the windows! Also inside too, coach particularly behind the curtains was a lot of dust.
- more recycling - I start to feel a little guilty about all the trash 
- WiFi!!! This is a biggie. I don't think SWC has it at all, even in the bigger cities. If they can figure out a way to offer it most of the way, even in the boonies, that would be cool. I ran out of data and I wasnt streaming anything. I was mostly looking up places we stopped, any route delays, etc. Can advertise this to those who may need to do work on board long routes but don't have the time off so choose to fly instead.

I don't expect anyone to read all this -


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## CCC1007 (Nov 16, 2021)

Skylark said:


> I don't expect anyone to read all this -



Well I did, and I think some of this list is good, but there are some technical issues that need to be addressed first...

I'll add more after I get done with some work...


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## Skylark (Nov 16, 2021)

CCC1007 said:


> Well I did, and I think some of this list is good, but there are some technical issues that need to be addressed first...
> 
> I'll add more after I get done with some work...



I imagine many are repeats, and some not feasible like aspects with the Wifi. But maybe it'll lead to a different idea or interpretation that could work better!


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## neroden (Nov 16, 2021)

We all agree! I will point out that a number of the physical design problems in category (2) were actually fixed in the Viewliners, which are decades old now.


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## CCC1007 (Nov 16, 2021)

Skylark said:


> I imagine many are repeats, and some not feasible like aspects with the Wifi. But maybe it'll lead to a different idea or interpretation that could work better!


I would love to discuss this further, but that is going to have to wait. Reach out in PM's and I'll see what I can do to talk with you personally.


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## Qapla (Nov 16, 2021)

I'm not sure the "engineer" makes any of the announcements ... the Conductor might.

I also think there should be quality options for those of us who don't drink coffee - like good hot chocolate.


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## joelkfla (Nov 17, 2021)

Qapla said:


> I also think there should be quality options for those of us who don't drink coffee - like good hot chocolate.


Does such a thing still exist?

I honestly can't remember the last time I had hot chocolate that wasn't thin and overly sweetened.


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## SarahZ (Nov 17, 2021)

I'm more of an Xennial (born in 1977), but I agree with the majority of this list.

WiFi is tricky in remote areas because it works off a phone signal. Then you have multiple people trying to access that one hotspot. You really can't do much of anything, and forget streaming. Most people find it easier to simply make their own phone a hotspot. If your carrier charges extra and you don't want to pay, check with your local library. Mine loans out hotspots.


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## MARC Rider (Nov 17, 2021)

joelkfla said:


> Does such a thing still exist?
> 
> I honestly can't remember the last time I had hot chocolate that wasn't thin and overly sweetened.


For anything, except extremely high end, any hot chocolate that's going to get served is going to be from an instant powder. Now, that can be pretty good, if one takes the care to mix the powder and hot water in the correct portions.

But don't hold your breath expecting OBS staff on a train (or any other mode of transportation) actually preparing hot chocolate by heating up fresh milk and mixing it with sugar and cocoa...
The same is true for expecting a bartender to mix up a cocktail to order. (There was once a passenger I saw on Acela first class who was under the impression he could get an Old fashioned made up with his favorite brand of whiskey. Turns out what they were offering was a pre-mixed cocktail from a can.)


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## MARC Rider (Nov 17, 2021)

SarahZ said:


> I'm more of an Xennial (born in 1977), but I agree with the majority of this list.
> 
> WiFi is tricky in remote areas because it works off a phone signal. Then you have multiple people trying to access that one hotspot. You really can't do much of anything, and forget streaming. Most people find it easier to simply make their own phone a hotspot. If your carrier charges extra and you don't want to pay, check with your local library. Mine loans out hotspots.


They now have wifi on some of the eastern long-distance trains. I was able to attend a Zoom meeting while sitting in my roomette on the Lake Shore Limited. I think the Silvers have it, too.


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## enviro5609 (Nov 17, 2021)

SarahZ said:


> I'm more of an Xennial (born in 1977), but I agree with the majority of this list.
> 
> WiFi is tricky in remote areas because it works off a phone signal. Then you have multiple people trying to access that one hotspot. You really can't do much of anything, and forget streaming. Most people find it easier to simply make their own phone a hotspot. If your carrier charges extra and you don't want to pay, check with your local library. Mine loans out hotspots.


