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

[Bob Dylan]

Riding #22 from Austin to Temple today ( Fri 4/27) .

I was informed by Amtrak friends that the Stations in Marshall ( Crew Change point)and Texarkana will soon become Un-staffed.

Do we see a trend starting here? What's next, will we see the return of Multiple Flag Stops and more Volunteer Caretakers for the Stations??

 

[Lonestar648]

Were these agents retiring or were they moved to other stations? With fewer and fewer manned stations, then there is less and less checked baggage. Is Amtrak trying to eliminate checked baggage silently?

 

[cpotisch]

We certainly do see a trend here. I will be shocked (and pleased) if we don't see many more stations in the years to come. At this point, if Amtrak thinks they can get away with some kind of cut, they'll do it. Enjoy checked baggage while you can, folks!

 

[bmjhagen9426]

I was informed by Amtrak friends that the Stations in Marshall ( Crew Change point)and Texarkana will soon become Un-staffed.

I'll take your word for it, but nothing on Amtrak station advisory list (where it lists plans to de-staff any current staffed stations). Maybe they know something, but don't feel like announcing it officially.

 

[Seaboard92]

Cincinnatti and Charleston,WV have also lost staffing. The plan is to eliminate staff at stations with less then fifty boardings per day.

 

[dlagrua]

Unfortunately staffed stations even on commuter lines are being cut. Many agents are being replaced by ticket machines and by online services. This will end baggage service at many stations but the down side is that there is no room on most trains to hold all of the passenger baggage. Its just another cut your way to profitability scheme being used by Amtrak or is this the beginning of a soft phasing out of the long distance passenger train?

 

[bmjhagen9426]

It may well be, and Anderson seems to be the yes-man to the NEC-centric board, including Westmoreland and other recent nominees.

 

[RPC]

When did Charleston WV lose staffing? It's still listed as having a staffed ticket office and checked baggage on the Web site and the Cardinal 2018-03-29 timetable.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Were these agents retiring or were they moved to other stations? With fewer and fewer manned stations, then there is less and less checked baggage. Is Amtrak trying to eliminate checked baggage silently?

They're not retiring, they'll have to use Seniority to "bump" someone in another location, or bid on an open Station which is rare.
In a related story,one of the Conductors on this route ( very professional and friendly)told me she is getting her runs cut down due to a Senior Conductor from California moving to San Antonio. ( Sunset Ltd. and Texas Eagle)

I look for the elimination of checked bags @ most Minor" stations soon, and more of the Train side self check baggage/ bikes type of operation.Perhaps even no more Free Bags!

 

[printman2000]

http://texasrailadvocates.org/2018/04/27/amtrak-to-de-staff-marshall-and-texarkana-stations/

Other stations where staff will be axed include Charleston, WV; Cincinnati, OH; Fort Madison, IA; Garden City, KS; Hammond, LA; Havre, MT; La Junta, CO; Lamy, NM; Marshall, TX; Meridian, MS; Ottumwa, IA; Shelby, MT; Texarkana, AR; Topeka, KS; and Tuscaloosa, AL.

Does de-staffing mean no more checked baggage at those stations?

 

[spinnaker]

I fear this is going to be a trend. And it is bad news for someone like me who likes to take their bike on board. That will likely go away at a lot of stations too. Don't staff the station fine but every train should carry bikes and large luggage that can't be easily carried on.

Let the passenger load it. All the conductor needs to do is open the door to the car. This is what happened on the CL. I was responsible for hanging my own bike which is fine by me, actually I prefer it.

I just can't understand why some trains like the Pennsylvanian don't have at least some space for bikes and large luggage.

 

[TiBike]

It's no trick to get a bike on board a train. Amtrak just has to want to do it. Caltrans and the individual JPAs do it in California. The Capitol Corridor has even been refitting some cars to all bikes on the lower level.

For whatever reason – I say laziness and bureaucratic inertia, but some people differ – Amtrak resisted bikes on long distance trains, then said "wait for the new baggage cars", and then implemented it in the least bike friendly way possible, short of not allowing them at all. I'd be perfectly happy with an all carry on policy, if that included my bike.

 

[me_little_me]

I remember when Greenville, SC ended their checked bag service. One elderly woman getting on in coach had 5 bags. Since I was in a sleeper, I didn't see her board although I had told her while we were waiting that the checked bag service was no more. I'll bet the conductor and CA had a cow! The woman looked to be in late '70s or '80s with another woman of similar age and someone had unloaded the bags for her from a car which was long gone.

When did Charleston WV lose staffing? It's still listed as having a staffed ticket office and checked baggage on the Web site and the Cardinal 2018-03-29 timetable.

Prince, WV shows no baggage online but the latest timetable shows it has checked bags. I wonder if Amtrak even has a list of things that need to be changed when new "improved" service is announced? That Prince change was made last year some time.

 

[Lonestar648]

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.

 

[JRR]

Last year I went from DFB to Wilmington DE and checked two bags. While I was gone they eliminated baggage service at DFB.

I talked to Amtrak and they arranged for my bags coming back to be dropped at West Palm Beach so I could pick them up the next day after arrival.

This was an accommodation because of the change enroute (I had around trip ticket).

I have also noted the baggage handling in Canada that you mention.

 

[seat38a]

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.

 

[frequentflyer]

Sad news, I wander what TEMPO thinks about this.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Sad news, I wander what TEMPO thinks about this.

I'm positive they weren't consulted since all changes are coming out of Sodom on the Potomac with no input from line employees and customers.
It's the Airline Management Model brought to Amtrak!

 

[Thirdrail7]

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.

 

[Lonestar648]

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.

 

[merkelman06]

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.

 

[MikefromCrete]

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.

 

[AmtrakLKL]

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.

I'm sure the press release will start like this:

"Contemporary and modern self-service stations coming based on customer feedback for more self-service options."

 

[spinnaker]

"Contemporary and modern self-service stations coming based on customer feedback for more self-service options."

LOL!

Sounds like the "fresh choices" BS. I love how companies have a talent for giving you less but make it sound like more.

Like I said before. Make ALL stations self service as far as I care as long as you give me the ability to load my own bicycle or larger luggage in at least some form of a luggage compartment on ALL trains.

 

[Lonestar648]

I doubt it, but could the baggage cars be redone into another type car. Could you eliminate baggage service, then have the 70 baggage cars refurbished into something else. Doing this would cut one of the marketing points of no checked baggage charges.