More Staffed Stations Bite the Dust on the Texas Eagle Route!!

[me_little_me]

One problem with Amtrak baggage cars is related to the problem of having both sleepers and coaches, Too many stations are too short. I've seen three-stop stations - coach, sleepers, baggage. Talk about long, time-consuming stops! I don't know the solution but eliminating checked baggage is not a good idea. While an extra person that rides the train may be more efficient than a clerk at each station from Amtrak's point of view, the problem remains that it often means an extra stop where the baggage can be unloaded and it doesn't allow a passenger sufficient time to be at the baggage car for the onboard person to load it then get to one's car or, have the baggage dumped at the station upon arrival and be sure of getting off the train and to the baggage location before someone else possibly walks off with it.

While some people might have too much baggage, it is not unreasonable if one is going on a long distance trip, to have one big (i.e. 40 or so pounds and bigger than one can lift into a car if one is going on vacation for a few weeks or if one is heading for a cruise port along with a carry-on bag plus one with personal items, oxygen, CPAPs, etc.. Considering we seniors rarely get help carrying up the bags to a Veiwliner Sleeper (but almost always get help when the SCA is looking for a tip upon departure), lack of baggage service and no place to store luggage of this size is not an issue of "moving" although Amtrak seems to think so.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Anderson has said in a he past that Amtrak needs to be a good steward of the money it receives from congress. Yet they spend millions on 70 baggage cars then immediately start eliminating checked baggage stations.

Spend millions on 25 new diners. Yet immediately removing full service dining on several trains.

Doesnt sound like being a good steward of resources like he claims.

Anderson wasn't around when those cars were ordered. The whole VLII fleet should have been in service years ago. It's not his fault Amtrak and CAF messed up the whole project.

But IF he decides to park them or not utilize them to their potential, that is directly his fault. Need I invite Tibike to this thread to discuss how lackluster the lauded and highly anticipated bike program is?

After all of the money and time invested in those bike racks, it is my opinion they aren't being used to anything resembling their potential. Is it even really a program at this point? Where is the advertising? Where are the leaflets? Where is the outreach to show your services?

While I agree that making multiple stations stops is time consuming and the host railroads DID complain at some stations, they didn't at others. It is not about moving (well, some of it is.) It is not unreasonable to expect a family of four traveling for a few days to have a serious amount of luggage...and there need to be place for because it CERTAINLY doesn't fit in the coaches or sleepers.

Then again, how dare any passengers use Amtrak for vacations? You're wasting the taxpayers money on your vacations (which in my mind, means...as a taxpayer, you're actually paying for the transportation portion of your vacation twice!!) How dare you carry anything other than an attache case or a computer bag? A bicycle? Are you kidding me???

We'll put a stop to it on our own! HA! I can see them modifying the space for golf clubs on the Superliners in the future!

 

[TiBike]

I can solve it for you. Throw foam rubber pads across the luggage racks (except the ones with bike racks) and turn them into bunks. Toss in some bean bag chairs, Turkish rugs and macrame curtains, and sublease it to Green Tortoise:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Tortoise

It'll work like a charm on the Starlight – medical and recreational use allowed end to end. You'll have to reroute the Zephyr through New Mexico and Arizona (with proper medical certificates available on board). Empire Builder will be trickier – need certificates for Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana, and have to move really fast through Wisconsin and Idaho. But it will appeal to rail fans – the smoke coming out the top will look just like an old steam engine.

You better up the game in the cafe, though. Gonna be some critical cases of the munchies.

 

[spinnaker]

I'm sure you'll see more stations than appear on the list close in the future. He want to automate as much as possible even if that means dissuading passengers from bringing as much luggage. He's not a fan of the baggage cars since (struggling to remember the exact comment) "we seem like we're helping people move and that isn't what we're here for."

At least the stops are being made....for now.

Except for the fact that they seem to take at least some pride in their express shipping business.

 

[Lonestar648]

question Anderson will ask is how much revenue is generated and what are the costs? This may have little effect if eliminated with all the baggage handling. Eliminating baggage also helps on insurance costs.

 

[user 14106]

I am a supporter of staffed stations. Are there rude Amtrak agents out there? Sure and I have dealt with a couple - but there are also many that are pleasant. My local station has good agents and i often buy tickets at the station when I am not cashing in points - I wish they would give station agents the ability to work with the point system - I had heard that was coming soon but I guess well see if it ever happens. Station agents arent about generating revenue these days but still serve an important role at busier stations providing information, assisting customers with special needs, and helping accommodate passengers when issues come up. I prefer going to a station agent rather than 1.800 number any day. Certainly there are small stations that dont warrant staffing and yes enthusiastic volunteers can fill in the gap when full time staff are eliminated somewhat, but in my opinion moderate to large stations should have a staff member on hand.

 

[JRR]

DFB is still staffed but they eliminated baggage checking last year.

 

[PaulM]

He's not a fan of the baggage cars since (struggling to remember the exact comment) "we seem like we're helping people move and that isn't what we're here for."

So has he don't some market research on this? I'm sure very few people could move with only two bags, the homeless maybe.

 

[Lonestar648]

Believe it or not, I have run into people who are very against passenger rail. When I discuss this with them they state that passenger rail like Amtrak brings in all the homeless people. Have they been on a train? No! But they know all about it. Really got into this with a group who moved to Texas from California. They stated that this is why California has so many homeless, passenger rail is transporting them there from all over.

