Metropolitan Lounge Amenities

[denmarks]

I tried out the Metropolitan Lounges in Chicago and New Orleans and wonder why the amenities are so different. Chicago had free soda, coffee, bottled water, potato chips and pretzles. New Orleans only had coffee! Why?

It will be nice when the lounge in Chicago is remodeled. The temporary one is about as far away from the boarding gates as you can get and still be in the station.

 

[Anthony]

I think the one in New Orleans is not a full Metropolitan Lounge, but rather the "Magnolia Room", which is more of a first class waiting area than anything else. I've never been there, but I think I've read that from some other posters here in the past.

 

[AlanB]

I think the one in New Orleans is not a full Metropolitan Lounge, but rather the "Magnolia Room", which is more of a first class waiting area than anything else. I've never been there, but I think I've read that from some other posters here in the past.

Anthony is correct, the lounge in New Orleans is not considered a Metropolitan Lounge. It is only a first class waiting room, not a true lounge.

That is why you experienced differet levels of amenities.

 

[Amtrak Watcher]

There is a great deal of variety in the "club rooms." I like the one on Portland, Oregon. The one in Boston is very nice, and I think the one in Raleigh, NC is the smallest.

 

[battalion51]

I didn't even know they had one in Raleigh! :lol: I wonder if the State of NC paid to have it put in for the Carolinian and Piedmont Business Class passengers.

 

[Amfleet]

There are seperate first class waiting areas in Miami, New Orleans, Raliegh, and St. Paul. There are Metropolitan lounges in Chicago and Portland and Club Acela lounges in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington.

 

[jccollins]

I tried out the Metropolitan Lounges in Chicago and New Orleans and wonder why the amenities are so different. Chicago had free soda, coffee, bottled water, potato chips and pretzles. New Orleans only had coffee! Why?

Chicago has Amtrak bouncers :lol: at the door to keep out the coach passengers, New Orleans simply doesn't and it wouldn't make sense to hire a person to monitor the Magnolia Room that closely due to the relatively few people who use it compared to Chicago's Metropolitan lounge. With that in mind, if anything more than coffee was complimentarily (is that a word? :blink: ) available in NOL Magnolia Room it would be swarmed and overtaken by all the coach people.

 

[battalion51]

Complimentary is the word you're looking for JC.

 

[Chatter163]

Until recently, what were formerly called "separate waiting areas" in Miami and New Orleans are now called "Metropolitan Lounges" in the new Amtrak timetable. The room in Miami even has METROPOLITAN LOUNGE on the door.

When I boarded in Miami three weeks ago with my mother--for whom it was the first train trip in nearly thirty years--we used the Lounge. I expected to be called first for boarding, as in previous trips I always had been and had also been brought via golf cart to the front of the train. With my senior citizen mother there and with the long Super Silver train, I had hoped for the same service, but alas, there was no separate call. Everyone just jumped up and we found ourselves in a crowded line. I immediately asked at the window as to why the first class passengers were not boarded first, as has previously been the case. The woman behind the window, whom I recall as having been there for years, said she had never heard of such a thing. I responded by saying that in recent years I have never NOT been boarded first out of Miami. I asked the man checking tickets at the gate and he did have the golf cart immediately pull up and bring us to the front. I am not sure what is going on there; now that the waiting area is termed a Metroplotian Lounge, it seems even more appropriate to board these folks first.

 

[engine999]

Was there a seperate attendant only assigned for the lounge in the station?

 

[MrFSS]

When is the remodeling to be completed in Chicago? Anyone know?

 

[Anthony]

Complimentary is the word you're looking for JC.

"'complimentary' available" doesn't sound right, though

 

[Amfleet]

When is the remodeling to be completed in Chicago? Anyone know?

The project is slated to be finished by mid-September this year.

 

[jccollins]

Complimentary is the word you're looking for JC.

"'complimentary' available" doesn't sound right, though

I know guys, I was just being goofy. (And I am majoring in English, go figure). I should have just went back and reworded the thing but I was in a bit of a hurry.

 

[denmarks]

Was there a seperate attendant only assigned for the lounge in the station?

There is no attendant at all in New Orleans. In fact, it seemed that anyone who wanted coffee just came in and took it.

 

[jccollins]

There is no attendant at all in New Orleans. In fact, it seemed that anyone who wanted coffee just came in and took it.

When I was there last summer the Magnolia Room seemed to fend for itself in terms of keeping the coach passengers out. Since the doors have that reflective mirror paper on them from the main waiting room (and are well marked that iit is a first class only waiting area), most coach passengers are reluctant to try to sneak in since they don't know if there is an Amtrak employee in there who would chase them out. That said, the room was monitored by Amtrak staff pretty well and station personnel arrived to escort us for boarding the Sunset Ltd. before the masses.

