What should Amtrak change?

[tgstubbs1]

Or could passengers bring their own toppers (probably sleeping bag-size, to fit the typical roomette bunk) as a DIY interim fix, the way some passengers bring their own pillows?

If you want to try that, I would recommend one of those self-inflating camping pads. When you roll them up and squeeze the air out they are a reasonable size, while a regular mattress topper would be pretty big to carry.
I know I can't sleep well without a decent memory foam, so that's what I would try.

 

[amtrakp42]

The first item would be to put some "teeth" into the requirement that Amtrak trains have priority over freight trains on the contracted railroads. Stiff fines are needed and maybe, just maybe, they will get the message. Then would come faster running times, better and more reliable connections etc.

Second would be clean trains, inside and out, decent food service (dining cars on overnight trains) and better mattresses in sleeping cars (too hard people tell me). Also, realistic appropriations from the Congress (you know how to vote for this in November) for new long distance equipment, track upgrades and more. It can be done but it takes vision.

 

[amtrakp42]

Actually from LA to Seattle Amtrak took them to federal court and now there is a court order to not do that. Coast Starlight runs pretty well. Of course the railroad stuff that happens to equipment still exists. In Illinois Senator Durbin investigated the dispatch center of Camadian National and proved a dispatcher intentional ran freights in front of Amtrak. The dispatcher and supervisor were fired. City of New Orleans was running 3 to 5 hrs late! But then about a year later it was happening again Once again Senator Durbin called for another meeting in Champaign IL. But railroad didn't show up. About 2 weeks later I was south of Champaign and there was a freight stopped on the Main with several people dressed in white inspecting every little bolt and wire. They sat on the main about 3 hours! Now the New ORLEANS runs really well. Guess they didn't like that? And remember it was done without going to court!!

 

[toddinde]

The mattresses are fine. You’ll never make everyone happy.

 

[toddinde]

The comments are great. I’ll just add, all trains need to be daily at minimum. The Venture cars need better seats and the new cafes need a seating area with tables that aren’t used by the crew for a break room/office.

 

[PVD]

The Venture Car issue is not for Amtrak to solve, they didn't buy them, and they don't own them.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

The mattresses are fine. You’ll never make everyone happy.

I saw a few "self-inflating camping pads" on Amazon which included customer reviews indicating they had been purchased specifically for use on Amtrak. However, I think the hubby and I will do without such things for our Texas Eagle trip next month. Since we'll only be going southbound as far as Fort Worth, that will just mean 1 night in an Amtrak bedroom each way (with a night in a hotel room in-between), so we'll see how well we tolerate the Amtrak mattresses as-is, and use that experience to determine whether or not we'll want to add anything on the next trip.

 

[drdumont]

I rode the Slumbercoaches a couple of times, but was put off by the stench of the toilets, both in the hallway and in the rooms. Both times, the entire car stank. It was a good concept, I loved the old sleep in a bucket one person Roomettes and Slumbercoaches, but my experience with the latter was bad.

 

[jpakala]

I never experienced an odor problem in slumbercoaches or other sleeping cars, thankfully. Also I liked duplex roomettes as well as roomettes and both were better than two-bed roomettes today although the Viewliner ones are nice.

 

[railiner]

never experienced an odor problem in slumbercoaches or other sleeping cars

Agreed…that became more of a problem when retention type toilets were introduced.
If there were any odors in the direct discharge Heritage toilets, it could easily be solved with a simple brush and flush.
And the older type didn’t use any sometimes irritating chemicals…

 

[crescent2]

I've only read this page but I'll add my on-going complaint. Bring back full service dining cars for all passengers on the long distance trains!

 

[Mailliw]

Agreed…that became more of a problem when retention type toilets were introduced.
If there were any odors in the direct discharge Heritage toilets, it could easily be solved with a simple brush and flush.
And the older type didn’t use any sometimes irritating chemicals…

On the other hand they also dumped raw sewage on the tracks. Amtrak should come up with a modern version of the Slumbercoach, but definitely without the in-room toilets.

 

[bearcruzer]

#1: Invest some money into more PR training for all employees that have direct
contact with customers with the goal of providing a consistently pleasant
experience for the guest, whether it is on the train or on the phone or at a
station.

#2: Daily Cardinal service with a proper dining car

#3: Return to printing National Timetables

Yes, please bring back timetables or at least make the full timetable available online. Has one tried to make an itinerary of, let's say, Milwaukee to Santa Barbara and spend some layover time sightseeing in Hollywood on the way using the current system, which is a variation of hunt and peck?

 

[Palmland]

This thread has been around since 2021 and I’m glad it was revived this year. I think Amtrak should work on things that they can directly control. That would be relatively inexpensive and yield immediate results. The other big ticket items, such as equipment or locomotives, new routes, new stations, expanded frequencies of service will take a while and require significant expense, as we all know.

