Remember the Customer Service Excellence Program on the California Zephyr? It was in the C.Z. PIP report and I've seen it mentioned here a couple times. I put it to the ultimate test.
I arranged for two cousins of mine, twins who are 19 y.o., to take the California Zephyr from Chicago to Denver round trip to attend a wedding. This was their first time on Amtrak. I picked them up this morning and I'm glad to report they really enjoyed the train!
Every single Amtrak employee they met on both trains (5 & 6) and in both train stations (CUS and the temporary Denver Station) made a good impression.
On the trip back #6 went from being 4 hours late out of Denver to being 6 hours late into Chicago due to a locomotive problem. The late return trip did not ruin their impression of Amtrak. According to them, the on-board crew was pro-active getting people lined up with hotel rooms and revised connections long before the train reached Chicago. They were also served a snack box and the infamous stew and rice at their seat. As bad as that sounds to experienced train riders like me, they thought it was a nice gesture.
The conductors had a sense of humor. One of them said over the speaker that the train would arrive in Galesburg sometime before Thanksgiving.
The only part of their trip they did not like was having to take Megabus from Nashville to Chicago and back. That's the price we pay for not having Amtrak service in our part of the country.
Needless to say, Amtrak made me proud. These two plan on riding Amtrak again in the future. Perhaps the Customer Service Excellence Program is living up to its name.
I arranged for two cousins of mine, twins who are 19 y.o., to take the California Zephyr from Chicago to Denver round trip to attend a wedding. This was their first time on Amtrak. I picked them up this morning and I'm glad to report they really enjoyed the train!
Every single Amtrak employee they met on both trains (5 & 6) and in both train stations (CUS and the temporary Denver Station) made a good impression.
On the trip back #6 went from being 4 hours late out of Denver to being 6 hours late into Chicago due to a locomotive problem. The late return trip did not ruin their impression of Amtrak. According to them, the on-board crew was pro-active getting people lined up with hotel rooms and revised connections long before the train reached Chicago. They were also served a snack box and the infamous stew and rice at their seat. As bad as that sounds to experienced train riders like me, they thought it was a nice gesture.
The conductors had a sense of humor. One of them said over the speaker that the train would arrive in Galesburg sometime before Thanksgiving.
The only part of their trip they did not like was having to take Megabus from Nashville to Chicago and back. That's the price we pay for not having Amtrak service in our part of the country.
Needless to say, Amtrak made me proud. These two plan on riding Amtrak again in the future. Perhaps the Customer Service Excellence Program is living up to its name.
Sounds like the Service on the Zephyr is starting to match the Scenery! If Amtrak can jsut get the OTP to match the Zephyr might give the Starlight a Run for the Best LD Train! 
