Worst part of Amtrak?

[eagle628]

What it says on the tin.

 

[fredevad]

What is the worst part of traveling by Amtrak?

Getting off the train at my destination....

 

[NY Penn]

Probably OTP (On Time Performance) or rude employees.

 

[bobnabq]

What it says on the tin.

Huh ? :wacko:

 

[eagle628]

What it says on the tin.

Huh ? :wacko:

An expression I have a habit of using; picked it up somewhere. I use it when the header of whatever the topic may be (email, title of forum thread, etc) is self explanatory.

 

[Peter KG6LSE]

Rude employees ..

 

[yarrow]

frequent schedule disruptions

 

[ReidTYK]

Rude OBS

 

[amamba]

I picked equipment. Even the FC acela cars have seats with broken recline and broken tray tables - not to mention some of the awful superliner sleeper issues like backed up toilets, really old/dated interiors, broken sinks, etc.

 

[Steve4031]

Rude employees.

 

[TimePeace]

Passengers on the train who are always complaining about Amtrak

 

[saxman]

What is the worst part of traveling by Amtrak?

Getting off the train at my destination....

Amen to that!

I chose service density, and I think frequency is a close second. From my perspective, I see people wanting to take the train all the time from A to B, but they can't. Even the long distance trains they want to take to get somewhere. Connections are key. When I volunteer in Dallas, the people most ask about service to Houston. The other top destinations from Dallas, that I get asked: Colorado, Memphis, Atlanta, New Orleans, and Florida. Sadly, I have to tell them about the circuitous route it will take to get to those places.

And being in the transportation industry, I don't think rude employees is Amtrak's biggest problem. Rude employees are in every industry, ie, the airlines.

 

[Acela150]

Mr. Acela150 would have put the poor selection of food on board the cafe cars! :lol: No in real terms this is a good list but I think the one thing I would have put is lack of equipment...

 

[Shanghai]

I selected Service Density. Ever try to get to Phoenix, AZ?

 

[amtkstn]

Having to board some trains at three and one in the morning.

 

[Gertie]

Special meals ordered but not put on board or not enough or wrong meals - once had three breakfasts and two chickens meals for two people on train when meals ordered were Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner/Breakfast/Lunch with the lunch and dinner being chicken fish and meat meals. Once when traveling with 2 adults and 2 children there were no meals. I have heard that this is very common with special meals. Always carry alternative food - this is really crazy when you are booking a room and the meals are included and you cannot eat the on board food.

 

[gswager]

Others- passengers' negative attitudes or behaviors like blabbering on phones.

 

[Bigval109]

I think the worst part of Amtrak is the starvation diet the congress has had them on for so long. The minute there is an emergency they want Amtrak to fill the void. Amtrak has always manage to do the most with so little. :mellow:

 

[Bigval109]

Others- passengers' negative attitudes or behaviors like blabbering on phones.

I so agree. I once was seated next to this lady who yak for hours on her cellfone. This was my first busybody She told everybody's business that she worked with. :angry: All I wanted was a little quiet.

 

[tracksentinel]

Far and away, Rude Staff, both on and off the trains.

 

[stntylr]

I really hate dirty toilets. It was the worst part of my 5 night in coach marathon I just took.

 

[sollins]

The freight lines they have to run on. Uncle Pete seems to be trying its best to drive out the CA Zephyr. I'm supposed to ride it with sleeper SAC to CHI then catch Cap Limited to Martinsburg. No way am I going to be able to make the connection so I'm already planning to spend the night in Chicago (the Greek restaurants just west of the station are really good). No sane country would let the freight ops have priority over passenger or expect passenger service to run without substantial govt subsidy. If Amtrak got the operating conditions and subsidies that the airlions do we'd have the world's best passenger RR system. But, despite all this, it's still my favorite way to travel!

 

[Phil S]

Rude staff? Occasionally. In general I find them to be a hoot. Spent a good half hour swapping war stories with the conductor on #8 a few months ago. And once he realized i was genuinely interested in Amtrak, he was happy to explain things to me, when he had time. I've had one "stick n the mud" sleeping car attendant, most of them are just great. Maybe it really helps to be in first class.Maybe it also helps to be interested in learning about Amtrak ops and what the real problems are. Maybe I'm just a good listener??

 

[hello]

.... TOTAL lack of communication by on-board crew ... especially when train is running late ....

 

[NorthCoastHiawatha]

.... TOTAL lack of communication by on-board crew ... especially when train is running late ....

I'll second that.