In The Spirit of TRAINS Magazine, Give A Letter Grade To (5)

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Silver Star

  • A+

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • A

    Votes: 3 8.8%

  • B+

    Votes: 7 20.6%

  • B

    Votes: 7 20.6%

  • C+

    Votes: 2 5.9%

  • C

    Votes: 3 8.8%

  • D

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • E

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I have not ridden this route

    Votes: 12 35.3%
  • Total voters
    34
rrdude

rrdude

Engineer
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
Messages
3,707
Location
Baltimore/DC Area
Whether you have ridden that train once, or fifty times, give your "overall" letter grade. What makes up the grade (OTP, cleanliness, crew attitude, scenery, food, amenities, etc., etc., is TOTALLY up to you)

If you feel like explaining your reasons, go for it!
 
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rrdude said:
Whether you have ridden that train once, or fifty times, give your "overall" letter grade. What makes up the grade (OTP, cleanliness, crew attitude, scenery, food, amenities, etc., etc., is TOTALLY up to you)

If you feel like explaining your reasons, go for it!
Click to expand...
rrdude

It would be helpful, and make the polls more accurate, to have a 'not taken this particular train' option, as one must respond to each question or one gets 'an error occured' message.

EDIT: THANKS, :hi: whoever added the option. I shall now vote away. -_-
 
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SS/SM: B. Give then a lounge that doesn't suck and they're a solid "A".

AT: Only thing holding this back from an A+ is the lack of capacity during high demand seasons. Although when you're bursting at the seams because you can't physically make the train longer, there isn't a whole lot you can do. It'd be nice if a second section of the train could run during the really crazy times - you could even make it passenger only and just tack all of the autoracks onto the main section. Or maybe have one of the Silvers Stop at the Auto Train stations during really high demand - put your car on the Auto Train and then take a Silver.
 
That's about worthless, since you didn't specify how you voted. Not to mention, a vote based on a single incident outside of Amtrak's control from 2 years ago, isn't really grounded in reality.
 
Ryan said:
That's about worthless, since you didn't specify how you voted. Not to mention, a vote based on a single incident outside of Amtrak's control from 2 years ago, isn't really grounded in reality.
Click to expand...
It is certainly relevant and grounded in reality, even if you just happen to not like anyone to mention Amtrak major shortcomings. :rolleyes:

How Amtrak handled the incident was completely, 100%, in Amtrak's control. Everything from how Amtrak failed totally to keep the on-board conductors advised on status, to how Amtrak failed totally to make any plans on how to run the trains once CSX cleared the tracks.

It would be pretty generous to give Amtrak even an F- for this, since Amtrak earned far, far less.
 
I ranked the Star lower than the Meteor, mainly 'cause I've ridden the Star much more often.

The Star's my hometown's only train, so I've got no other choice when leaving from here. But the staff have often seemed brusque and not very communicative, the bathrooms are in bad shape by the time they get to Columbia, SC, in the middle of their run. The scenery's not great, but that's hardly the train's fault! :D On the upside, the station staff here have always been helpful when a horde of people have it straining at the seams. Maybe I should ride it more often and my score might go up.

The Meteor saved my butt once when I got stranded in lil ol' Jesup GA, with no bus service. And my only trip in a sleeper was on the Meteor, and they served us well that evening.

Thanks for posting this poll - very interesting!
 
Cho Cho Charlie said:
Ryan said:
That's about worthless, since you didn't specify how you voted. Not to mention, a vote based on a single incident outside of Amtrak's control from 2 years ago, isn't really grounded in reality.
Click to expand...
It is certainly relevant and grounded in reality, even if you just happen to not like anyone to mention Amtrak major shortcomings. :rolleyes:

How Amtrak handled the incident was completely, 100%, in Amtrak's control. Everything from how Amtrak failed totally to keep the on-board conductors advised on status, to how Amtrak failed totally to make any plans on how to run the trains once CSX cleared the tracks.

It would be pretty generous to give Amtrak even an F- for this, since Amtrak earned far, far less.
Click to expand...
Much of that story is pure fiction. I saw the news reports in NY, that train's terminus. All the news services, save 1, had the same handful of people all complaining about not getting any info. One enterprising reporter for the local cable company found about 4 other passengers that were all incredulous at the stories being told by the attention seeking passengers who wanted the attention and perhaps some money. They all said that the conductors were on the PA about every 1/2 hour telling them something, even if it was to say that they had no new information.

And Amtrak did most things right too. Yes, they screwed up on the food once things became clear that the problems were going to continue. However, Amtrak held that train in Jacksonville for several hours. CSX assured Amtrak that they would have the problem cleared before that train from JAX would get to the site. So Amtrak sent the train on and CSX did not deliver on their promise.

Again, not saying that Amtrak did everything right. But much of what the press blamed Amtrak for was NOT true!
 

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