I don't understand the technical limitations involved, but if planes can get data service at 35,000 feet, I don't see why Amtrak can't get some level of wi-fi, even if its satellite based instead of cellular. Servicses like HughsNet has been providing internet service to these same rural areas for decades now.


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## Qapla (Nov 17, 2021)

There is a little bit of a difference when a plane is at 30,000 feet (considerably closer to the satellites than a train on the ground) and there are no obstacles like trees, bridges, tunnels, buildings and the like blocking the signal.


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## jebr (Nov 17, 2021)

enviro5609 said:


> I don't understand the technical limitations involved, but if planes can get data service at 35,000 feet, I don't see why Amtrak can't get some level of wi-fi, even if its satellite based instead of cellular. Servicses like HughsNet has been providing internet service to these same rural areas for decades now.



Satellite requires a clear view of the sky - usually the southern sky as that's where the satellites are. Higher up in the air that's pretty easy to do reliably, but when you're on the ground there's a lot more interference. It works okay when stationary as the satellite dish on the ground can be precisely aligned, put in an area where trees won't interfere, etc. but when moving through terrain that can't easily be done.

My understanding is that the wi-fi network on the eastern LD trains (and many of the regionals as well) works with a main node in the cafe car, which has the suite of hardware needed to connect to the cellular networks. Each car daisy-chains off of that one primary connection. That can work okay, and is probably the best balance of cost to usability for Amtrak; having enterprise-grade equipment will result in better reliability, and those options typically allow for multiple cellular networks to be used. That would allow Amtrak to connect to AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon towers if they are willing to pay for all three services. It also allows Amtrak to have greater control over the connection, both to block unsavory websites and to limit bandwidth so one user doesn't tie up the whole connection. Ideally, Amtrak would also provide on-board streaming entertainment through the wi-fi; the content could be stored on each train and accessed through wi-fi; my understanding is this is how in-flight entertainment works (saves loads on bandwidth) and so Amtrak could implement that if they so chose.


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## Dakota 400 (Nov 17, 2021)

Skylark said:


> in coach, I couldn't hear half of the announcements, some of which were quite important. Need to work on speakers and volume control in coach and in roomettes too.



That has been a concern of mine for some time and not only on Amtrak. Announcements on planes are hard for me to hear except before take-off. During the flight, and particularly after landing (because my ears plug up for several minutes, I a "voice", but what that "voice" is saying......not a clue. 



Skylark said:


> I'd like the printed route brochures back. I'm thinking a brochure box near the coffee, no need to put in every room but those that want one can grab it. I like them, especially as souvenirs.



A good suggestion. 


Skylark said:


> a bar car could be cool. Especially in art deco style. Could probably really make up some $$$ there



A "bar car" already exists in the SSL if they would re-activate the top side bar that was done away with some time ago because of cutbacks. Trying to carry a drink up those stairs on a moving train, at least for me, without spilling a portion of it is impossible.


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## JoshP (Nov 17, 2021)

If I was the CEO, I would change for Northeast Regional first to these "alike Japan trains"
(ingore the warning, I dunno why the idiot disabled video sharing but click the link to watch it on YT)





For long distance, I would convert the sleeper cars to these:




Then maybe, we can see improvements!


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## flitcraft (Nov 17, 2021)

joelkfla said:


> Does such a thing (good hot chocolate) still exist? I honestly can't remember the last time I had hot chocolate that wasn't thin and overly sweetened.


Well, given the quality of the coffee, if Amtrak provided hot chocolate it would likely be an off-brand Swiss Miss at best. 

The easiest way to make good hot cocoa, in my opinion, is to mix good quality Dutch cocoa in a mug with some sugar, a drop or two of vanilla, and some heavy cream. Add boiling water and stir...

But good luck getting anything like that on Amtrak!


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## CCC1007 (Nov 17, 2021)

Something that I would love to see implemented on Amtrak trains would be to have automated Trails and Rails type content available to be streamed to devices onboard. This could be implemented using an onboard server that triggers the playback on the devices that choose to connect to the network and request that type of content. 

The same server could also host a library of streaming media that can be piped to the personal electronic devices onboard, without having to connect to the internet to provide the content.


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## flitcraft (Nov 17, 2021)

Even easier to implement immediately would be having such content downloadable from the Amtrak website to one's mobile devices. No onboard servers needed. Audio only content would take up negligible space on one's devices, and full movie content could be made available for those with more space on their devices. Heck, I'd even pay a nominal fee to access that kind of content. Though, it would constitute free advertising for Amtrak's glorious scenery, so making it free would possibly be cost-effective. 

