My Amtrak Experience.

[AlanB]

Look I spent 26 hours up and down from DC. There is no reason why they can't have sodas etc... 24/7. I know the trains are old why not at least retro fit them with WiFi and dare I say a small flat TV screen in each sleeper? They do this on the airlines. Amtrak is offering a very slow service. They should at least equal airlines with comfort or at least try.

At one time Amtrak did provide free soda in the sleeping cars. That practice stopped about 4 or 5 years ago in part due to budget cuts at that time forced upon Amtrak by Congress. The secondary reason for their loss was hoarding of the soda by a few. And that few included both passengers and crew.

Yes, there were a few crew members who would not put out their entire stock of soda and instead take it home for their own use or to sell. And there were also passengers who would grab 4 or 5 sodas every time they passed by the beverage station and go home with 10, 15, 20 or more cans of soda.

So again, when ordered by Congress to cut food service losses, free sodas in the sleepers were an easy and to some extent a logical place to start.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

The Coast Starlight has many of the things you want, they kind of function as a test ship due to good management.

Problem is they BARELY make do with what they have, and still take a loss on their trains. Read the boards friend, the topics you bring up are nothing new... If you want all this stuff, you either have to pay twice the price for your service, or tell your congressman to give a blank check to Amtrak.

Incidentally Rep. John Campbell of California is sitting right behind me, shall I pass along a word for you?

 

[darien-l]

Why travel by train only? I know some people simply love trains. Is that it?

I don't travel only by train, just whenever possible. I find it both relaxing and productive: I usually bring my laptop along and get a lot of work done, or just enjoy the scenery, read, watch movies, meet people, etc. With all of Amtrak's flaws, I still think it's the most civilized way to travel. But don't get me wrong: I'm totally with you that there's plenty of room for improvement. I know firsthand how frustrating a bad Amtrak experience can be. Here are two examples:

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?showtopic=23222

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?showtopic=31090

Still, my good experiences have outnumbered bad ones by a significant margin. Overall, I enjoy Amtrak a lot more than the airlines.

 

[Jack Boudreaux]

Look I spent 26 hours up and down from DC. There is no reason why they can't have sodas etc... 24/7. I know the trains are old why not at least retro fit them with WiFi and dare I say a small flat TV screen in each sleeper? They do this on the airlines. Amtrak is offering a very slow service. They should at least equal airlines with comfort or at least try.

At one time Amtrak did provide free soda in the sleeping cars. That practice stopped about 4 or 5 years ago in part due to budget cuts at that time forced upon Amtrak by Congress. The secondary reason for their loss was hoarding of the soda by a few. And that few included both passengers and crew.

Yes, there were a few crew members who would not put out their entire stock of soda and instead take it home for their own use or to sell. And there were also passengers who would grab 4 or 5 sodas every time they passed by the beverage station and go home with 10, 15, 20 or more cans of soda.

So again, when ordered by Congress to cut food service losses, free sodas in the sleepers were an easy and to some extent a logical place to start.

On the way up our attendent did give us sodas 24/7. I understand some would abusive with it. Is that my problem? Screw it!

 

[AlanB]

If I was manager of this train with not many limits on money.

And right there is the primary issue with much of what you're upset about; lack of money. While funding from Congress has been up in recent years, not too long ago it wasn't. And Amtrak was forced to borrow money both to simply keep going and to obtain new equipment.

Right now IIRC, nearly half the annual appropriation from Congress to Amtrak goes directly into payments on those loans. That doesn't leave a whole lot left for operations and improving things unfortunately.

That said, it doesn't excuse attendants whom you can't find and don't at least put out the juice and coffee that they are provided with for your comfort.

The attendant should greet you upon boarding, direct you to your room, provide assistance with your luggage if you request it.

They should provide meal service in your room if requested.

The should put down your beds in the evening and back up in the morning.

They should clean the shower (and where applicable with shared bathrooms) try to clean them at least a few times each day. They cannot clean after each use however.

They are responsible for your safety.

They are responsible to ensure that you get off at your destination, and of course for opening and closing the doors at each and every stop.