 

[spinnaker]

Believe it or not, I have run into people who are very against passenger rail. When I discuss this with them they state that passenger rail like Amtrak brings in all the homeless people. Have they been on a train? No! But they know all about it. Really got into this with a group who moved to Texas from California. They stated that this is why California has so many homeless, passenger rail is transporting them there from all over.

How in the heck can a homeless person afford to travel by rail?

I crewed for the Brig Niagara as a volunteer. There was another full time volunteer that was homeless. The professional crew and captain knew it and didn't mind. He had meals, a place to sleep and showers and the bonus he got to work on one of the most beautiful sailing vessels in the country. A really smart man.

 

[frequentflyer]

I wander if the staff at Temple, Tx is next.

 

[bmjhagen9426]

Sounds like there is a Arma-station-geddon coming at the beginning of June. Nothing official posted yet, but quite a few station names are flying around the mill including and in addition to the ones already mentioned in this thread.

Why hasn't Amtrak posted anything about the planned de-staffing? When they did it for GFK, HAS, WIN, or Prince WV (don't know the station code), they provided a bit of notice ahead of time.

 

[Lonestar648]

I think there was a press release because I have seen write ups in several locations on line.

 

[Lonestar648]

Here is the list of stations losing their Amtrak agents and the effective date:

[SIZE=10.5pt]Charleston, WV (June 6)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Cincinnati, OH (June 5) [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Ft Madison, IA (May 16)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Garden City, KS (May 15)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Hammond, LA (May 15)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Havre, MT (June 1)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]La Junta, CO (June 1)][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Lamy, NM (July 31)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Marshall, TX (June 29)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Meridian, MS (May 17)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Ottumwa, IA (May 19)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Shelby, MT (June 5)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Topeka, KS (May 20)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Texarkana, AR (May 15) [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Tuscaloosa, AL (May 21)[/SIZE]

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

I wouldn't be surprised if the baggage car is dropped entirely from the Cardinal. The only stations that will still have baggage service after this change will be Chicago, Indianapolis, Charlottesville, and all stations from Alexandria to New York (except Trenton). All of these stations except Indianapolis and Chicago are also Crescent stops. Even for baggage from Chicago, it would likely take little if any extra time to transfer in Washington or New York, so the only station to lose baggage service or really feel any significant impacts would be Indianapolis.

 

[Palmetto]

Believe it or not, I have run into people who are very against passenger rail. When I discuss this with them they state that passenger rail like Amtrak brings in all the homeless people. Have they been on a train? No! But they know all about it. Really got into this with a group who moved to Texas from California. They stated that this is why California has so many homeless, passenger rail is transporting them there from all over.

They probably mean freight rail.

 

[Chey]

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Lamy, NM (July 31)

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Oh crap, that's my favorite station to depart from and return to. And Raton doesn't check luggage so if they're also shutting down La Junta then the SWC trip I'm taking this summer may be my last. I usually do need to check luggage so I guess I'm stuck with the TE and FTW as my base.

 

[AlamoWye]

And when I was last in Lamy I could not even get cell service. Middle of nowhere and stuck. Would be horrible in the middle of winter.

 

[Lonestar648]

Nothing official from Amtrak management, other than a teaser that train side baggage check is under consideration.

 

[greatcats]

In a place like Lamy there will probably be a caretaker part time. I am dismayed by the elimination of the agents, but the caretaker setup seems to work pretty well, except for the lack of baggage service.

 

[Lonestar648]

More of the personal touch eliminated as the world migrates toward an age of only electronic interaction, where the human voice, eye to eye contact, and the physical handshake will become only something the young generations text curiously about. The days of chatting with the station agent about future trips, the train you are waiting to arrive, or issues you have will soon be memories. But this is the new generation, sadly.

 

[printman2000]

And when I was last in Lamy I could not even get cell service. Middle of nowhere and stuck. Would be horrible in the middle of winter.

And with no cell service and no wifi, almost impossible to get train updates at the station without the agent there.

 

[SubwayNut]

Does the Lamy station still have a pay phone you could call 1-800-USA-RAIL from for updates?

 

[Lonestar648]

Pay phones are getting harder to find than local Amtrak agents.

 

[railiner]

I was watching some videos of VIA when I saw a couple times that the Conductor, who rides up front with the engineer, climbing down from the cab as the train slows so he is next to the baggage car. He takes off the bag(s) for the stop and loads the new ones before climbing back up into the cab. These stops barely had a building in some cases. This seems to be how VIA does checked baggage at their remote stops. Doubt there is any interest with Amtrak management in incurring a little more expense just to make traveling on Amtrak easier for the travelers, especially seniors.

Do you really think that Amtrak conductors will want to play Redcap? I have a feeling their union would be up in arms with the idea. As someone who worked for FedEx loading and emptying aircraft containers while in school, and knowing people who have worked loading passenger bags, its a body breaker. Its not the hourly wage, thats the problem. Its the disability and other payments that have to be paid out to the hurt employees.

I wasn't thinking of the Conductor doing this because they have other more important safety duties, but again an extra person, not necessary in the cab, but who manages the luggage at each unmanned stop.

Actually, the conductor's union used to cover this very position....Train Baggageman. Even into the early years of Amtrak service, they still had a few of those as part of the operating train crew over certain segments. One of which was between Denver and Green River, Wy. on the old SFZ. Every station on the route offered checked baggage service as a result of this.

I am surprised that crew change points would be unstaffed. And a city the size of Cincinnati? Really? Wow!