COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic: Amtrak-related Discussion

[AmtrakBlue]

Probably to early, especially with Chicago,Denver and the Bay Area being "Hot Spots"!

Bus Drivers are getting Sick and even Passing Away, Railroaders and Amtrak staff are not exempt!

Nurses & doctors are getting sick & dying. Should they stop work too? Some people need public transportation.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Nurses & doctors are getting sick & dying. Should they stop work too? Some people need public transportation.

I do understand Betty! But what happens when the Majority of the Non-Health Care workers are I'll?

The Military can transport essential Workers if need be, just need SOMEBODY in Washington to Take Charge ( paging President Trump!)and Quit Playing "Ring around the Rosie"!( which was a Childs game in England during the Black Plague!)

Like I've said, we're ALL potential Carriers, listen to the Drs including Dr. Fuci and the Scientists.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Huh? We have people in Washington in charge, and they are keeping basic transit open. You can disagree with them, but they are in charge and making the decisions.

I personally agree with them, basic transit needs to be available to people.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Huh? We have people in Washington in charge, and they are keeping basic transit open. You can disagree with them, but they are in charge and making the decisions.

I personally agree with them, basic transit needs to be available to people.

MEA CULPA!

 

[quilttours]

Call Customer Relations right now ( Patience!) and ask for a Supervisor to get this fixed, it should be doable!

Thanks for following my saga...the tickets came fed ex and I was told to deny the delivery and it would be returned 3 business days, meaning Thursday and my due date was Friday...then I checked tracking yesterday and it said the delivery would be Monday. I got very excited and called fedex. they had not put it back for delivery until wed...so I spoke with a customer advocate at fed ex...she said she would call group sales at Amtrak to tell them is was their mistake..she called me back and said she had spoke to Jennifer and it was just fine...no penalty, just needed the tickets back...so with fedex documenting this and now me...I should be okay...but it is going to take 4-6 weeks for a refund.

 

[user 6862]

The people who are buying tickets and riding them? An example would be.... someone who lost their job in LA and has family in Klamath Falls..... maybe they need to quickly move in with family because they can’t pay the rent anymore.

That’s why a transit system exists....

Agree, there are many scenarios where people still need to travel, life isn't so predictable now and sometimes folk have to move from one place to another either over short or long distance for expected or unexpected reasons.

 

[Ryan]

So they will abandon their residence, leave everything they own behind??? Shut the door, leave it ALL to be disposed of by the landlord. The only personal property they will "move on" in life with is the clothes on their back? Is that what you're saying?

A good number of people can carry everything they own on their person. With substantial overlap with the group of people without sufficient funds to pay their rent.

 

[jebr]

A good number of people can carry everything they own on their person. With substantial overlap with the group of people without sufficient funds to pay their rent.

Especially with Amtrak's generous luggage policies. I once helped someone move via Amtrak (yes, yes I know it's technically not allowed to use Amtrak's baggage allotment for that, but it was the best option at the time.) Between the two baggage allotments, we were able to either check or bring aboard everything we needed to move without any fees (there wasn't any furniture that we needed to bring with.) There's plenty of people who either don't have furniture or don't care much about their furniture (live in a hotel, everything bought secondhand and not worth the effort, etc.) that could throw everything they care about in a few bags.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I once helped someone move via Amtrak (yes, yes I know it's technically not allowed to use Amtrak's baggage allotment for that, but it was the best option at the time.)

That reminded me of one of my favorite memories riding the southbound Carolinian!! Somewhere along the way a guy got on with like 5 boxes and bags of stuff... I’m not sure how but he was stacking them up as we left the station, the coach attendant came in and said “umm you’re only allowed so many bags” and the guy said “well I’m moving” and the attendant replied in the most hilarious tone “well... this is Amtrak, this isn’t a moving van”

I’m sure you had to be there, but the way the attendant responded in such a matter of fact way it was just hilarious.

 

[Eric in East County]

What is AMTRAK’s current policy about employees wearing protective face masks? Are conductors, sleeping car attendants, lounge car attendants, ticket agents, etc. wearing them? If so, is this optional or mandatory?

 

[Bob Dylan]

What is AMTRAK’s current policy about employees wearing protective face masks? Are conductors, sleeping car attendants, lounge car attendants, ticket agents, etc. wearing them? If so, is this optional or mandatory?

Where are they gonna get them from?

 

[pennyk]

I saw the Silver Star 92 come through Orlando yesterday with an odd consist. 3 engines and only one sleeper (with coaches but I did not count). The one sleeper indicates demand is way down.

 

[John Bobinyec]

Commencing April 6, the Carolinians will not be running.

jb

 

[fdaley]

I saw #49 passing through Hudson, NY, yesterday. Consist was one coach, Viewliner diner, one sleeper, two baggage cars. Bare bones, but I'm sure no one is traveling unless they really must. Given the situation in New York, I'm impressed the trains are still running for those who need them.

 

[Barb Stout]

So they will abandon their residence, leave everything they own behind??? Shut the door, leave it ALL to be disposed of by the landlord. The only personal property they will "move on" in life with is the clothes on their back? Is that what you're saying?

