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

[Asher]

If you have to go, I think right now you can get on, get there and get off of a plane with very little inner action with other people.

 

[gwolfdog]

If you have to go, I think right now you can get on, get there and get off of a plane with very little inner action with other people.

I was thinking plane 5-6 hours total contact with people Amtrak 17-20 hours. Less travel time but you can't close your compartment door on the plane. I was hoping someone here had used the Auto train recently or flew out of Orlando. Lease was up end of March. No place like home if the bug don't get you on the way.

 

[Amtrak57]

I found this video on youtube of train 281 with 3 Amfleet 2 LD coaches and one business/cafe car. I can see why the trains are shorter but why are they putting LD coaches on corridor trains?
(Credit to East Side Railfanning).

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

I found this video on youtube of train 281 with 3 Amfleet 2 LD coaches and one business/cafe car. I can see why the trains are shorter but why are they putting LD coaches on corridor trains?
(Credit to East Side Railfanning).

Maybe because the seats are further apart? There's also many more available right now than normal due to shorter LD consists.

 

[jiml]

I found this video on youtube of train 281 with 3 Amfleet 2 LD coaches and one business/cafe car. I can see why the trains are shorter but why are they putting LD coaches on corridor trains?
(Credit to East Side Railfanning).

The Maple Leaf, which is currently truncated, usually has a couple of AM2 coaches. Presuming it's also shorter at this time, perhaps some of its equipment has been redeployed in the corridor?

 

[PVD]

If it doesn't continue into Canada, ML & 281 are pretty much the same (other than times)

 

[user 6862]

Between a Rock and a Hard Place. Kinda like a lot of people, out there. Just commit and don't look back. What's a right decision, with the Bug Chasing You and the @#%^&* thinking you're expendable.

@gwolfdog

Did you read my report on this thread #582, it may help?

 

[niemi24s]

Between a Rock and a Hard Place. Kinda like a lot of people, out there.

Or kinda like this poor critter seen yesterday from my front porch. . .

. . .after a hard landing on the lake.

 

[keelhauled]

The last Hiawatha has been replaced by a bus until 5/25. The Empire Builder is now the only train between Chicago and Milwaukee.

 

[Tirnipgreen]

There must be some disconnect between what the approved protocols are with respect to social distancing and AMTRAK management. I am on the Crescent right now and they have half the seats in the car blocked. Not EVERY OTHER ROW....but the ENTIRE REAR HALF of the car....! I would think seating should be every other row and staggered left and right. My Two Cents.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

There must be some disconnect between what the approved protocols are with respect to social distancing and AMTRAK management. I am on the Crescent right now and they have half the seats in the car blocked. Not EVERY OTHER ROW....but the ENTIRE REAR HALF of the car....! I would think seating should be every other row and staggered left and right. My Two Cents.

“Only use half the seats” the sensible way... and the Amtrak crew way! You can’t make it up.

 

[Tirnipgreen]

There is at least one car blocked off completely. There are people in almost every row (3 feet apart) that is being made available to us. Sad the way the crews are brainwashed.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

There is at least one car blocked off completely. There are people in almost every row (3 feet apart) that is being made available to us. Sad the way the crews are brainwashed.

As usual... report this to Amtrak... tweet this to Amtrak’s twitter / social media. Tweet it to local authorities.

At best the crew is stupid and doesn’t have the mental capacity for the job.

At worst, the crew is knowingly endangering the lives of passengers for their own convenience.

 

[John Bobinyec]

According to Amtrak's reservation system. the following trains commence on May 1:

Piedmonts 73,74,77 and 78
Downeasters 680 and 685

jb

 

[Rasputin]

Maybe this is old news but I just received this message from Amtrak about expanded lounge access for Select members:

"We hope this note finds you and your loved ones well during this difficult time. Amtrak® continues to operate a modified schedule as an essential service for those who must travel and our clubs and lounges remain open. Because you are a valued Select member of Amtrak Guest Rewards®, we invite you to use our lounges if you do need to travel with us. With that in mind, we are extending lounge privileges to Select members through June 30, 2020. When you arrive, advise the lounge attendant of your Select status and Amtrak reservation for entry.

If you do need to travel with us, know that we are taking extra steps to keep our stations and trains clean, keep you safe, and remain an essential part of transportation in America. We are requiring our customer-facing employees to wear facial coverings and we strongly recommend that customers follow CDC guidelines and wear facial coverings in public, including in our stations and on trains. "

 

[Thirdrail7]

According to Amtrak's reservation system. the following trains commence on May 1:

Piedmonts 73,74,77 and 78
Downeasters 680 and 685

jb

From everything I’ve read, those trains are cancelled thru 5/31.

Additionally, the Carolinian, the Keystones and the the Pennsylvanian are cancelled until through 5/17.

Keep an eye on the website since some station hours are changing dramatically.

 

[Tirnipgreen]

As I detrained this morning in Greensboro, it became obvious to me what was going on in the car I was riding. I regret not getting a picture, but will make an attempt at describing what I saw. When I detrained, about 1/3 of the rear of the car was "blocked off" as seen in thread #612...except for one row on the right-hand side, in the middle of the said area. That seat was being occupied by a conductor and being used as a "work area" as a bag of destination tags was present on a seat-back tray and the seat was covered by some kind of sheet. That is when it hit me...the conductor had "quarantined" herself away from passengers, by at least two empty rows in all directions. A total disregard for those paying to be on the train. Pitiful.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

No surprise there. Amtrak crews literally endangering the lives of passengers and breaking laws.

Please report this everywhere you can. National news, your local health organization etc.

 

[John Bobinyec]

From everything I’ve read, those trains are cancelled thru 5/31.

Additionally, the Carolinian, the Keystones and the the Pennsylvanian are cancelled until through 5/17.

Keep an eye on the website since some station hours are changing dramatically.

Dang it. I apologize. Some sort of processing error presented them on a report that I get. I should have checked this out further. They're not back on May 1.

jb

 

[DonNewcomb]

If you have to go, I think right now you can get on, get there and get off of a plane with very little inner action with other people.

A friend flew through ATL on the 14th and posted this pix on facebook.

 

[SarahZ]

Obviously, I'm not going to travel right now, but it's so tempting to take advantage of the emptiness.

Immediately after 9/11, I got a cross-country flight for next to nothing, and the plane was maybe 30% full.

 

[jis]

Immediately after 9/11 I had to make an emergency trip to India. The JFK - LHR segment was on Virgin Atlantic. There were 6 of us in a 747, all upgraded to upper class upstairs. But then the British Airways flight from London to Kolkata was pretty full. 9/11 was not a global phenomenon like this one. It was more of an American thing.

 

[Asher]

A friend flew through ATL on the 14th and posted this pix on facebook.
View attachment 17397

That's what I'm talking about. Wish I had someplace to go with something to do. Alas, were all in the same boat.

 

[gwolfdog]

Unfortunately the boat looks like the Titanic and the airship the Hindenburg at this time. "There must someway out of here said the Joker to the King" BD

 

[ET2020]

Unfortunately the boat looks like the Titanic and the airship the Hindenburg at this time. "There must someway out of here said the Joker to the King" BD

Keep steady gwolfdog! &
FYI - I'm pretty sure Dylan's line is "said the Joker to the Thief"