What should Amtrak change?

[drdumont]

We’re doing two first-ever long-haul rides starting November 15. The first will be the Sunset Limited from NOLA to LA. After a few days with friends there, we board the Coast Starlight going to Portland.

I'll report back what I find on cleanliness. Should I pack my own cleaning supplies or ask for them if we find what so many are finding?

We carry a can of Lysol and a roll of paper towels as part of our standard packup for LD trips. I have a collapsible wand for washing my windows. I've sent date/timestamped pix of filthy conditions I have encountered to AMTRAK HQ. Micturition into the prevailing breeze, I know, but maybe - just maybe - one day someone will take notice and act. Hope springs eternal and all that.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I've sent date/timestamped pix of filthy conditions I have encountered to AMTRAK HQ. Micturition into the prevailing breeze, I know, but maybe - just maybe - one day someone will take notice and act. Hope springs eternal and all that.

For some reason travel vloggers always seem to leave this part out, but if I was one of them I'd get a bright light and point it where the service don't shine.

 

[drdumont]

On the one hand, I applaud their efforts in promoting rail travel. But they DO have a very strong set of rose colored glasses. I reckon that if they really reported all the gory details it would scare off people.
AMTRAK is chockers with annoyances, but I overlook the issues common to all travel. Even the airlines and cruise lines have similar issues.
We cope, pack our survival kit and enjoy what is left of passenger rail travel for as long as it lasts.
And a VERY hearty shout out to the MAJORITY of AMTRAK personnel who help make it as much fun as they can.

 

[MARC Rider]

I reckon that if they really reported all the gory details it would scare off people.

Except, as you mentioned, all modes of transport have this problem, including rental cars, and certainly most people's personal cars. . So one should stay home, except that I've read that most home kitchens (certainly mine! ) wouldn't pass a health department inspection.

 

[John Santos]

Can’t explain why some people are like that. I’ve seen cups left within a few feet of a trash can, which they walk right by to board their train, at the Newark, DE station.

My Grandmother would have said they were raised by wolves. That is of course totally unfair ... to wolves.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Except, as you mentioned, all modes of transport have this problem, including rental cars, and certainly most people's personal cars. . So one should stay home, except that I've read that most home kitchens (certainly mine! ) wouldn't pass a health department inspection.

The worst airplanes and rental cars I've seen were cleaner than the average Amtrak sleeper compartment. I have seen hotels worse than Amtrak, but those were two locations out of hundreds and we left as soon as we saw the state they were in. In Glengarry Glen Ross Ricky Roma (Al Pacino) starts a sales monologue with the phrase "All train compartments smell vaguely of [excrement]. It gets so you don't mind it. That's the worst thing that I can confess."

 

[drdumont]

The worst airplanes and rental cars I've seen were cleaner than the average Amtrak sleeper compartment. I have seen hotels worse than Amtrak, but those were two locations out of hundreds and we left as soon as we saw the state they were in. In Glengarry Glen Ross Ricky Roma (Al Pacino) starts a sales monologue with the phrase "All train compartments smell vaguely of [excrement]. It gets so you don't mind it. That's the worst thing that I can confess."

I think we are exaggerating juuuust a little. For the last three years, in the sleepers, conditions have gotten better, and frakly, I;ve had no real issues. The heads downstairs on the Superliners are generally pretty clean, and I've had nothing really jump out at me other than one particular head which MUST have been visited by a psyhcopath "marking his territory". Oddly enough, I rode the same car on the return trip the next day and it sparkled. The Chicago cleaners do a prety good job.

And I don't mind washing my own windows. A collapsible pole and sponge works well. I have oftimes loaned it to other passengers. The SCAs generally find it amusing.

 

[pi314]

I think we are exaggerating juuuust a little. For the last three years, in the sleepers, conditions have gotten better, and frakly, I;ve had no real issues. The heads downstairs on the Superliners are generally pretty clean, and I've had nothing really jump out at me other than one particular head which MUST have been visited by a psyhcopath "marking his territory". Oddly enough, I rode the same car on the return trip the next day and it sparkled. The Chicago cleaners do a prety good job.

And I don't mind washing my own windows. A collapsible pole and sponge works well. I have oftimes loaned it to other passengers. The SCAs generally find it amusing.

That's actually brilliant! Have to look on Amazon for one of those for my next trip. Hope you enjoyed your time in Bolivia!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I think we are exaggerating juuuust a little. For the last three years, in the sleepers, conditions have gotten better, and frakly, I;ve had no real issues.

