Railroad Forums 

  • Corona virus impacts on Amtrak

  • Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.
Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, mtuandrew, Tadman

 #1545039  by west point
 
Find this debate about lay over accommodations interesting. The airlines until about Vietnam war did not provide hotel rooms for longer layovers. Short layovers were at close to airport hotels paid by an airline. Vietnam changed the metric and unions had a hard battle getting rooms paid . Shortages of rooms especially in larger cities became impossible to find at less than one hundred a night. Airlines actually had to build bunk rooms at JFK for crews on longer layovers
 #1545043  by Tadman
 
Last week i was on the road and wiped the entire room. The wipes were black when I got done with them. Part of it had to do with the plastic chairs on a balcony, but I'm not sure how much. I don't expect the balcony chairs to be thoroughly cleaned, but yes to bathroom and counters.
 #1545062  by Gilbert B Norman
 
While this material only has tangential bearing to commercial transportation, it is nevertheless interesting, in view of that the population is comprised of epidemiologists; e.g. Drs. Birx and Fauci:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/202 ... d=em-share

Fair Use:
.Many epidemiologists are already comfortable going to the doctor, socializing with small groups outside or bringing in mail, despite the coronavirus. But unless there’s an effective vaccine or treatment first, it will be more than a year before many say they will be willing to go to concerts, sporting events or religious services. And some may never greet people with hugs or handshakes again.
 #1545074  by west point
 
There are beginning to be reports not confirmed that some trains are already sold out at their 50% Covid-19 capacity. now Amtrak is going to need more cars on trains and the Builder derail of all cars is not going to help.
 #1545173  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Mr. SRY, you seem to be the only regular overnight Amtrak traveler around here through this Coronavirus crisis, and it seems you think Amtrak travel has sunk to a new low.

Well, try on United FRA-IAD for size.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/09/busi ... d=em-share

Fair Use:
FRANKFURT — Last week I stepped aboard the subway in Frankfurt for the first time since February, the start of a 4,000-mile trans-Atlantic journey to rejoin my wife after a three-month separation.

The trip to the United States is one I’ve made dozens of times over the quarter-century I’ve lived and worked in Germany. But this time, in the midst of the pandemic, it felt like a voyage into the unknown.

Crossing borders is no longer routine. Europeans are still persona non grata in the United States. I would be flying from a country just coming out of lockdown to one where the virus is still flaring in some communities...
Wonder why I'm not going over to Salzburg for the Festival this year (they let me out of some $600 of tickets I had bought)?
 #1545215  by eolesen
 
west point wrote: Tue Jun 09, 2020 3:28 pm There are beginning to be reports not confirmed that some trains are already sold out at their 50% Covid-19 capacity. now Amtrak is going to need more cars on trains and the Builder derail of all cars is not going to help.
All the cars remained upright, so I'm not sure why you think that's going to be an issue.
 #1545238  by Jeff Smith
 
River Runner getting another car: https://abc17news.com/news/coronavirus/ ... ay-county/

@MoRiverRunner: As more Missourians begin to travel, we are taking steps to ensure your ride is safe. Starting June 11, @Amtrak is adding a third coach car to Missouri River Runner trains to open more seating and continue allowing for social distancing.
 #1545240  by SouthernRailway
 
Gilbert B Norman wrote: Wed Jun 10, 2020 3:03 pm Mr. SRY, you seem to be the only regular overnight Amtrak traveler around here through this Coronavirus crisis, and it seems you think Amtrak travel has sunk to a new low.

Well, try on United FRA-IAD for size.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/09/busi ... d=em-share

Fair Use:
FRANKFURT — Last week I stepped aboard the subway in Frankfurt for the first time since February, the start of a 4,000-mile trans-Atlantic journey to rejoin my wife after a three-month separation.

The trip to the United States is one I’ve made dozens of times over the quarter-century I’ve lived and worked in Germany. But this time, in the midst of the pandemic, it felt like a voyage into the unknown.

