Autotrain now "Mass Transit"

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A close friend of mine was on the Autotrain yesterday and had some very discouraging news to report. The menu selections have been cheapened to provide very low quality food. The steak is gone being replaced by a pot roast style two pieces of beef, the chicken was dry and tasteless and the mashed potatoes were poorer quality than cafeteria food. Coffee is now served in paper cups. My friend said that the dinner that he had at Bob Evans the week before was like eating gourmet food compared to what Amtrak served. The first meal sitting was at 4:30 and all passengers ate the same menu, both coach and sleeper.

There is now only one lounge car for the 490 people on board, and as previously reported no newspapers, ice, wine. cheese and snacks. The train arrived two hours early but anyone still waiting for breakfast was turned away . They had to wait 90 minutes for the car unloading crew to arrive and it took another 90 minutes to get their car.

This experience makes you wonder what you are paying $875 for one way in a bedroom and nearly $600 for a roomette. The atrocious decline in essential provisions is absolutely a low point in Amtrak Autotrain service. If I have to travel to Florida I will drive. We can dine on good food and even with the hotel stay we get there in just slightly more time.
 
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I guess that this topic was covered before but until I heard a firsthand report from my friend Lee, I didn't believe that it was this bad. If you want to spend $875 for a one way trip to Florida in a bedroom in a 50 yr old sleeper and dine on very poor quality food, that's your privilege but honesty don't you feel that passengers who contribute the most revenue to the train deserve better? The prices keep going up and the amenities and food quality are declining. For that kind of money I feel that sleeper passengers deserve better. If you are that complacent don't be surprised if McDonalds style food is soon served.
 
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Strictly speaking, the Auto Train & all of Amtrak's trains are by definition "Mass Transit". Mass Transit, is just a shared passenger transport service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement. If you wanted to get nit-picky one could argue that Amtrak isn't mass-transit & only public transit as some definitions say that 'mass transit' is only within an urban area.

peter
 
I guess that this topic was covered before but until I heard a firsthand report from my friend Lee, I didn't believe that it was this bad. If you want to spend $875 for a one way trip to Florida in a bedroom in a 50 yr old sleeper and dine on very poor quality food, that's your privilege but honesty don't you feel that passengers who contribute the most revenue to the train deserve better? The prices keep going up and the amenities and food quality are declining. For that kind of money I feel that sleeper passengers deserve better. If you are that complacent don't be surprised if McDonalds style food is soon served.
Little economics for you. Its called "INFLATION." Costs go up so prices go up. Prices don't go up so they can give you more things. Hey everyone wants to get paid more than minimum wage or want a wage increase etc which must all come from somewhere. Earlier in the year there was a comparison of the cost back in the 70-80's adjusted for inflation and 2014 dollars and the math came in on par or less when adjusted for inflation.
 
Strictly speaking, the Auto Train & all of Amtrak's trains are by definition "Mass Transit". Mass Transit, is just a shared passenger transport service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement. If you wanted to get nit-picky one could argue that Amtrak isn't mass-transit & only public transit as some definitions say that 'mass transit' is only within an urban area.

peter
*Like*
 
The train arrived two hours early but anyone still waiting for breakfast was turned away . They had to wait 90 minutes for the car unloading crew to arrive and it took another 90 minutes to get their car.
The train arrived early, and so they closed down the dining car equally early (stopped serving breakfast), even though they could not start to disembark passengers for another 90 minutes?

Is that normal procedures for an early Auto Train?
 
The train arrived two hours early but anyone still waiting for breakfast was turned away . They had to wait 90 minutes for the car unloading crew to arrive and it took another 90 minutes to get their car.
The train arrived early, and so they closed down the dining car equally early (stopped serving breakfast), even though they could not start to disembark passengers for another 90 minutes?

Is that normal procedures for an early Auto Train?
Generally, when a train arrives at it's terminus, the OBS (staff) is "off the clock".
 
By the way, the "50 year old sleepers" are between 25 and 35 years old.
What is 15 to 25 years discrepancy when one is trying to make a point by merely appealing to emotions amongst friends? :p

BTW, when I was on the Auto Train and it arrived an hour and a half early, breakfast service continued until they were ready to disembark. So I suppose YMMV.

Anything that carries 500 people and 200 cars in a single shot is a bit of a mass transportation by its very nature. Given the load factors being obtained on Auto Train these days, apparently those few that are forsaking it are being replaced one for one by those that are still willing to ride and pay the ever rising fares. C'est la vie!
 
These are the arrival times of #52 AutoTrain at Lorton since mid-September. Perhaps Amtrak should consider having the station staff reporting earlier at both stations.

