First time on Acela - wow does Amtrak suck

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Wed Jun 15, 2022 7:49 am You don't want DB/Germany. It's constantly late and breaking down, enough for German artists to do this:

Mr. Wolf, I added a word to my limited German vocabulary last August:

Lochfuerherstriken

That translates to "Train Driver's Strike"

The strike was selective, but it affected a train leaving Salzburg at 8A that was to get me to Munich Airport 1025A and sufficient to get me on a 1155A flight home.

Well there was an unaffected 815A "local" making all stops until half way there (Rosenheim) and I thought, "I don't need this".

Well, that "Bayern" train kept to schedule and I got to the Airport 1050A. If "no hangups", and "pulling Business Class rank" everywhere, "I made it".

So let's not hold DB up as some "beacon on the hill". This 80yo does not need that kind of "tense" in what remains in this life.

Regarding your seats; the conductors enforced policy and evicted the trespassers, what more do you want?

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Railjunkie wrote: ↑Tue Jun 14, 2022 6:50 pm

eolesen wrote: ↑Tue Jun 14, 2022 10:37 am What do you really expect from government run transportation?...

To be fair, you screwed up your return booking. The other customers took over your space because people are selfish...

That's not Amtrak's fault.

Running late and the indifferent service? That's what you'll get from Government employees only concerned about their paychecks being deposited ontime.



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Guess I might be be one of the few who do not want to be stuck on a train any longer than I have to be and I get paid to to be there. I think if you were to talk to most of us you would get the same answer its called BLOOD MONEY. I deal with broken engines now but spent five years in uniform dealing with many of the same issues of the original poster. Only thing back then was the lack of cell phones with cameras which people seem to pull out at a moments notice.

I second that and I’m sure many others of us will follow suit, regardless of being paid I don’t want to sit on an engine any longer then necessary! I still think quite a few of us government service employees take pride in our work and do what’s necessary to get the train over the road safe and on time…

carajul wrote: ↑Tue Jun 14, 2022 8:03 am I screwed up the date as the Amtrak app defaults to todays day when our return was 1 day later. I realize the mistake later in the date and call Amtrak to change. Sorry, it's more than 1 hour since your train time NO REFUNDS and NO CREDIT. Are you kidding me I just spent $900!!!! Sorry, no refunds. Had to spend another $900 for the correct day. Called Amex who promptly reversed the charge.

Well, due to your negligence in booking Amtrak was unable to sell those seats to other passengers and thus was deprived of $900 in revenue. It is absolutely fair and appropriate that you absorb such loss and not Amtrak.

It seems people want two different Amtraks:

One that provides a luxurious service, with white glove treatment, porters to assist you, dedicated space on the train, a four course dinner...

And another that wants Amtrak to be as utilitarian (and cheap) as a city bus - frequent, fixed and low fare, designed to move as many people as possible, as frequently as possible.

Both of them come with major drawbacks, and they are not necessarily compatible with each other.

The problem is: Amtrak has sold #1 to its fan base, can't deliver on it, and is struggling to deliver on #2. And thus we have the "n'er agains".

Are the airlines better? Probably not. But at least I have a choice of ten airlines. There's just one intercity rail carrier in America. I can't choose Virgin Trains or Hull Trains or DB Arriva or SNCF. It's Amtrak, Amtrak, or Amtrak.

wigwagfan wrote: ↑Thu Jun 16, 2022 12:50 am There's just one intercity rail carrier in America. I can't choose Virgin Trains or Hull Trains or DB Arriva or SNCF. It's Amtrak, Amtrak, or Amtrak.

Except for some local traffic, such as New York-New Haven, with two choices.

wigwagfan wrote: ↑Thu Jun 16, 2022 12:50 am It seems people want two different Amtraks:

"Smack on", Mr. Halstead.

Mr. Anderson, a hero to me; villain to others - especially over at another site from which I was "asked to leave", simply came on the property from an industry that sells passenger transportation. Honestly, I don't know of too many who get on a plane for an experiential reason. He first wondered why 450 miles of track over which a "one a day" operated and attempted to make the obvious and logical change to a "busteetoot". So it remains; Amtrak assuming all costs of that right of way to handle one eight car train in each direction.