 

[Miami Joe]

In the last 6 months, Amtrak has cut its manpower in Miami to drastic levels. :angry:

This has happened almost every department. The "upper" management folks are doing a great job of protecting themselves, as always. They have even promoted a few from within.

One year ago, a female car cleaner was promoted to a foreman II position. After 9 months, the manager tried to slip the paperwork for the promotion with other paperwork. Her promotion was was not accepted. Two months later, a new job was created for her. This was a Foreman III position to babysit the cleaners. Talk about a BIG payraise! Word has it she's Tommy's eyes while he's away in Sanford.

The manning has been cut to a few people in the station. Luggage is now tossed off the baggage cart in front of the train, instead of the carousel. There's no one to man it.

Usually a wheelchair is requested onboard and radioed ahead, along with cart requests. It's tough to catch a ride now. It's easier to stand and wave at carts going by, the crew is already leaving on the other side to avoid confrontations.

The conductor calls for first boarding, but with the train usually getting pushed to the station late every morning, he has to change into his uniform and get back to the train. Whoever is picking up the "slack" is inexperienced. The old-timers are using their seniority to avoid these jobs and it looks like part-timers from the extra board are filling the slots! :angry:

Miami Joe B)

 

[engine999]

It sounds like gunn needs to make a suprise inspection to Hialeah. Maybe if the extra mgt is cut there like it was elsewhere on the system, it will open up trade positions. Then work would actually get done ontime. I guess the figure is 2 managers required for one employee. Joe, maybe you should inform Mr. Gunn of this occurance.

 

[Miami Joe]

Gunn was here 1 1/2 years ago. Back then, it was run by different management. We got a whole new crew now.

Hialeah is now overseen by the guy who ran AutoTrain and the Sanford facility. He now controls the maintenance for NOL, SFD and HIA.

There is a person here, who has a relative in a very high position. h34r:

Word has it, Hialeah is the better of the 3 facilities! :blink: If this is the best, I don't want to see the others.

I do understand alot of the changes going on. Amtrak has been stuck in a fianancial time warp and is finding it very difficult catching up. They just started to maintain records nationally on maintenance costs by car number. Unfortunately, the workload and the conditions of the cars is causing them to pile up in the yard. waiting for inspection, repair,parts,etc.

He also says Hialeah is going to be a high profile facility in a few years. They are spending millions of dollars on the yard and new equipment right now. I just wonder if this is for TriRail in a few years? If TriRail starts running state-wide, Amtrak will pull out of lower Florida.

Miami Joe

 

[engine999]

I wonder if tri-rail(corperate) is considering switching from Herzog perfomed services to Amtrak. That is not a very good thought if Hialeah is the best of the 3 facilities. The auto train facility looks to be in a good working order, but its hard to tell from an outside view. I figure tri-rail will stay regional, but maybe in 20 years we will have a railnetwork linking major areas, but that could be conventional trains(not hsr). It hopefully will be a long time untill Amtrak service to sofla is serverd(I hope never).

 

[Miami Joe]

Last I heard, TriRail had filed suit against the FEC for use of its tracks.

A few years ago, a group of people took a 2 day trip from Miami to Jacksonville on Amtrak equipment. They had crews from CSX and FEC and the purpose of the trip was assess the track conditions, possible station locations and to rough out the start-up costs. I think Amtrak was considering the option to attract more riders. This was during Warrington's time in office. Of course, Amtrak didn't have the money then and the idea was dropped when Warrington left.

But TriRail must have liked the idea and tried to negotiate with FEC to run transit. FEC refused from the beginning and TRiRail got the state to apply pressure. Turns out later, that the two had already put a proposal together, and were going to seek federal funding for capital improvements.

Being rebuffed by FEC, TriRail filed suit with the state as a co-defendant.

I think this has alot to do with Jeb's pressure to halt HSR.

I think they could start service in 2 years and increase runs as the need dictates.

As far as I know, the state is happy with TriRail.

Miami Joe B)

 

[gswager]

Uh oh, another battle for the "Guilford" railroads, including UP and FEC.

 

[The Chief]

... The room in Miami even has METROPOLITAN LOUNGE on the door.

When I rode the Silver Star from Miami-NYC last December, I was taken by the golf cart to my Viewliner Sleeper.

Interestingly, I noticed the Miami station is almost identical to the St. Paul station, too. And the "Metropolitan Lounges" are very similar in each station. First Class Empire Builder passengers can enjoy the Minnesota lounge.