NorthCoastHiawatha
OBS Chief
I found a picture http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2983047
Amenities you would love Amtrak to add?
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I have a tough time deciding if I want any new amenities or not. I remember when there were tvs and VCRs in the sightseer lounges, as well as "Railfones." I also remember the first part of the 2000s when there were small TV sets in the sleepers. The TV/VCRs in the lounges seemed broken all too frequently, when they weren't blaring at full volume. Same with the TVs in the sleepers -- the DVDs they played seemed to skip -- a lot -- or the players seemed broken as well. The crew had no time, or interest, or knowledge, or capability, of how to fix the broken equipment, but it set customers up for disappointment when something failed to work.
What I learned from that is that it is better to not have the equipment, then to have broken equipment on display. While wireless internet would be a Nice Thing To Have™, a lack of internet connection doesn't detract from my train experience. I can also just picture whenever the wireless router malfunctions -- no train crew may know how to reset or repair the thing.
Perhaps having limiting the number of amenities on-board is a Good Thing™. That way, one doesn't set the customer up for a disappointment.
What I learned from that is that it is better to not have the equipment, then to have broken equipment on display. While wireless internet would be a Nice Thing To Have™, a lack of internet connection doesn't detract from my train experience. I can also just picture whenever the wireless router malfunctions -- no train crew may know how to reset or repair the thing.
Perhaps having limiting the number of amenities on-board is a Good Thing™. That way, one doesn't set the customer up for a disappointment.
T
Ted C
Guest
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Nathanael
Guest
There's several on the Cardinal, though. And there's the Lake Shore Limited running inside the canyon of the Hudson River Valley. And there's the "artificial canyons" of Chicago.
If you're ordering new cars, why not have wraparound windows, is what I say!
Swadian Hardcore
Engineer
You need to be careful with wraparound windows. Durability takes a hit. But it should be OK because it's only on a railcar. Having a huge window in the locomotive would be a disaster with all the collisions Amtrak has. I think in the current situation, Viewliners would make great lounges even though they don't have true wraparound windows.
That's why I'm so interested in lie-flat seats, they don't break much and they're a great amenity to add.
Some good suggestions but I'd like for them to be a bit more reliable in regards to being on time. Kind of a bummer when you have to plan for arriving at the correct time (say 3 PM) but also have to have contingency plans for arriving several hours late. An hour or two usually doesn't kill my plan for the day but arriving at 11 PM when you planned on 3 PM does ruin the plan. Things happen but it does make planning a bit more complicated.
mfastx
Service Attendant
I know this has been mentioned already, but being able to select specific seats would be great. Especially when traveling in a group and the train is very full. It works just fine in Europe.
Amtrak could have specific groups of seats available for travelers going to different destinations.
Amtrak could have specific groups of seats available for travelers going to different destinations.
rickycourtney
Conductor
Here's what I'd like to add:
-Shampoo/conditioner for sleeping car passengers. It's already provided on the CS/EB but this seems like such a basic thing that it should be a consistent amenity on every train. I'd also be okay with a pump dispenser mounted on the wall of the showers for shampoo/conditioner.
-Buisness class on long distance trains with lie-flat seats.
-Shampoo/conditioner for sleeping car passengers. It's already provided on the CS/EB but this seems like such a basic thing that it should be a consistent amenity on every train. I'd also be okay with a pump dispenser mounted on the wall of the showers for shampoo/conditioner.
-Buisness class on long distance trains with lie-flat seats.
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Swadian Hardcore
Engineer
Yeah, that's my man!
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- On LD trains (for coach passengers) - a pay-by-the-minute shower would be nice [kind of what one used to have in some of the park campgrounds - if you don't use them you don't have to pay for them, but if you do, you feed the quarters in - something like 25 cents/minute]... though today one might buy a $5 use once shower pass for a 5 warm min shower... understanding that the water on the trains is in limited supply.
