NPR story on the Southwest Chief

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I get frustrated by these stories from reporters unfamiliar with Amtrak. They almost always make a big deal of the fact that the overnight train "loses money," and they give the impression that no one rides these trains. (On this story, he mentioned all the empty seats during his ride--then at the end did point out that the Chief was sold out ABQ to LA. An earlier story also gave the misleading impression that ridership on the Empire Builder was low.)

These reporters need some schooling about how with conventional accounting, overnight trains have almost never made money. The NPR page has a Contact button at the bottom; use it to set them straight (address it to the show Morning Edition, where it aired.)
 
CoachSlumber said:
I get frustrated by these stories from reporters unfamiliar with Amtrak. They almost always make a big deal of the fact that the overnight train "loses money," and they give the impression that no one rides these trains. (On this story, he mentioned all the empty seats during his ride--then at the end did point out that the Chief was sold out ABQ to LA. An earlier story also gave the misleading impression that ridership on the Empire Builder was low.)

These reporters need some schooling about how with conventional accounting, overnight trains have almost never made money. The NPR page has a Contact button at the bottom; use it to set them straight (address it to the show Morning Edition, where it aired.)
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I'm not going to defend every media story about trains ever, but I found very little objectionable in this piece. The reporter included some actual data about ridership. I'm not clear what you think needs to be "set straight" in this case. Are you saying that the SW is a profit-making train for Amtrak?

OlympianHiawatha said:
Anything I hear on NPR I give about as much value as what the Neighborhood Tom buries in the side yard.
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So when the reporter says that the "views are amazing" from the SW Chief you disagree? When the reporter interviews people about the value of LD rail service in terms of local economic development, you think that's equivalent to a dead rodent? Did you even bother listening to the story?
 
Interesting story. Much of it was about the town of Las Vegas, NM. (I live in Albuququerque, NM)

I feel much of the "info" about Amtrak was incorrect. The NPR story, dated September 17, 2015 kept mentioning the possibility of rerouting the SWC.

But a decision was made some weeks ago to keep the present route.

As for 'all those empty seats', I've ridden (?) the SWC east bound and west bound and have not noted lots of empty seats.

Maybe (I'm thinking) because there is only one train a day in each direction.
 
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I thought that the story was reasonable. Long-distance trains are beloved in the abstract especially in the communities that they serve but are also viewed as slow and often late.
 
fairviewroad said:
CoachSlumber said:
I get frustrated by these stories from reporters unfamiliar with Amtrak. They almost always make a big deal of the fact that the overnight train "loses money," and they give the impression that no one rides these trains. (On this story, he mentioned all the empty seats during his ride--then at the end did point out that the Chief was sold out ABQ to LA. An earlier story also gave the misleading impression that ridership on the Empire Builder was low.)

These reporters need some schooling about how with conventional accounting, overnight trains have almost never made money. The NPR page has a Contact button at the bottom; use it to set them straight (address it to the show Morning Edition, where it aired.)
Click to expand...
I'm not going to defend every media story about trains ever, but I found very little objectionable in this piece. The reporter included some actual data about ridership. I'm not clear what you think needs to be "set straight" in this case. Are you saying that the SW is a profit-making train for Amtrak?

OlympianHiawatha said:
Anything I hear on NPR I give about as much value as what the Neighborhood Tom buries in the side yard.
Click to expand...
So when the reporter says that the "views are amazing" from the SW Chief you disagree? When the reporter interviews people about the value of LD rail service in terms of local economic development, you think that's equivalent to a dead rodent? Did you even bother listening to the story?
Click to expand...
"Are you saying that the SW is a profit-making train for Amtrak?" No, but that information should have been in the context of: Scheduled long-distance trains don't make money period. If you didn't know that, you might think there was something especially woeful about the Chief.
 
Until Amtrak (i.e., the U.S. Congressional Committee that funds Amtrak) decides to get serious, put up the funds to re-build/re-hab the entire passenger rail system the entire passenger rail system will continue to loose money. You'll never attract sufficent ridership when what you have to offer is woefully antiquated, both in reliability, time to travel (it takes longer TODAY to go Chicago to New York than it did in the 1930's!!) bad service, (yes, BAD SERVICE) ......... come on people,..... reality here, ....., PLEASE!!.....we've all encountered far TOO MANY "Toxic" Amtrak Service People.........bad food, no food (which is really unexcuseable because one time it's great and next time, the same menu selection is garbage, which proves they CAN get it right if they make the effort)........disgusting toilets.......all you regular riders know this.......

The WORST POSSIBLE thing we can do is let the bad service etc. "slide",..... make excuses for it and ignore the problems.

Until everyone can start speaking the 100% honest truth, nothing will change.....and ridership, in the numbers needed to make it "profitable" will not happen....people simply won't "vote" with their dollars for bad service, period.

Don't get me wrong...I want to love Amtrak, and I DO love Amtrak...after only two long distance round trips, ...when it works like it should...which today is less then 50% of the time. And I want Amtrak to be there for me in the future...and as the US population (we Baby Boomers) age....and finds it more and more difficult to endure the rigors of flying AND has the TIME to travel by train a whole new HUGE market opens up to Amtrak, IF, and ONLY IF Amtrak can deliver on its promises.............

Noise, people, NOISE, ACTIVISIM and MORE NOISE. Get off your duffs, write, WRITE your Congressional Rep, at the State, Commonwealth and Federal level and voice your support of Amtrak and DEMAND adequate funding. After all, it IS YOUR TAX DOLLARS!!

And as far as subsidies............Tell me the BIGGEST FEDERALLY subsidized transit system, The Interstate Highway System should be privitized, or go unfunded or???

If Amtrak was given the same percentage $$ subsidy the Interstate System receives......
 
I heard this story as I was rushing out the door this morning...I didn't hear anything in regard to the SWC being rerouted, but rather the story seemed to imply that the train might be cancelled outright unless the tracks were rehabilitated. So that's now the betting line, SWC bites the dust?
 
I wrote NPR about that story, which I felt was unnecessarily negative. Granted, Amtrak has big faults, but there are good points about the service.

On another topic, I just received a reply from one of Mr. Boardman's lieutenants. I complained about delays due to broken down locomotives and tacky dining car service. Not to my surprise, it was mostly a bunch of corporate BS. Terms like " business lines " whatever they are, rub me the wrong way.
 
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