...
I can tell you that Amtrak employees care, and have pride in their work. I speak from almost 100 years of Amtrak employment in my direct family!
Congratulations, and thanks to your family -- and to the greater Amtrak family -- for all the good work.
Has morale improved?
I'd been wondering if morale has improved in any noticeable way among Amtrak employees over the past 6 or 7 years.
The President, Vice President, and two Secretaries of Transportation have supported Amtrak, instead of attacking and undermining it. Along with almost 8 years of steady leadership from Joe Boardman being able to run the company without constant strife and drama.
While massive problems remain, from crippling equipment shortages and 3-day-a-week trains to obsolete facilities, equipment, and technology to uncooperative host railroads, things are looking better, and could get much better fairly soon.
Farebox recovery has reached a nice level -- is 93% an Amtrak record?
Acelas and
Regionals are showing operating surpluses above the rails. Ridership has grown nationwide, and growth is limited now largely by the lack of railcars to carry more riders. Tweaks in Virginia and Maine have added mileage to the system and proved there is pent-up demand for more routes and more service.
With the equipment fleet, first 90+ cars were recovered from the wreck yard. Now 70 brand spanking new baggage cars are birds in hand, along with almost all the 70 electric locomotives, all ordered on Boardman's watch, as well as two Talgo trainsets, ready for the upgraded
Cascades service. The 25 new Viewliner diners are coming next year, and the 30ish sleepers by the year after. Still in the bush are the diesel locomotives and the bi-levels coaches for the Midwest and Pacific Coast trains. A mega-order for Acela IIs could come any day now.
Meanwhile, within two years, substantial upgrades are coming on line in Illinois and Michigan and Seattle-Portland, as well as lesser improvements on NC's Piedmont route and in NY State.
Not to forget that labor relations seem to have been drama-free under Boardman.
So are the employees feeling better about Amtrak -- seeing it from the inside -- and feeling better about their jobs and themselves? Seeing Amtrak from the outside it should seem so, but I'm asking.