And they should generally be available to answer questions you might have.

Just to name a few things.

But please also keep in mind that except for 4 hours per night, they are supposed to be on duty for the rest of the day. Twenty hours is a very long day of work. Granted they do get some time for meals too, but still they are on the go for 20 hours.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Is it your fault? No. Is it your problem? Yes, in fact it is... If it increases the operating costs, it increases ticket prices for all of us. The silly actions of the few can have reprocussions on the whole, its like shoplifting.

 

[darien-l]

On the way up our attendent did give us sodas 24/7. I understand some would abusive with it. Is that my problem? Screw it!

Interesting... sodas are not normally available for free to sleeper passengers, but some attendants will buy them on request, sometimes with their own money, hoping to recoup the losses by a big tip. You did tip this guy, right?

 

[AlanB]

At one time Amtrak did provide free soda in the sleeping cars. That practice stopped about 4 or 5 years ago in part due to budget cuts at that time forced upon Amtrak by Congress. The secondary reason for their loss was hoarding of the soda by a few. And that few included both passengers and crew.

Yes, there were a few crew members who would not put out their entire stock of soda and instead take it home for their own use or to sell. And there were also passengers who would grab 4 or 5 sodas every time they passed by the beverage station and go home with 10, 15, 20 or more cans of soda.

So again, when ordered by Congress to cut food service losses, free sodas in the sleepers were an easy and to some extent a logical place to start.

On the way up our attendent did give us sodas 24/7. I understand some would abusive with it. Is that my problem? Screw it!

Unfortunately, yes, it has become your problem because other people abused the system. That's the way of the world. We all suffer the indignity of the TSA today every time we fly. Why? Because some people abused the old system and killed thousands of people. Some one put explosives in their shoes, so now we have to remove ours. People went nuts with the unlimited data service of the I-Phone, so now AT&T no longer offers that plan to new and renewing customers.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

On the way up our attendent did give us sodas 24/7. I understand some would abusive with it. Is that my problem? Screw it!

Interesting... sodas are not normally available for free to sleeper passengers, but some attendants will buy them on request, sometimes with their own money, hoping to recoup the losses by a big tip. You did tip this guy, right?

This was a decade ago when they DID have free sodas in the sleepers, I mentioned it before. Everything about this to be them with a grain of salt because of the age factor. Things have changed in ten years, maybe not a lot, but a lot of the little things...

 

[MJL]

So this whole rant is about free sodas? :lol:

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Dudes the trains could rival the air but it will not as long as things remain.

How exactly are trains going to rival airlines with little or no government involvement? What system are you envisioning when you make these sorts of comments?

If I was manager of this train with not many limits on money.

You've already ruled out government involvement because that always fails, so who else is going to pay so much that money becomes a non-issue?

 

[AAARGH!]

On the way up our attendent did give us sodas 24/7. I understand some would abusive with it. Is that my problem? Screw it!

Interesting... sodas are not normally available for free to sleeper passengers, but some attendants will buy them on request, sometimes with their own money, hoping to recoup the losses by a big tip. You did tip this guy, right?

This was a decade ago when they DID have free sodas in the sleepers, I mentioned it before. Everything about this to be them with a grain of salt because of the age factor. Things have changed in ten years, maybe not a lot, but a lot of the little things...

ALC, this trip was NOT 10 years ago. It was recent. He mentioned he had a good trip 10 years ago, but then describes this bad recent one.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Thank you, I stand corrected.

 

[tp49]

The apologists for Amtrak.

The proper term is "Amapologist."

 

[zephyr17]

The apologists for Amtrak.

The proper term is "Amapologist."

Wouldn't that be "amtrapologist"?

 

[zephyr17]

As a fairly frequent rider of long distance services, it appears to me that the OP is looking at his experience 10 years ago through rose-colored glasses. Either that or he took a luxury rail tour of some sort, and not regular Amtrak service. These comments apply to Superliner/Viewliner era Amtrak.

The beds have not changed. The lower always used a pad with bedding laid over the seat cushions of the flattened seats. The uppers have always been a little thin in terms of cushioning.

