Checked baggage being cut from Boston Section of Lake Shore?

[TiBike]

Typical. The Starlight lost ten minutes loading my bike a couple trips ago. No good reason, plenty of staff standing around doing nothing. Conductor seemed to be the only one who had the high degree of training needed to rack a bike, and she was in no rush whatsoever.

Putting racks in a passenger car - cafe or otherwise - makes it possible for passengers to deal with it themselves. Even without elite level training.

 

[Rasputin]

Awesome! Amtrak might finally be getting over its long distance bike derangement syndrome. [emoji468][emoji467][emoji106]

Sounds like food service derangement to me.

 

[bratkinson]

On some (maybe all?) Metro North M8 commuter cars, I've noticed bike racks that one hooks the front wheel on about 5.5 feet above the floor. There's only 2 hooks, but they're close enough together to only lose 1 row of seats. Amtrak should be able to do something similar and get 3 bikes in the space of 1 booth. Should number 4 show up, keep it in the vestibule until ALB, the move it to the NYP baggage car.

 

[Rasputin]

On some (maybe all?) Metro North M8 commuter cars, I've noticed bike racks that one hooks the front wheel on about 5.5 feet above the floor. There's only 2 hooks, but they're close enough together to only lose 1 row of seats. Amtrak should be able to do something similar and get 3 bikes in the space of 1 booth. Should number 4 show up, keep it in the vestibule until ALB, the move it to the NYP baggage car.

I suspect that they will remove all the seats from the business class section to accommodate more bikes.

 

[TiBike]

The bike racks replaced a few booths in the cafe car. It can be done more efficiently, and maybe it will be in the future. Based on the picture and the description, the problem is staff assuming their comfort is more important than passenger convenience, not bicycle racks.

 

[cocojacoby]

This seems rather stupid. Why not remove a few seats from a coach and create a coach/baggage?

Ironically, a recent photo of 448 on another site showed a baggage car in the consist. So I don't know what hell Amtrak is up to but this solution is unconscionable.

 

[Rasputin]

The bike racks replaced a few booths in the cafe car. It can be done more efficiently, and maybe it will be in the future. Based on the picture and the description, the problem is staff assuming their comfort is more important than passenger convenience, not bicycle racks.

I think there are two separate issues here.

The first, as mentioned above, is the crew taking over space that should be available for passenger use. The operating crew should have their work space back in one of the coaches as was the practice before Amtrak and in the early days of Amtrak. In that way they can better monitor passengers, be more accessible to passengers and provide better service but we know that service is no longer an important element. Of course for all that I know, Union negotiations may mandate that the crew has work space in the café car.

Second is that the Boston - Chicago cafe car, with its limited menu is already inadequate to provide proper food service on the Lake Shore and with the removal of more table space it only gets worse. From my observations 48-49 usually has 6 fairly packed coaches between Albany and Chicago which have to be served from this small (and getting smaller) food service cafe. Pretty poor service.

So it seems that Amtrak is further degrading service to most coach passengers in favor of the few passengers who wish to travel with their bike. There is a solution. I have seen it on the Boston section of the Lake Shore in years past. It is called a baggage car.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Oh can we put in a table or two for the crew in that baggage car too?

 

[Thirdrail7]

Awesome! Amtrak might finally be getting over its long distance bike derangement syndrome.

Ummm....before everyone goes pieces, those cars have been around for years. I had to dig though my posts on another board but here is the article from 2013 announcing one of the tests:


Bikers Hope Amtrak Will Expand Rack Access Soon

Several New York bicyclists recently participated in demonstration rides hosted by Amtrak in a step toward one day allowing bikes on passenger trains.

Late last month, Amtrak invited 36 New York bicyclists to bring their wheels on a northbound train as part of an ongoing effort to accommodate bikes on trains traveling around the state. This particular train had a special demonstration cafe car equipped with rack space for four bicycles. Bicyclists signed up to board at a particular stop on the Ethan Allen line and then disembarked at the next stop.

