F
frank
Guest
I have to admit to experiencing an initial "yeah! Right On!" feeling when I read the stats that show the Zephyr up 40% this year over last, the EB up 27% for the same period. It's great to see ridership up, no doubt.
So this is really good news. America is starting to realize what you and I have known for decades, Amtrak is a way too cool way to get from point A to point B, whether for business, pleasure, or airline/car avoidance.
But, after the champagne bubbles have all sizzled and the confetti is all swept up, what's the outcome? Will Amtrak grab this opportunity and move forward and capitalize on this new zeal?
I wonder. Struggling with Congress' clenched fist on a quarterly basis for much needed greenbacks hampers her abilities to maintain, not to mention initiating the types of changes discussed on other areas of this forum......different types of sleepers, coach configurations, dining car improvements, etc. These much needed changes would, without a doubt, help to move this old lady into a new, 21st. century model that would find more and more people riding not out of anxiety, but for a new found love of which we all speak of on this forum.
And yet, the reality is all about how there aren't even enough cars and crews to keep up with the present, much less this bright future.
My concern is that......without foresightful funding, this newfound ridership will only mean a further out booking time for reservations, and larger delays to an already taxed system. More work for Amtrak employees, for the same pay. This seems to be the corporate world's answer to the hard economic times we've found ourselves in. Employees should deliver more for less. Corporation/government should find a way to deliver less for more. Pass it on.
Eventually, in a perfect world, I would love to see Amtrak unveiling new long distance consists that would blow people's minds. I'm not talking high speed stuff here. I don't like going fast. I like getting there with a good night's sleep, with memories of pastel countryside tapestries seen from the 4x6 window. Call me old fashioned, I don't mind. But at the same time, I could see converting a lounge car into a big screen high definition screen with screeming surround sound..... buy - a ticket type of theater that would make travel more exciting. New things for new times.
To recap, while I'm sure this increased ridership will improve Amtrak's bottom line, if for nothing else to solidify an argument to those politicians who don't realize her worth, I would hope that some forward thinking folks could start now to envision a way to grab a hold of this new paridigm and not only maintain it, but to push it way ahead of expectations.
That would be nice.
Frank
So this is really good news. America is starting to realize what you and I have known for decades, Amtrak is a way too cool way to get from point A to point B, whether for business, pleasure, or airline/car avoidance.
But, after the champagne bubbles have all sizzled and the confetti is all swept up, what's the outcome? Will Amtrak grab this opportunity and move forward and capitalize on this new zeal?
I wonder. Struggling with Congress' clenched fist on a quarterly basis for much needed greenbacks hampers her abilities to maintain, not to mention initiating the types of changes discussed on other areas of this forum......different types of sleepers, coach configurations, dining car improvements, etc. These much needed changes would, without a doubt, help to move this old lady into a new, 21st. century model that would find more and more people riding not out of anxiety, but for a new found love of which we all speak of on this forum.
And yet, the reality is all about how there aren't even enough cars and crews to keep up with the present, much less this bright future.
My concern is that......without foresightful funding, this newfound ridership will only mean a further out booking time for reservations, and larger delays to an already taxed system. More work for Amtrak employees, for the same pay. This seems to be the corporate world's answer to the hard economic times we've found ourselves in. Employees should deliver more for less. Corporation/government should find a way to deliver less for more. Pass it on.
Eventually, in a perfect world, I would love to see Amtrak unveiling new long distance consists that would blow people's minds. I'm not talking high speed stuff here. I don't like going fast. I like getting there with a good night's sleep, with memories of pastel countryside tapestries seen from the 4x6 window. Call me old fashioned, I don't mind. But at the same time, I could see converting a lounge car into a big screen high definition screen with screeming surround sound..... buy - a ticket type of theater that would make travel more exciting. New things for new times.
To recap, while I'm sure this increased ridership will improve Amtrak's bottom line, if for nothing else to solidify an argument to those politicians who don't realize her worth, I would hope that some forward thinking folks could start now to envision a way to grab a hold of this new paridigm and not only maintain it, but to push it way ahead of expectations.
That would be nice.
Frank