I do not think ridership numbers are the correct metric. Profit or (loss) numbers are. Most of the cuts are of small affect to coach riders (which I am one of nearly all the time) and those numbers have been climbing lately. So, maybe sleeper numbers are a bit more instructive, however, the bottom line is what will count. And not the next quarter's numbers, but perhaps year over year numbers for 2014 compared to 2013 (assuming no fare increases or "back door" increases like the "glitch" in the sleeper cost on the Amtrak.com site) Assuming the cost of the cut amenities, there should be a corresponding increase in profitability, correct?
Amenities Being Eliminated from Long Distance Routes
- Thread starter rickycourtney
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Devil's Advocate
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When you're done with the martyr's playbook maybe you'll take the time to tell us what you think has been accomplished by these cuts. Do you think Congress is impressed enough to back off? Do you think these cuts will save enough money to balance the books? Or do you think that maybe these cuts only make political and financial sense if they're the first wave in a long list of changes still to come?
D.P. Roberts
Conductor
1) They could be Amtrak's way of showing Congress that they are listening & are trying to "do something", even if they don't meet any/all of whatever goals Congress sets for them. Politics is often the art of pretending to do something while not really doing anything.
2) Maybe they're cutting the things that 99% of people won't care about (like flowers) in order to stave off cuts to things that people (like dining service) - a "sacrificial braised lamb shank".
3) They're hopefully gathering data on the cuts. Perhaps they can go back to Congress the next time they want Amtrak to cut something, and say "Look, last time you wanted us to cut Program A, and when we did we experienced a drop in revenue that was greater than the money we saved, thus proving that we shouldn't cut Program B, C, or D either."
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neroden
Engineer
I'd be down with that. But dammit, I need my greens with dinner! Doctor's orders!
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Salad might be the next cut, sorry. Maybe 99% don't care about salads.I'd be down with that. But dammit, I need my greens with dinner! Doctor's orders!
greatcats
Engineer
I too am a salad person, an integral part of a proper meal. The present versions are sorry. The dressings are pretty good.
yarrow
Engineer
got off the cs yesterday. most amenities were still in place. spoke to the ppc attendant about the cuts and he said they were told it was the amenities cuts or the ppc would be gone. we were on the cs last month and were told the same thing by the ppc attendant
Sorry I always thought the salad was for killing time into your meal was served.
I eat and enjoy a salad, but it just keeps you busy into the main dish shows up. Slower restaurants give you a roll and a salad.
I eat and enjoy a salad, but it just keeps you busy into the main dish shows up. Slower restaurants give you a roll and a salad.
D.P. Roberts
Conductor
I think you're right about this. The salad doesn't take up any time, as they're already sitting on the table when you get there. And you basically just eat it while you're waiting for your entree to arrive, so it doesn't really take up any meal time. However, there's the added expense of the food, plus somebody making it.
I'm not against salads altogether, although I rarely eat them. In every restaurant I can think of, salads don't automatically come with the meal - they're part of some dishes, but not part of others.
Here's a list of the top 100 restaurant chains in America http://nrn.com/us-top-100/top-100-chains-us-sales. I haven't been to all of them, but I've been to most of them, and I don't know of any that automatically serve a salad with every meal - I can spot two that MIGHT, but I can't remember whether they did or not.
So, clearly having a "free" salad is not something that most Americans expect with their meals.
Allypet
Service Attendant
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So should this thread should be 28 pages of the same old late train pulling into the same old decrepit station? Or should we just discuss the same old trip, in the same old rail car, passing the same old tree, by the same old stream on the same old route at the same time of day? That my friend would get monotonous pretty quickly. We are just having a discussion, if you think it is not worth you time, then please just skip over it. Getting your panties in a bunch because a discussion is taking place is just downright crabby.
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TraneMan
Conductor
I pass on the salad.. I tell them not to bother of bringing a plate to me since I won't eat it and dn't want to waste it.
Ryan
Court Jester
God forbid someone have a dissenting opinion, right?
tim49424
Engineer
My sentiments exactly.....however, when travelling on the EB last summer with my mom, she ordered the salad only, for a couple of lunches.
amamba
Engineer
The lunch "entree" salad is generally bigger - it might have romaine - and has more other stuff than the side salad at dinner.
boxcarsyix
Service Attendant
I like starting off with the salad and roll. The salad is not anything special, but it isn't all that bad.
tim49424
Engineer
I don't remember the "regular" salad but hers looked pretty big and she seemed to enjoy it, no complaints. I go through salad phases and neither of my LD trips on the EB caught me in the mood.