Specifically I’d like to see the re-establishment of regional offices such as they had in the 90’s. Their responsibility would be:

- the training and discipline of employees within the seniority districts on their territory
- instructors that ride the trains to insure employees are meeting the standards with appropriate rewards and retraining as necessary.
- spending time at each station to implement procedures to reduce station dwell time.
- establish direct communications with local operating officers of host railroads in the territory to address local service issues.
-insure equipment problems are corrected locally or by regional repairs shops as well as correct building repairs or upgrades.
- establish communications with local communities to address complaints, encourage ridership, and ask for assistance where the community can help.
- develop regional budgets to finance necessary changes
- recommend to HQ changes to improve service (equipment, staffing, schedules, marketing) and ask for assistance if needed for local issues.

Of course this would add to Amtrak’s overhead costs but, if done correctly, the benefits of improved service (revenue) and improved productivity of staff, equipment and facilities (expenses) would make it worthwhile.

 

[west point]

Would like to see route or area (where more appropriate) train managers responsible for increasing riders and revenue VS cost ratios. As well work with Freight RRs and train crews to improve on time performance.

 

[Northwestern]

I think most would agree with Mr. Palmland's assessment of changes that Amtrak needs to make. I don't think, however, we will see improvements in Amtrak's employee selection, standards, and discipline.

The 3 main and largest Amtrak needs, in my opinion, are:

1. A very, very significant improvement in on-time performance. I hope Amtrak will be able to put teeth into the requirement for freight trains to yield to Amtrak, I'm getting very tired of the northbound Coast Starlight being 2 plus hours late into the Bay Area.

2. A complete change in onboard services. Significantly improved food, comparable to the food once served by private passenger trains before Amtrak. Even if they have to add new kitchen and diner cars or contract out additional kitchen and dining cars to private interests. I would pay a little more for good food, rather than be on a LD train for 1-2 days with such lousy food. Lounge cars on every long distance train with food service morning through evening, to supplement the dining car.

3. Amtrak should start realizing it's a passenger train, not an airline, and bring back website PDF timetables whatever the cost and bother.

 

[toddinde]

From what I understand, system timetables will not be coming back, but I understand there is a plan or a way to print the individual ones in a PDF format. I think there should be a private one done. Sell advertising and sell it for $5 a copy. European timetables are available for purchase. I think they’re around $25. Great for planning.

 

[MARC Rider]

I don't think we need 5-star gourmet dining, but Amtrak really needs to do something about consistency of on-board service. Mostly, it's pretty good, but surly and inattentive sleeping, dining and cafe car staff who camp out in the Cafe car and take up tables can be a problem. Conductors can also be a problem with power trips and whatnot, although sometimes they need to use their power to deal with disruptive riders.

I'm not sure how to fix the problem. An on board service manager would be ideal, but if that's too expensive, perhaps they could have roving service managers randomly assigned to trains to keep an eye on things. It might also be a good idea to have crew cars where crew can do paperwork, etc. or take breaks away from the view of passengers without taking up space that was originally designed for paying passengers.

 

[PaTrainFan]

I'm not sure how to fix the problem. An on board service manager would be ideal, but if that's too expensive, perhaps they could have roving service managers randomly assigned to trains to keep an eye on things.

This seriously cannot be a monumental implementation.

 

[Cal]

I think most would agree with Mr. Palmland's assessment of changes that Amtrak needs to make. I don't think, however, we will see improvements in Amtrak's employee selection, standards, and discipline.

The 3 main and largest Amtrak needs, in my opinion, are:

1. A very, very significant improvement in on-time performance. I hope Amtrak will be able to put teeth into the requirement for freight trains to yield to Amtrak, I'm getting very tired of the northbound Coast Starlight being 2 plus hours late into the Bay Area.

2. A complete change in onboard services. Significantly improved food, comparable to the food once served by private passenger trains before Amtrak. Even if they have to add new kitchen and diner cars or contract out additional kitchen and dining cars to private interests. I would pay a little more for good food, rather than be on a LD train for 1-2 days with such lousy food. Lounge cars on every long distance train with food service morning through evening, to supplement the dining car.

3. Amtrak should start realizing it's a passenger train, not an airline, and bring back website PDF timetables whatever the cost and bother.

1. I believe amtrak has started to try to take on freight railroads in the past few years. How well it’s going, well, we still have delays due to freight. But I think many people ignore the fact that Amtrak has also been causing a lot of delays themselves as of late, especially regarding equipment. Amtrak needs to improve OTP, of course, but a lot of it is their fault too, and that needs to be addressed.

2. Complete change? I think traditional dining is just fine for the dining car. I would just ask for different menus for different trains (maybe just one specialty per route per meal?). And of course the return of traditional dining to all trains. But Amtrak doesn’t need super amazing food, traditional dining works just fine. Cafe food can be improved, maybe with some higher quality items, but it does supplement the diner from morning to evening.

3. Agreed, at least we have the RPA that provides them as of now.

 

[Qapla]

An on-board service manager would be ideal, but if that's too expensive, perhaps they could have roving service managers randomly assigned to trains to keep an eye on things.

They could have "Mystery Shoppers" ride the trains by providing a free ticket to such a shopper ... even paying the price of a sleeper accommodation once a month on each train would be way less expensive than hiring full-time employees added to each train.

I would be more than happy to be such a Mystery Shopper.