Amenities Being Eliminated from Long Distance Routes

[haolerider]

Most of the employees involved in the PIP program have left the company, some voluntarily and others

Either forced out or retired. The program was positive, but was fought by Operations management.

You seem to be attributing the nickel and diming (the subject of the thread) to operations rather than bean counters, In most industries, operations and bean counters are mortal enemies.

Could someone explain what the term "operation management" or "operations" means with reference to Amtrak?

Operations is the group that "runs the trains"....and has considered themselves to be "real railroad people"....as opposed to Marketing/Sales/PR.... or any other department that works for Amtrak. While I can't say definitely that this is true, but there is almost a total disregard for the passengers.....who sometimes get in the way of the real goal.....which is to run the trains! Changes in meal,service, changes in decor, changes in how the passenger is to treated......all changes that have been challenged by Operations. As stated before, there have been many "ejections" in all departments but we will,ahve to wait and see what happens next. Changes in meal service and amenities that have occurred lately do not seem to bode well for passengers!

 

[PaulM]

But we are constantly told that Amtrak and AGR are separate. More specifically, does operations force AGR to stick by the published route rule even though it has been shown to be arbitrary and illogical?

AGR can suggest, but the final decision is not AGR's.

Suggest what? what routes get published, or what the rules are for AGR redemptions?

 

[Ryan]

Suggest logical routings get published into Arrow (making them eligible for award travel).

 

[CHamilton]

Maybe the Feds can donate the surplus cranberry juice to Amtrak.

Federal government buying some surplus cranberries

SALEM, ORE. — The federal government's decision to spend $55 million on cranberries may dent a global glut, support prices and speed up payments to growers....
Between this year's cranberries and fruit still unsold from 2013, the global cranberry supply stands at 16 million barrels (1.6 billion pounds). Demand over the next year is expected to be about 8.2 million barrels, according to the U.S. Cranberry Marketing Committee.

To trim the nearly 100 percent surplus, the USDA announced Nov. 21 it will buy approximately 680,000 barrels of cranberries in the form of juice, sauce and dried berries to distribute to food banks and schools.

 

[Big Iron]

Maybe the Feds can donate the surplus cranberry juice to Amtrak.


Federal government buying some surplus cranberries

SALEM, ORE. — The federal government's decision to spend $55 million on cranberries may dent a global glut, support prices and speed up payments to growers....
Between this year's cranberries and fruit still unsold from 2013, the global cranberry supply stands at 16 million barrels (1.6 billion pounds). Demand over the next year is expected to be about 8.2 million barrels, according to the U.S. Cranberry Marketing Committee.

To trim the nearly 100 percent surplus, the USDA announced Nov. 21 it will buy approximately 680,000 barrels of cranberries in the form of juice, sauce and dried berries to distribute to food banks and schools.

Too bad there isnt a vodka glut also.

 

[jis]

The remaining problem then will be to find the Turkey to go with it?

 

[boxcarsyix]

Since this topic has been reopened. Are there any recient travelers who can update the rest of us about the current state of the amenities? Water in the sleepers, perks at meals, etc.

 

[MiRider]

Since this topic has been reopened. Are there any recient travelers who can update the rest of us about the current state of the amenities? Water in the sleepers, perks at meals, etc.

My experiences in Oct. on the TE and Nov. on the CONO were inconsistent.

TE:

SCAs that did the minimal needed

Coffee in the morning only SB &NB

2 waters in roomette - NB that's all I got, SB there was water at the coffee station until it was all gone

CONO:

Great SCAs, one being the best I've ever encountered (Rian Wilson)

Coffee as soon as you boarded and available all day SB & NB

2 waters in roomette and water available at the coffee station throughout the trip

Juice in the morning

 

[fillyjonk]

Since this topic has been reopened. Are there any recient travelers who can update the rest of us about the current state of the amenities? Water in the sleepers, perks at meals, etc.

TE, northbound: there were tablecloths in the diner (but the steak was way tough). SCA nice but didn't do anything excessively special. "Express" breakfast (2 choices only) and lunch (veggie burger or "meat" burger only)

TE, southbound: no tablecloths but the steak was a lot better, excellent SCA who had cookies (cheap packaged sandwich cookies he probably bought himself) and lollipops out, and he had ice available. (He had a lot of hustle, I wonder if he was a new guy on the route. I e-mailed Amtrak and told them he did a good job)

Both ways there was bottled water available - it was in my sleeper and I also saw extra out by the coffee station. I think the SCA also had orange juice available.

