Maybe most Amtrak riders aren't as picky as AUers. Though I'm not thrilled with the offerings, I'm wouldn't cancel or trip, or refuse to book one, on a less than 24 hour trip just because I don't like the food. I'll pack some food to my liking. The food options offered on airlines don't appeal to me either, but I'm not going to not fly because of it.
It all boils down to what your travel options are. Travel is for many people a necessity and for others a means to get to a desired location. The travel experience isn't what it was yesterday. Whether it is Amtrak or the airlines, the trend is going to be less amenities for the dollar. They know you "have" to travel (especially Amtrak since if you travel intercity by train you don't have any other choice). If you don't want to fly, your travel options are cut significantly. If you are perfectly OK with flying, your first choice between Chicago and New York or Chicago and Washington is going to be the airplane unless Amtrak really, really makes it attractive or unless the TSA makes flying really, really unpleasant. Amtrak steaks may impress people on AU but they don't impress most people, especially the price you'd have to pay for them (assuming they would be available). I think the only way Amtrak could beat United/American in those markets is if the fare were cheaper (and that would never happen). So the idea that Amtrak is losing CHI-NYP and CHI-WAS passengers to the airplanes by cutting Amtrak steaks? They didn't have many of them to begin with.
Exactly. There is no difference of consist between east/south of Albany Empire Service and west of Albany Empire Service. Exact same consists.
It sounds dastardly and this is why I have a problem.
It is true I haven't seen the meal but I do know this much. It is a far cry from what was offered... for the same price and you've hidden that fact under marketing buzzwords. Be honest and let them know you're trying to drive down costs as part of a federal mandate.
It has been done many times (without penalty or repercussions) just like we ran all AM1's on the Adirondack and Maple Leaf (without penalty or repercussions)....just like what will occur over the next few months.So did NYSDOT actually run AM-2s on the Niagara Falls service? I am asking about what is, not what is theoretically possible.
(sheepishly) Normally, you are 100% correct. The AM2s are assigned to specific trains as called for by the Empire Service operating plan. Failure to follow the plan CAN lead to penalties. This is the case with most state supported plans.But normally what was the case? Or is normality a concept way beyond Amtrak in its emaciated state?
I don’t think he’s pulling reverse psychology on Congress. It just seems that there are less elaborate, complicated, and risky ways of telling them that food service is good for ridership.
Now that is a scary though! When it comes to dinner/supper, I almost always want a hot meal consisting of meat, potatoes, a vegetable or 2 and, of course, a roll for mop up duty. A side salad is fine but if I want a salad as the main course, I'll pasture with the cattle and graze!
I’ve personally got nothing against salad as a main course (though I usually tend towards the veggie burger). However, a pre-packaged cold beef salad doesn’t really make my stomach rumble (even putting aside the fact that I don’t eat meat).
Assuming your representatives don't represent NEC states, their response should be: no LD, no NEC (subsidy). After all, take away LD trains and that leaves only the NEC, since by law other corridors are the responsibility of the states. NEC trains claim to make money "over the rails". But I seem to recall a lot of begging for funding for very expensive infrastructure, track, stations, catenary, tunnels, and bridges.
Yes, but they still have the "advisory" up on the LSL and CL pages and still show the current menus.
It's possible there could be a menu change or something like that. It can't really mean anything big, but something like that doesn't seem completely out of the question.
