On-board Service Amenities

[Allen Dee]

There has been talk about reducing on-board amenities on many Amtrak trains.

However, most commuter railroads have very few, if any, on-board amenities.

Take a look at this example:

One can board Metrolink train 214 in Lancaster at 11:27 AM and arrive at LAUS at 1:20 PM. Take a walk over to Phillippe's for a sandwich, salad, and beverage. Walk back to LAUS. Board Metrolink train 602 at 3:30 PM and arrive in Oceanside at 5:25 PM.

The only on-board amenities on Metrolink trains are restrooms and water fountains, not even reclining seats.

The one-way fare for this 155-mile trip is $11.75, much lower than a similar trip on Amtrak, and probably at a higher subsidy; and the only people in LA who would complain about this subsidy are the members of the (Communist) Bus Riders Union. The cost of driving this trip, according to the AAA, is $87.11, although driving would be much faster.

As much as I would to hate to see a reduction or elimination of on-board food service, if that's what it takes to save the entire Amtrak system, then so be it. If the Pacific Surfliners had only vending machines, I would still ride them; but I would rather have the personal service that I now get.

On the other hand, drastically reducing or eliminating food service on the LD trains would be a disaster.

I'm not familiar with the commuter rail operations in other parts of the country. Perhaps someone that is familiar with those trains could post a response. My question: Can one make a two-train, one-way trip of similar distance and cost (in the same general direction) on a single carrier in other areas?

 

[cbender]

I'm not familiar with the commuter rail operations in other parts of the country. Perhaps someone that is familiar with those trains could post a response. My question: Can one make a two-train, one-way trip of similar distance and cost (in the same general direction) on a single carrier in other areas?

Sure, you can do it on the LIRR, no problem. Check out the route map at:

http://mta.info/lirr/html/lirrmap.htm

Some sample trips from Penn Station are:

Port Jefferson, transfering at Hicksville (I take this train all the time); total travel time is ~2h.

Greenport, transfering at Ronkonkoma; total travel time is ~3h

Montauk, transfering at Babylon; total travel time is ~3h

I've never stopped for lunch at the transfer point, but there wouldn't be a problem doing that. The LIRR tickets don't have specific times on them. They just get you from one point to the other, and what you do in between (within some restrictions) doesn't matter. You would have to be careful not to switch between off-peak and peak times.

That said, riding the LIRR for 2 hours is uncomfortable. There are no services (except for bad bathrooms) on-board. I have heard rumors of a 'beer cart' that rides some of the peak time trains in the afternoon, serving the Manhattan commuters, but I've never seen it. However, you can bring anything you want on-board with you, and eat it there.

 

[cbender]

I forgot to address the price:

These are one-way fares, purchased via the vending machines before boarding the train. Buying on-board costs an extra $5/ticket

Penn - Montauk: Peak - $20.00, Non-Peak - $14.50

Penn - Greenport: same as above

Penn - Port Jeff: Peak - $13.00, Non-Peak - $9.50

You can lookup more fares at:

http://lirr42.mta.info/Fares.asp

 

[AlanB]

Just as an FYI, Greenport is 96 miles from Penn Station, Montauk is 117 miles from Penn. Port Jeff is much closer, only just shy of 60 miles from Penn.

 

[AlanB]

One could also consider a trip on NJT/Metro North's Port Jervis line. From Penn you would be covering close to 96 miles. Travel time is about 2 hours 20 minutes, fare one way is $16.25.

Again no ammenaties, but for bathrooms.

Then there is Metro North's service to Wassaic and Waturbury. Wassaic is 82 miles from GCT, while Waterbury is 87.5 miles from GCT. Wassaic is 2 hours 10 minutes out, Waterbury just about 2 hours. Costs are $23 peak, $18 off peak and $22 peak and $18 peak, respectively.

Finally, one other that I can think of would be NJT's NEC line Penn to Trenton, switch to SEPTA's R7 train to Chestnut Hill East. SEPTA does not publish their mileage, so I can only tell you that it's 91 miles from Penn to 30th Street Station Philly, after that I'm guessing that it's probably another 20 to 30 miles to Chestnut Hill.

Fare $21.50, total travel time 3 hours 2 minutes. And get this, after you transfer to SEPTA at Trenton, one doesn't even have toilets. So if you didn't go during the first hour and a half on NJT, you won't be going during the last hour and a half of your ride.

 

[Allen Dee]

Just for kicks, I did a comparison to Greyhound.

Their one-way fare was $33.50.

The overall travel time for the trip was 5 hrs 55 min, with a 1 hr 45 min layover at the horrible Greyhound station in downtown LA.

You East coast folks have just proved to me that we know how to do it here.

None of you were able to top a 155-mile trip for $11.75.

It has often been said that LA is the land of the personal automobile.

At least, some of us here know how to do it right.

 

[battalion51]

Tri-Rail's 72 mile system has features identical to that of Metrolink (since they have the same fleet), toilets and bathrooms for the entire length of the 72 mile 2 hour trip from Mangonia Park to Miami Airport. West Palm is the only station that has a resturant within the station (a pretty good hot dog stand with a few other things, it's frequented by many Amtrak employees). Other than that Miami Airport and Mangonia Park are the only station I'm aware of that have anything to speak of within easy walking distance of the station (WPB has city place a few blocks away).

 

[Guest]

ok so u take way all the onboard service amenities then where does it leave the employees ? It so many places you bump ? Offer them a buy out ? I mean might ok to take way on board amenities but then u what are u going to do with employees ( I guess they just have to go on unempolyment and find something within their pay scale)?

 

[AmtrakLoverAndHater]

ok so u take way all the onboard service amenities then where does it leave the employees ? It so many places you bump ? Offer them a buy out ? I mean might ok to take way on board amenities but then u what are u going to do with employees ( I guess they just have to go on unempolyment and find something within their pay scale)?

That's usually what happens when private corporations decide they have more employees than jobs. But of course, since Amtrak's employees are unionized, the likelihood of anyone being fired seems to me to be close to nil.