I believe the movie quote refers to the en suite and I've had some pretty filthy experiences now and then. I think it has to do with SL's not being designed for retention systems, esp. at higher elevation. If we ignore the worst and focus on the most common experience a typical Amtrak roomette reminds me of the discount dollar cinemas of my youth. They were okay at surface level but if you shined a bright enough light in a wrong enough area watch out.

 

[johnmiller]

Bring back traditional meals on all long distance trains.

 

[drdumont]

That's actually brilliant! Have to look on Amazon for one of those for my next trip. Hope you enjoyed your time in Bolivia!

Bolivia? Not been there. Brazil, yes, and the aircraft accident was in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil. Other than that untoward happenstance, I enjoyed Brazil. I missed being born there by 10 days.

 

[travelplus]

I envision the new Amtrak coaches will have a Smart Attendant Call Button and the ability to text to your Car Attendant or Conductor with requests such as at seat or in room dining, the Ability to pre order your meal like on the plane etc.

Also I envision pre reserved seating where you can select your seat on Amtrak.com or via the application. To can see where other passengers are going. Also the ability to add special needs requests so when a passenger with a disability activates their call button a tone sounds on the IPAD and the Car Attendant knows that this passenger has a disability.

If there is a medical emergency Pasdebgers would be instructed to press the call button there times in rapid succession which wood activate the Rapid Response Team and an alert to the Engineer, Dispatch and Amtrak Police to be ready for any emergency. An automated message would go out over the PA and radios Emergency Response Seat,77 Car 339

Also the system would tile all response no matter how big or small to ensure that passengers are attended to.

In addition I envision making your meal reservation times online or on the app 24 hours before. Those in bedrooms can make it 72 hours in advance. I don't like having to remain in your seat or room for reservations.

With this system Coach Passengers can use points or cash to pay for the meal. Also it can be used for the Cafe Car . You will get a message before it's ready. Or the option to schedule it for later. This way inventory can be controlled.


What are your thoughts?

 

[Ruth Slaamot]

Would like to express my frustration. That I am kit allowed my Certified Emotional Support animal to travel on The Empire Builder from Minnesota to Montana and back. She is only 5 pounds, well behaved, and quite. People are allowed to get off to smoke, why can not owners if these animals allowed to get off and walk their dogs? I find this discrimination towards people that need the emotional stability of their animal. Yes, I understand the anger towards those who don't clean up after their animal and I fully agree with you. Hopefully Amtrak will give those of us that benefit from an Emotional Support Animal, the benefit of bringing their animal.

 

[drdumont]

Would like to express my frustration. That I am kit allowed my Certified Emotional Support animal to travel on The Empire Builder from Minnesota to Montana and back. She is only 5 pounds, well behaved, and quite. People are allowed to get off to smoke, why can not owners if these animals allowed to get off and walk their dogs? I find this discrimination towards people that need the emotional stability of their animal. Yes, I understand the anger towards those who don't clean up after their animal and I fully agree with you. Hopefully Amtrak will give those of us that benefit from an Emotional Support Animal, the benefit of bringing their animal.

I've seen people ejected from trains several times, but never a service animal. It is insulting that AMTRAK will not allow a comfort break for these wonderful animals, especially in traveling with a thoughtful handler, as you appear to be.
Contact AMTRAK Customer service with the details. They are usually pretty eager to ameliorate situations such as this.

 

[Carolyn Bryat]

This forum complains a lot about Amtrak. Though I think we all share a love of what we have been given (no matter how much it may test our love), we will all admit that the company has its shortcomings.

I think most on this forum would agree however, that many of Amtrak’s issues do actually stem from being starved of cash. Moreover, Amtrak is forced to do what most other transportation modes are incapable of doing. Run a company, and pay for most of its infrastructure. Now however, Amtrak is flush with cash, and poised to make some monumental changes.

Therefore, what are three major things you would change, or actions that you would take, post 66 billion to improve Amtrak on the whole? Let’s try to avoid too much talk of dining (we have 100 pages of that already).

New locomotive engines that can handle N Dakota and Montana winters. New coaches sleeper cars dining cars and sightseer lounges. Expand routes in the Midwest "flyover" zones. Hire and train more on board staff and mechanic staff. Convince Congress to subsidize Amtrak at a criticality sustainable level.

 

[west point]

New locomotive engines that can handle N Dakota and Montana winters. New coaches sleeper cars dining cars and sightseer lounges. Expand routes in the Midwest "flyover" zones. Hire and train more on board staff and mechanic staff. Convince Congress to subsidize Amtrak at a criticality sustainable level.

Require Amtrak management to meet their national requirement to provide transportation to all Americans.