The sheets and pillow cases have not changed. They are pretty much what they've always been with Amtrak. At bit above Motel 6 scratchy, but not fine bed linen by any stretch of the imagination.

The drinks have never been cold, even when the still had complimentary soda. There is usually ice available for them, but the drinks themselves are not cold or iced.

Juice is only required to be available in the morning, it is a "wake-up" perk. Same then as now. Some attendents leave the juice boxes out later, some don't. Always been that way. It never was cold, either, and if you wanted it cold, you put in ice. BTW-Does anyone else but me think the off-brand juice that Amtrak uses always tastes a bit weird?

The one thing identified that actually did change was that there is no longer complimentary soda. Otherwise, the things the OP was generally complaining about were the same 10 years ago. I know, I was there, and I rode a lot then, too.

I don't like some of these things either, and I am not "apologizing". I am just pointing out these things really have NOT changed, and the OP either has much rosier memories of the prior trip than actually happened, or he is somehow confusing his earlier trip with a ride on the Santa Fe Super Chief (which did not have complimentary cold sodas, either, but did have better beds and bedding).

 

[Donctor]

You are the ignorant one. When you pay out your nose for a room on a train you should be reasonably comfortable for the trip. I got warm water and a pad. I might as well be riding on North Korean lines. Maybe government should get rid of the trains if they are going to recreate the Holocaust with every trip. It is a scam right now.

You may be angry, but the Holocaust reference was unnecessary.

Not called for.

 

[pennyk]

I remember about 10+ years ago on the Silver Meteor, the SCA provided the sleeping car passengers with chocolate chip cookies and free sodas. On my next trip after that, I was disappointed not to have the warm cookies, but I was told the cut back was due to budget cuts.

Unless Amtrak receives the kind of subsidies that airlines and highways get, there will not be luxury service (unless you get a private car and spend a boatload of money). As it stands now, Amtrak is losing money. I would much rather have Amtrak, as is, than have to pay quadruple what I am paying now for more amenities.

Our government cannot afford what it is paying now and there is a movement in this country to reduce taxes. I cannot imagine any "tea party" candidate being in favor of pumping more money into Amtrak. (I personally do not think taxes are too high and I would much rather see our government spend more money on Amtrak than on war).

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I don't like some of these things either, and I am not "apologizing". I am just pointing out these things really have NOT changed, and the OP either has much rosier memories of the prior trip than actually happened, or he is somehow confusing his earlier trip with a ride on the Santa Fe Super Chief.

Thanks for that post, very well said. If anything Amtrak has actually improved over the last decade with far better on-time performance these days. I recently asked my mom what it was like when I rode as a young boy in the late 1970' or early 1980's and she said Amtrak was almost always a few hours late back then as well. In my memory we were just early to the station so I could watch the trains, but nope, it was Amtrak's busted schedules that allowed for so much station gawking. Oh well.

I would much rather have Amtrak, as is, than have to pay quadruple what I am paying now for more amenities. Our government cannot afford what it is paying now and there is a movement in this country to reduce taxes. I cannot imagine any "tea party" candidate being in favor of pumping more money into Amtrak. (I personally do not think taxes are too high and I would much rather see our government spend more money on Amtrak than on war).

Agreed on all levels. The OP kicks the hypocrisy into high gear by expecting heavily reduced government involvement while amenities somehow increase. If he can refer to some functioning example of this privately-funded super train he seems to be expecting then maybe I'll take him seriously, but I doubt there's anything behind his comments besides ever more trash talk.

 

[Jack Boudreaux]

I don't like some of these things either, and I am not "apologizing". I am just pointing out these things really have NOT changed, and the OP either has much rosier memories of the prior trip than actually happened, or he is somehow confusing his earlier trip with a ride on the Santa Fe Super Chief.

Thanks for that post, very well said. If anything Amtrak has actually improved over the last decade with far better on-time performance these days. I recently asked my mom what it was like when I rode as a young boy in the late 1970' or early 1980's and she said Amtrak was almost always a few hours late back then as well. In my memory we were just early to the station so I could watch the trains, but nope, it was Amtrak's busted schedules that allowed for so much station gawking. Oh well.