The cars were also tested in Michigan and Vermont. Once they made some adjustments, these cars were deployed throughout the single level system in tandem with the requests of states. Some states have dropped thee program, so have continued it.

The bottom line is nothing new. It is something they use in areas without baggage cars.

So where do the coach passengers get to enjoy their just-purchased food? Why, at their seats, of course!

Well, that is what they are for.

 

[bratkinson]

Things are looking up! I visited the cafe car and paid for my breakfast and noticed the improvement.

The 'conductors stuff' on the left was gone, but on the table was some conductors' paperwork. The red crates on the right turned out to be cafe supplies, in addition to the cabinets where a bathroom used to be and in the overhead luggage racks. Surprise, surprise, a conductor was sitting opposite the red crates which were open. Surprise of the day when I saw a lone passenger eating at the 2nd table.

And, of course, the table nearest the center of the car...the cafe attendant. At least ONE passenger got to eat their meal at a table. In the diner, which I walked through after chatting with the LSA...nobody! In looking at her list of sleeper passengers while we chatted (I can read upside down), less than 1/2 were lined out indicating they'd come to the diner. Perhaps they should move the cafe to the diner and let the coach passengers enjoy the tables! f

For what it's worth, I didn't see ANY dinners being provided to BOS sleeper passengers west of Springfield, where I got on in business class. Maybe they were served earlier in their rooms? The LSA made a trip to the sleeper, but didn't appear to be taking any food with him. Perhaps they all got fed in the diner after Albany.

 

[Thirdrail7]

I think there are two separate issues here.

The first, as mentioned above, is the crew taking over space that should be available for passenger use. The operating crew should have their work space back in one of the coaches as was the practice before Amtrak and in the early days of Amtrak. In that way they can better monitor passengers, be more accessible to passengers and provide better service but we know that service is no longer an important element. Of course for all that I know, Union negotiations may mandate that the crew has work space in the café car.

While I definitely agree that crew should be dispersed throughout the consists, the seats in the coaches are the actual revenue seats. The cafe space is non revenue and they no longer want the crews hogging revenue space. They want to sell that space. It is one of the main reasons they have done a lot to avoid deadheading crews on revenue trains, particularly high yield trains. They've even altered the partnership regarding freight employees deadheading on revenue trains.

Oh can we put in a table or two for the crew in that baggage car too?

The baggage cars do not have HVAC. I'm assuming the the new bag dorms will have them in the baggage area.

 

[neroden]

In my experience, when the crew is "sprawling" in the cafe, they know they're using customer space and if you sit down next to them, they make room. If they don't, they're really out of line and should be reported to Amtrak ASAP.

 

[TiBike]

Whatever the history of that car, the fact that Amtrak is putting it on a long distance train appears to be news, and good news at that. Anything that breaks down Amtrak's irrational policy about bikes on long distance trains is a step forward.

 

[Rasputin]

While I definitely agree that crew should be dispersed throughout the consists, the seats in the coaches are the actual revenue seats. The cafe space is non revenue and they no longer want the crews hogging revenue space. They want to sell that space. It is one of the main reasons they have done a lot to avoid deadheading crews on revenue trains, particularly high yield trains. They've even altered the partnership regarding freight employees deadheading on revenue trains.

The baggage cars do not have HVAC. I'm assuming the the new bag dorms will have them in the baggage area.

The crew should be back in the coaches where they were traditionally even if it means sacrificing a couple of revenue seats on such high yield trains as the Lake Shore. However I am not in favor of the crew setting up a work station in the baggage car (on those trains that have a baggage car) for fear that they would hide there and be inaccessible to passengers.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Whatever the history of that car, the fact that Amtrak is putting it on a long distance train appears to be news, and good news at that. Anything that breaks down Amtrak's irrational policy about bikes on long distance trains is a step forward.

