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  1. S

    Bedbugs?

    I have no idea how often this happens, but if anyone's curious about how Amtrak deals with bedbug infestations: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/file/all-roaches-aboard-amtrak?page=4
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    Amtrak Sponsoring Baseball Team

    Amtrak advertises at the Wilmington (Delaware) Blue Rocks stadium, and you can watch the Northeast Corridor trains from the seats on the first base side. Always a nice diversion when the team is losing. Watching games on tv, I've noticed Amtrak ads at quite a few major league stadiums...
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    Why do so few LD passengers travel by train?

    People who are comfortable with flying are never going to embrace overnight rail travel. The plane will always be faster, and most people want to maximize the time spent at their destination. However, there are still a lot of people who can't or won't fly. I have known many people who...
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    Amtrak Could Take Some Marketing Lessons

    I would see your point if Amtrak's ridership was falling, but ridership is on a record-setting pace this year. Many Amtrak trains are already strained to capacity. Until Amtrak can receive new equipment, I don't think attracting new riders on existing routes is Amtrak's biggest problem. I...
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    please help with some questions on the CZ

    I would say that nearly all of the interesting scenery is west of Denver, so boarding there wouldn't be a bad idea. That would give you a full day of sightseeing onboard the train. The views of the mountains from the Sightseer Lounge car are amazing. I would recommend traveling at least as far...
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    is business class on NEC worth it?

    Every time I've ridden Business Class on the Regionals, the conductor has mentioned the free sodas when he punched my ticket. The conductor even offered me a newspaper on my most recent trip. I'm tall (about 6'5") and I have definitely noticed a difference in legroom between coach and BC. The...
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    New passenger question

    Bottled water, juice, and coffee are usually available for free in the sleeping cars. Soft drinks and a good variety of snacks are available for sale in the lounge car.
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    Amtrak advertising/marketing on TV

    I live in the Mid-Atlantic region, and I see Amtrak commercials quite frequently. Both of these commercials air at least a few times a week: I think all of Amtrak's advertising over the past few years (both print and television) has been very well done. At the very least, it reminds people...
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    Folly of State Financed "Nationalized" rail.

    The problem, of course, is that it's difficult to convince people to ride trains if there aren't any trains for them to ride. I live in a city with ample Amtrak service, and nearly everyone I talk to here has taken the train. When I talk to people outside the northeast, few people have even...
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    Folly of State Financed "Nationalized" rail.

    I'm not arguing that the federal government should fund all Amtrak routes. If a state wants a new route that doesn't have national importance, they should pay for it. I just think that some areas are dramatically under-served by rail, and fixing that ought to be a national concern. You can't...
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    Folly of State Financed "Nationalized" rail.

    To me, it makes no difference that Kansas City and St. Louis are in the same state. They are two very large cities that should be connected by frequent rail service. Even small communities in the Northeast are served by 50+ Amtrak trains daily, and are not being asked to pay for them...
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    Questions

    They don't overbook. Unless there's some kind of mistake, your room will be ready for you. Your room should already have a couple of bottles of water in it when you get onboard, with at least some additional water available from your sleeping car attendant. You might want to bring a couple of...
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    Seating for Business Class

    In the Northeast, business class should always be the first car on the train behind the engine. On the Pennsylvanian, it will probably be located in the front half of the cafe car. If that is the case, expect the car to be labeled as "Cafe"; it may not be labeled as Business Class on the...
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    Talgo selects site in Milwaukee to build trains!

    http://www.talgoamerica.com/series8-passengerCars.aspx
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    Size and boldness matters

    Personally, I disagree. I never liked the Phase III design or the "pointless arrow" logo, but I love Amtrak's current logo and design scheme. It seems attractive and modern, and compares favorably with most other transportation logos I've seen. There are two versions of the logo: the most...
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