Insider.com and businessinsider.com stories about Amtrak trips

[Devil's Advocate]

I wonder how Southwest explains drink service on Delta, United, Spirit, etc. American is the most confusing since they refuse to sell alcohol in coach but have no problem serving hard liquor for free up front.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/took-35-hour-train-ride-182900442.html
Another article from a millennial now I’m more certain than ever Amtrak itself is behind these horrible articles. I get going after the younger crowd but why not go after and keep customers with more disposable income and time, with better service millennials would flock to the rails as well. SMH

 

[neroden]

Im not that familiar with Business Insider but are these type of amateurish articles normal for them?

Yes. It's a bit of "throw everything at the wall and see what sticks" as a media outlet; and honestly it's not as bad as that makes it sound. They're mostly honest and tend to chase out actual liars. Which is better than many outlets do.

 

[neroden]

As someone who gets motion sickness, a flight in good weather is definitely more stable than freight track on the long distance Amtrak routes. The caveat being that turbulence can be far worse than even the worst track, but it's usually much shorter in duration.

Obviously the train wins when you're on non third world track in a civilized country that has rail infrastructure not maintained by UP/BNSF/CSX.

Different people's motion sickness varies. For some reason I'm always better on trains than in airplanes; my theory is that trains may have a lot of pitch, but have very little yaw and not much tilt (even on bumpy track) and I think the yaw is what gets me on the airplanes.

 

[neroden]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/took-35-hour-train-ride-182900442.html

I actually think this one is very positive, with one major exception: she wants better food.

So much for the ludicrous claim a few years back by some Amtrak official that the degradation of the food was to serve millennials. The millennials want good food.

 

[McIntyre2K7]

The YouTuber I'm referencing is closure to my age, so very much a millennial. Southwest still give you a drink and peanuts on some flights, no idea what the time limit is if there is one. I still think it's unreasonable to expect anything beyond transportation on an under an hour flight.

I did TPA to ATL on Southwest two weeks ago and they gave us a drink an a snack which I found strange as it was only a 45 minute flight. You basically had to open up the app and select which drink you wanted. Then you would show the picture to the flight attendant.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/spent-1-000-room-myself-144851213.html

 

[sttom]

$1000 for a room! Ay Dios Mio! Nevermind that before deregulation the cost of just the room would be over half that and you wouldn't get any of your food covered. Given what Amtrak's accommodations are and that they can set their own fares, $1000 for what she got is more than you would get just with the ticket back in the "Golden Age".

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Is this the same girl who wrote another article saying she has travel anxiety and gets queasy? Then what’s she dancing on the train for?

Is that a VLII bedroom she is in? It looks awfully new and clean. Here all we true train lovers are hoping we’ll get to be in one eventually if the rates ever drop and we’re lucky enough to get the new car.

And some little kid writes an article for other little kids and gets the whole thing paid for and manages to get the new bedroom.

Good grief.

However, she did spend some of her time watching the Office, so she gets points for that. I didn’t know anyone that young would even know about the Office.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

I’m convinced Amtrak is behind these crazy articles. Gardner is still trying to pander to millennials. Like everything else Amtrak screwed this up as well. The majority of the articles are negative and say the food is bad as well. Way to go Amtrak management.

 

[Cal]

However, she did spend some of her time watching the Office, so she gets points for that. I didn’t know anyone that young would even know about the Office.

As a young one, I beg to differ.

Is that a VLII bedroom she is in? It looks awfully new and clean. Here all we true train lovers are hoping we’ll get to be in one eventually if the rates ever drop and we’re lucky enough to get the new car.

It's a VI

 

[Bostontoallpoints]

$1000 for a room! Ay Dios Mio! Nevermind that before deregulation the cost of just the room would be over half that and you wouldn't get any of your food covered. Given what Amtrak's accommodations are and that they can set their own fares, $1000 for what she got is more than you would get just with the ticket back in the "Golden Age".