Lazy Z
Service Attendant
All of that makes me sad! I like getting an amenity kit! I was looking forward to the wine and cheese, too
D.P. Roberts
Conductor
Another poster posted a copy of this e-mail, but that thread got closed because this thread exists. So, in case anyone is interested, here's a copy of the e-mail that Amtrak is sending out to everyone who currently has a reservation on the EB, the CS, and the LSL:
"Dear Amtrak Sleeping Car Passenger,
In an effort to be good stewards of the federal funding received to operate our Amtrak service, a number of steps are being taken to eliminate losses in our Food and Beverage department over the next five years. Some of the changes being made to accomplish this include the discontinuation of select amenities on the Coast Starlight, Empire Builder, and Lake Shore Limited.
On or about March 31, 2014, the pre-departure refreshments and on-board wine and cheese tastings for Sleeping car passengers will no longer be offered on the Coast Starlight, Empire Builder, or Lake Shore Limited. Additionally, the complimentary sparkling wine, non-alcoholic cider, and chocolate squares will no longer be provided to Sleeping car passengers on the Empire Builderand the Coast Starlight. Sleeping car passengers will continue to receive all regular meals in the Dining car at no additional charge, and passengers may purchase cheese and cracker trays and other snacks, as well as liquor, wine and beer, in the Lounge car on all long- distance trains.
On approximately May 31, 2014, complimentary amenity kits will no longer be provided to sleeping car passengers on the Empire Builder and the Coast Starlight. Your Sleeping car attendant will continue to have select emergency toiletries on hand when needed.
While it is never easy to tell you, our valued customers, that we are eliminating some amenities, these changes are necessary in order to reduce costs, increase revenues and preserve passenger rail service across our country. If you have any questions or comments about these changes, feel free to contact me using the “contact us” link on the Amtrak.com home page.
Thank you for traveling with Amtrak. We appreciate your patronage.
Sincerely,
Mark Murphy
General Manager, Long -Distance Services"
"Dear Amtrak Sleeping Car Passenger,
In an effort to be good stewards of the federal funding received to operate our Amtrak service, a number of steps are being taken to eliminate losses in our Food and Beverage department over the next five years. Some of the changes being made to accomplish this include the discontinuation of select amenities on the Coast Starlight, Empire Builder, and Lake Shore Limited.
On or about March 31, 2014, the pre-departure refreshments and on-board wine and cheese tastings for Sleeping car passengers will no longer be offered on the Coast Starlight, Empire Builder, or Lake Shore Limited. Additionally, the complimentary sparkling wine, non-alcoholic cider, and chocolate squares will no longer be provided to Sleeping car passengers on the Empire Builderand the Coast Starlight. Sleeping car passengers will continue to receive all regular meals in the Dining car at no additional charge, and passengers may purchase cheese and cracker trays and other snacks, as well as liquor, wine and beer, in the Lounge car on all long- distance trains.
On approximately May 31, 2014, complimentary amenity kits will no longer be provided to sleeping car passengers on the Empire Builder and the Coast Starlight. Your Sleeping car attendant will continue to have select emergency toiletries on hand when needed.
While it is never easy to tell you, our valued customers, that we are eliminating some amenities, these changes are necessary in order to reduce costs, increase revenues and preserve passenger rail service across our country. If you have any questions or comments about these changes, feel free to contact me using the “contact us” link on the Amtrak.com home page.
Thank you for traveling with Amtrak. We appreciate your patronage.
Sincerely,
Mark Murphy
General Manager, Long -Distance Services"
TVRM610
Conductor
I wish threads would get merged instead of just locked... Amen?
Devil's Advocate
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But then we have folks complain they can't find their post because they don't know it was merged into another thread. Sometimes we can't win!
Devil's Advocate
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How about copying the new post/thread into the original thread before locking it with a link to the already active thread?
andersone
Conductor
my sainted mother said the salad kept you regular,,,, have I been misled for all these decades?
Just received my, "Dear Amtrak Sleeping Car Passenger" email today like the one posted above.
Out of five LD round trips we've only received one "amenities kit" and that was on the SL/TE last summer which is not one of the routes mentioned in the email. I"m not sure I'm part of that problem, LOL!
Pre-departure refreshments? Never seen them either. I'm not a wine tasting person so, that wont be missed.
Oh well, I guess I'll make it through my upcoming trip!
Out of five LD round trips we've only received one "amenities kit" and that was on the SL/TE last summer which is not one of the routes mentioned in the email. I"m not sure I'm part of that problem, LOL!
Pre-departure refreshments? Never seen them either. I'm not a wine tasting person so, that wont be missed.
Oh well, I guess I'll make it through my upcoming trip!
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