Code:
History for Amtrak 52 at LOR
Origin Date Sch AR             Act AR Comments
10/18/2014  10/19/2014 9:30 AM 9:58AM Arrived: 28 minutes late. 
10/17/2014  10/18/2014 9:30 AM 7:47AM Arrived: 1 hour and 43 minutes early. 
10/16/2014  10/17/2014 9:30 AM 9:07AM Arrived: 23 minutes early. 
10/15/2014  10/16/2014 9:30 AM 8:25AM Arrived: 1 hour and 5 minutes early. 
10/14/2014  10/15/2014 9:30 AM 9:22AM Arrived: 8 minutes early. 
10/13/2014  10/14/2014 9:30 AM 8:27AM Arrived: 1 hour and 3 minutes early. 
10/12/2014  10/13/2014 9:30 AM 8:00AM Arrived: 1 hour and 30 minutes early. 
10/11/2014  10/12/2014 9:30 AM 8:02AM Arrived: 1 hour and 28 minutes early. 
10/10/2014  10/11/2014 9:30 AM 8:58AM Arrived: 32 minutes early. 
10/09/2014  10/10/2014 9:30 AM 8:18AM Arrived: 1 hour and 12 minutes early. 
10/08/2014  10/09/2014 9:30 AM 8:12AM Arrived: 1 hour and 18 minutes early. 
10/07/2014  10/08/2014 9:30 AM 9:42AM Arrived: 12 minutes late. 
10/06/2014  10/07/2014 9:30 AM 8:03AM Arrived: 1 hour and 27 minutes early. 
10/05/2014  10/06/2014 9:30 AM 7:12AM Arrived: 2 hours and 18 minutes early. 
10/04/2014  10/05/2014 9:30 AM   
10/03/2014  10/04/2014 9:30 AM 8:24AM Arrived: 1 hour and 6 minutes early. 
10/02/2014  10/03/2014 9:30 AM 9:25AM Arrived: 5 minutes early. 
10/01/2014  10/02/2014 9:30 AM 9:38AM Arrived: 8 minutes late. 
09/30/2014  10/01/2014 9:30 AM 9:27AM Arrived: 3 minutes early. 
09/29/2014  09/30/2014 9:30 AM 11:30AM Arrived: 2 hours late. 
09/28/2014  09/29/2014 9:30 AM 9:53AM Arrived: 23 minutes late. 
09/27/2014  09/28/2014 9:30 AM 8:41AM Arrived: 49 minutes early. 
09/26/2014  09/27/2014 9:30 AM 7:49AM Arrived: 1 hour and 41 minutes early. 
09/25/2014  09/26/2014 9:30 AM 9:24AM Arrived: 6 minutes early. 
09/24/2014  09/25/2014 9:30 AM 8:20AM Arrived: 1 hour and 10 minutes early. 
09/23/2014  09/24/2014 9:30 AM 9:50AM Arrived: 20 minutes late. 
09/22/2014  09/23/2014 9:30 AM 9:20AM Arrived: 10 minutes early. 
09/21/2014  09/22/2014 9:30 AM 7:23AM Arrived: 2 hours and 7 minutes early. 
09/20/2014  09/21/2014 9:30 AM 7:45AM Arrived: 1 hour and 45 minutes early. 
09/19/2014  09/20/2014 9:30 AM 9:21AM Arrived: 9 minutes early. 
09/18/2014  09/19/2014 9:30 AM 9:48AM Arrived: 18 minutes late. 
09/17/2014  09/18/2014 9:30 AM 8:49AM Arrived: 41 minutes early. 
09/16/2014  09/17/2014 9:30 AM 8:59AM Arrived: 31 minutes early. 
09/15/2014  09/16/2014 9:30 AM 9:01AM Arrived: 29 minutes early. 
09/14/2014  09/15/2014 9:30 AM 7:44AM Arrived: 1 hour and 46 minutes early.
 
We seem to have many apologists for Amtrak on this thread but if we blindly accept or keep making excuses for mediocrity (or bad service) it will only get worse.

Boardman is presenting himself to congress as a magician. He's going to make the dining cars profitable; a first in RR history! What happens when he doesn't meet his goal?? His retirement or box lunches?

Just a short time ago the Autotrain had good food and minimal amenities that made the trip pleasant. Today the prices have risen and you get less. If you reference the Budd produced Superliners they were made in the late 80's at best so they are 30 years old not 50 . OK an error but still old equipment.

Ryan, you may be happy about there being more room for you on the train but I suggest next time you take it have your Rolaids and a bottle of Kaopectate ready. You might need them.

When I pay more, I expect more, don't you?
 
Why would you need Rolaids and Kaopectate? Is your gastric constitution really that weak? :p I have traveled on the Auto Train and continue to do so, and while I would prefer better food, the food that is currently served is quite adequate. If that causes you to think I am an apologist for anything instead of realizing that I am just being a realist, so be it. I will just ignore your comment on that matter. ;)

The owners of Amtrak, that is the Congress and the Executive branch has told them to run like a business. Which means they need to behave like a business and charge whatever the market will bear for the provided level of service. And apparently the market is happy to bear the current fares for the provided service. That is not to say that there may not come a time when it won't continue to do so and then corrective measures will need to be taken. Heck Boardman might even lose his job, though unlikely if Amtrak's finances continue to perform the way they are. But until then.....
 