AS I have said in the past, it depends on the eye of the beholder. When I went to retrieve the information for my previous post, someone was already complaining about the loss of seats for bike passengers on that board. This thread was bumped based upon a complaint about removing non revenue seats and opened up the thought of a conspiracy to drive passengers away from the train.

The crew should be back in the coaches where they were traditionally even if it means sacrificing a couple of revenue seats on such high yield trains as the Lake Shore. However I am not in favor of the crew setting up a work station in the baggage car (on those trains that have a baggage car) for fear that they would hide there and be inaccessible to passengers.

Well, crew dorms existed for a great deal of Amtrak's history and they're coming back. Additionally, new equipment will have specified places for crew members, much like the Acela sets and some of the cafe cars on the long distance single level fleet.

The passengers never really shied away from marching right up to these locations and knocking, opening the doors without knocking or anything else the felt like doing (including defecating in one, thinking it was bathroom with no toilet.), nor has it stopped them from invading engines (Is this the quiet car?) or non revenue cars in deadhead status with signs saying" Crew members only" or "No passengers beyond this point ."


So, "hiding" won't be an issue.

 

[Rasputin]

Crew dorms as I have always understood them are spaces for off duty employees to rest and relax. They have nothing to do with the on-duty operating crew occupying significant space in an already inadequate café car. If passengers invade the crew space in a crew dorm or crew lounge they should be dealt with accordingly just as if a passenger attempted to enter the kitchen area.

 

[user 14106]

While the lake shore seems like a train where the bag dorm really makes sense, given the way baggage was cut off this year it would seem likely that is off the table. Not that I would complain about the Boston section getting baggage back just not holding my breath.

 

[TiBike]

AS I have said in the past, it depends on the eye of the beholder. When I went to retrieve the information for my previous post, someone was already complaining about the loss of seats for bike passengers on that board. This thread was bumped based upon a complaint about removing non revenue seats and opened up the thought of a conspiracy to drive passengers away from the train.

That's true. I'm not suggesting taking out cafe tables is the best way, or even a good way, to accomodate bikes. But it works. Better ways are possible, particularly on Superliners. It's a step in the right direction; Amtrak just has keep walking .

 

[Rasputin]

That's true. I'm not suggesting taking out cafe tables is the best way, or even a good way, to accomodate bikes. But it works. Better ways are possible, particularly on Superliners. It's a step in the right direction; Amtrak just has keep walking .

I certainly have no problem with bikes on trains and hope this service continues and spreads. However, I don't think food service or other amenity space should be sacrificed since on many trains that space is in limited supply.

As far as an earlier suggestion that people should be eating their food at their seats anyway implying I guess that the café tables are unnecessary, it appears to me that many people prefer to eat at a table. In addition I believe (and correct me if I am wrong) coach passengers are not allowed to take alcohol back to their coach seat but have to consume alcohol in the cafe or lounge.

 

[tricia]

I certainly have no problem with bikes on trains and hope this service continues and spreads. However, I don't think food service or other amenity space should be sacrificed since on many trains that space is in limited supply.

As far as an earlier suggestion that people should be eating their food at their seats anyway implying I guess that the café tables are unnecessary, it appears to me that many people prefer to eat at a table. In addition I believe (and correct me if I am wrong) coach passengers are not allowed to take alcohol back to their coach seat but have to consume alcohol in the cafe or lounge.

IIRC, it's OK to take alcohol bought in the cafe back to your seat. Just not OK to sit there and drink alcohol you brought on board yourself.

 

[Rasputin]

IIRC, it's OK to take alcohol bought in the cafe back to your seat. Just not OK to sit there and drink alcohol you brought on board yourself.

That is good to know if it is the actual policy. I keep getting mixed signals on this question.

 

[Ryan]

Yes. The location restriction is on private stock (in private room only), not purchased onboard.

 

[Seaboard92]

The third rail story of someone using the crews area for a restroom makes me think there is a smelly story behind that point.