ORLANDO, Fla. — A recent trip from Orlando to Chicago provided a snapshot of the positives and issues that shape Amtrak service during a period that has seen the company reduce service on a number of routes, citing a lack of resources.
Tickets were booked using a combination of cash and Amtrak Guest Rewards points on Amtrak’s Silver Star to Alexandria, Va., and, after a two-day layover — there is currently no same-day connection — on to Chicago aboard the Cardinal.
Amtrak reduced service to five days a week on most long-distance routes in January, while suspending entirely the second Florida-New York train, the Silver Meteor, which uses a different route. The Meteor is among the trains included in last week’s announcement that many of those reductions would continue past the original March date to restore service [see “Amtrak extends cuts to seven long distance routes into May,” Trains News Wire March 3, 2022].
Coach and sleeping-car capacity was expanded on the Silver Star when the Meteor was sidelined. But News Wire found that a lack of active revenue management likely contributed to 16 unsold roomettes overnight in five Star Viewliner sleeping cars [see “Continuing Amtrak service cuts reflect lack …,” News Wire, March 4, 2022].
The trip featured onboard personnel that were uniformly friendly and attentive to passengers’ needs. Yet it also showed shortcomings that can be rectified if management and employees at all levels would exert more effort in catering to those who invest time and money in Amtrak’s product.
Orlando: an hour late but ‘on time’
The Silver Star departing Miami on Feb. 24 left on time, but fell an hour behind by the time of its stop at Lakeland, Fla., after serving Tampa.
Nevertheless, the train-status feature on Amtrak’s website continued to tell passengers that train No. 92 was running on time. That misinformation was transmitted to the Orlando station’s departure and public address system, which triggered an automated “now boarding” announcement, although the train was actually an hour away.
A family of four taking its first-ever Amtrak trip ever because its Spirit Airlines flight had been cancelled began to gather its belongings, and an Amish couple and others of the more than 30 people waiting to board drifted toward the platform.
No announcement was made to correct the error. The train, due to arrive at 7:09 p.m., wouldn’t roll in until 8:08 p.m.
About 7:55 p.m., the on-duty Amtrak agent barked orders for passengers to line up along the station’s exterior wall in separate groups of families, couples, and single travelers. A few minutes before that she had advised, “Anyone who needs to use the restroom should do it now, because the station will be closed at 8 p.m., before the train gets here.” People arriving from South Florida cities who needed to use toilet facilities were apparently out of luck. After all, don’t they know closing time is 8 p.m.?
‘Flexible’ food and limited space
With only one train to worry about on the Miami-New York route, you would think Amtrak would make a good-faith attempt to make the experience in the Viewliner diner a positive one for customers. The car has been redefined as a “lounge” for sleeping-car patrons, who remain the only travelers allowed to enjoy the landscape rushing past the double set of windows until management figures out when, or if, serving protocols can be altered to include coach passengers.
Meal offerings — three breakfast choices and five meal-in-a-bowl options for lunch and dinner — haven’t changed in almost a year for eastern trains, the Texas Eagle, and City of New Orleans. Perhaps that’s one reason the Silver Star had no menus available in the sleeping cars or diner until the lead service attendant located one in the largely unused kitchen.
On the Cardinal, menus were used to paper over the window of the Viewliner baggage-dorm to ensure privacy for the crew. That train’s on-board service and operating crew also commandeered the sleeper-facing half of the cafe car for the whole trip, directing anyone who didn’t want to eat a meal in their room to limited seating on the other side of the service counter.
Less than two years ago, the Cardinal offered a separate business-class cafe car with lounge space on one half, but this equipment disappeared about the time that Horizon coaches began subbing for several Talgo trainsets in the Pacific Northwest.
Crusty windows
The westbound Cardinal and northbound Silver Star showed no evidence that either train had recently been pulled through a washer. The temperature in South Florida was sunny and in the mid-80s all week, and the Chicago-bound triweekly was coming off of a full-day layover at New York’s Sunnyside Yard. Clean windows are a relatively inexpensive way to enhance the travel experience, but have proven to be one of the first expendable items at many maintenance facilities. The Chicago washer was out of commission for an extended period last year, apparently because no one considered it a priority.