Also the French toast was better than I remember it being, it wasn't so dried out and hard.

I will admit I miss the local newspapers a little bit; we used to occasionally get the St. Louis paper northbound and the Texarkana one southbound.

 

[Ispolkom]

I did a round trip on the Empire Builder over the Thanksgiving weekend, St. Paul-Minot. Both directions there was water in the roomette and more available. Coffee was available past lunch. The SCA had to fetch ice from the dining car. Both breakfast and lunch had plastic plates and paper cups. Oatmeal is still old-fashioned, not instant, and the chicken Caesar salad is more substantial than I remember.

 

[tonys96]

TE northbound from Dal to Chi had water, ice, juice, coffee. Plastic plates, no tablecloth. Steak was perfect, french toast good.

LSL from Chi to NYP, all the water, ice, coffee you wanted, juice till 9:00 am. Plastic plates. Food good.

 

[Bob Dylan]

My last sleeper ride in Oct. out of Austin (Used a Voucher from the trip to/from the Gathering) on #22/#21 had mixed results like previous posts!

I had Breakfast and Lunch in the Diner CCC) and there was paper on the tables and plastic dishes. The Omelete was excellent, the coffee and cranberry juice were plentiful and good as was the Chicken Maple Sausage. I had one of the good Diner Crews (Brian was the LSA) on this leg of the trip!

Lunch was the Chipotle Burger w/ Cheese and was excellent as WS the Chocolate Mousse desert. Plenty of refills on tea and pleasant, professional service from the LSA who helped the one server with a full Diner!

The SCA was Outstanding, one of the old timers, Jim, who's in my OBS HoF! Plenty of fresh hot coffee, apple and orange ( ugh!),juice, ice upon request and water in the rooms and by the coffee station. There was also the usual choice of Magazines and papers available that are provided by Jim.

On the return from FTW on #21 I skipped Lunch since Diner is served so early.

The SCA was an extra board newbie that didn't give his name and whom I never saw once I boarded until we stopped in Temple to let off a passenger, then again @ the stop in Austin. No coffee, no juice, no ice, no tip!

For Dinner I ordered the steak with baked, ice tea and cheese cake.( paper and plastic again) No offer of a salad,( I usually don't eat them anyway, tasteless salad bar quLiry) the dinner roll was cold, and it took 45 mins for the order to come. ( I had the first setting and the Diner was half full!)

No offer for tea refills, I had to ask. The steak was cooked OK but was small and tough. They were out of the topping so the cheesecake, which was still half frozen was served NY style.

The LSA set on her duff @ " her" table the whole time, never said a word to anyone, she was doing " paperwork"!

This was the first time I've failed to tip in the Diner Ever, the experience and service was that poor! ( yes, I did call CR)

So once again Amtrak's LD experience was a mixed bag with excellent service from one crew and poor to non-existent service from another! Luck of the draw which seems to be Amtrak's current MO!!

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I had Breakfast and Lunch in the Diner CCC) and there was paper on the tables and plastic dishes. The Omelete was excellent, the coffee and cranberry juice were plentiful and good as was the Chicken Maple Sausage. I had one of the good Diner Crews (Brian was the LSA) on this leg of the trip!

Lunch was the Chipotle Burger w/ Cheese and was excellent as WS the Chocolate Mousse desert. Plenty of refills on tea and pleasant, professional service from the LSA who helped the one server with a full Diner!

For a moment I thought you were describing LSA Lucious who is one of the best Diner Leads I have seen. Always friendly, runs a very efficient happy Diner and would always thank me and shake my hand when I got up to leave, inviting me back for the next meal.

Tony runs a very efficient tight ship Texas Eagle Diner as well but is not as outgoing as Lucious. He brings you in as a group with the Salads and Rolls already in place (pre Optional Salad days). He'll then stand in the aisle and read verbatim from the menu so everyone understands what is available and what is incuded.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I agree about Lucious and Tony as Excellent LSAs on the Texas Eagle!

