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  • How do Class I employees travel on business trips?

  • For topics on Class I and II passenger and freight operations more general in nature and not specifically related to a specific railroad with its own forum.
For topics on Class I and II passenger and freight operations more general in nature and not specifically related to a specific railroad with its own forum.

Moderator: Jeff Smith

 #1227993  by SouthernRailway
 
Out of curiosity, how do Class I employees travel on business trips on routes that are served by Amtrak?

For example, now Norfolk Southern's HQ has Amtrak service up to Washington, DC. Would NS employees be encouraged to take the train, since it's largely on their employer's rails?

Same for CSX; Amtrak provides decent coverage of its headquarters city. Would CSX employees take Amtrak north and south?

Surely there are Class I employees who travel regularly around the Northeast. Would they pretty much always take Amtrak between DC-NY-Boston?

Or do Class Is (or any freight railroads) care?
 #1228415  by ExCon90
 
Back when I was working (up until 1990), travel time was the determinant. From Philadelphia we always took Amtrak to New York, Baltimore, Washington, and occasionally Harrisburg; everywhere else we flew. A far cry from the 60's, when people from St. Louis would come to Philadelphia for a staff meeting using the Spirit of St. Louis in each direction, at the cost of half a business day in each direction, since both departure and arrival times at St. Louis were midday. (But it didn't cost anything.)
 #1231633  by Cowford
 
Outside of what ExCon90 outlined (the Northeast Corridor), the short answer is "rarely, if ever". Not that it would make a difference, but Amtrak provides host railroad employees no discount.

Similarly, railroad shops receive most/all of their parts/material by truck.
 #1237482  by Gilbert B Norman
 
During my eleven years with the MILW (70-81), I once used #4 Afternoon Hi to return home from Minneapolis. I also made same journey during the Amtrak era aboard #10 North Coast Hi.

Also during orientation, a round trip Chi-Milw.

And that was that.....!!!!

Otherwise it was behind the wheel or on Big Bird.

Time is money; they ain't payin' u to have a railfan joyride.