Septa9739
Lead Service Attendant
This year’s loop trip was a short one May 20-25, 2024. Departure was Monday aboard Train 19, the Crescent. I thought for a second I wasn’t going to make it. There were problems on the NEC that seemed to have closed the eastbound inside track. As a result several Amtrak trains passed me on the outside track as I waited for SEPTA to appear, ultimately 17 late. Thirtieth Street was busy, or just seemed that way due to the construction, but a lot was happening in quick succession. The three o’clock hour sees maybe 7 Amtrak trains, and several others were delayed into it. Consist was three Amfleet II, the cafe, two sleepers, one bag dorm. Thank goodness for the dinner coming back. The cafe was very busy attending both sides. I experienced nothing but hospitality from the cafe staff, no strange rules at all. The “Crew Club,” was largely held to three tables. An odd operational bit was they wanted to see my ticket like every crew change. At that point, why bother with the check?
Boarding was, as it usually is when I walk onto a long hauler, a disaster. As nicely as possible, a pair of women were seated at my assignment. I asked if they were assigned there (because I once had the noble distinction of being one of several suitors for a particular seat on the California Zephyr). They said yes, I, trusting that, seeing the army coming down the aisle, jumped one row back, wrecking the chart, causing chaos. We departed. The attendant derided us in a manner most consistent with our dignity as both the paying passenger and the loss covering taxpayer, let alone as people. As we pull through University City, one of my friends from earlier quips to the other: “I think our seats were actually up there.” Thank goodness for social standards; I could have dumped the both of them out the back of the train. The rest of the evening was uneventful. After the train left Washington, I successfully negotiated for the seat I was originally assigned, as my substitute was the windowless row. The crowds were amazed. I tamed the rabid coach attendant. I’ll offer a comment on that idea broadly when I wrap up. It’s amazing what please, thank you, and the subjunctive mood can get you. We got along quite well for the rest of the ride and I will likely leave her a nice review if I’m sent one. She was diligent, direct, and actually keep the coach very clean. I too would likely scream if I had to deal with adults who can’t successfully match a symbol on a paper to one above a seat.
The train was packed from Alexandria and trickled out as we went south. My seat mate was bound for Danville, VA and I had no partner the whole rest of the way to NOLA. My next case of a loony came at Charlotte. Train arrived 21 early at 2:09, with a scheduled departure at 2:55. Now I was riding with several people with foot-in-mouth syndrome who also didn’t get the whole quiet hours concept. The best though was this guy who got up demanded to know from the conductor (in the middle of the aisle at 02:45) as to why we weren’t moving. The conductor politely explained we were just holding for time, but that seemed to annoy the guy more. The conductor then asked if he was annoyed that the train was on time. He said yes. The conductor reminded him he was most free to leave the train if he liked and went about his morning. A fascinating encounter.
Everybody and his brother got off at Atlanta and very few boarded. I had heard of this phenomenon but never seen it. Some good perspective for future comments on service to Atlanta. We left Anniston approximately punctually. I thought for just a moment I might be on the unicorn, the punctual Crescent. Alabama is beautiful. Within a few miles of Birmingham disaster struck. There were suddenly trains everywhere. The conductor announced that there were trains in front of, besides, and behind us. We sat for two hours in congestion. We then lost time on every stop into Slidell, save Tuscaloosa, arriving NOLA 10:55 PM, way later than I would have cared for. I will speak more to this in future posts but I think Amtrak somewhat mischaracterizes FTI as merely the Class I’s are evil. I didn’t get the sense here. What was happening was very obviously demand for infrastructure outpacing supply, just like road congestion. Most of the traffic was coming at us. I saw nothing near adequate space for passing the whole rest of the way to Birmingham. They somehow got us to the head of the line. Once everything was clear, we were the first through. I don’t think smaller freights would have helped. The sheer car volume was so great. I think, and I’m open to be educated on this, the real thing the government should be doing isn’t worrying about priority here (I think they can make a strong legal good faith argument they did), but rather insisting NS resolve the congestion on yes a passenger corridor certainly, but also a corridor of strategic interest. If there were need of a wartime mobilization, that corridor could not meet the demand of the many military installations and factories along it. It couldn’t handle Tuesday, just Tuesday, and apparently hasn’t been able to for years. Local connection to the RTA was fine. I was excited for the streetcars, but I think I’ll keep my Kawasaki’s and PCC’s if I may.