They ship what they can't carry. You really don't know anyone who has had to do this?

 

[Rasputin]

What is AMTRAK’s current policy about employees wearing protective face masks? Are conductors, sleeping car attendants, lounge car attendants, ticket agents, etc. wearing them? If so, is this optional or mandatory?

Based on the Flagstaff webcam, the only Amtrak employee on 3 or 4 that I have seen wearing a mask has been the engineer on No. 3 which arrived at Flagstaff April 3rd. Appeared to be a cloth mask.

 

[Thirdrail7]

What is AMTRAK’s current policy about employees wearing protective face masks? Are conductors, sleeping car attendants, lounge car attendants, ticket agents, etc. wearing them? If so, is this optional or mandatory?

It is optional but recommended. However, this comes into play:

Where are they gonna get them from?

You have to find them first!

Commencing April 6, the Carolinians will not be running.

jb

As I understand it, this has more to do with track work. All things being equal, it would likely be canceled from NYP to RGH MON-THU anyway.

 

[pennyk]

I saw the Silver Star 92 come through Orlando yesterday with an odd consist. 3 engines and only one sleeper (with coaches but I did not count). The one sleeper indicates demand is way down.

I saw 92 again this evening. There were 2 engines, 2 coaches, cafe, 1 sleeper, baggage

 

[Devil's Advocate]

So they will abandon their residence, leave everything they own behind??? Shut the door, leave it ALL to be disposed of by the landlord. The only personal property they will "move on" in life with is the clothes on their back? Is that what you're saying?

Where are they gonna get them from?

From the toilet paper and sanitizer store, duh.

 

[me_little_me]

Of course not. I’m not working out details for a hypothetical person in LA.... maybe they ship it all in boxes or put it in storage? Idk.

Or left it with friends or gave it to a roomie or they were in a furnished apartment or had an important assignment in temporary lodging that's now ended or are keeping their apartment but moving elsewhere for a few months. There are probably lots more reasons. I agree with you. People travel for many reasons and it doesn't mean they'll be gone forever.

If something happened to me or my wife (unrelated to virus), we'd probably travel to where one of the kids live so we'd have some support. Empty the fridge, lock up the house and move there for a few months or one of the kids would move here to help us, doing the same with their place.

I agree wholeheartedly with you. There is a case for necessary travel intercity.

 

[Maverickstation]

The Downeaster will have a 1 Round Trip per day scheduled starting this week, and the Cafe Service will be suspended.

https://www.pressherald.com/2020/04/04/amtrak-limits-service-in-response-to-covid-19/
Stay safe.

Ken

 

[tricia]

AP article on use of trains to move COVID-19 patients in France: France turns to speedy trains to catch up in virus response

Something Amtrak might be drafted for? Depends on relative locations of patients, hospitals, and train routes, I guess.

Here's a quote: "The first “medicalized” TGV made its inaugural trip on March 26. Doctors in protective gear pushed gurneys along the nearly empty platform of the train station in the eastern city of Strasbourg as safety warnings echoed from loudspeakers. Inside the double-decker cars, patients and webs of tubes and wires were squeezed past luggage racks and rows of seats. Once they were secured, the train sped off toward less impacted hospitals in the west. "

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Or left it with friends or gave it to a roomie or they were in a furnished apartment or had an important assignment in temporary lodging that's now ended or are keeping their apartment but moving elsewhere for a few months. There are probably lots more reasons. I agree with you. People travel for many reasons and it doesn't mean they'll be gone forever.

If something happened to me or my wife (unrelated to virus), we'd probably travel to where one of the kids live so we'd have some support. Empty the fridge, lock up the house and move there for a few months or one of the kids would move here to help us, doing the same with their place.

I agree wholeheartedly with you. There is a case for necessary travel intercity.

When I was researching moving companies while my daughter was job-hunting, I found YouTube videos of at least one couple who had done a cross-country move using Amtrak to ship their stuff. (They were fortunate enough to be moving to and from cities with Amtrak stations which handled checked baggage at both ends.) They may have still loaded up their car (or cars) and driven between the two cities, but the rest of their stuff was shipped as checked baggage (freight?) via Amtrak. I suspect most or all of their furniture was replaced when they arrived in the new city, though.
This video is not the one I remembered seeing, but she used "Amtrak Express Shipping", too.

 

[daybeers]

I'm just afraid people are still using Amtrak for vacation-related reasons due to not taking the virus seriously or their state government not taking it seriously. That's what concerns me. And the people who might be moving but are also asymptomatic with the virus.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I'm just afraid people are still using Amtrak for vacation-related reasons due to not taking the virus seriously or their state government not taking it seriously. That's what concerns me. And the people who might be moving but are also asymptomatic with the virus.

You have very little to be concerned about regarding people taking a vacation. It would have to be someone like me who only wanted a train ride... and even someone like me decided the risk was too great. Both the risk of the virus and the risk of getting stuck somewhere with little option of getting home.