Keep in mind that I'm a tech illiterate, so I may be under-estimating how hard this would be, or how easy having onboard servers with streaming media would be.


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## joelkfla (Nov 17, 2021)

MARC Rider said:


> They now have wifi on some of the eastern long-distance trains. I was able to attend a Zoom meeting while sitting in my roomette on the Lake Shore Limited. I think the Silvers have it, too.


It was very iffy on the the Meteor between Washington & Jacksonville. I got a steady WiFi signal, but no internet for long stretches (while I was awake). Sometimes I got cell data when the Wifi wasn't connecting, and sometimes not.


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## Bob Dylan (Nov 17, 2021)

Skylark said:


> Warning - long thread!
> 
> I was told millennials were a big target market now, so my last recent trip I kept notes on what I'd like to see. I really doubt it differs much from the majority of passengers tbh.
> 
> ...


You make some good points. One thing you missed on is that Engineers don't announce things to the Passengers, it's the Conductor (s)and the OBS that make PA announcements.


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## Skylark (Nov 18, 2021)

Qapla said:


> I'm not sure the "engineer" makes any of the announcements ... the Conductor might.
> 
> I also think there should be quality options for those of us who don't drink coffee - like good hot chocolate.


I don't drink coffee either... unfortunately I rely on something like Coke Zero for my caffeine. I usually bring some with me. 

In the past there has been juice along with the water bottles but I think it was on the SCA to provide that so it varied greatly. Also pre-Covid. Hot tea/hot chocolate could be a nice amenity. Spilling is an issue - lidded insulated cups not filled to the brim could help with that. Hot chocolate could be a nice treat for younger travelers too. Yeah, it would be instant but eh some instant mixes arent bad lol.


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## Skylark (Nov 18, 2021)

SarahZ said:


> I'm more of an Xennial (born in 1977), but I agree with the majority of this list.
> 
> WiFi is tricky in remote areas because it works off a phone signal. Then you have multiple people trying to access that one hotspot. You really can't do much of anything, and forget streaming. Most people find it easier to simply make their own phone a hotspot. If your carrier charges extra and you don't want to pay, check with your local library. Mine loans out hotspots.


I did have a hotspot but it didn't seem interested in working either....honestly though I haven't really used them much before. I think because it was tied to my data plan and that ran out (really need to get a pay as you go vs limited amount of data plan). 

I didnt think about my library - will definitely check there!


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## Skylark (Nov 18, 2021)

MARC Rider said:


> For anything, except extremely high end, any hot chocolate that's going to get served is going to be from an instant powder. Now, that can be pretty good, if one takes the care to mix the powder and hot water in the correct portions.
> 
> But don't hold your breath expecting OBS staff on a train (or any other mode of transportation) actually preparing hot chocolate by heating up fresh milk and mixing it with sugar and cocoa...
> The same is true for expecting a bartender to mix up a cocktail to order. (There was once a passenger I saw on Acela first class who was under the impression he could get an Old fashioned made up with his favorite brand of whiskey. Turns out what they were offering was a pre-mixed cocktail from a can.)


If they _could _get a good old fashioned served up, I know some people who would probably never leave the train


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## Skylark (Nov 18, 2021)

Dakota 400 said:


> A "bar car" already exists in the SSL if they would re-activate the top side bar that was done away with some time ago because of cutbacks. Trying to carry a drink up those stairs on a moving train, at least for me, without spilling a portion of it is impossible.



They would definitely need to serve it in a non-traditional manner - probably like the lidded cups for coffee. Or you just have to sip it down enough to allow some "wiggle" room for walking about


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## Skylark (Nov 18, 2021)

JoshP said:


> If I was the CEO, I would change for Northeast Regional first to these "alike Japan trains"
> (ingore the warning, I dunno why the idiot disabled video sharing but click the link to watch it on YT)
> 
> 
> ...




These are cool! Looks like some are more relaxed (curtains) while others retain more privacy. The curtains could be nice for coach class and the doors for rooms. Fascinating designs there.


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## Skylark (Nov 18, 2021)

Bob Dylan said:


> You make some good points. One thing you missed on is that Engineers don't announce things to the Passengers, it's the Conductor (s)and the OBS that make PA announcements.