- Coach seats that recline more than 15 degrees... even 25 deg would be a huge improvement.
- On the negative side: disinvite rude, ill-mannered passengers... obviously not possible, but a passenger aptitude test and requiring a passing score before being allowed to buy tickets - 98% of passengers are a delight and positively add to the LD trip... but those 1-2% that are clueless and really are a PITA... in many ways that would be the single most valued improvement on the LD trains.
- Being able to reserve a specific seat would be nice... though on the flip side, sometimes it is nice to not have reserved seats, when the person that one ends up sitting next too, isn't a person that one would like to spend 40 hrs next to... cuts both ways. Currently one ends up being assigned a seat, but if one needs to, one can find a conductor, and move to another seat and have it 'assigned' ... don't now how that would work if seats were assigned via some database on some machine somewhere - seems such might lead to some inflexibility.
- WiFi would be nice... generally have no use for it... but those few times one does wants/needs it, such would be beneficial.
- Coach seats that recline more than 15 degrees... even 25 deg would be a huge improvement.
- On the negative side: disinvite rude, ill-mannered passengers... obviously not possible, but a passenger aptitude test and requiring a passing score before being allowed to buy tickets - 98% of passengers are a delight and positively add to the LD trip... but those 1-2% that are clueless and really are a PITA... in many ways that would be the single most valued improvement on the LD trains.
- Being able to reserve a specific seat would be nice... though on the flip side, sometimes it is nice to not have reserved seats, when the person that one ends up sitting next too, isn't a person that one would like to spend 40 hrs next to... cuts both ways. Currently one ends up being assigned a seat, but if one needs to, one can find a conductor, and move to another seat and have it 'assigned' ... don't now how that would work if seats were assigned via some database on some machine somewhere - seems such might lead to some inflexibility.
- WiFi would be nice... generally have no use for it... but those few times one does wants/needs it, such would be beneficial.
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SANSR
Train Attendant
Live entertainment. I play trombone. I know Ryan plays piano. Anyone else want in on this gig?
Ryan
Court Jester
I'll bring my trumpet, it's a heck of a lot lighter to carry than the piano.
Swadian Hardcore
Engineer
In high season, there's loads of rude pax on the CZ. Very annoying. I've nad enough of their rants. For some reason the CZ has a lot more troublemakers than other trains I've been on. Maybe it's because I've taken the CZ too much.
jis
Permanent Way Inspector
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In an informal, unscientific poll taken by Amtrak on Facebook, the California Zephyr polled significantly higher than the Empire builder as the most popular train. Don;t know what to make of it. Scenery trumps China in Diner?
In Australia, Queensland Rail has just introduced lie-flat seats on the Spirit of Queensland train running north from Brisbane on the East Coast. Here's a link to their site which give a lot of data about the seats (pitch, width, etc.)
http://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/RailServices/Documents/spirit-of-queensland/queensland-rail-travel_spirit-of-queensland-factsheet.pdf.
But rather than being an intermediate level of service they are actually replacing private sleeping compartments with the lie flat seats.
I've seen that and I'm hoping to get the "actual" train with full sleepers before the equipment gets rotated out.
I agree with others about a Sightseer type lounge on the LD Eastern trains. The difference in sitting in a cafe/lounge car on the single level trains and in a Sightseer lounge on the Western trains is like night and day. Single seating and wrap around windows would be great. I use the Silver trains to and from Florida and a sightseer car would be most welcome.
I know this will never happen, but a Superliner train would be wonderful from Washington to Miami. I would gladly take a NE Regional to DC and transfer over to a Superliner. It would certainly make the trip more enjoyable. When I travel to Chicago, I always take the Capitol Limited over the Cardinal because of the double decker Superliner trains, even though I enjoy the scenery better on the Cardinal. I do remember when the Cardinal was a Superliner train. What a pleasure to ride that train!
