NittanyLion The regionality of passenger quality is fascinating. I took the Palmetto last summer from Alexandria VA to Charleston. Once we were past Richmond, things started to deteriorate and were a mess once we got to Charleston. Northbound was a mess from the start and the cafe was a zoo the entire trip. It was the complete opposite of my experiences with the Capitol Limited, Pennsylvanian, NER, and Acela. My suspicion is trains operating with large percentages of passengers that the train is a monthly (or better) trip are going to be better treated.
The regionality of passenger quality is fascinating. I took the Palmetto last summer from Alexandria VA to Charleston. Once we were past Richmond, things started to deteriorate and were a mess once we got to Charleston. Northbound was a mess from the start and the cafe was a zoo the entire trip.
It was the complete opposite of my experiences with the Capitol Limited, Pennsylvanian, NER, and Acela. My suspicion is trains operating with large percentages of passengers that the train is a monthly (or better) trip are going to be better treated.
You never saw the GCT to Poughkeepsie evening rush hour trains... The floor was a sea of beer cans....
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
A review of Beech Grove as of the end of FEB shows that they are actually 2 SL coaches ahead but behind 5 SL sleepers, 2 SL lounges, 1 dinner lounge; + a behind a couple of surfliners and behind 2 heritage dinners
Avianwatcher As I travel on the Eagle from LA to Dallas on a regular basis what you say does not surprise me. I have to walk through the coaches to get to the dinner from the sleeper where we have a bedroom. The behavior and actions of the passengers in the coaches that I have seen is deplorable, children allowed to run wild, adults with their feet on chairs, food thrown all over, and garbage just dropped on the floor! I'm amazed at the lack of manners. On the other hand the sleepers are normally clean and well kept. As an aside we just don't use the lounge car on the Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle where as on other routes the deportment is much better.
As I travel on the Eagle from LA to Dallas on a regular basis what you say does not surprise me. I have to walk through the coaches to get to the dinner from the sleeper where we have a bedroom. The behavior and actions of the passengers in the coaches that I have seen is deplorable, children allowed to run wild, adults with their feet on chairs, food thrown all over, and garbage just dropped on the floor! I'm amazed at the lack of manners. On the other hand the sleepers are normally clean and well kept. As an aside we just don't use the lounge car on the Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle where as on other routes the deportment is much better.
Your observation with respect to some of the coach passengers on the Eagle is spot-on. On my most recent trip to Dallas I was disturbed by people shouting into cell phones, kids running up and down the car, and young people in the lounge car sprawled over two or three seats. Equally distressing was the fact that the crew did nothing to clean up the cars or ask the people in the lounge car to sit-up. The crew on the Eagle seems to be afraid to ask passengers to respect their fellow passengers. I sent Boardman a letter pointing out these deficiencies and suggesting amongst other things that one of the three coaches, or at least a portion of one of them, be designated as a quiet car.
On the other hand, it is important not to overplay the annoyances of a few passengers who could use an Emily Post lesson. One aspect of the northbound trip that I enjoy is lunch in the dinning car. There on most of my trips I have met some really interesting people. We had great conversations along with a decent meal. Also, I have met several folks in the coaches who engaged in a stimulating conversation.
Amtrak or any carrier will never get a significant number of Texans to give up their cars for the train, irrespective of how frequent and quick the service, as long as riding the rails means a forced engagement with people who have no respect for their fellow passengers.
Over the last several months I have made six trips from Temple, TX to Fort Worth, Dallas, or San Antonio on the Texas Eagle. I have ridden coach class. The condition of the coaches on the Eagle appears to be deteriorating monthly. Whether the Eagle needs additional coaches is problematic. But Amtrak needs to repair the cars or at least the ones that I have seen.
Last Sunday I rode from Fort Worth to Temple. I was able to board the train when it arrived in Fort Worth. There were only three through passengers on the coach I was assigned to, although a significant number of passengers boarded the train in Fort Worth. Before they came aboard I had a look around. I noticed that three seat backs, four foot rests and two curtains were broken completely or partially. Also, as an aside, the car looked like a trash wagon.
blue streak 1 Additional passenger car coach seats will not be delivered until about 2015 with the RFP for ~~ 130 bi-level cars announced last Friday. Amtrak's 5 year financial plans anticipate growth of passengers from now till 2015 so the question is how ?? Some of the growth will come of course from the new Viewliner - 2 sleepers that will be delivered starting next year but does not address additional coach passengers. A close examination of various Amtrak reports seems to imply that additional out of service coach cars will be rebuilt and short term work will be speeded up. The figures given were end of FY 2011 85% available and 2014 88% available. This formist suspects that this will not be sustanaible in the long run. The FEB performance report listed about 10 Amfleet cars that were waiting for parts and would not be finished on schedule. That problem can be traced back for on all the reports still on the Amtrak web site. Part of the problem traces to the conversion of cafe cars to coaches and Bear has found floors needing replacing at the cafe portion either conversions or straight repairs. Sounds like the cafe area floor was not speced properly. The expected total available cars is:: 2011 -- 1301; 2012 -- 1326; 2013 -- 1338; 2014 -- 1409 ( DELIVERY START OF NEW VIEWLINERS ). 2015 and 2016 figures show reductions in Heritage diners and baggage cars and no consideration of new Bi-levels or a follow on order of additional Viewliners.. .
Additional passenger car coach seats will not be delivered until about 2015 with the RFP for ~~ 130 bi-level cars announced last Friday. Amtrak's 5 year financial plans anticipate growth of passengers from now till 2015 so the question is how ?? Some of the growth will come of course from the new Viewliner - 2 sleepers that will be delivered starting next year but does not address additional coach passengers.
A close examination of various Amtrak reports seems to imply that additional out of service coach cars will be rebuilt and short term work will be speeded up. The figures given were end of FY 2011 85% available and 2014 88% available. This formist suspects that this will not be sustanaible in the long run. The FEB performance report listed about 10 Amfleet cars that were waiting for parts and would not be finished on schedule. That problem can be traced back for on all the reports still on the Amtrak web site. Part of the problem traces to the conversion of cafe cars to coaches and Bear has found floors needing replacing at the cafe portion either conversions or straight repairs. Sounds like the cafe area floor was not speced properly.
The expected total available cars is:: 2011 -- 1301; 2012 -- 1326; 2013 -- 1338; 2014 -- 1409 ( DELIVERY START OF NEW VIEWLINERS ). 2015 and 2016 figures show reductions in Heritage diners and baggage cars and no consideration of new Bi-levels or a follow on order of additional Viewliners.. .
So the Viewliner Car order is still on for next year 2013?
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