Ahh, you are correct. I was thinking on that and for some reason I was hearing it in my head as "this is your engineer speaking." But yeah engineers are usually too busy for that.


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## Bob Dylan (Nov 18, 2021)

Skylark said:


> Ahh, you are correct. I was thinking on that and for some reason I was hearing it in my head as "this is your engineer speaking." But yeah engineers are usually too busy for that.


Yep, the Engineer communicates via Radio with the Dispatcher and the Conductor(s).


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## Barb Stout (Nov 18, 2021)

flitcraft said:


> Even easier to implement immediately would be having such content downloadable from the Amtrak website to one's mobile devices. No onboard servers needed. Audio only content would take up negligible space on one's devices, and full movie content could be made available for those with more space on their devices. Heck, I'd even pay a nominal fee to access that kind of content. Though, it would constitute free advertising for Amtrak's glorious scenery, so making it free would possibly be cost-effective.
> 
> Keep in mind that I'm a tech illiterate, so I may be under-estimating how hard this would be, or how easy having onboard servers with streaming media would be.


I wouldn't be surprised if there already is some audiobook with such information. If so, one would have to stop it and restart it, so one would have to know where they are anyway. Are there mile markers on the tracks?


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## Barb Stout (Nov 18, 2021)

Skylark said:


> I did have a hotspot but it didn't seem interested in working either....honestly though I haven't really used them much before. I think because it was tied to my data plan and that ran out (really need to get a pay as you go vs limited amount of data plan).
> 
> I didnt think about my library - will definitely check there!


On the SWC and in the desert/mountain southwest in general, there are a lot of areas without cell phone service at all and even where it does exist, the signal wasn't good enough most of the time to access the internet, as you already discovered and so relying on a hotspot won't do any good in those regions. I have unlimited data and there are certainly plenty of times I can't access the internet while traveling either by riding in a car or on a train in NM. Part of the issue is one isn't in cell phone tower areas long enough to do a lot of things. I think the situation may be good enough to order a pizza on-line prior to Albuquerque, so as to have it delivered during the 20-40 minute stop there. When traveling in general, either by automobile or train, I don't depend or utilize the internet much. I like to watch the landscape roll by and I'm a bookworm when the landscape becomes boring to me. It would be tough to try to do business that relies solely on the internet while on the train in the desert/mountain southwest and I suppose other rural areas also. I'm not sure why anyone would want to stream entertainment while traveling. That's asking for frustration if you were to ask me. Download before traveling when and where you have a stable signal.


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## TinCan782 (Nov 18, 2021)

Barb Stout said:


> I wouldn't be surprised if there already is some audiobook with such information. If so, one would have to stop it and restart it, so one would have to know where they are anyway. Are there mile markers on the tracks?


Yes, railroads have mileposts. Easy to miss/not easy to spot unless you are staring out the window! At speed, you have to be quick to read the numbers!
And, if mileposts are on the opposite side of the train as you, you wont see them at all.


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## Nick Farr (Nov 18, 2021)

jebr said:


> Satellite requires a clear view of the sky - usually the southern sky as that's where the satellites are. Higher up in the air that's pretty easy to do reliably, but when you're on the ground there's a lot more interference. It works okay when stationary as the satellite dish on the ground can be precisely aligned, put in an area where trees won't interfere, etc. but when moving through terrain that can't easily be done.



The other thing is cost recovery. Airline-based internet services can easily recover their costs and make a profit, on top of additional demand for those services from the traveling public. 

Internet is a "nice to have" for Amtrak passengers, especially since they can use their cell phones without any issue or problem. While satellite-based internet is possible, it would be cost-prohibitive and not as reliable or fast as users would come to expect.

Same goes for on-board entertainment. The costs associated with that are easily borne by airlines who have much greater passenger capacity. It's not something that would be a good use of Amtrak resources for the maybe few dozen on Amtrak who would use it at any given time.


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## jis (Nov 18, 2021)

I think nominal on board entertainment service which is accessible through customer owned devices over a WiFi system can be provided rather inexpensively. Its can be partially covered by commercials, though not necessarily so. It would be nice to provide things like front and rear view live cameras and such like some airlines provide, among other things. There could be other information unique to the journey shared that way. 

