1.5 billion for Amtrak in stimulus with daily service mandate (Passed in Congress)

[west point]

At the end of MAY the rate of 2M vaccinations a day ( 86 days x 2 = 172M vaccinations ) + will enable every person over 16 years old that wants to be vaccinated to at least have their first one. That means that if there is a pent up demand for travel Amtrak may be overwhelmed. Now if distancing is still at 50% that is another matter.

IHO the lack of vaccinations of 16 and under is a real drag on many person's ability to travel. A daughter is spending over an hour a day to get her 3 young ones into any trial but so far no luck.

 

[Qapla]

Now that we've had a history lesson about how bills are passed (or not) maybe we can get back to discussing how the money granted to Amtrak will be spent.

Will Amtrak find some way to use the money to avoid enhancing the LD network?

 

[jis]

Now that we've had a history lesson about how bills are passed (or not) maybe we can get back to discussing how the money granted to Amtrak will be spent.

Will Amtrak find some way to use the money to avoid enhancing the LD network?

That should be easy. The money is for restoring service to the pre-pandemic levels. It is not for enhancing the network.

The national network and NEC amounts are " to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. ". Does not sound like there is much room for diverting anything towards any enhancements, specially considering these are some of the minimal amounts that Amtrak requested for tiding them over the pandemic dug financial hole.

 

[Cal]

Now that we've had a history lesson about how bills are passed (or not) maybe we can get back to discussing how the money granted to Amtrak will be spent.

Will Amtrak find some way to use the money to avoid enhancing the LD network?

You and me think alike

 

[Night Ranger]

Now that we've had a history lesson about how bills are passed (or not) maybe we can get back to discussing how the money granted to Amtrak will be spent.

Will Amtrak find some way to use the money to avoid enhancing the LD network?

Your post reminded me of this Schoolhouse Rock oldie but goodie, "I'm just a Bill." It's the way the system is SUPPOSED to work for Amtrak funding or anything else.

 

[McIntyre2K7]

BREAKING: The bill has enough votes to pass in the House (220 -211). Expect President Biden to sign the bill on Friday. Looks like full service will be returning.

 

[jis]

It just passed the House and is on its way to the President. (3/10/21 afternoon)

 

[Palmetto]

And if you try booking an LD trip at the end of May, it seems to be doable 3 days in a row, so I guess tri-weekly is already a thing of the past. Amtrak must have been ready to jump as soon as the bill passed.

 

[Exvalley]

Weird. They added the Lake Shore Limited to 7 days per week, but it is not offering any sleeper accommodations on several days. October 25th is a good example.

 

[PaTrainFan]

So the clock starts ticking on 90 days. I don't know the complexities of calling back their workforce but let's hope they can get it going earlier. And maybe they start some additional promotions to get people back on trains, though the covid capacity restrictions likely remain in place for some time.

 

[CACharger262]

Dates rumored for daily long distance restoration

• May 24: California Zephyr, Coast Starlight, Empire Builder, Texas Eagle
• May 31: Capitol Limited, City of New Orleans, Lake Shore Limited, Southwest Chief
• June 7: Crescent, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star

 

[TheVig]

Yep. They are starting to load the calendar. Crescent is now available on the dates I want in October.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

So the clock starts ticking on 90 days. I don't know the complexities of calling back their workforce but let's hope they can get it going earlier. And maybe they start some additional promotions to get people back on trains, though the covid capacity restrictions likely remain in place for some time.

@Triley

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

Weird. They added the Lake Shore Limited to 7 days per week, but it is not offering any sleeper accommodations on several days. October 25th is a good example.

Even though the daily schedule has now been uploaded into the booking system, there are still adjustments that need to be made. Many connections are still not available to book on certain days, so I would assume that is a similar case and those trains will actually have sleeping cars.

 

[JayPea]

Just in time for a trip I had scheduled in June. I was going to rent a car near me here in SE Washington state and take a few days exploring the corners of Montana I haven't been to yet. The three day a week schedule didn't work for me to take the EB into Montana from Spokane and rent a car from there. Now I can do a train-car combo. Add to that I will have had my Covid immunization(s) by then, so I will be good to go!

 

[TC_NYC]

Just in time for a trip I had scheduled in June. I was going to rent a car near me here in SE Washington state and take a few days exploring the corners of Montana I haven't been to yet. The three day a week schedule didn't work for me to take the EB into Montana from Spokane and rent a car from there. Now I can do a train-car combo. Add to that I will have had my Covid immunization(s) by then, so I will be good to go!

Come on down to Pasco and board the train at a reasonable hour!

 

[Cal]

WOOHOO

Sorry, had to let it out

 

[Qapla]

Why it will take until Friday for Biden to sign the bill .... who knows

 

[tonijustine]

I realize that the bill does not address dining, but it does say that furloughed employees must be recalled. Do you think it safe to assume that since the staff is coming back (the biggest expense on the F&B side) that they won't have full staffs dedicated to microwave heating meals, right?

 

[TrackWalker]

Why it will take until Friday for Biden to sign the bill .... who knows

I can wait one more day.

 

[Cal]

I realize that the bill does not address dining, but it does say that furloughed employees must be recalled. Do you think it safe to assume that since the staff is coming back (the biggest expense on the F&B side) that they won't have full staffs dedicated to microwave heating meals, right?

I mean, this is Amtrak we are talking about, so who knows

 

[JayPea]

Come on down to Pasco and board the train at a reasonable hour!

There are times when it is very tempting to do just that.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

This is the same company that’s using brand new dining cars as axle counts on corridor trains. We can’t assume anything. It wouldn’t surprise me if they put them all back on payroll and had them sit reserve all month long doing nothing.

That being said I’m hopeful Flynn does start to do the right thing and put things back in order. He’s sent out the right press releases and thank you’s to all involved in congress. The two things that need to be addressed immediately in my opinion are food service and bringing sleeper fares back down to consistently reasonable levels.
Seeing they got what is essentially a get out of jail free card to operate til the end of the fiscal year they should eliminate the top 3 fare buckets and market the hell out of the sleepers. Lots of people are curious about “private rooms” aka sleeper car travel post covid and there is a pent up travel demand the likes of which our country probably hasn’t seen before. Introducing quality sleeper travel now to the masses could set the company for many years to come.

I realize that the bill does not address dining, but it does say that furloughed employees must be recalled. Do you think it safe to assume that since the staff is coming back (the biggest expense on the F&B side) that they won't have full staffs dedicated to microwave heating meals, right?

 

[CTANut]

The bill just passed the House this afternoon, and is guaranteed to be signed by Biden. I have been waiting for this day for a long, long, time. Looks like it will happen in May.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rel...stance-routes-to-daily-service-301245063.html

 

[joelkfla]

Why it will take until Friday for Biden to sign the bill .... who knows

They said paperwork, partially because it is so huge.