Missing timetables (and announcements)
The Silver Star delay would lengthen to an hour and a half overnight through the Carolinas, but the trains otherwise maintained travel times. But in the Star’s sleepers, no announcements about upcoming stations or arrival time were audible, in contrast to complete information delivered by all Cardinal crews.
Amtrak and its host railroads have been required to re-negotiate “certified” schedules for every train to ensure compliance with recent Federal Railroad Administration regulations requiring 80% of passengers to arrive on time. As a result, the most recent timetables, issued in late 2020, have discrepancies at each station ranging from a minute or to a half-hour, depending upon the route.
With this top-to-bottom schedule reshuffling looming, the company had good reason to at least temporarily shelve revisions to the former timecards. But last year management also hinted it was developing printable versions for corridors and routes that could show comparative schedules and more than 10 stations at a time (the current limit of online versions). Completing that initiative — whether for trip planning or the ability for those to answer the question “where are we now?” — is long overdue.
Gas prices are skyrocketing. When this happened in Amtrak’s past, beginning with the oil embargo of 1973, it resulted in significant ridership gains across the entire network. Lack of proactive investment in personnel and equipment may have handicapped the company’s ability to take fullest advantage of the current situation, but there is no reason easily adjusted customer service aspects can’t be immediately addressed.
Is anyone aware of any commentary on this article from Amtrak itself or RPA?
There are no railroad people left to run the railroad . We remember trains before Amtrak but most of the workers have any idea what we are talking about and no one has ever told them . Dave Gunn was the last person who knew how to run the place and he meant plenty of head winds . He also supported long distance .
I usually make the 13 and a half drive from Jacksonville, FL to Cleveland, OH I was thinking of taking the train but after seeing when the LSL arrive in Cleveland (2:30am) I decided against that plan.
I guess it’s just a matter of time before Amtrak starts running its long-haul trains the way Southern Pacific ran the “Sunset Limited” in the late 1960s: an over-two-thousand mile journey and passengers were forced to ride only in coaches and eat “food” served only from vending machines. SP wanted to exit the passenger business and focus solely on freight. After Amtrak drives off all the passengers in a similar fashion, what will it have justify its existence? Is it going to teach courses on how to drive away pesky and unwanted customers?
A renown management guru/professor, Peter Drucker, would simply shake his head with disdain to read these spot-on commentaries; responding: ‘why would you continue to travel on Amtrak when you already know nothing will ever change? Amtrak is a dog; a loser. What company could ever succeed in such a milieu where the Board is not even up to authorized strength and has no idea how to hold management accountable; corporate management doesn’t even bother to hide their deficiencies and inexperience in railroad operations; all competent levels of management below corporate have already been pushed out the door by the insecurities of corporate management.
Why should consists have clean, functioning equipment when management lacks any interest to build revenues, even if only to improve coordination of schedules for transfers? Given such a dedicated commitment by corporate management, in cahoots with the inadequate Board to continue pursuing a deliberate course of failure, why knock your head against the wall? It’s like watching multiple episodes of “Seinfeld” with the consistent theme of George Constanza focused exclusively on avoiding work. To define Amtrak’s lackadaisical approach to revenues, just notice how bartenders aren’t trained and/or equipped to hand craft cocktails.’
If you still have train riding in your blood, go north and enjoy how VIA Rail Canada still puts on a show across Canada in first class on “The Canadian;” in business class along the Ontario-Quebec corridor. VIA still excels in meal and bar services. Or, take note of the growing first class bus services. And when Amtrak’s corporate management eventually appear at a congressional hearing to substantiate why they recommend to kill the long distance trains, make your appearance to detail how the corporate management of Capitol Hill desk jockeys and flyboys accomplished their goal, just like George Constanza.
Here’s some of the problems. Management runs in a combo ivory tower/bunker mentality. You’ve had air line management running things for the past several years. Trains being cancelled over a forecast of several inches of snow. We’ve joked that it was because Amtrak had no deicer for the wings in stock. Amtrak board is clueless. You now have a CEO who cares only for the corridor and nothing for the ld trains. Over the holidays capacity was increased barely a seat. LD trains, at times, overbooked. The excuse being no extra cars were available. I say no competent management was available. Many of the crews are trying their best but it’s difficult when the rest of the system is broken. New money for Amtrak and now new management positions. Amtrak management needs to be reduced, cleaned out and a new board installed.
