Downeaster ridership down in 2003
- Thread starter Superliner Diner
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battalion51
Engineer
That's really too bad to hear. The factors that the Globe listed certainly seem like they would be deterants to travellers. Despite bad weather and delays here on East Coast service, I have noticed a steady increase in passenger volume's with trains peaking around Richmond going north, and Winter Park Southbound.
Amtrak Watcher
Lead Service Attendant
This kind of news adds further validity to Mr. Gunn's emphasis on getting what's already existing working better. To the extent routes can be fast, reliable and predictable, ridership will increase. Though most "railfans" I meet on the long distance trains seem to tolerate delays and are ready to be flexible in their schedules, new riders need predictable schedules.
That's it in a nutshell Amtrak_Watcher. People need schedules that they can count on. If the LD trains were more reliable I suspect that you would see an increase in ridership. Would it be enough to make them profitable? I don't know. However it would certainly help to decrease the losses that many in Congress are crying about.Amtrak Watcher said:
Here in the Northeast the volume of riders is quite high. The reason, the trains are largely on time. If Congress really wanted to fix Amtrak's problems, they would find a way to make the freight RR's keep Amtrak trains on time.
battalion51
Engineer
I am a firm believer that if this system is ever going to work Fed's need to do the dispatching, much like the FAA does the airlines. This way the freights can always say "We want this to be high priority," but it will still always take a back seat to passenger trains as they should.
Amtrak Watcher
Lead Service Attendant
Interesting concept from The Chief.
As someone who takes the long distance trains (mostly in the west) often, and only on business trips, I remain convinced that predictable schedules in the west would sharply increase ridership, and that full trains would bring enough political clout to Amtrak to prevent destructive Congressional meddling. People seem to naturally like trains and the easy luxury they afford. But most people need to make plans too. I often have to reluctantly fly to my appointments instead of taking Amtrak only because my schedule does not allow for uncertain arrival times.
As someone who takes the long distance trains (mostly in the west) often, and only on business trips, I remain convinced that predictable schedules in the west would sharply increase ridership, and that full trains would bring enough political clout to Amtrak to prevent destructive Congressional meddling. People seem to naturally like trains and the easy luxury they afford. But most people need to make plans too. I often have to reluctantly fly to my appointments instead of taking Amtrak only because my schedule does not allow for uncertain arrival times.
AW,Amtrak Watcher said:
It is indeed an interesting concept and one that we've talked about before on the board. Sadly we are a very long way away from ever achieving such a concept. Plus I'm sure that the freight RR's would fight such a concept with great vigor.
I don't know if there are any legal ways, like eminent domain, that the Federal government could use to do this. It would however, be one of the best things that could happen to Amtrak.
You are indeed correct that, if people could be sure about being on time most of the time, they would take the train. Just look at the Northeast Corridor. Acela Express technically takes longer than the air shuttles to go from NY to DC. However, thanks to Acela running from downtown to downtown, a frequent schedule that by and large is generally on time, plus no huge security checks, and the general comfort; Acela now owns the market between NY and DC.
Business people have learned that they can depend on the train. That coupled with the amenities, has now encouraged them to take the train over the plane.
Amtrak Watcher
Lead Service Attendant
Indeed, my casual conversations with new business travelers on the long distance routes in the west suggest schedules do not have to be on a knife’s edge. Arrivals within something like 2 percent of a trip’s duration (1 to 2 hours for the long distance trains of the west) seems acceptable. I regularly meet new business travelers on the long distance trains in the west who try Amtrak as an alternative to the tedium of today’s air travel. Sadly, most do not return simply because of the uncertainty in arrivals. The success in the north east proves the travel time is not an issue. Deliver predictable schedules, and I’m sure the trains, all of them, will be full all the time. The occasional delay of up to two hours is easily accommodated by the service staff. Elsewhere in this forum I disclosed a recent 8-hour delay on the Texas Eagle made tolerable by a special dinner (a very pleasant surprise) put on by the diner car staff, which brought public applause from what would have otherwise been an annoyed group of riders.
Even with the occasional jerk among the service staff, I am routinely impressed by the patience and dedication of Amtrak employees. It seems a real shame to me that all the components of a good passenger rail system are in place; it only lacks relatively minor money, which is freely handed out to other entities within and outside of government, most with questionable benefit, quite off handedly.
Even with the occasional jerk among the service staff, I am routinely impressed by the patience and dedication of Amtrak employees. It seems a real shame to me that all the components of a good passenger rail system are in place; it only lacks relatively minor money, which is freely handed out to other entities within and outside of government, most with questionable benefit, quite off handedly.
Superliner Diner
Conductor
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