This same WiFi link could then be used to connect to the external world when a link is available either gratis or for an additional charge, using terrestrial, satellite or hybrid links. This is basically what many airlines do these days though using a select satellite system. Satellite systems are inherently shaky on ground when traveling through terrains and forests as anyone who owns a Sirius system knows.

Providing an at seat monitor is where things start getting expensive, though several airlines are starting revert back to that, without taking the WiFi access from personal devices away. In upper class many allow the personal device to display its video on the large screen too. They are getting pretty sophisticated. We ain't in Kansas anymore Toto!


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## Tlcooper93 (Nov 18, 2021)

Skylark said:


> Warning - long thread!
> 
> I was told millennials were a big target market now, so my last recent trip I kept notes on what I'd like to see. I really doubt it differs much from the majority of passengers tbh.
> 
> ...


You make many good points.
Millennials get grouped together too often, and in reality, there are a lot of differing views amongst us. Moreover, most millennials are more like older generations; we were still largely raised without phones and tech.

I agree with all of your points except WiFi. Long distance trains really don’t need it. The scenery is beautiful enough, and so long as cell service improves (which it continues to do so) most who need to get work done can.

I definitely agree with the points regarding on board entertainment similar to the airlines. Amtrak ought to provide a network that one can tap into to access a small library of current and popular movies and tv shows. This would tremendously improve the onboard experience, especially at night, when there Is no scenery.


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## Ziv (Nov 18, 2021)

Are you sure, Bob? 
The next thing you will be telling us is that the engineer isn’t the one in charge of the train! 
Sorry, I will see myself to the door…



Bob Dylan said:


> … One thing you missed on is that Engineers don't announce things to the Passengers, it's the Conductor (s)and the OBS that make PA announcements.


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## Bob Dylan (Nov 18, 2021)

Ziv said:


> Are you sure, Bob?
> The next thing you will be telling us is that the engineer isn’t the one in charge of the train!
> Sorry, I will see myself to the door…


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## Trollopian (Nov 18, 2021)

flitcraft said:


> Well, given the quality of the coffee, if Amtrak provided hot chocolate it would likely be an off-brand Swiss Miss at best.
> 
> The easiest way to make good hot cocoa, in my opinion, is to mix good quality Dutch cocoa in a mug with some sugar, a drop or two of vanilla, and some heavy cream. Add boiling water and stir...
> 
> But good luck getting anything like that on Amtrak!



Swiss Miss? I thought Amtrak made hot chocolate by running hot water over a brown crayon.


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## McIntyre2K7 (Nov 18, 2021)

What about on the western trains they can remodel one of the superliners so that up top its a lounge car and at the bottom it has multiple showers? That way if the people in coach want to take a shower they can buy a shower card. The sleeper car passengers would have their own showers as well so there's no random person in the sleeper car section of the train.


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## George Harris (Nov 18, 2021)

Ziv said:


> Are you sure, Bob?
> The next thing you will be telling us is that the engineer isn’t the one in charge of the train!
> Sorry, I will see myself to the door…


Nope, the engineer is not in charge of the train. The conductor is. Once the train is moving, the engineer is in charge of keeping moving properly as to speed, obeying signals and restrictions, etc., but if the conductor calls the engineer and says stop the train, the engineer had better bring it to a stop. Conversely, the conductor tells the engineer it is ok to start moving, with engineer must do unless prevented by higher authority, such as signals or time. Anything going on inside the train is solely the responsibility of the conductor.


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## Barb Stout (Nov 18, 2021)

jis said:


> It would be nice to provide things like front and rear view live cameras and such like some airlines provide, among other things. There could be other information unique to the journey shared that way.


When did this start and which airlines? Last I flew was in January of 2020 and as far as I know, this was not available. I haven't flown very much at all in the last 10 years, so I'm not aware of what is available these days.


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## jis (Nov 18, 2021)

Barb Stout said:


> When did this start and which airlines? Last I flew was in January of 2020 and as far as I know, this was not available. I haven't flown very much at all in the last 10 years, so I'm not aware of what is available these days.


Among my flights I have seen them only on Lufthansa A380s and Boeing 747-8is. I am told Emirates has this on all their planes, though I have no way of knwing first hand since I have never flown Emirates. I think they are only only very large aircraft these days, though other airlines may have them on smaller planes too. I am not aware of any American airlines that do this.


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## George Harris (Nov 18, 2021)

Barb Stout said:


> Are there mile markers on the tracks?