Makes you wonder, “Who’s in charge?”
I have said it before. Franchise/bid out the food cars.
Waffle House Car for breakfast/lunch and something like a Panera Bread Car for lunch /dinner. These are just examples, but putting food service cars out for bid may be the best option.
Having Amtrak chefs isn’t economic, but people don’t want vending/microwave specials either. So put it out to bid and let the people choose.
Funny, just watched a YouTube video titled OVERNIGHT TRAIN from New York to Miami (24 hours on the Viewliner II Amtrak Silver Meteor Bedroom) which didn’t show any major service breakdowns.
And all the people recalling their travel on the ATSF Super Chief 60 years ago….you guys crack me up.
I rode the Silver Star from WTH to WAS on 2/19/22. The trip went well. Train was on time which was helped by not doing multiple station stops. Staff at multiple stations had pax placed at locations when train pulled in even though the train did not fit on most station platforms. Yes the windows on the train were dirty. And I too have previously experienced the RUDE ORL station staff and absolutely true about the station closing before the trains arrival. Whole staff there needs retraining or replacement. Those type of people are NOT highly trained and can be replaced. The dining car was well run on this trip (except for a crew member vaping in the kitchen.) I have noticed NYP based crews are generally more annoying and arrogant than crews from other parts of the country.
My last Amtrak LD trips a little over 20 years ago and I no pressing desire to repeat the experience. For a period of time I was taking trips east and west out of Chicago both on the CZ and the Lake Shore. Even back then many of the trips included the “highlights” described above as well as backed up toilets, 12 hour delays, and in that era obscenely long layovers to couple on mail and express. The latter really drove me nuts when you would get herded onto a train in Chicago, only to sit a half hour or more in the dark while they coupled on the express cars.
I have ridden Amtrak to and from Florida many times before the current management seems to not care about long distance service. As noted in previous comments I found the Silver service on both trains in the past was always good. The crews took pride in their jobs and the trains generally ran close to their advertised schedules. Now it seems like no one cares and based on these comments it will make me think twice of ridding again either in their high priced sleeper cars or sub par coach service with no dinner or lounge to break up the trip and socialize with other passengers.
Everything Bob has said is right “on spot”. Sad but true, and for a big ticket price. The way the service crew “takes over” space in the cafe car, is really obnoxious. There cannot be anyone in management who knows anything or gives a sh–!
I have not been able to get an answer as to why, which FL train was cut off. Taking the Meteor off leaves no connection in Washington, to/from FL to west. Bottom line is “you can’t get there from here”. More Amtrak stupidity!
I remember the SP in the 60’s. Why hasn’t Amtrak thought of vending machines? Don’t you folks who ride Amtrak frequently as does Bob, the trains are run for the convenience of the employees. Can one imagine a car attendant maintaining clean
restrooms? Take 97 from Orlando to Miami. The toilets are fifthly on the way down to Miami. Bob didn’t mention for years, the baggage car is on the rear to so employees can unload right in front of a station. Hell make those pesky customers walk way down the platform. Dirty windows? Once asked an employee coming out of Miami why the windows were dirty. He said, there’s nothing to see! Can’t wait for Brightline. Contract Brightline to manage Amtrak.
Oh, PS, Charles got through his thoughts without a political rant.
Here we go folks, 1960’s Southern Pacific all over again, for those who can remember. Government funding notwithstanding, if they can discourage ridership sufficiently, then the funds intended for LD and regional service will just be shifted over to Gardner’s beloved NEC, which continues to bleed cash at an alarming rate.
I would like to nominate Bob Johnston for this week’s “We’re Making The Trains Worth Traveling Again” award for restraint in writing in the face of seething rage. There are not enough of us, to scream loud enough, for anyone to give a damn and listen. Probably time to give up, live longer with less stress, and retreat to the memories of better times.