There is only one government run passenger intercity rail service today. So it is essentially regulated. Airfare on the other hand has come way down by price after deregulation. I suppose if we only had one National airline in the U.S. then airfare would be similarly priced. I know I’m not paying one way airfare or train fare at $1000 between NY and Florida. I’ll just drive. By the way the Golden Age of trains had much better service and food.

 

[sttom]

There is only one government run passenger intercity rail service today. So it is essentially regulated. Airfare on the other hand has come way down by price after deregulation. I suppose if we only had one National airline in the U.S. then airfare would be similarly priced. I know I’m not paying one way airfare or train fare at $1000 between NY and Florida. I’ll just drive. By the way the Golden Age of trains had much better service and food.

There is no part of the government that has powers that the ICC had over Amtrak and the freight railroads prior to the passage of the Staggers Act. Fares prior to then were regulated, Congress could now, they could do pretty much anything if they care to, but they don't care about what airlines or Amtrak is doing or charging people. The truth is that you paid more for tickets and got less included in them under regulation than you do now. Food service was restaurant quality, but you paid damned near top dollar for them.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

There is only one government run passenger intercity rail service today. So it is essentially regulated.

Which regulations control Amtrak pricing and what do they say about it?

 

[Bostontoallpoints]

There is no part of the government that has powers that the ICC had over Amtrak and the freight railroads prior to the passage of the Staggers Act. Fares prior to then were regulated, Congress could now, they could do pretty much anything if they care to, but they don't care about what airlines or Amtrak is doing or charging people. The truth is that you paid more for tickets and got less included in them under regulation than you do now. Food service was restaurant quality, but you paid damned near top dollar for them.

I’ll take Pullman service over Amtrak any day all day.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/spent-60-hours-traveling-amtrak-171425233.html

 

[Skylark]

It's pretty cringe. Yes, the ride is bumpy. It can do a number on you. As a millennial myself, I'm well old enough to know I am prone to motion sickness - by car, boat, train, or plane. So I take a Dramamine and bring extra with me. I bring pain relievers in case I get a headache from the jostling. I don't feel great after long car rides either. It is what it is. I prefer having the space to stretch out a bit, even in a roomette. And the scenery.

I can do a lot more to feel comfortable on the train than I can in other environments, save for a cruise or maybe a huge RV.

It's not for everyone, which is fine.

 

[Cal]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/spent-60-hours-traveling-amtrak-171425233.html

This one seems a lot better than the others

 

[neroden]

More promotion of passenger trains, while telling Amtrak to get better Wifi and bring back the observation car. I can't complain, from an advocacy point of view!

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/took-18-hour-train-ride-161210193.html
serious complaints about food offerings

 

[Sidney]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/took-18-hour-train-ride-161210193.html
serious complaints about food offerings

That's been going on since Flex dining started. Once all the trains have traditional dining the complaints will stop. They already have on the Western trains. The author rode in Coach. Cafe menus are pretty much on par with flex. Once Coach passengers can eat in the dining car with traditional dining the bitching will end.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

I wonder how these writing assignments are given out.

Does the writer propose the trip and story? Or does the editor just throw slips of paper in a hat and whatever gets pulled out is yours?

I would be really annoyed if I got assigned a story on LD coach when that other kid got to ride in a roomette and dance in a bedroom.

I do love how she calls the shaky tray table a desk. Makes it sound a bit more elegant.

I’m sorry—I’m being awfully silly. But I’ve gotten to the point with these articles that I’m reading them almost like humorous short stories and keep seeing the funny side.

However, there are a few good ones that do more than just scratch the surface. I agree that the New York to Austin one above is better quality than some of the others.

 

[JoshP]

Just wow. I can't believe 2nd story is now published on insider.com

https://www.insider.com/worst-parts-of-18-hour-amtrak-ride-chicago-to-dc-2021-11
Remember other girl that rode from MIA-NYP?

Thoughts?

 

[joelkfla]

kvetch, kvetch, kvetch

 

[sttom]

I can feel for her on the bathroom situation, but other than that, she could have done like 5 minutes of googling to figure out the rest. She seems like the type that is unimpressed with anything other than first class on a Gulf airline.