I would much rather have Amtrak, as is, than have to pay quadruple what I am paying now for more amenities. Our government cannot afford what it is paying now and there is a movement in this country to reduce taxes. I cannot imagine any "tea party" candidate being in favor of pumping more money into Amtrak. (I personally do not think taxes are too high and I would much rather see our government spend more money on Amtrak than on war).

Agreed on all levels. The OP kicks the hypocrisy into high gear by expecting heavily reduced government involvement while amenities somehow increase. If he can refer to some functioning example of this privately-funded super train he seems to be expecting then maybe I'll take him seriously, but I doubt there's anything behind his comments besides ever more trash talk.

In the end it was a nightmare service. I will not be using Amtrak again. I find it funny how many of you come to the governments rescue. Enjoy all the crappy service you can. I'm done.

 

[Trainmans daughter]

Bye-bye Jack.

 

[Donctor]

I don't like some of these things either, and I am not "apologizing". I am just pointing out these things really have NOT changed, and the OP either has much rosier memories of the prior trip than actually happened, or he is somehow confusing his earlier trip with a ride on the Santa Fe Super Chief.

Thanks for that post, very well said. If anything Amtrak has actually improved over the last decade with far better on-time performance these days. I recently asked my mom what it was like when I rode as a young boy in the late 1970' or early 1980's and she said Amtrak was almost always a few hours late back then as well. In my memory we were just early to the station so I could watch the trains, but nope, it was Amtrak's busted schedules that allowed for so much station gawking. Oh well.

I would much rather have Amtrak, as is, than have to pay quadruple what I am paying now for more amenities. Our government cannot afford what it is paying now and there is a movement in this country to reduce taxes. I cannot imagine any "tea party" candidate being in favor of pumping more money into Amtrak. (I personally do not think taxes are too high and I would much rather see our government spend more money on Amtrak than on war).

Agreed on all levels. The OP kicks the hypocrisy into high gear by expecting heavily reduced government involvement while amenities somehow increase. If he can refer to some functioning example of this privately-funded super train he seems to be expecting then maybe I'll take him seriously, but I doubt there's anything behind his comments besides ever more trash talk.

In the end it was a nightmare service. I will not be using Amtrak again. I find it funny how many of you come to the governments rescue. Enjoy all the crappy service you can. I'm done.

You've already said you won't travel Amtrak again.

Have you called them to see what they can (or are willing) to do?

 

[Rail Freak]

I would much rather see our government spend more money on Amtrak than on war).

I applaud that, thank you!!!

RF

 

[zephyr17]

In the end it was a nightmare service. I will not be using Amtrak again. I find it funny how many of you come to the governments rescue. Enjoy all the crappy service you can. I'm done.

I didn't apologize for Amtrak's shortcomings. All I pointed out was that Amtrak was much the same 10 years ago as it is now, particularly on your specific criticisms. Amtrak was never all that great, and isn't any worse now than it was then. Better in some ways, on time performance has overall improved, but onboard service levels are much the same, and still hit-or-miss, and the bedding is identical.

Just what DID you ride 10 years ago? Or what were you smoking 10 years ago that made it seem so much better? Or does a 6 oz bottle of free Pepsi really mean that much to you?

 

[coachseats]

Just as a counterpoint in case someone new to train travel who might be reading this and thinking this is the way the service always is: Last week we travelled on the Crescent WAS-ATL and back as part of a larger trip. On this particular train we had some of the most freindly and helpful sleeping car attendants I have ever had on Amtrak. One was still training, but already knew her job like a pro. She really took the time to make us feel welcome and was so nice to our daughter. Room was clean, everything worked fine, help with luggage on both ends of the trip. Dinner and breakfast were brought to our room right when requested (for which I tipped extra). I am not discounting the OP's story but certainly on our total trip which included six trains with sleepers, we were very happy with the service provided. I always make a point to be genuinely friendly to any crew members I encounter and 99% of the time the return on that investment comes in the form of great service.