I wud like to reiterate a few things:
1) you will not find a bigger, more ardent supporter of Amtrak, than moi.
2) that doesn't mean I won't criticize what I think are ignorant mgmt decisions made by Amtrak
3) I regularly communicate with my elected officials regarding Amteak funding
4) I worked for Amtrak from 78 to 81, almost three years, OBS, Chicago crewbase.
5) I have followed Pax rail activities, worlwide, for nearly fotry years. I know what I know, and most importantly, I know what I don't know, (apologies to Dick) I depend upon knowledge to fill my many weak areas, from the likes of Jis, Alan B., and many others on this board, and others I have met in my professional and advocacy career.
6) I don't expect, nor suggest, that ANYone follow my "travel habbits" RE: Amtrak travel. I all too often am parking my car as my train approches, and have missed a number of LD trains. My bad, I don't get mad at anyone.
7) although i often rail about bad, sloppy, or unmotivated Amtrak employees, one needs to remember that it is FAR BETTER than it used to be. There are more EXCELLENT Amtrak employees, than there are "bad apples", unfortunately, the "bad apples" get the attention.
8) if I cud ask one thing of the "younger" members of this forum, it wud be this: Don't "settle" for less than stellar service. Although you may not care about the difference in meals and service between Applebee's and Ruth's Chris, someday you will, probably. If you wud be happy with Amtrak offering not much more than hostel-style service for sleepers, you will likely get that, eventually. Fight for increased frequency and new routes for Amtrak, and FIGHT FOR BETTER SERVICE ON BOARD. And most of all, LEAD, FOLLOW, OR GET OUT OF THE WAY! All are important, and no one aspect is more important, or less important, than others.
I never, ever, evet, thought Amtrak wud ladt this long, fight to keep what little is left...
Although many think of the "amenities cut" as no big deal, it is, I see it as a litmus test, as to how meddlesome Congress can be, or get, into the minutia of Amtrak operations.
If Amtrak can F#%£€$& with the Auto Train, they can mess up ANY train.
By the way, my car's getting a tune-up at the Shell station X the strret from the Lorton station...