Was my letter to Amtrak too strong?

[Mystic River Dragon]

I read (I think in Trains Magazine) that Amtrak was doing a baseline survey before the dining car came off the Silver Star, but I couldn't find it. So I wrote this in the customer service line--the only place I could find to email. Was it too strong and will they put me on a watch list for annoying passengers to look out for? I am serious--I am usually very polite and am afraid that, in a rare annoyed moment, I stepped over the line. This is what I wrote:

Dear Mark Murphy: I had a reservation for a roomette in the Silver Star for December, but I have switched to a roomette in the Silver Meteor because the Star will not have a Dining Car then. So, for your best-paying passengers: no newspaper, limited coffee times, and now stuck with standing in line for a fast-food breakfast at upscale prices? The Dining Car is a civilized part of the train experience with decent (if not great) food and good company. I understand that Amtrak was originally created to fail. Is that still its mission? Eliminating the Dining Car will help you achieve it. I understand that Amtrak is taking comments before this experiment starts as a baseline, but of course there is no obvious place to put those comments--please forward this to the correct place--thanks very much.

 

[MrFSS]

I read (I think in Trains Magazine) that Amtrak was doing a baseline survey before the dining car came off the Silver Star, but I couldn't find it. So I wrote this in the customer service line--the only place I could find to email. Was it too strong and will they put me on a watch list for annoying passengers to look out for? I am serious--I am usually very polite and am afraid that, in a rare annoyed moment, I stepped over the line. This is what I wrote:

Dear Mark Murphy: I had a reservation for a roomette in the Silver Star for December, but I have switched to a roomette in the Silver Meteor because the Star will not have a Dining Car then. So, for your best-paying passengers: no newspaper, limited coffee times, and now stuck with standing in line for a fast-food breakfast at upscale prices? The Dining Car is a civilized part of the train experience with decent (if not great) food and good company. I understand that Amtrak was originally created to fail. Is that still its mission? Eliminating the Dining Car will help you achieve it. I understand that Amtrak is taking comments before this experiment starts as a baseline, but of course there is no obvious place to put those comments--please forward this to the correct place--thanks very much.

Probably should copy in your congressman and senators!!

 

[Ryan]

Sounds reasonable to me.

 

[Dakota 400]

I see nothing wrong with the letter. When I have been displeased with decisions that a company has made, I have written such a letter, being very specific with my concerns and proposing an action the company could take to get in my "good graces" again. It does not always work; but, it has from time to time.

 

[neroden]

Good letter. Very polite, although extremely sarcastic. I particularly like this bit:

I understand that Amtrak was originally created to fail. Is that still its mission? Eliminating the Dining Car will help you achieve it.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

neroden--That is the part where I thought I might have stepped over the line.

Thanks to all of you for your responses--I feel better about what I wrote now. I spend most of my working life reading and correcting other people's writing before they send it anywhere, but I don't have anyone to do it for me , so I appreciate the feedback .

 

[neroden]

Well, my letters tend to be about six times more sarcastic and cutting than that, so I'm probably not really the one to ask. But anyway, I think they'll get the right idea.

 

[Rail Freak]

Good letter! Tell them honestly how you feel & let the chips fall where they may!!!

 

[haolerider]

Please let us know if and when you receive a response.

I honestly have not looked to see what the difference in price is now for a roomette, without the dining car. If anyone has that information please post the actual difference. Does it equate to the difference in food price, labor cost and the " freeing up" of sleepers that a dining car crew would utilize?

 

[Cma]

I did not find your letter too strong. You expressed your concerns in a concise if slightly sarcastic way.

 

[MikefromCrete]

It was a good letter. It was direct and to the point. The Amtrak leadership are grownups. They can take it.

 

[Bob Dylan]

You nailed it! Good letter!

Of course 60 Mass should have done this BEFORE they made the decision to try and appease Mica and Company in Congress!

This includes input from OBS and passengers, but that's not Washington's way!

 

[KmH]

To strong? No.

Will your message have an impact? I doubt it.

Silver Star Trains 91 & 92 Sleeping Car Fare and Food Service TestThis test will allow passengers to pay less to upgrade from coach class to our popular sleeping car accommodations. Traditionally, Amtrak has bundled the cost of Dining car meals into the charge for the sleeping car accommodations. Under this experiment, these costs will be “un-bundled” to allow passengers to travel the New York-Orlando-Tampa/Miami route in a sleeping car at a lower cost.

Passengers will continue to have the option of choosing traditional dining car service aboard the Silver Meteor (Trains 97 & 98), which operates along much of the Silver Star route. Dining car meals aboard the Silver Meteor are included in the sleeping car upgrade charge.

 

[FormerOBS]

Will it be seen by the right people?

Tom

 

[StriderGDM]

Don't just send it to Amtrak, as someone else said, send it to your Senators and Rep. They're the ones demanding the cuts.

Let them know penny-pinching is driving you away.

