Bro-cation 2015: DEN/EMY/PDX/WFH/MSP

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snvboy

snvboy

Service Attendant
Joined
Jan 11, 2015
Messages
163
Location
Virginia
Not a long write up, but a LOT of pictures. https://snvboy.exposure.co/brocation-2015

My best friend and I take a vacation together every summer. Usually this is a 3 day weekend of canoeing and camping. This year he wanted to try out the long-distance Amtracking that I'm always raving about.

Denver to Emeryville on the California Zephyr.

Emeryville to Portland on the Cost Starlight.

Portland to Whitefish to St. Paul on the Empire Builder.

All the photos are at the link above.
 
Overall we had an incredible and enjoyable journey. The weather was perfect, scenery great, met some interesting folks on the train as usual. Lost count of how many hands of cribbage were played as well as how many beverages were consumed (those might be related).

My friend, and I, were both underwhelmed by the food and the service. Both topics have been hashed (ha, food pun) ad naseum on this forum. While we might do another "guys" trip on Amtrak, I doubt he will be taking his family on an Amtrak trip - or at least not one that is more than 1 night each way. I think part of that was my friend having higher expectations than me. And my expectations here were certainly challenged as well, and those expectations have steadily dropped with every Amtrak trip over the year.

I'll definitely be traveling on Amtrak again, though more and more that's a decision made despite Amtrak and not because of it. I enjoy the pace, space, and escape of the train. It frustrates me, though, that Amtrak could put about 15% more effort into their service and really move up the expectations curve.
 
I totally agree on the service part of it. We took the Zephyr from Osceola to Sacramento and back last week. On the way out the service was GREAT. We were greeted when we got on the train. She made many announcements about stops and what to see in addition to the conductor. Are baskets were emptied etc. The dining car service was fantastic. The food was great.

On the way home 3 days later our attendant was never around & the only announcements were of her breaks. No greetings & limited sightings of her. The dining car service & quality was no better. All the salads for the entire evening meal were stacked on the table waiting to be served for the 3 hours it takes. When our seatmates from coach asked about desert. He showed them the box of choices & we explained the differences. They were given the desert with the cellophane still on.

Yes, more effort could be made in the service department for some employees to really make the trip fantastic for the passengers. If that would have been our first trip on the return I'm sure it would have made a bad impression on us. As it was, I knew from experience it can be wonderful.
 
Please let Amtrak CR ( call, don't email or snail mail, it's free) know about your trip, Both the Good and the Bad Crews.

Lazy,uncaring Chicago 'tude OBS like you had on #6 need to be reported, and retrained or de-trained!
 
MnMotherMary said:
Awesome photos! Aren't you glad we have a decent station to arrive and depart from?
Click to expand...
Thanks!

And not sure which station you had in mind - I'm guessing SPUD. They did a wonderful job on the restoration, but there's nothing there. A giant empty hall. Washington Union Station will always feel like the "home" station for me. I worked for a stretch on Capitol Hill, and had lunch there practically every day. The difference between a house and a home is the people living in it.

Denver station was lovely as well, but we were only there for about 15min before boarding the train - which we almost missed. No announcements were made for boarding in the station, at least none that we heard. After a while my buddy and I both looked around and said "Hey - where did everybody go?"
 
Please let Amtrak CR ( call, don't email or snail mail, it's free) know about your trip, Both the Good and the Bad Crews.

Lazy,uncaring Chicago 'tude OBS like you had on #6 need to be reported, and retrained or de-trained!
Click to expand...
Bob Dylan/ engineer--- Just call the regular number & ask for an agent or????
 
Last edited by a moderator:
MnMotherMary said:
Please let Amtrak CR ( call, don't email or snail mail, it's free) know about your trip, Both the Good and the Bad Crews.

Lazy,uncaring Chicago 'tude OBS like you had on #6 need to be reported, and retrained or de-trained!
Click to expand...
Bob Dylan/ engineer--- Just call the regular number & ask for an agent or????
Click to expand...
Call 1800-USA-RAIL, when Julie the Computer answers, ask for "Agent" till you get one. Then when the Regular Amtrak Agent answers ask for Customer Relations and give you're report to them!
 
Last edited by a moderator:

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