We had a terrific trip. A great time. Loved riding those trains.
But Amtrak sent me a survey today, and I decided to be honest.
I didn't even mention food, because it was okay. My Cajun shrimp thing was downright good. The food was a non-issue for me and my wife. I don't ride public transportation for the cuisine.
I didn't mention a couple of hours total of bad track, and the timekeeping was fine for someone in no hurry.
But the employees ...
This is what I put in the comments section:
Riding the train is great. In itself, it's terrific. But some of the on-board service and train-crew personnel are just plane rude. Hostile, even. Also, the crew took over an entire half of the cafe car and did not let anyone sit in that part. However, that did not stop one over-zealous employee from running people out of the other side immediately after you'd had your last bite or sip ... even if there were 2-3 empty tables. That same woman made a point of rudely embarrassing me in front of others when I, and old man, had accidentally left my fly open. (Nothing except a shirttail was showing.) We had a rude conductor, a rude cafe car attendant, and two rude car attendants. And a lot more who were indifferent at best. These people are on a power trip. They act like they are part of an elite clique, and customers are just a bother. I'd recommend Amtrak if someone really wants to ride a train. But the service level is simply not good. We rode four different Amtrak trains on our recent trip, and only two employees were friendly, courteous and helpful; and only one of those exceptionally so. (He was great.) I'm sorry to say you have a serious problem that needs fixing. I love trains, and I take no pleasure in complaining. But this is simply honest feedback.
Still in training.
That reminds me of my last trip on the Maple Leaf. I bought a beer in the cafe car and paid the attendant. He yelled, "Yo yo yo!" and came after me and grabbed the beer out of my hand. What did I do? I paid with dollar bills and some change. In the change was a Canadian dime. He gave me the change back and I gave him more bills and he was reluctant about giving me my change, like I'm going to tip this A-hole? I haven't ridden Amtrak since.
54light15That reminds me of my last trip on the Maple Leaf. I bought a beer in the cafe car and paid the attendant. He yelled, "Yo yo yo!" and came after me and grabbed the beer out of my hand. What did I do? I paid with dollar bills and some change. In the change was a Canadian dime. He gave me the change back and I gave him more bills and he was reluctant about giving me my change, like I'm going to tip this A-hole? I haven't ridden Amtrak since.
I can't speak for Amtrak policies but usually the guy handling the cash is in a position of having to balance at the end of the shift with the merchandise sold and the cash on hand. If he repeatedly falls short in other companies he is fired.
You would also think Joe Public would be generally honest. My view after having sat at a cash register in my own place is a full 30-40% tries to cheat you on the order, at the register, or feign a service/quality issue to see what free comp they can get. So I never blame Amtrak employees for being skeptical, though I do hold them accountable for communication skills and how they handle things in public.
As far as foriegn currency he shouldn't have made such a big deal about it. Probability you did not notice it was Canadian is pretty high. Was that whole episode really worth a dime in cash? I would have asked him if it was me.
This won't ever happen again because all onboard transactions are cash less now so you either pay by credit card or you go without.
Lithonia OperatorI didn't even mention food, because it was okay. My Cajun shrimp thing was downright good. The food was a non-issue for me and my wife. I don't ride public transportation for the cuisine.
I view Amtrak differently as the intent of it's creation was never to spend it's entire life on the Federal dole. Some folks have given up on Amtrak ever being self-sufficient. I have not and still see self sufficiency as Amtraks long-term goal.
CMStPnP Lithonia Operator I didn't even mention food, because it was okay. My Cajun shrimp thing was downright good. The food was a non-issue for me and my wife. I don't ride public transportation for the cuisine. I view Amtrak differently as the intent of it's creation was never to spend it's entire life on the Federal dole. Some folks have given up on Amtrak ever being self-sufficient. I have not and still see self sufficiency as Amtraks long-term goal.
Lithonia Operator I didn't even mention food, because it was okay. My Cajun shrimp thing was downright good. The food was a non-issue for me and my wife. I don't ride public transportation for the cuisine.
World class entities are not built from starvation. Amtrak has been starving for the entire half century of it existence. If Amtrak is ever to attain your view of it - it has to be fed on continuing basis without the need to beg every year to Congress.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
"This won't ever happen again because all onboard transactions are cash less now so you either pay by credit card or you go without."
Ya know, I just pulled a dollar bill out of my wallet and printed right on it is "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private"
So how does anyone, let alone Amtrak, get away with saying, "We don't accept cash"? In this litigious society, I'm surprised no one hasn't challenged that policy, somewhere...
And why should Congress give one penny to Amtrak? If it can't make money offering service that people want, it means they don't care, so let it go under. We have plenty of other things in this country to spend money on. You may like riding trains, I may like riding trains, that doesn't mean that our neighbors shouldm support our hobby.
Why should be Amtrak be priviliged over the widget maker across town. If said widget maker can't sell them because nobody wants them, why shouldn't he go under with no government intervention? Same applies to Amtrak.
That's the biggest objection to the California "High Speed Rail" boondogle. If there's a market there - a chance to make money - don't you think the bright boys and girls on Wall Street would be stabbing each other in the back for a piece of the action? The fact it has to be government funded says enough people don't want it enough to pay for it, in other words, it's a money loser.