For those who want the White Gloves and four courses, best look to the private sector to strike their own deals with the Class I industry. Only problem; there's a long history of attempts - and they all have flopped (whoops; the jury is still out on Rocky Mountain. but I'll place my bets that is going to join the others - especially if our economy heads into a recession).

Sorry, but I think you're presenting a false dichotomy here. What folks want is the value they're paying for. I don't expect white glove service, but I also don't expect snarly conductors (or worse the one that shoved an employee of mine into his seat).

I don't think anyone expects "white glove treatment".
But that said, if one has an assigned seat, I think one certainly has a right to expect to get that assigned seat without hassle. That's hardly expecting too much.

And I think it's fair to expect, especially on the NEC, the trains to run on time. Yes, I'll give Amtrak some slack for off corridor trains, but on the NEC, yeah, I expect on-time, timely service.

Now, that said, I will say in general, I've been fairly pleased with the service I've received. My biggest problem is the inconsistency in service. For example, when I was riding the Empire Service between Albany and NYP on a fairly regular basis, the communications on-board on delays varied non-existent to good (even if sometimes good was simply, "Hey folks, Metro-North is holding us here. I'm sorry I don't have any more information a this time.") This is a good example of all I want is a simple, consistent standard.

I really have not had any really bad trips. I am usually quite pleased with the service on the NEC And my local line (NHV-SPG). I also am pretty much happy with all my LD trips. Have had delays - but have yet to experience some of the things you hear- dirty room, really snarly attendants, etc.

For me, the issue is timeliness.

I don’t care about RPSA 70 anymore. It’s half a century old.

Let’s say Amtrak wants a 42 hour SW Chief each way. It needs to go to BNSF and say please price this. That’s what FedEx, COSCO, UPS, Schneider ad infinitum do to get their daily train(s). Then it ponies up. If BNSF misses the advertised, that’s on them.

Oh. Maybe we should give locomotive responsibility to the Class 1s, and repurpose the existing units as HEP power cars.

Then, timeliness is on BNSF, UP, NS, and such.

My two cents.

John_Perkowski wrote: ↑Thu Jun 16, 2022 4:36 pm For me, the issue is timeliness.

I don’t care about RPSA 70 anymore. It’s half a century old.

Let’s say Amtrak wants a 42 hour SW Chief each way. It needs to go to BNSF and say please price this. That’s what FedEx, COSCO, UPS, Schneider ad infinitum do to get their daily train(s). Then it ponies up. If BNSF misses the advertised, that’s on them.

Oh. Maybe we should give locomotive responsibility to the Class 1s, and repurpose the existing units as HEP power cars.

Then, timeliness is on BNSF, UP, NS, and such.

My two cents.

I'm all for that if it eliminates the billions NS or whoever want the taxpayer to pony up in infrastructure improvements to run one extra round trip a day.

"Running late and the indifferent service? That's what you'll get from Government employees only concerned about their paychecks being deposited ontime." -eolesen
I was in the United States Army Reserve for 20 years and my paycheck was issued by the United States Treasury - I worked for the U S Government.
I also worked for Amtrak for 45 years and my paycheck was issued by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. I did not work for the U S Government.
You are not the only person that has mistakenly believed that Amtrak employees were U S Government employees.

Who is the only shareholder of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation? The Government.

Who appoints the board? The U.S. President.

Where does all of Amtrak's funding come from? Congress.

Play technicalities all you want, but you're Federal employees one step removed....

As someone who is a state government employee - let me just say despite the stereotypes and the implication posted previously there are plenty of hard working employees who work in the public sector and plenty of lousy employees that work in the private sector. I have observed it myself.

John_Perkowski wrote:For me, the issue is timeliness.

I don’t care about RPSA 70 anymore. It’s half a century old.

Let’s say Amtrak wants a 42 hour SW Chief each way. It needs to go to BNSF and say please price this. That’s what FedEx, COSCO, UPS, Schneider ad infinitum do to get their daily train(s). Then it ponies up. If BNSF misses the advertised, that’s on them.

Oh. Maybe we should give locomotive responsibility to the Class 1s, and repurpose the existing units as HEP power cars.

Then, timeliness is on BNSF, UP, NS, and such.

My two cents.

Huh, it never occurred to me that Amtrak could outsource locomotives to host railroads. Has this ever been considered?

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