Amtrak on the Saturday night network news

[Fireman_Steve]

Did anyone else catch the Saturday evening NBC network news. They ran a story about the empire builder long distance train route and the positive affect it has on the communities served.

It mentioned the empire builder has large ridership and the best on time preformance and still looses $116 per passenger. I didn't feel it was a negative story but more of reinforcing the idea that passenger trains never have and never will be able to turn a profit.

It showed the positive impact this route has on the towns it serves and how loosing the service would definately impact the area in a negative way.

It mentioned the comfort, food service and conveniences that train travel has over flying. I felt it was a positive story about amtrak and enjoyed seeing the train on the news and not talking about detrailments or other bad press.

 

[Amfleet]

Yes, I just saw that. For once NBC had a positive story on Amtrak, If I remember correctly CBS and/or ABC did a similar story over the summer on the Empire Builder. Out of all the 18 long-listance routes I never knew the Empire Builder was so popular, but these news stories do show the signicance. The part that was most catching was that clip in the Dining Car where there was a kind of pause on the satisified costumers and the presented food and this was not a commercial. B)

 

[Viewliner]

Free Publicity like NJ Transit is the Way to Go!!!

 

[tp49]

I remember the CBS story over the summer on the Empire Builder. Did not have a chance to see the NBC story tonight.

Remember the only good publicity is free publicity and bad publicity is better than no publicity at all, but never screw up on a slow news day.