Part II to follow
Boarding was, as it usually is when I walk onto a long hauler, a disaster. As nicely as possible, a pair of women were seated at my assignment. I asked if they were assigned there (because I once had the noble distinction of being one of several suitors for a particular seat on the California Zephyr). They said yes, I, trusting that, seeing the army coming down the aisle, jumped one row back, wrecking the chart, causing chaos. We departed. The attendant derided us in a manner most consistent with our dignity as both the paying passenger and the loss covering taxpayer, let alone as people. As we pull through University City, one of my friends from earlier quips to the other: “I think our seats were actually up there.” Thank goodness for social standards; I could have dumped the both of them out the back of the train. The rest of the evening was uneventful. After the train left Washington, I successfully negotiated for the seat I was originally assigned, as my substitute was the windowless row. The crowds were amazed. I tamed the rabid coach attendant. I’ll offer a comment on that idea broadly when I wrap up. It’s amazing what please, thank you, and the subjunctive mood can get you. We got along quite well for the rest of the ride and I will likely leave her a nice review if I’m sent one. She was diligent, direct, and actually keep the coach very clean. I too would likely scream if I had to deal with adults who can’t successfully match a symbol on a paper to one above a seat.
The train was packed from Alexandria and trickled out as we went south. My seat mate was bound for Danville, VA and I had no partner the whole rest of the way to NOLA. My next case of a loony came at Charlotte. Train arrived 21 early at 2:09, with a scheduled departure at 2:55. Now I was riding with several people with foot-in-mouth syndrome who also didn’t get the whole quiet hours concept. The best though was this guy who got up demanded to know from the conductor (in the middle of the aisle at 02:45) as to why we weren’t moving. The conductor politely explained we were just holding for time, but that seemed to annoy the guy more. The conductor then asked if he was annoyed that the train was on time. He said yes. The conductor reminded him he was most free to leave the train if he liked and went about his morning. A fascinating encounter.
Everybody and his brother got off at Atlanta and very few boarded. I had heard of this phenomenon but never seen it. Some good perspective for future comments on service to Atlanta. We left Anniston approximately punctually. I thought for just a moment I might be on the unicorn, the punctual Crescent. Alabama is beautiful. Within a few miles of Birmingham disaster struck. There were suddenly trains everywhere. The conductor announced that there were trains in front of, besides, and behind us. We sat for two hours in congestion. We then lost time on every stop into Slidell, save Tuscaloosa, arriving NOLA 10:55 PM, way later than I would have cared for. I will speak more to this in future posts but I think Amtrak somewhat mischaracterizes FTI as merely the Class I’s are evil. I didn’t get the sense here. What was happening was very obviously demand for infrastructure outpacing supply, just like road congestion. Most of the traffic was coming at us. I saw nothing near adequate space for passing the whole rest of the way to Birmingham. They somehow got us to the head of the line. Once everything was clear, we were the first through. I don’t think smaller freights would have helped. The sheer car volume was so great. I think, and I’m open to be educated on this, the real thing the government should be doing isn’t worrying about priority here (I think they can make a strong legal good faith argument they did), but rather insisting NS resolve the congestion on yes a passenger corridor certainly, but also a corridor of strategic interest. If there were need of a wartime mobilization, that corridor could not meet the demand of the many military installations and factories along it. It couldn’t handle Tuesday, just Tuesday, and apparently hasn’t been able to for years. Local connection to the RTA was fine. I was excited for the streetcars, but I think I’ll keep my Kawasaki’s and PCC’s if I may.
Part II to follow
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