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Jis, my gastric constitution took a hit from eating too much "good" food as I'm not used to eating that well and that much. I ended up skipping lunches so that I could eat all of my dinner...and have dessert. :D
 
Jis, my gastric constitution took a hit from eating too much "good" food as I'm not used to eating that well and that much. I ended up skipping lunches so that I could eat all of my dinner...and have dessert. :D
ROTFL. Yep, Happens to me too from time to time. The quantity is definitely more than what I normally eat, so one needs to compensate by skipping a meal here and a meal there on multi-day trips. Though on the Auto Train usually that is not a problem since it involves just one and a half meals.The Breakfast is only Continental anyway.
 
We seem to have many apologists for Amtrak on this thread but if we blindly accept or keep making excuses for mediocrity (or bad service) it will only get worse.
It actually is that I am not going to accept that the "pot roast style two pieces of beef" was bad based on just one report. True, the OP was looking forward to a steak, and possibly anything else would be an understandable let down.

One can serve good food, that isn't overly expensive or comes in overly large portions. A "pot roast style two pieces of beef" can be an enjoyable meal. I would not automatically label it as a reject.

In all my years of LD travel on Amtrak, I have never ordered the steak. I am pretty finicky when it comes to steak, and would only order such when I am at a restaurant that specializes in steaks, and I would dare to say that IMHO an Amtrak dining car isn't one of those. So, Amtrak dropping steak from its dinner menu isn't a major disaster to me as long as there are still other good tasting choices.

I know you all don't like when I attempt to draw a parallel with cruise ships, but they are cutting back on their menus too. One use to be able to enjoy a "high end" meal in their sit down dining rooms, but now they feature "American dishes" like mac&cheese and fried chicken. I call it "Dennys-izing". If one still wants steak, possibly Amtrak could follow the cruise industry and offer such for an additional $30 over the "fare included" dinner?
 
The poster above me raises a very good and valid point: Since the Auto Train is, if I'm not mistaken, now charging for wine (that may be something I've misheard), offering a better upcharged meal to all passengers (even if one needs to make a reservation at boarding) would not be a bad idea. I know that given the choice, I'd definitely pay $10 for steak over pot roast. Not sure about $30, but I'd definitely go for at least $10.

(I just looked over the menu. The Chicken Marsala seems like the best bet.

No, hold that thought. The Silver Meteor seems like the best bet.)
 
Gotta agree with Cliff! If you don't absolutely need your car in Florida, the Silver Trains are a better bet!

No excuse for nickel and dimeing when you're charging hundreds if not thousands of dollars for an overnight ride with one and a half meals!
 
Thousands of dollars? now now, let's not get carried away. Two days out in the current heavy traffic direction Coach including car is $448 and Roomette (only one left) is $735 (including car). Apparently the fervent wishes of folks here of Auto Train ridership crashing is not quite materializing yet. :p It could still happen, but not quite yet I suppose.
 
Thousands of dollars? now now, let's not get carried away. Two days out in the current heavy traffic direction Coach including car is $448 and Roomette (only one left) is $735 (including car). Apparently the fervent wishes of folks here of Auto Train ridership crashing is not quite materializing yet. :p It could still happen, but not quite yet I suppose.
I'm not in favor of the Auto Train crashing or boycotts, just don't like nickel and dime cuts when they accomplish nothing except upsetting good customers! And check the Price for a Bedroom for 2 with a Vehicle, I'd say its over a thousand dollars which to most is pricey! Rich IT people who live in Florida don't think that way! LOL
 
There is a difference between "over a thousand dollars" and "thousands of dollars". Business Class airfare to India is "thousands of dollars". I am not aware of any Auto Train fares in any class that is "thousands of dollars". ;) Try having a mover move the amount of junk that you can stuff in an SUV or van and tell me what it costs, without even any bedroom or food for the junk. If affordability is an issue I'd suspect one would travel by Coach and the fare should usually be well under $500. Or better still use AGR points. ;)
 
The "nickel & dimeing" hasn't dissuaded this Amtrak rider from taking future trips. The train still gets me to my destination in relative comfort. If I can't afford a roomette and don't want to sleep in coach for more than one night, then I will fly.
 
Folks I am not trying to stir the pot, but "feel good" cuts that accomplish nothing and penalize the rail passenger just doesn't sit well with me. If we spend $1000 on a bedroom trip and then get food that tastes like it came from the cheapest cafeteria, that's not a way to do things.

If Amtrak is that hard up for savings and asked all of us if we would chip in a few bucks more for the food ( to get back the old menus) ; I would venture to say that most of us would be agreeable.

I am not urging a boycott just speaking out, but there is another side to the story. When My friend Lee first reported this debacle, he said that the food service personnel also appeared to be demotivated. They are unfairly taking the brunt of the many complaints and those poor souls are now being stiffed on the tips for serving bad food.

If you don't care about the food at least care about how this has adversely affected the Amtrak worker.
 
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