Why is Amtrak not enhancing its first class products?

I fly a lot, sometimes in paid first class and sometimes in first class due to frequent flyer upgrades. I have a lounge membership with my preferred airline. I also take Amtrak, usually in first or business class. I also like following railroad and aviation news, particularly news about product enhancements for premium-class customers.

It seems as though airlines and some railroads are focusing on enhancing their premium products:

* First and business class on American Airlines has gotten significantly better in the past few years, and even JetBlue and "discount" airlines are now offering premium classes.
* Other airlines seem to be doing more and more to offer a better product in first and business class.
* Via upgraded the Canadian train to offer a more lavish top-priced product.
* Some private operators are offering premium services on trains.

However, Amtrak is doing just the opposite:

* I took the Acela Express in first class recently. The onboard experience was nice, and I'll do it again. However, the ClubAcela and NY Penn Station is a crowded, dark dump. I am surprised that Amtrak offers that for high-fare customers.
* Long-distance trains seem to be having dining services cut back, and the onboard experience isn't luxurious. No on-board lounge (for now), no free alcohol, etc.
* Station amenities at a lot of smaller stops are being cut back. Many larger cities don't even have staffed stations or checked baggage.

Why in the world is Amtrak doing this?

If premium products don't generate sufficient revenue, it makes sense to pare them back, but first class on the Acela surely generates large above-the-rail profits, and subjecting people who pay $300 one-way between NYP and Boston to the dreadful experience of NY Penn Station and that ClubAcela is astounding. Same for people who pay premium fares between NYC and Chicago; they'll be given cold, pre-prepared entrees to eat, self-serve basically, in an unused dining car? Seriously? Amtrak can't boost fares by a few dollars to pay for an airline (and Acela)-style kitchen to permit heated food for first class passengers?

I will say one thing: I took Acela First Class once recently for this first time. Food was good, alcohol was free-flowing (we overdid it), and I think we got both breakfast and lunch, NWK to BOS — almost unnecessary.

Aw c'mon, like him or not, the NEC lounges have always been grubby. That has nothing to do with Anderson.

And for what it's worth, the new Chicago lounge is really nice. In fact, there are two lounges in Chicago. One for sleeper/biz passengers, one for anybody who will pay. I used to have a monthly pass to that one, but I'm not downtown enough anymore to use it.

To note, even though it's a gross misuse of the diner equipment, sleeper passengers are going to get a dedicated lounge car, amenity kit, and unlimited non alcoholic beverages. I would call that an enhancement especially if they can make it a consistent experience.

Good question. Several answers.

(1) Richard Anderson---> Not a good leader for Amtrak; you have an idea to reduce costs while charging the same, he's all ears.

(2) For NY-Penn, it's not just Acela passengers. ALL first class passengers can use the lounge--sleeper passengers are included, and certain tiers of Guest Rewards (Select +, Select Executive), along with United Club members (note, hub in EWR for United so many people at NYP who may be in that category). Also, lounge crowds depend on time of day, and day of week. It's the busiest rail station for Amtrak, and it's got a ton of high-value/status/first class pax. Hence, it might get crowded.

(3) Amtrak does not have a lot of (extra) money to work with. Airlines do. Over the last few years, which you specifically mention, airlines have been churning out RECORD profits. They have largely re-invested this back into their products. Because airline profit is very largely driven by premium pax (see Wendover Productions' video on YouTube, it's quite interesting), most of that profit has gone into pointy-end-of-plane improvements, which help keep paying and high-status premium pax loyal to an airline in the face of increasing competition from, as you noted...discount carriers...JetBlue et al, who from many perspectives are just as good, or better than, legacy carriers now from a product standpoint depending on your needs. Meanwhile, Amtrak, frankly, is struggling to keep its aging NEC functional and able to handle trains going wayyyy faster than it was built to handle and with billions (with a b) in deferred maintenance. An above the rail profit and pursuant nice lounge isn't as important as your Acela set not coming apart in the middle of your trip, or derailing on arrival into NY Penn....

(4) Amtrak is trying to be a jack of all trades. E.g., it wants to/currently NEEDS to carry sleeping car leisure passengers across the country--people who don't care about time, it's about the journey...on the same train as people in a coach seat who need to go from A to B and for some reason don't want to or can't fly/drive/take the bus, and ALL of that, partly on the same tracks as trains that carry business travelers who care to the MINUTE what time their train arrives. As with anything else in life, you cannot be a master of everything. Either you specialize in a couple things, or you are mediocre at all of them.