I know this will never happen, but a Superliner train would be wonderful from Washington to Miami. I would gladly take a NE Regional to DC and transfer over to a Superliner. It would certainly make the trip more enjoyable. When I travel to Chicago, I always take the Capitol Limited over the Cardinal because of the double decker Superliner trains, even though I enjoy the scenery better on the Cardinal. I do remember when the Cardinal was a Superliner train. What a pleasure to ride that train!
jis
Permanent Way Inspector
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I would be happy with a Superliner train as long as the Sleepers were Viewliners. 
I cannot stand the closets on Superliner Sleepers known as Roomettes. :wacko: Or the coffins known as upper berths in those Roomettes either.
I cannot stand the closets on Superliner Sleepers known as Roomettes. :wacko: Or the coffins known as upper berths in those Roomettes either.
I see that the Queensland train offers coach class a shower.
http://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/RailServices/Documents/spirit-of-queensland/queensland-rail-travel_spirit-of-queensland-factsheet.pdf
http://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/RailServices/Documents/spirit-of-queensland/queensland-rail-travel_spirit-of-queensland-factsheet.pdf
Golden grrl
Service Attendant
Aren't there a lot of tunnels in the east that are too short for double decker Superliners?
VentureForth
Engineer
I love these topics. It's always a neat intellectual discussion and back seat driving to determine what the passengers want vs what is cost effective and what can actually increase revenue.
More interesting yet (and has been brought up several times already in this thread) is what is wanted used to be, but is no longer.
Here are my thoughts on the OP's suggestions...
1) Showers. This is what makes Coach Class separate from Sleeper Class. Yes - when I first started riding Amtrak, I wanted the same - showers in Coach. However, the reduction of coach attendants (used to be one per car, now one per two cars if not fewer) are already stretched to the limit as far as their duties require. After all, they are effectively on duty non stop for up to three and a half days on some long Western routes. After all their other duties, cleaning a shower is probably the least of their desires. Some of 'em can't even keep the toilet functioning. Logistically there are other concerns. To hold enough potable water to serve around 70 passengers (1 per coach) or 140 (1 per two coaches) would add a tremendous amount of engineering to add, not to mention the addtion of the showerhead itself. It would also take away from revenue seating. IF this could all be resolved (speaking from an engineering viewpoint, ANYTHING can be overcome - at a price), you would end up having to charge to use it. Not a bad idea as it would reduce demand and increase revenue, but probably NEVER to the point of breaking even. SO, I believe that the current status quo of having a shower in each bedroom and a public shower for the few remaining roomette guests is plenty. An alternative that I have proposed is for private businesses to offer such amenities for a fee at large terminals, ie: LAX, CHI, NYP, BOS, SEA, etc.
2) This one has popped in and out for decades. After in-ride movies were discontinued in the Lounge because crews were pilfering videos and machines, there was an attempt by a private company to offer one-way DVD rentals. Think of it as a early version of Redbox, viewing machine included. This worked great for about a month (ok, maybe a bit longer, maybe never "great"). With the advent of affordable DVD machines - and more quickly, the advent of affordable laptops - this service was immediately obsoleted and it went away. This being said, I think ALL stations with an annual ridership of over 70,000 people should have a Redbox in their waiting room.
3) Not a bad idea to have a quiet lounge, but it's a matter of available space. This is just an aspect of life that we all deal with in different environments and in different ways. You don't want to go make your phone call in the room where a mom or dad took their crying baby, do ya? Which is more important? Maybe not for us to decide.
4) Yes - I've suggested for years that at least a coach or two on long distance trains be designated as reserved and seat assigned. Not all have to be, but a couple would be nice.
5) I don't think a laundry service would be that useful. The washing and drying time alone would be around 2 hours - last thing you want is to start a load and find out you're closer to your destination than previously thought. In the longest of cross countries, it's not out of reason to pack 5 days worth of clean clothes and still travel "light".
