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Interesting that the above source states that over 95% of their Amtrak "pay scales" are estimates. A train attendant is said to start from $13 per hour? Gosh, one hardly knows who or what to believe on this old internet thing! ;) :cool: Meanwhile, as I mentioned above, most of us will just...

Interesting to know. Are on-board staff paid that rate for all the hours they are away from home aboard the train, or just when on duty, serving?

I hope you are correct about the Amtrak staff getting a fair wage, etc, but none of us here seem to know, it is all assumptions as far as I can see? I do feel sad that millions of regular US jobs have no paid holidays, etc, etc, etc. Why do you think that is ? (At least those union troublemakers...

I think if we are asking for details of other folks income, we should first put up a declaration of our own income and wealth? Seems fair? Keep in mind that some train crews are away from their homes and families for several days at a time, it's not the same as a regular job.

Let's face it, those folk who don't tip on Amtrak, and those who do, are probably not going to change our own points of view. A bit like this whole internet thing, on reflection... ;) :D:cool:

Handing out money itself as a tip is seen as being slightly uncouth by some of us more refined souls... ;) However, I do like the idea of handing out cards, not gift cards, after each trip. One could have these pre-printed, with things like "Thank you for your excellent service, much...

It sounds as though you have already decided not to tip. Most folk do tip, even just a few $. What should they do to earn a tip, apart from their jobs, turn cartwheels? :D

I think the weighing of bags, if done, is 99.9% carried out for "checked baggage". Ordinary carry aboard stuff is honestly never weighed. No doubt, "someone" will have experienced the 0.1%, but in all my thousands of Amtrak miles, I have never seen it for carry on luggage.

I find that despite the published "rules" about Amtrak baggage, I have never seen any passenger being challenged about the amount of luggage they bring aboard. I am sure that your cushion will be quite acceptable, do not concern yourself in the slightest.

Crumlin Viaduct in Wales was a wonder of the industrial age and a remarkable feat of Victorian engineering. Came across this interesting item: Crumlin Viaduct...

I heard recently that Ryanair and Easyjet were rated as among the safest airlines? If we are talking profit v safety, Mr Fish's argument seems a tad, err, fishy? :cool:

I confess that I have not viewed the Youtube video... I always feel that a millionaire you tube presenter is going to point out "extremes" in order to grab clicks, and become even richer. Having said that, I know the Greyhound service is falling apart, good job Amtrak is such a good alternative...

Maybe concern about arriving with nothing to your name, might lead to you and others not arriving at all... :(

Quotation from Simon Calder, a UK travel journalist: "This isn’t your captain speaking. But please pause for a safety briefing. Last year marked a new low in the numbers of both fatal accidents and loss of life in commercial aviation. All passenger jets and international flights arrived safely...

Seeking winter sunshine again, found me back in Portimão for 3 weeks in December 2023. I wanted to visit Lisbon for a few days too, so these are a few photos from that trip. I took the local train from Portimão to Faro the day before, and spent the night in Faro. Early start the next morning...

I would imagine that the wider gauge was to allow more passengers per floor space than otherwise?

Seems odd that Amtrak offers a connecting booking on the website, but will later "reject" it? Then again, it is Amtrak... 🤞 🤞🤞;)

Seeing all the wagon manufacturers metal plates in post 3 reminded me of also seeing many on my visit to the railway museum in Delhi, India... I am not a fan of one country exploiting another, but it still amazes me how many former UK businesses and skilled workers have vanished over time, since...

A great trip report, thank you for such a detailed account. Isn't it a major shame that different train and bus companies seem not to confer, seem to delight even, in ensuring their timetables often do not match up, to allow smooth and convenient transfers... If I was a local politician, I...

I don't want to confuse matters, but it can happen... ;) If you book online and then call later to "change your rooms", you might find that no roomettes opposite each other are still available. By calling to book, you have all available options laid out before you commit. There are no special...