Once the airlines start building airports and paying air traffic controllers, and the automakers build the streets and highways, then I'll stop thinking that railroads should be subsidized in modern societies. All developed countries do it; but somehow Amtrak is supposed to be the exception that does what air and highway transportation don't: be self-sufficient.
However, Amtrak should be like a private company when it comes to canning lousy employees.
Lithonia OperatorOnce the airlines start building airports and paying air traffic controllers, and the automakers build the streets and highways, then I'll stop thinking that railroads should be subsidized in modern societies. All developed countries do it; but somehow Amtrak is supposed to be the exception that does what air and highway transportation don't: be self-sufficient.
Well stated - don't forget to have the Barge lines finance the inland waterways and their control systems.
BEAUSABRE "This won't ever happen again because all onboard transactions are cash less now so you either pay by credit card or you go without." Ya know, I just pulled a dollar bill out of my wallet and printed right on it is "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private" So how does anyone, let alone Amtrak, get away with saying, "We don't accept cash"? In this litigious society, I'm surprised no one hasn't challenged that policy, somewhere...
It hasn't been challenged on Amtrak, but it has been challenged in several states where certain businesses had adopted a "cash free" policy. I don't remember which ones, but laws were passed mandating that if cash is offered it must be accepted.
I always thought it was Federal law that cash must be accepted if offered, it is Federal legal tender after all, but it turns out that's not the case.
BaltACDWorld class entities are not built from starvation. Amtrak has been starving for the entire half century of it existence. If Amtrak is ever to attain your view of it - it has to be fed on continuing basis without the need to beg every year to Congress.
I agree 100% and this was also stated more or less by the former Delta Airlines CEO. Hopefully Amtrak sticks firmly to that position instead of waffling again down some dreamed up alternate path. All for a stable source of funding that allows stability and some growth experimentation without Congress having to authorize it each budget year. Though I would also like a performance criteria on new Amtrak projects as well, if they choose to expand that the expansion has to meet minimum revenue thresholds vs massively loosing money.
Additionally, I am encouraged by the contracted consolidation with Amtrak reservations and Texas Central in Texas. That was a very intelligent move towards additional revenue and ridership at really not much extra cost to Amtrak. I am not sure they signed that deal yet but I heard Amtrak is at least negotiating it with Texas Central management or vice versa.
Older and less enlightened versions of Amtrak Management would have not taken that step with Texas Central.
BEAUSABREAnd why should Congress give one penny to Amtrak? If it can't make money offering service that people want, it means they don't care, so let it go under.
Keep in mind that philosophy would destroy the airline industry. In which Congress has stepped in several times and invested close to if not over $50 Billion since 2000 in subsidies to keep it afloat after 9-11, during the pandemic, etc. The hands off approach has basically destroyed the long distance bus system we used to have. Passengers are abandoning specific legs or modes of transport because they operate in their own silo, irrespective of everything else.
One problem with a fully capitalist and laissez-faire transportation system is the different modes compete with each other for the larger share of the profit instead of cooperate for the shortest transit time.
Cooperation should be the goal to maximize the economic utility of each mode and we would have a more robust economy with much shorter transit times for people and freight if we could get cooperation between the modes. We have it partially in small areas but it would be really nice if we could get full cooperation with attention paid more to the shortest transit time then the who gets the larger slice of the profit.
Flintlock76I always thought it was Federal law that cash must be accepted if offered, it is Federal legal tender after all, but it turns out that's not the case.
Despite all the PR and News Releases, just about nobody in the country is clued into the REAL TIME PAYMENTS model we are moving to in this country that will be here in 2-3 years. It's ahead of schedule so likely to be here sooner rather than later. That will be the next shock. If you present a check for payment the credit check to see if you have funds to cover the check will happen before you leave the register. Just think how many will be zapped when that is implemented.
CMStPnP Flintlock76 I always thought it was Federal law that cash must be accepted if offered, it is Federal legal tender after all, but it turns out that's not the case. Despite all the PR and News Releases, just about nobody in the country is clued into the REAL TIME PAYMENTS model we are moving to in this country that will be here in 2-3 years. It's ahead of schedule so likely to be here sooner rather than later. That will be the next shock. If you present a check for payment the credit check to see if you have funds to cover the check will happen before you leave the register. Just think how many will be zapped when that is implemented.
Flintlock76 I always thought it was Federal law that cash must be accepted if offered, it is Federal legal tender after all, but it turns out that's not the case.
COVID is athe great excuse to stop taking cash. Solves the problem of employee wage enhancement and will usually result in someone spending more money then they planned.
I agree with you that cash acceptance is the way it should be. Nevertheless, I think the word "debt" is what the cashless advocates are using as an excuse. If they notify you up front, perhaps in some purchase agreement, that only credit cards are accepted, then you will not be indebted to them since the purchase can not be completed using cash.
Lithonia Operator. Also, the crew took over an entire half of the cafe car and did not let anyone sit in that part.
Interesting....this is happening at our local Big-Box stores as well. Since the stores do not provide employee lounges, their employees are taking up the customer convenience benches for their breaks. Makes the shopping experience less than optimal for any shopper looking toward a "Mid shopping" breather.
I wonder if the Amtrak employees are similarly at the mercy of an employer who wont provide them a dedicated lounge?
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