 

[Chey]

It's a great letter, right on the mark.

 

[andersone]

That's not sarcasms, that's pathos (with apologies to the Pythons !!)

succinct and well written, even Dr. Leever would be proud

 

[cirdan]

I've never actually been sufficiently inconvenienced by Amtrak to have cause to write a letter but have written several to airlines and I find that no matter what I write, I get more or less the same reply so wouldn't be surprised if there replies are not pre-written forms with slots in which some junior back-office staff drop the appropriate excuse. I doubt the complaints actually get passed up to higher management but are just dealt with on this low level to create the impression the airline actually cares. Generally I find that only after refusing to go away and be happy with an obviously pre-worded answer that it takes about 4 rounds of coming back and asking again until the matter gets escalated to somebody who can actually say something meaningful.

Maybe in Amtrak the reporting lines are more efficient. I don't know.

 

[Shanghai]

I find the letter to be appropriate and well written. I can

see your frustration. We have changed two trips from the

Star to the Meteor due to the absence of the dining car.

 

[I always rode the Southern]

Please let us know if and when you receive a response.

I honestly have not looked to see what the difference in price is now for a roomette, without the dining car. If anyone has that information please post the actual difference. Does it equate to the difference in food price, labor cost and the " freeing up" of sleepers that a dining car crew would utilize?

My last trip on the star in a roomette (1 senior, tpa to wa)s was $323. Pricing one for july the lowest I found was $358.

Pricing a bedroom for 7/9 for 2 was $640.90/ $865.90 on the meteor, while a bedroom on the auto train was $776. Considering no food on the star, highest price on the meteor, and having to rent a car if we took either silver why would I ever consider it?

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

I did get a reply (see below). The bad news: It is a form letter sent out by a customer service person, so it didn't go higher than that. The good news: It is a carefully crafted, detailed letter, which they obviously put much thought into, and I received it promptly--a day after I sent mine. This leads me to believe they are receiving (and trying to fend off) a lot of complaints about this Dining Car experiment and that my letter wasn't the only one.

I think I will take the suggestions of a couple of you and write my Senators and Congressman. And possibly Joe Boardman (although I don't know if he has much say or is just a figurehead). Do you think I should write now? Or wait til the experiment is over and then write if they drop the Dining Car completely?

Here is the reply I received from Amtrak:

Dear [my name],

Thank you for your email regarding recent changes to our Silver Star service.

Amtrak is committed to the future of intercity passenger rail in the United States, and we believe rail travel is critical to the competitiveness of our nation. The need and demand for improved and efficient transportation is growing with the population, yet investments are declining. This has required Amtrak to investigate opportunities for cost reductions, efficiency enhancements, and revenue improvements while delivering the customer service, reliability and performance our passengers have come to expect.

We strive to provide our customers with affordable options. Towards that end, we are testing the operation of one of our overnight trains, the Silver Star, without a full Dining Car. The associated cost saving allows us to offer our popular sleeping car accommodations at lower fare. We will still have a Cafe Car available for our Silver Star passengers to purchase hot and cold sandwiches, snacks, and other items.

At Amtrak, our goal is to provide passenger rail service into the future with superior safety, customer service, and efficiency. Please be assured that we will be evaluating this option both in terms of customer satisfaction and cost savings. Customer feedback such as yours plays an important role in the decisions we make regarding our service and we appreciate you taking the time to send us your worthwhile comments.

Once again, thank you for contacting us. We hope to continue to serve your travel needs.

Sincerely,

Amy
Amtrak Customer Service

 

[FormerOBS]

As you said, it's a carefully crafted form letter. Keep that in mind. It does not put palatable food in your mouth.

You need to send your comments to your Senators and Congressman, and I see no point in waiting. Amtrak will decide whether the experiment is a success, partly on the basis of passenger reactions, and that includes passenger information that comes to them via the Legislative Branch. Also send a letter directly to Joe Boardman, although I understand your feeling that he may never personally see it.

 

[Bob Dylan]

The form letter you received signed by Amy is just like Julie "talking" to you when you call 1-800-USA- RAIL. Computer generated Corporate Boilerplate!

Its still a good idea to call and express your concerns with CR and as was said, also write Boardmans office and write to your Reps and Senators! (even though you'll get a Political form letter, the staffs do compile stats and comments that are passed on to the members)

 

[Manny T]

I thought your letter was very good. And I agree with your POV completely.

But for your opinion to have any impact, you would have to ride the train overnight without a dining car and THEN write them to say it sucks.

First way, you're just opining; second way, you're evaluating your actual experience--I think they would want the latter.

 

[jis]

Don't just send it to Amtrak, as someone else said, send it to your Senators and Rep. They're the ones demanding the cuts.

Let them know penny-pinching is driving you away.

For some Senators and Congressmen, that message might be music to their ears and may cause them to redouble their efforts. So be careful what you ask for.