I'm pretty sure the release I read said one complementary alcoholic beverage is included with this sleeper change.

ryanov wrote:I'm pretty sure the release I read said one complementary alcoholic beverage is included with this sleeper change.

Yup. And which crew member will keep track of who's had what?

Presumably the same one guarding the “contemporary dining cold food concept.”

Amenity Kit????

What in heaven's name will that prove.

OK, for the past four years, I have gone to Salzburg during the Festival. I travel paid Business Class, as very simply, I couldn't survive "back there", or otherwise, just wouldn't go.

The first year I went, I did take United's amenity kit with me. Any other years, especially '16 when the kits were Olympic themed (save a lot of people a lot of misery and shut those charades down) to show off United being "the official airline...", they never left the aircraft in my hands.

Of course, they will last as long as will the initial order (remember 48, Lake Shore's, Night Cap now; uh, not too much longevity with that one). Now who just might have an interest in the outfit that sells those things?

Those amenity kits make nice incidental bags for stuff like phone chargers. Any more, I travel with two phone chargers, a laptop charger, big over-ear headphones, and small ear buds.

Amtrak's first class products are delivered with tremendous inconsistency. Most of the long-distance equipment is now so run down that the physical environment is simply not first class, regardless of the effort of the crew, which varies. Due to the inconsistent training and supervision, one trip you can have a car attendant who is very professional, and next trip it's just as likely the car attendant will be someone who is sullen and unhelpful.

The Acela first class is a huge missed opportunity, considering the willingness people have to pay for a product that is so poorly delivered. Because seats are not assigned, it's always a mad crush to get on board and try to get a good seat. Right off the bat, it is not a first class experience. Passengers traveling with a companion and paying $300 apiece may or may not be able to sit together. I recently witnessed a group of four business people board Acela first class in Baltimore, and saw their exasperation when they found that they could not sit around a table as they had envisioned, to continue their conversation, but had to be split up among four separate seats in separate rows. And for that they paid $300 each? They would have been better off taking their chances in coach. The extra fare for first class really guarantees only a meal, not necessarily a good seat. I recently rode Acela first class from New York to Boston, and had to sit at a table for two, facing backwards, staring face to face with a stranger. I would have been better off in the coach.

Morning Zephyr wrote:Amtrak's first class products are delivered with tremendous inconsistency. Most of the long-distance equipment is now so run down that the physical environment is simply not first class, regardless of the effort of the crew, which varies. Due to the inconsistent training and supervision, one trip you can have a car attendant who is very professional, and next trip it's just as likely the car attendant will be someone who is sullen and unhelpful.

The Acela first class is a huge missed opportunity, considering the willingness people have to pay for a product that is so poorly delivered. Because seats are not assigned, it's always a mad crush to get on board and try to get a good seat. Right off the bat, it is not a first class experience. Passengers traveling with a companion and paying $300 apiece may or may not be able to sit together. I recently witnessed a group of four business people board Acela first class in Baltimore, and saw their exasperation when they found that they could not sit around a table as they had envisioned, to continue their conversation, but had to be split up among four separate seats in separate rows. And for that they paid $300 each? They would have been better off taking their chances in coach. The extra fare for first class really guarantees only a meal, not necessarily a good seat. I recently rode Acela first class from New York to Boston, and had to sit at a table for two, facing backwards, staring face to face with a stranger. I would have been better off in the coach.

Agreed; I also did Acela first class between NY and Boston. The boarding experience at NY Penn was unpleasant-that Club Acela is horrible and having to scramble to board in order to get the seat that I wanted was a pain. Otherwise, the onboard experience was fine--like first class on a plane, but with a bigger seat. The main benefit to me was a single (not 2x2) seat, and if I didn't get that, I'd be ticked.

I believe European intercity trains typically have assigned seating, so everyone knows what car they're getting on and what seat they're going to. At the very least, First Class on the Acela should be assigned seating, and better all Acela seats, and Business Class on Regionals, or any other trains that operate as Regionals for the time that they're on the NEC (Carolinian, Palmetto, Vermonter). I don't think having assigned seating in coach is a good idea since there are multiple cars and varied train length and it would be more trouble than it's worth to direct people to the car they're supposed to be in. Better to just let people take any available seat and move around as needed (in case a family needs to sit together or something like that).

Reserved seating is coming soon. I believe Acela First Class is one of the first places they will try it.

Well, it's been commonplace in Europe in both classes for 50+ years -- I guess it's worth the risk of trying it here. Is Amtrak buying the program from somewhere, or will they reinvent the wheel?