Yes, absolutely. Everything on the railroad is defined by milepost location. There are several versions of these things, the one shown in the picture in ForensicPic's post being about the most common, but not the only version. Ex L&N lines have or had square concrete posts about 4 to 5 feet high, on the right side in direction of increasing mileage. For them zero was Louisville on all lines. However, or most lines, the starting of the particular line or branch is zero. Southern had round metal ovals on posts. Things can get confusing at times. In case of line relocations you may have less than 5,280 feet between posts, and in some cases a milepost no longer there. Reposting miles is seldom done as it can lead to endless confusion. Then you get such things as on the frequently mentioned Gulf Coast Line between New Orleans and Jacksonville, You start at New Orleans with whatever the highest number L&N milepost there is and follow decreasing mileage to Flomaton AL. At that point you get on the P&A line with mileposts increasing from whatever the milepost is at Flomaton until you get to Chattahoochie FL, then you are following decreasing milepost from there to Jacksonville based on the Seaboard Airline mileposts. The Sunset Line west of New Orleans also has multiple milepost systems, but I don't recall their directions and zero points, except that everything west of El Paso or thereabouts is based on zero at San Francisco. On the original Southern Pacific, San Francisco was effectively the West Pole with all lines being designated as running east therefrom.


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## AmtrakMaineiac (Nov 19, 2021)

Probably the strangest milepost setup is the London Underground which has its zero location at Ongar on the Central Line which is no longer part of the system since the Ongar to Epping section was abandoned, in the 1970s IIRC


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## UserNameRequired (Nov 19, 2021)

jis said:


> Among my flights I have seen them only on Lufthansa A380s and Boeing 747-8is. I am told Emirates has this on all their planes, though I have no way of knwing first hand since I have never flown Emirates. I think they are only only very large aircraft these days, though other airlines may have them on smaller planes too. I am not aware of any American airlines that do this.


I have no personal knowledge, but I do remember the accident reports for AA 191 from 1979 that the front view of the takeoff was likely on the screens as the aircraft rolled over and stalled with a nose down attitude into the ground. This would have been a DC-10. A possible reason that front view is no longer shown to passengers here? 
Reference:




__





Do Airlines Still Show The Takeoff On TV Monitors? - Airliners.net






www.airliners.net












American Airlines Flight 191 - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org


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## west point (Nov 19, 2021)

UserNameRequired said:


> I have no personal knowledge, but I do remember the accident reports for AA 191 from 1979 that the front view of the takeoff was likely on the screens as the aircraft rolled over and stalled with a nose down attitude into the ground. This would have been a DC-10. A possible reason that front view is no longer shown to passengers here?
> Reference:
> 
> 
> ...


Correct was a MD DC-10. AA changed a wing engine. MD had procedure that change had to use specialized engine lift. Lift not available. Maintenance director ordered maintenance to use fork lift . Fork lift not steady enough shaking mounting replacement engine partially broke mounting. Engine ( #1?) broke off on takeoff pulling control cables for leading edge devices. Left wing stalled. Maintenance director for ever know as fork lift joe! Even after went to another airline !


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## Cal (Nov 19, 2021)

JoshP said:


> If I was the CEO, I would change for Northeast Regional first to these "alike Japan trains"
> (ingore the warning, I dunno why the idiot disabled video sharing but click the link to watch it on YT)
> 
> 
> ...



Looks quite similar to roomettes.


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## Cal (Nov 19, 2021)

jis said:


> Among my flights I have seen them only on Lufthansa A380s and Boeing 747-8is. I am told Emirates has this on all their planes, though I have no way of knwing first hand since I have never flown Emirates. I think they are only only very large aircraft these days, though other airlines may have them on smaller planes too. I am not aware of any American airlines that do this.


United also has an audio channel on their IFEs to listen to ATC interactions, I’m sure many railfans would enjoy something like that without having to buy their own scanner.


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## Cal (Nov 19, 2021)

UserNameRequired said:


> I have no personal knowledge, but I do remember the accident reports for AA 191 from 1979 that the front view of the takeoff was likely on the screens as the aircraft rolled over and stalled with a nose down attitude into the ground. This would have been a DC-10. A possible reason that front view is no longer shown to passengers here?
> Reference:
> 
> 
> ...