Unfortunately there are two crews that have lazy LSAs and worthless food servers (including the infamous Miss Polly) that make the Diner experience like the one I had on #21 unpleasant!

Same thing in re the SCAs, most are good to HOF Quality ( Jim and Toni) on the Eagle including some of the Newbie Extra Board hands but a few are like the easy rider I had on #21. Re-train or de-train! That's why I suggested the Chief of OBS position be brought back as a management position since the "Suits" on this route are invisible and don't do their jobs which is to manage the route, not ride a desk!

 

[I always rode the Southern]

Seems like the auto train has lost it's status, at least as far as the diner product is concerned. All the other LD trains get steak, auto train gets tasteless pot roast, mashed potatoes that taste no better than instant, and okay to substandard chicken or fish dependent on how the stars are aligned. The OBS, for the most part, still go out of their way to provide the quality of service we are used to getting. This was my daughter's report from mid november. Not looking forward with happy anticipation to our next trip in April.

 

[Train Rider]

Brian on the Texas Eagle is the best LSA in the system.

 

[Durham57]

"The Infamous Miss Polly" in a dining car is frequently mentioned. Would someone please say why she is infamous?

 

[greatcats]

Miss Polly is a dining car server usually found on the Texas Eagle working out of Chicago to San Antonio. She is a lady with an "attitude. " Not sure if this is exactly true, but I have heard that she was nearly fired a few years ago because she threw coffee at a passenger. I did encounter her just over two years ago from San Antonio to Chicago. She and her colleague seemed cut from the same cloth with both exhibiting a hard nosed attitude, but It seemed that Polly tried to put on an appearance of being courteous, but the veneer was kind of thin. I will say those two ladies did run an efficient dining car, but it did not exactly overflow with tons of goodwill.

 

[aviva_dawn]

On one way trip RNO to CHI on CZ:

Water in my room and available at Coffee Station. Juice (cranberry, Apple, orange) available all day and replaced each morning with fresh. Coffee was made each morning. Food in the diner was great!

I did notice that the SCA in the car next to mine had put out a basket of candy, and a tray of cookies, they both looked appetizing.

 

[tonys96]

I agree about Lucious and Tony as Excellent LSAs on the Texas Eagle!

Unfortunately there are two crews that have lazy LSAs and worthless food servers (including the infamous Miss Polly) that make the Diner experience like the one I had on #21 unpleasant!

Same thing in re the SCAs, most are good to HOF Quality ( Jim and Toni) on the Eagle including some of the Newbie Extra Board hands but a few are like the easy rider I had on #21. Re-train or de-train! That's why I suggested the Chief of OBS position be brought back as a management position since the "Suits" on this route are invisible and don't do their jobs which is to manage the route, not ride a desk!

The LSA on my Eagle trip was Tony. Easy for me to remember his name!

 

[fillyjonk]

Yeah. Lucious is awesome, I'm always happy when I walk into the diner on the TE and see him in there, I know it will be a well-served meal.

 

[George K]

CONO:

Great SCAs, one being the best I've ever encountered (Rian Wilson)

Coffee as soon as you boarded and available all day SB & NB

2 waters in roomette and water available at the coffee station throughout the trip

Juice in the morning

Just finished a ride on CONO (back and forth to Chicago), and I have to agree about Rion. Above and beyond. Helpful, friendly, courteous, and attentive. He seems to have his act together, and he's exceptionally well organized. Made our trip south a delight.

One of the best.

 

[lepearso]

I can't help but mention that Tony was born and raised in Tennessee.

 

[Henry Kisor]

I think the disappearance of most amenities will make little difference with ridership. The folks who remember the great luxury limiteds of old have largely died out, and most Americans today are used to lack of amenities in all kinds of traveling, especially the airlines. While Amtrak cuisine is hardly haute, it's still decent road food, and that's what we expect today. What makes the difference in the Amtrak travel experience today is the quality and professionalism of the crews, and I believe that has improved mightily over the hit-and-miss of the '80s and '90s.

 

[jis]

People who use Amtrak for really necessary travel - the stated reason for the existence of Amtrak, are indeed likely to travel anyway, because they do not have any other reasonable means at a reasonable price to undertake the trip. As for the rest, yeah if it makes enough money to cover the frills there should be frills. The main discussion I suppose needs to be where does necessity end and frills begin.