My guess is Amtrak mgmt want to stem the recovery that the LD routes have achieved since covid by keeping a reduced schedule under the guise of worker shortages into the upcoming travel season. Also, as the above indicates make those who do travel the LD network think twice before doing it again. The LD ridership recovery was far exceeding the NEC ‘s still dismal recovery & that is an embarrassment to Magliari & his squad. The NEC poor ridership recovery is what is delaying the premier of their new Acela due to the low return of business patronage which will never return to previous levels due to technology that makes a lot of business travel unnecessary. The NEC is really what needs to be reduced to a realistic level to reflect its last place position in the total NE travel market.
I’ve traveled on several LD trains and enjoyed the experience. However, in doing so I take into consideration the reality of today’s situation with obscene under-investment in passenger rail vs. other modes. Sit back, relax and enjoy the trip.
Amtrak “had” potential windfall as gas prices increased. This report is shameful of Amtrak’s management and simple courtesies to customers. Take care of “small” things means someone is watching the big things. As it seems now, no one is watching anything. Lastly, if customers are shamefully treated, no wonder host railroads want nothing to do with Amtrak. Congress, are you listening?
I haven’t ridden on a long distance train in the US for many years, but I was considering taking the Minneapolis to Seattle train with my daughter. However, having read these latest reviews, I’m dismayed to discover that some aspects of riding US trains have not improved in the 50 years since my last cross-country train trips.
In 1963, my family took the Super Chief from LA to Chicago, switching to the New York Central for the trip from Chicago to New York, returning to LA on the same route. Even back then, the contrast between the two halves of the trip was dramatic. The Super Chief was clean, cool and comfortable. We were Coach passengers, but we had access to a pleasant dining car with a full menu, clean, well-stocked restrooms, and the vista dome car for watching the scenery go by. The ride was fast and smooth and the view through clean windows was wonderful.
What a contrast to the Chicago-East portion of the trip! The New York Central cars were filthy on the outside and not much better inside. The ride was rocky, with what seemed to me to be numerous, unscheduled stops. The trip was from late June through mid July, so it was hot outside and hotter inside because the air conditioning in our car wasn’t working. In fact, somewhere around Cleveland, in the middle of the night, we had to move to another car where the air conditioning was supposed to be working. But, with the additional passengers filling up the second car, the air conditioning couldn’t handle the load so it was only slightly cooler than the outside temp! Everything else about the Eastern (NYC) portion of the trip (in both directions) was similarly miserable. What a sad commentary that, after all these years and all the promotion Amtrak puts out, their passenger service is even more limited and in worse condition than it was all those years ago.
Disgusting. Fire them all. Senior management should be embarrassed, and the Board of Directors should be incensed. I would say this is no way to run a railroad, but then in the past decade this unfortunately has been AMTRAK.
Very sad commentary on the current status of LD train riding. One would have hoped that the new management would have “cleaned house” more effectively and reset the bar for on-board service. Dirty windows are so easy to fix. Not so much on-board “dining,” which has been disgraceful for a number of years now, especially when one pays the high fares asked for “1st Class” travel. Come on, Amtrak – wake up! The looming oil crisis will only add to your passenger loadings, and those riders will expect more than just bare-bones on-board service.
They ought to be able to arrange for decent restaurants use a meal delivery service to meet the trains and hand up the food. They can take orders in advance.
It’d beat the microwave thing I had on my last ride.
Problem solved?
Amtrak is working its way out of the LD market. The only remaining function of an Amtrak LD is a ride of a few hours to or from a midpoint. as opposed to end to end. Amtrak’s current market is patrons young enough (which is most people) not to know what a real train is.
Sorry folks, I’m old enough to remember the nominally “Amtrak” Super Chief El Capitan with its (at the time) 100% Santa Fe rolling stock, crews, commissaries and station agents. Every bit as good, I would have to imagine, as the real Santa Fe train of a couple of years earlier (which I never rode).
No way I’d ride all day or overnight on an Amtrak train nowadays. If I’m to be treated like a very low-rated airline treats its passengers, I’ll fly the very low-rated airline and get it over with in a fraction the time. Or better still I will fly a better-rated airline and enjoy the trip.
I’ve been a frequent User of Amtrak for decades but after my experience with flex-dining 2 years ago on the Lake Shore Limited, I probably won’t pay the exorbitant sleeper fares until sit-down individually prepared meals are offered in the diner to ALL passengers. I also hate the insensitivity shown by crew members taking tables in the cafe. They can lounge somewhere else, or better yet, do their jobs.