6) My case against corporate video goes for Sleepers as well as for coach.
7) Any sleeper pax can request any meal be brougt to them from the Diner. Heck, if available, same goes for coach - though they prefer to only assist those with disabilities.
8) I completely support WIFI on all trains, and I hope they can affordably bump up the bandwidth to allow streaming. Perhaps a paid-for option?
9) I have always wished that there were vendors/concessionaires that walked the aisles. However, the Hiawatha just got rid of that service, because the revenue from sales didn't even seem to offset by one penny the overhead labor cost. I would suggest what seems to be very successful in North Carolina - Vending machines.
10) I think this is a great idea. You know how many times I see bundles of newspapers sitting around intended for sleeper pax that never get distributed because someone doesn't get around to it? Sell them in the Cafe!
There are all kinds of improvements that can and should be made to Amtrak. However, if an idea isn't too expensive to implement, you could upset the duties of the crew.
There is sufficient clearance for Superliners operating south of DC Union Station. The Cardinal used operate with Superliner equipment between WAS and CHI. The AutoTrain with Superliners operates between Lorton VA and Sanford FL. The clearance restrictions for Superliners are north of WAS on the NEC.
The problem with a WAS to Miami Superliner LD train is that it cuts off direct access to the major markets north of WAS: BAL, PHL, NYP. According to the Cardinal PIP report, ridership increased when it switched to single level equipment and was extended to NYP, so Amtrak has no plans to return it to Superliner equipment, even if Superliner IIIs are ordered.
Besides, there is also the issue of high level platforms. Raleigh, Savannah, Jacksonville, Tampa are all slated to be upgraded to high level platforms. The East coast is becoming the domain of 48" ATR high level platforms while the Midwest and west coast will stick with low level platforms and bi-level cars. There will be overlap stations with both high and low platforms such as WAS, but the Amtrak system will be split into high level platform and low level platform regions.
NETrainfan
Lead Service Attendant
Like the idea of live entertainment- some Blue Singers- maybe some sing along type songs. Guitar soloists. Soft rock.????
Would like large screen movie once each night in lounge on LD trains.
A large lounge for women and one for men (for coach), with a separate shower room and a sitting area next to it for relaxing after a hot shower.
Once upon a time, we were on a train with a large women's lounge (too much smoking then)- but the size of it was inviting. Probably not practical,
but appealing to some.
Would like large screen movie once each night in lounge on LD trains.
A large lounge for women and one for men (for coach), with a separate shower room and a sitting area next to it for relaxing after a hot shower.
Once upon a time, we were on a train with a large women's lounge (too much smoking then)- but the size of it was inviting. Probably not practical,
but appealing to some.
Now here's a thought just for entertainment and conversational value:
Lets say that any new Superliner III cars are built off of an add-on order to the 130 Bi-Levels being built right now, giving them the default option of two vestibule doors on the lower level.
- Keep one vestibule at the "low-level" location that all the current Superliner's are situated at.
- Place the second vestibule at the 48" "high-level" location and combine the small mezzanine that would result as part of the stairs going between the two levels.
h34r:
Wouldn't pass ADA requirements...where would a passenger boarding on a high-level platform that can't climb stairs be seated?Lets say that any new Superliner III cars are built off of an add-on order to the 130 Bi-Levels being built right now, giving them the default option of two vestibule doors on the lower level.
Makes the Superliners, at least the SLIII's, capable of servicing both high and low level stations. Thoughts?
- Keep one vestibule at the "low-level" location that all the current Superliner's are situated at.
- Place the second vestibule at the 48" "high-level" location and combine the small mezzanine that would result as part of the stairs going between the two levels.
Now something like the Bombardier BiLevels could work for that if the passageway-level was at the high platform height, as there would be seating at that level. One could also put rooms on that level, but you'd need two handicap rooms per car, one at each level, in order to meet ADA requirements there.
TL/DR: Possible, but not practical.
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