The December Amtrak Open Board Meeting

[Carl Fowler]

I was able to participate through Zoom in the Amtrak Board of Directors "public" meeting held yesterday in Richmond, VA. There was nothing radically new revealed, but I did get answers to several questions through their response to Q&A questions I submitted through Zoom, which was unexpected. I'll summarize those responses in a moment, but first permit me some general observations.

I want to note though that Amtrak representatives took a very positive tone at this session and were respectful (and receptive to listening to) all participants.

It is a misnomer to call this a public Amtrak Board meeting, as the actual formal Board meeting took place in the morning and was not open. What was offered was similar to a media presentation and then a public hearing. But it was well worth three hours time!

From 100-230PM Amtrak presented a slide program on its 2023 accomplishments and some future plans, and provided a forum for the Virginia and North Carolina DOT passenger chiefs to explain their on-going efforts to expand service (and speed it up) in those states. This was interesting, although if you follow the rail media there was really nothing not known before coming into this session--except perhaps the remarkable patronage surges continuing in both states. I don't mean to be dismissive here. The state/Amtrak partnerships are vital nationwide and Virginia and North Carolina have much to show for their investments.

I was pleased to hear that as track upgrades are completed Virginia plans "near hourly" service Richmond to Washington and to add further trains to Newport News and Norfolk and is actively working to extend the Roanoke trains to the New River Valley in western Virginia. North Carolina sees another frequency for the Piedmont Corridor and future extensions to Asheville, and Wilmington, plus the restoration of the old Seaboard Airline Railway "S LIne" from Raleigh, NC to Petersburg, VA, which they anticipate will take an hour out of CAROLINIAN running times.

From 230-400PM was the public Board Meeting. This began with brief remarks from Board Chair Anthony Coscia and Board members Tom Carper and Amit Bose (the FRA administrator), followed by several slide presentations by Amtrak Vice Presidents. This included brief views of possible car designs and further discussion of "Amtrak Connects" new and upgraded route possibilities.

But mostly this was a Q&A and that represents its best value to advocates. In-person attendees were given a opportunity to ask detailed questions (and briefly to follow-up on the answers), while Zoom attendees could submit written questions through a Zoom Q&A portal and, happily, those questions were not lost in the Zoom ether. For example as I noted, four of my five Zoom queries got addressed. I wasn't satisfied necessarily with all of the answers, but they were evaded either.

I hope Amtrak and/or the RPA will post the public presentations and the meeting Q&As shortly. I will share my questions that got answered, and quickly note what was not.

I asked if the Superliner coaches leased to California might be recalled to increase long haul capacity, as California is now taking delivery of an entire fleet of new Siemens Venture cars. Amtrak President Roger Harris dismissed this idea because California has paid to renovate the leased Superliners. That did not address why they should stay in California indefinitely--at least not if California won't actually buy them.

Harris also addressed a related suggestion. I had asked if the Superliners assigned to run as empty axle count cars to the SALUKI and ILLINI Chicago-Carbondale trains might be released to revenue service. Sleepers and diners, as well as coaches, have been forced into this rotation to satisfy the CN's contention that only 7-8 car trains are long enough to trigger their signals and gates. I asked if Amtrak might utilize some leased/borrowed first generation commuter cars from NJ Transit or Metra, in lieu of vital Superliners running empty daily. Bob Johnston at Trains covered this situation recently and Harris echoed Bob's article by saying he hoped a solution was at hand, but did not describe what that might be. Essential he hoped for "something soon".

I asked if Amtrak had considered offering a lie-flat bed accommodation as a moderately priced sleeper upgrade ("Slumbercoach") on its soon to be ordered new long-haul fleet. Amtrak's Norm Ford responded that they thought this was probably inappropriate on multi-night routes. Because there was no chance to interact/follow-up through Zoom I couldn't point out this was not to replace regular coach or sleepers, but to offer an alternate revenue stream between low coach and usually staggeringly high First Class sleepers.

The answer I did like came from Mr. Harris in response to my question asking if they would stop the practice on the LH trains with only a single diner-lounge car (think the TEXAS EAGLE, CAPITOL LIMITED, CRESCENT, CARDINAL) of the crew taking all the lounge seats as "crew rest areas", thus preventing coach passengers from enjoying the ability to socialize, eat and relax in a lounge setting as well as at their seats. Harris responded that he was aware of this, felt it was wrong and that there would be a concerted effort to stop this. If this happens I will be truly grateful. This practice truly twists the knife on coach riders. Not only are they still excluded from the ability to buy a proper meal in the diner on all eastern routes, as well as on the TEXAS EAGLE, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS and CAPITOL LIMITED Superliners, but insult is added to injury if they can't even socialize in the lounge car.

Another attendee asked the obvious follow up question--eg. when will "Traditional Dining" be restored on the routes still offering only the "Fresh and Contemporary" (TV Dinner) menu and when will all Amtrak diners welcome coach riders. The news here from Mr. Harris was the suggestion that their next food service priority will be to restore diner service on the CRESCENT. As to coach access, to paraphrase a vague answer they "are working on it" but did not commit to a date. The excuse that "we're working out the kinks" in the service on the Silver Fleet trains is getting a bit old. They key to coach access on trains like the SILVER METEOR will be adding a server to the dining car crew. This will be true on the LAKESHORE, CRESCENT, CARDINAL, TEXAS EAGLE, CITY OF NERW ORLEANS and CAPITOL as well.

One question not at all well answered in my view was why can't the Board meetings all be open. Chairmam Coscia basically sighted the need to protect corporate secrets--particularly spending priorities--but that is what "Executive Sessions" are for. But even if the "meat" of live Board sessions must remain private what about outcomes? I asked (but the question was not answered) why at least can't Board Minutes be routinely issued without FOIA (Freedom of Information) requests?

Attached is a copy of Amtrak's genuinely impressive 2023 accomplishments report. This is impressive, particularly the continued growth in ridership. Amtrak acknowledged at the meting that lack of capacity restrained growth--particularly on the National Network--which begs the question of why obvious remedies like contracting out some of the car renovations that are backed up at Beech Grove isn't a priority and again, why not recall the California Superliners even if that meant adjusting lease terms to help compensate California for any work done above essential routine maintenance.

The meeting closed with Amtrak promising that next year's open Board meeting will be in the west. All Aboard!

https://media.amtrak.com/2023/11/amtrak-fiscal-year-2023-ridership-exceeds-expectations-as-demand-for-passenger-rail-soars/

[CMStPnP]

I already have an opinion on this but curious what your opinion is when you hear Business Executives talk like this in generalities and avoiding details.......consistently?    To me it's always a red flag.   Now you might pass it off as if they misunderstood your question if it only happened once.   Repeatedly, I don't think so.     Additionally, compare their answers to how Wes Edens answered questions about Brightline.     Wes sounds passionate and ethusiastic.    Amtrak officials above sound more like they are there for the paycheck and trying to stay out of trouble with their remarks but not all that interested in running the business.

One other thing is that you do not have to wait for the next Board meeting you can have an indirect discussion with Amtrak any time of your chosing.   Two methods there.   First call a Congressperson from your state if you have one on the Transportation sub-committee or committee.   Usually their staff is in contact with Amtrak management once a month or once a quarter.      Second method is to Email the Amtrak Passenger Advocates, they have one for Long Distance and one for Corridor Service.    Don't have their emails offhand but you can find them somewhere in the fine print of the Amtrak website, or else use Google.   I am sure there are other approaches here.