chrsjrcj
OBS Chief
I debated putting this in the Travelogues subforum, but with my final points it may be better off here.
I just finished riding the Adirondack, and short of the scenery, it is probably not a trip I will take anytime soon under its current conditions. I happened to ride the day after New Years, so the train was especially packed. I made sure to get to Penn Station over an hour before departure, in order to get a good window seat on the Lake Champlain side (I've seen the Hudson enough times). After having my passport checked, I stood in the boarding line with 1 hour to go before boarding would begin. Even then, there were probably 20 people ahead of me.
While waiting to board, multiple panhandlers solicited money from us including one who borderline threatened physical harm with a knife and wished that none of us would make it to our final destination. It's a shame that for many tourists, this is the side of the U.S. and Penn Station they'll see. It is really quite embarrassing. Even more tragic, of course, is the lack of homelessness services and mental health services available for many people.
Once on board, I was disappointed to see that all Montreal passengers were to sit in the Amfleet I coaches (I did walk the back of the train, but don't remember if they were Am I or Am II coaches). The 12 hour journey wasn't very comfortable in those more cramped coaches, and I felt guilty making my seatmate constantly get up for bathroom/cafe car runs.
Speaking of, the cafe was constantly packed. I felt bad for the attendant who worked non-stop (and was still very pleasant). The bathrooms became a bit of a mess by the end of the trip. Unlike long distance trains, there are no coach attendants on-board to maintain the bathrooms, and it shouldn't be the conductor's responsibility.
Of course, there is also the long wait at the border. That topic has been brought up here numerously and I wholeheartedly agree that it should be done at Montreal (and Toronto for the Maple Leaf). Even though the border agent spent less than 60 seconds questioning me/viewing my documentation, it took 2 hours to go through the train because of how crowded it was. Amtrak trains are hardly competitive with driving as it is, but this just exacerbates the problem.
As scenic as the trip is, I probably won't use the train again unless some changes are made.
1) Business class should be added. As far as I can tell, this is the only NYS funded train without business class. I wonder why?
2) Amtrak needs to add reserved seating to all trains. I know this is a hot topic, but it will greatly improve the boarding process. What is the point of being Select Plus or having lounge passes, if I have to que in line for an hour in order to get the seat I want? This is also necessary if you just want to sit next to your travel companion(s).
3) Amtrak should move to the VIA (and Brightline) model and stick the conductor in the locomotive with the engineer. Have a on board service manager whose #1 responsibility is the passengers. I have encountered some great conductors on Amtrak, but their main priority should be the safe operation of the train. It also would mean more space in the cafe car as 2 tables aren't taken up by the conductors.
4) Add a Viewliner Dining car. This is a bit more fantasy, but since Amtrak no longer has any dome cars, the Viewliner Dining car would make sightseeing a little easier.
I just finished riding the Adirondack, and short of the scenery, it is probably not a trip I will take anytime soon under its current conditions. I happened to ride the day after New Years, so the train was especially packed. I made sure to get to Penn Station over an hour before departure, in order to get a good window seat on the Lake Champlain side (I've seen the Hudson enough times). After having my passport checked, I stood in the boarding line with 1 hour to go before boarding would begin. Even then, there were probably 20 people ahead of me.
While waiting to board, multiple panhandlers solicited money from us including one who borderline threatened physical harm with a knife and wished that none of us would make it to our final destination. It's a shame that for many tourists, this is the side of the U.S. and Penn Station they'll see. It is really quite embarrassing. Even more tragic, of course, is the lack of homelessness services and mental health services available for many people.
Once on board, I was disappointed to see that all Montreal passengers were to sit in the Amfleet I coaches (I did walk the back of the train, but don't remember if they were Am I or Am II coaches). The 12 hour journey wasn't very comfortable in those more cramped coaches, and I felt guilty making my seatmate constantly get up for bathroom/cafe car runs.
Speaking of, the cafe was constantly packed. I felt bad for the attendant who worked non-stop (and was still very pleasant). The bathrooms became a bit of a mess by the end of the trip. Unlike long distance trains, there are no coach attendants on-board to maintain the bathrooms, and it shouldn't be the conductor's responsibility.
Of course, there is also the long wait at the border. That topic has been brought up here numerously and I wholeheartedly agree that it should be done at Montreal (and Toronto for the Maple Leaf). Even though the border agent spent less than 60 seconds questioning me/viewing my documentation, it took 2 hours to go through the train because of how crowded it was. Amtrak trains are hardly competitive with driving as it is, but this just exacerbates the problem.
As scenic as the trip is, I probably won't use the train again unless some changes are made.
1) Business class should be added. As far as I can tell, this is the only NYS funded train without business class. I wonder why?
2) Amtrak needs to add reserved seating to all trains. I know this is a hot topic, but it will greatly improve the boarding process. What is the point of being Select Plus or having lounge passes, if I have to que in line for an hour in order to get the seat I want? This is also necessary if you just want to sit next to your travel companion(s).
3) Amtrak should move to the VIA (and Brightline) model and stick the conductor in the locomotive with the engineer. Have a on board service manager whose #1 responsibility is the passengers. I have encountered some great conductors on Amtrak, but their main priority should be the safe operation of the train. It also would mean more space in the cafe car as 2 tables aren't taken up by the conductors.
4) Add a Viewliner Dining car. This is a bit more fantasy, but since Amtrak no longer has any dome cars, the Viewliner Dining car would make sightseeing a little easier.