 

[The Commissioner]

I would like to see Amtrak bring back the Slumbercoach or equivalent. That describes a small (tiny?) PRIVATE space that is no frills, doesn't necessarily require the meals be included, doesn't include a shower, and has seating that converts into a lay flat sleeping surface. Hey, I'll even be happy to bring my own pillow! I absolutely, positively refuse to ride in a coach overnight (BTDT many times) and I believe the current sleeping car value proposition is ridiculous. So if Amtrak wants me back they will offer a class of service that's an upgrade from coach and offers affordable privacy.

 

[MIrailfan]

Reduce frequency of most unprofitable routes and send those trainsets to other routes with needs.

 

[daybeers]

So Amtrak's goal is to provide only profitable service now?

 

[MIrailfan]

So Amtrak's goal is to provide only profitable service now?

with our govt running huge deficits, Amtrak needs to Reduce losses. Not saying profitable.

 

[BlackDiamond]

with our govt running huge deficits, Amtrak needs to Reduce losses. Not saying profitable.

Amtrak's budget is basically a rounding error compared to the overall budget. If we are worried about the deficit (as we should be) there are other places to look at first. I will not go any further with this given that is gets away from Amtrak and into politics.

 

[MARC Rider]

with our govt running huge deficits, Amtrak needs to Reduce losses. Not saying profitable.

In the context of a multi-trillion-dollar Federal budget, the operating losses at Amtrak are chump change. Kind of like the nickels and dimes that fall out ofd my pockets when changing clothes. Sometimes I don't even bother to bend down and pick them up. Congress has now enacted revisions to the Amtrak laws that state that Amtrak doesn't need to make a profit. This is reasonable. Do the Interstate highways/waterways/airports "make a profit?" Does the United States Marine Corps "make a profit?" We feel that Passenger rail is a public good that provides benefits, financial and otherwise, to the Nation. While, of course, the service should be provided in a financially responsible manner, the idea that it needs to be "profitable" is silly.

Anyway, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, the whole term "profitability" is silly. Just google "Hollywood accounting." to see what I mean. Fun fact: Return of the Jedi has never reported a profit, despite earning $475 million against the 32.5 million they spent to make the picture.

 

[JamesWhitcombRiley]

The Amtrak OIG reports are worth looking at, summarized in the Semiannnual Report to Congress. It's a pretty quick read, since the first 27 pages of the 52 are where you get the story. Whether getting $140m back from fraud is a good sign or a bad sign, I don't know. The report is a mix of cases and overall analysis, but not policy. In other words, spending wisely, not whether to go to Tuscon. "Train Operations" has one entry, but it should be interesting:

Ongoing Work
Audit of Amtrak’s Customer Service Program.
Our objective will be to assess the company’s efforts to collect and use customer service data to improve the customer experience.

 

[MARC Rider]

One thing that would improve Amtrak service would be for them to have contingency plans and resources available so that if a train needs to be cancelled, especially if it's after its departure, there are alternative ways to get the passengers to their destinations. For example, the recent derailment on CSX stopped the Capitol dead in its tracks and forced the eastbound to retreat back to Washington, presumably leaving the passengers stranded with no alternative transportation.

Now sometimes, Amtrak does take care of passengers. I myself have been on a last0minute bustitution when the Pennsylvanian was cancelled west of Harrisburg thanks to a major NS derailment on the Horseshoe curve. But in too many other instances, they don't take care of passengers and leave them to their own devices. When you're stranded, a full refund is not much in the way of compensation. It should be noted that, north of the border, when the Canadian ground to a halt last summer because of wildfires, they not only took care of the passengers, but they actually paid for them to fly from Edmonton to Vancouver, thus getting them to their destination

Furthermore, even in cases where there are scheduled cancellations due to track work, etc., Amtrak just leaves the traveling public with no alternative. That gives the impression that Amtrak is not a very reliable mode of transportation. We don't like bustitutions, but at least Amtrak is still offering the transportation service every day, as advertised.

The Amtrak OIG reports are worth looking at, summarized in the Semiannnual Report to Congress. It's a pretty quick read, since the first 27 pages of the 52 are where you get the story. Whether getting $140m back from fraud is a good sign or a bad sign, I don't know. The report is a mix of cases and overall analysis, but not policy. In other words, spending wisely, not whether to go to Tuscon. "Train Operations" has one entry, but it should be interesting:

These are indeed interesting, and perhaps we should all be reading the relevant reports before pontificating on subjects covered by the reports.

 

[MIrailfan]

Amtrak's budget is basically a rounding error compared to the overall budget. If we are worried about the deficit (as we should be) there are other places to look at first. I will not go any further with this given that is gets away from Amtrak and into politics.

if the routes are popular, raise fares.