Crossing borders is no longer routine. Europeans are still persona non grata in the United States. I would be flying from a country just coming out of lockdown to one where the virus is still flaring in some communities...
Wonder why I'm not going over to Salzburg for the Festival this year (they let me out of some $600 of tickets I had bought)?
Fair point and I'll concede that travel generally has sunk. Part of the reason that I'm not flying is because Admirals Clubs are closed (at least for another week and a half). With limited flights, having hours-long layovers with no Admirals Club (i.e., surrounded by crowds of people in the main seating areas of airports) seems unpleasant and foolhardy. So I'll be taking Amtrak for the next few months, as it's the "best of the worst options".
 #1545274  by STrRedWolf
 
SouthernRailway wrote: Thu Jun 11, 2020 9:50 am Fair point and I'll concede that travel generally has sunk. Part of the reason that I'm not flying is because Admirals Clubs are closed (at least for another week and a half). With limited flights, having hours-long layovers with no Admirals Club (i.e., surrounded by crowds of people in the main seating areas of airports) seems unpleasant and foolhardy. So I'll be taking Amtrak for the next few months, as it's the "best of the worst options".
Not so much many crowds, per NBC Today show (video):
https://www.today.com/video/the-new-nor ... 4873797795

Amtrak may be the better option in the later term.
 #1545655  by gokeefe
 
Another nail in the coffin for regional air travel ...

Reduced or eliminated alcohol sales: [URL]CNN: Airlines ban alcohol on planes in response to Covid-19.
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/alco ... index.html[/URL]
Airlines including Easyjet and KLM in Europe, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines in the United States, and Asia's Virgin Australia, are suspending all or part of their alcoholic drinks service in response to Covid-19.

It's part of a widespread revision of the industry's food and drink service to minimize interaction between crew and passengers and to ensure a safer journey for all.
There are a lot of factors working in favor of passenger rail in ways that would have been simply unimaginable 20 years ago.

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 #1545693  by Tadman
 
I'm not sure that's a nail in a coffin. I've been in the air for two weeks now, and have survived without my drinks. This week I'm off to Tampa, and the lack of drinks aboard will certainly not force me onto the Crescent and then Star for three days.
 #1545715  by gokeefe
 
Agreed. Which is why I described it as "regional". For people who count on being able to soothe their anxiety with a Cape Codder the short hop in a cramped regional jet is yet again a little more intolerable.

I think it could positively affect the corridors more than anything.

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 #1545773  by rcthompson04
 
gokeefe wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2020 11:03 am Agreed. Which is why I described it as "regional". For people who count on being able to soothe their anxiety with a Cape Codder the short hop in a cramped regional jet is yet again a little more intolerable.

I think it could positively affect the corridors more than anything.

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It probably helps NEC service the most.

Another benefit I see is people taking less cramped Amtrak trains in lieu of commuter service. Whenever I return to the office infrequently I am going to start with Amtrak over SEPTA. Sure it costs more, but if I am going once or twice a week it is still a net gain for me in terms of money and cheaper than driving.
 #1545841  by eolesen
 
gokeefe wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2020 11:03 am Agreed. Which is why I described it as "regional". For people who count on being able to soothe their anxiety with a Cape Codder the short hop in a cramped regional jet is yet again a little more intolerable.

I think it could positively affect the corridors more than anything.

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People said the same thing when smoking was banned...

If you need something to soothe anxiety, there are plenty of CBD products available legally, and in states with legal pot, edibles seem to be a good alternative.
 #1545890  by gokeefe
 
I think the point about smoking is very fair. That being said it is now moot because Amtrak has been "No Smoking" aboard all cars on all trains since ... 199X?

Not getting drink service or alcohol of any kind in our relatively boozy 2020 culture is another matter entirely.

Interesting question with regards to cannabis consumption on board. Federal jurisdiction for Amtrak PD but state law applies???

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