Front view is still available, throughout the entire flight AFAIK


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## Willbridge (Nov 19, 2021)

I can't recall which line tried it but a front view camera on a passenger train was frightening to some passengers. They could see the near-misses at grade crossings.


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## Skylark (Nov 19, 2021)

Barb Stout said:


> On the SWC and in the desert/mountain southwest in general, there are a lot of areas without cell phone service at all and even where it does exist, the signal wasn't good enough most of the time to access the internet, as you already discovered and so relying on a hotspot won't do any good in those regions. I have unlimited data and there are certainly plenty of times I can't access the internet while traveling either by riding in a car or on a train in NM. Part of the issue is one isn't in cell phone tower areas long enough to do a lot of things. I think the situation may be good enough to order a pizza on-line prior to Albuquerque, so as to have it delivered during the 20-40 minute stop there. When traveling in general, either by automobile or train, I don't depend or utilize the internet much. I like to watch the landscape roll by and I'm a bookworm when the landscape becomes boring to me. It would be tough to try to do business that relies solely on the internet while on the train in the desert/mountain southwest and I suppose other rural areas also. I'm not sure why anyone would want to stream entertainment while traveling. That's asking for frustration if you were to ask me. Download before traveling when and where you have a stable signal.


Ironically a lot of what I was trying to do was order or figure out food  saw it was getting later and later that I was going to be arriving and hoped to secure some hot food for the night. As an aside, for places where hungry travelers regularly arrive late in the evening, it's amazing there's never anything open or even like prepackaged sub sandwiches at substantial hotels or nearby. But that's a rant for another day!

Certainly wouldn't need to stream during daylight, mainly just nightime when you can't see anything or trying to get to sleep, or a long delay somewhere. Though there's something to be said for simply not having the option at all in some areas.


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## CraigInNC (Nov 20, 2021)

I was born in 1980 so I am an early millennial (I think) but also have been a long railfan and transportation fan in general. I travel a lot. I just did the Star from Florida to North Carolina last week. I think there is going to be two kinds of millennial passengers, the LD ones whose preferences probably will track closer to the average railfan. Then there may be the potential passenger that will use Amtrak for shorter distances most likely not overnight and won't need a sleeper. Those are two different marketing models for today and the future. The desire to resume traditional dining is nearly universal. Offering the chance to eat in room would alleviate those that dislike communal dining. The long term effects of Covid may bear heavy influence on that anyways. Not having coach passengers in the dining car opens up flexibility. I hope coach access to the dining car resumes at some point. I have taken LD trains for day trips where having a roomette is not necessary but have enjoyed having a meal to pass the time. I would agree that an investment in Wi-Fi would be attractive to the <50 crowd especially. Although these days the proliferation of Unlimited plans with the major cellular carriers is slowing negating that. I am on a 5G Unlimited Plan with AT&T and with the Auto-Pay discount it is $55 a month. I can tether my phone or create a hotspot. As far as food, although I do not have many eating limitations (both in allergy and taste) if I am on a LD train, and some SD trains, I will bring my own stock of food and drink for my own snacking. I generally do not buy anything from the Café car unless its coffee or a soda for a setup. I use Broadcastify as one app to get radio chatter. There are usually train channels in addition to public service channels. LiveATC I usually use for aero. But I generally don't listen to them unless there is a problem or something unusual.


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## MARC Rider (Nov 21, 2021)

Cal said:


> United also has an audio channel on their IFEs to listen to ATC interactions, I’m sure many railfans would enjoy something like that without having to buy their own scanner.


They still have that audio channel? That was one thing on United that I liked. I'm a bit of a white-knuckle flier, mostly getting nervous when the plane tosses around in turbulence, even though intellectually I know that it's pretty safe, at least as long as you keep your seatbelt fastened. Listening to the calm cockpit chatter while this is going on really calms me down. Plus, you have an idea of where you are, as the pilots check in with control towers along the way, though I guess most airlines have a tracking map now.


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## jis (Nov 21, 2021)

They still have the equipment in place but whether the channel will actually be available or not on a flight is upto the Captain, and often it is not available.

But these days with availability of in flight WiFi via satellite I find it more entertaining to watch the flights progress on Flighradar24 or some such ADS-B driven sites. It gives a much better view of the situation around the plane that trying to decipher it from the ATC chatter, specially since a lot of the really interesting stuff now gets transmitted in digital messages via ARINC rather than via voice on ATC.


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