Homewood, IL (HMW) to be Unstaffed Effective June 27, 2016

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AmtrakLKL

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Homewood, IL will be unstaffed effective June 27, 2016. The station waiting room will be open daily from 4 PM to 9 PM, or until train 59 departs.
 
First Glenview and now Homewood? I would be a little nervous if I was an agent in Naperville. However one of the NPV ticket agents has a relative high up on the Amtrak food chain so I am sure thats probably why it will be the last suburban ticket office to be shuttered. Glenview had the most trains thru per day and should have been the one that remained open.
 
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While it's a bit sad to see this downsizing, it's probably for the best. Most customers interact online or via phone, and so if Amtrak can unstaff stations while increasing the use of trainside checked baggage and a slightly less onerous cash fare policy onboard (maybe a $20 or 20% surcharge or something instead of instant highest bucket,) that would be a decent way to save some money.

NOTE: I edited after the quote was made. The sentence was a bit unwieldy and unclear before.
 
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jebr said:
While it's a bit sad to see this downsizing, it's probably for the best. Most customers interact online or via phone, and so if unstaffing stations along with increasing the use of trainside checked baggage and a slightly less onerous cash fare policy onboard (maybe a $20 or 20% surcharge or something instead of instant highest bucket) would allow people to use most of the services agents gave without Amtrak shouldering the cost for agents at these smaller stations where most people don't want to buy a ticket from an agent.
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The issue with this logic is that the train side checked baggage program hasn't seen parallel development with the destaffing of the stations.
 
CCC1007 said:
jebr said:
While it's a bit sad to see this downsizing, it's probably for the best. Most customers interact online or via phone, and so if unstaffing stations along with increasing the use of trainside checked baggage and a slightly less onerous cash fare policy onboard (maybe a $20 or 20% surcharge or something instead of instant highest bucket) would allow people to use most of the services agents gave without Amtrak shouldering the cost for agents at these smaller stations where most people don't want to buy a ticket from an agent.
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The issue with this logic is that the train side checked baggage program hasn't seen parallel development with the destaffing of the stations.
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True, but in this case at least, Homewood did not offer checked baggage program in the first place (at least, in recent memory) so that particular aspect is not a factor here.
 
With on line electronic ticketing, on line research for schedules, on line train status updates, plus using the Amtrak 1-800 system, Agents are becoming less and less needed. Those stations with multiple Baggage checking is a problem. There is also the checked bike boxes (saw 12 bike boxes unloaded in Whitefish last week, but I know from breakfast with a couple, they were part of a group of couples going biking in Glacier). Personally, I haven't used the local agent in several years.
 
This isn't relevant to Homewood but reminds me of something I had been wondering about after Glenview was unstaffed in May but forgot to ask. The Glenview station is still staffed by Metra personnel, so why not give their ticket agents access to the Amtrak reservations and ticketing system? Amtrak already does this with VIA Rail agents at Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver; and Greyhound and other bus lines have a similar system that allows the cashier at a convenience store or fast food restaurant that serves as a bus station to sell tickets as well.
 
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rspenmoll said:
This isn't relevant to Homewood but reminds me of something I had been wondering about after Glenview was unstaffed in May but forgot to ask. The Glenview station is still staffed by Metra personnel, so why not give their ticket agents access to the Amtrak reservations and ticketing system? Amtrak already does this with VIA Rail agents at Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver; and Greyhound and other bus lines have a similar system that allows the cashier at a convenience store or fast food restaurant that serves as a bus station to sell tickets as well.
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I can see that working, to a point. Metra customers are more likely to show up needing a ticket for a train that departs in 5 minutes. They probably don't want to wait in line behind someone trying to book a ticket from Glenview to Fort Lauderdale connecting in Chicago and Washington DC. I could see it working if the Metra agent only sells Hiawatha tickets, or at most connections to other Midwest corridor trains. Or if the Metra agent will only sell Amtrak tickets if there's nobody else in line. Or whatever. Anyhow, that's my initial thoughts. Since Metra offers mobile ticketing I suppose the days are numbered for its agents at outlying stations anyhow.
 
Mobile ticketing is the future which eliminates the need for ticket agents. It also eliminates the concern for collecting cash and transferring it to the bank each day. Modern technology keeps finding ways to eliminate easy to replace jobs.
 
fairviewroad said:
rspenmoll said:
This isn't relevant to Homewood but reminds me of something I had been wondering about after Glenview was unstaffed in May but forgot to ask. The Glenview station is still staffed by Metra personnel, so why not give their ticket agents access to the Amtrak reservations and ticketing system? Amtrak already does this with VIA Rail agents at Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver; and Greyhound and other bus lines have a similar system that allows the cashier at a convenience store or fast food restaurant that serves as a bus station to sell tickets as well.
Click to expand...
I can see that working, to a point. Metra customers are more likely to show up needing a ticket for a train that departs in 5 minutes. They probably don't want to wait in line behind someone trying to book a ticket from Glenview to Fort Lauderdale connecting in Chicago and Washington DC. I could see it working if the Metra agent only sells Hiawatha tickets, or at most connections to other Midwest corridor trains. Or if the Metra agent will only sell Amtrak tickets if there's nobody else in line. Or whatever. Anyhow, that's my initial thoughts. Since Metra offers mobile ticketing I suppose the days are numbered for its agents at outlying stations anyhow.
Click to expand...
Until all of the changes... The Glenview Amtrak agent would sell Amtrak and Metra tickets. If one was making complicated Amtrak reservations and a Metra train was coming and commuters needed tickets they would often ask you to wait til after the Metra leaves.

Yes a Metra agent could sell Amtrak tickets but Amtrak would have to pay Metra for that and they dont want to.
 
rtabern said:
fairviewroad said:
rspenmoll said:
This isn't relevant to Homewood but reminds me of something I had been wondering about after Glenview was unstaffed in May but forgot to ask. The Glenview station is still staffed by Metra personnel, so why not give their ticket agents access to the Amtrak reservations and ticketing system? Amtrak already does this with VIA Rail agents at Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver; and Greyhound and other bus lines have a similar system that allows the cashier at a convenience store or fast food restaurant that serves as a bus station to sell tickets as well.
Click to expand...
I can see that working, to a point. Metra customers are more likely to show up needing a ticket for a train that departs in 5 minutes. They probably don't want to wait in line behind someone trying to book a ticket from Glenview to Fort Lauderdale connecting in Chicago and Washington DC. I could see it working if the Metra agent only sells Hiawatha tickets, or at most connections to other Midwest corridor trains. Or if the Metra agent will only sell Amtrak tickets if there's nobody else in line. Or whatever. Anyhow, that's my initial thoughts. Since Metra offers mobile ticketing I suppose the days are numbered for its agents at outlying stations anyhow.
Click to expand...
Until all of the changes... The Glenview Amtrak agent would sell Amtrak and Metra tickets. If one was making complicated Amtrak reservations and a Metra train was coming and commuters needed tickets they would often ask you to wait til after the Metra leaves.

Yes a Metra agent could sell Amtrak tickets but Amtrak would have to pay Metra for that and they dont want to.
Click to expand...
Your comment made me curious. It just occurred to me that Homewood is a Metra station too. Did the Amtrak agent there sell Metra tickets as well?
 
You can't even buy a Metra ticket after 11P.M. from a Metra agent at Union Station. They close up shop and leave. There is a ticket machine, which doesn't take cash. I don't know if there is an onboard penalty assessed for purchase with cash onboard, since it is otherwise not possible to obtain a ticket, thus.
 
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