If the writer had been more experienced in the ways of Amtrak, he would have checked into the sleeper/dining car situation far more thoroughly before arriving at the station.

He didn't. So he encountered unwelcome surprises.

Personally, I'd be far less compliant and "sheep-like" if a crew member attempted to plant me in a seat I didn't want. Especially if the train was nearly empty.

I would have also insisted on being allowed to transfer to the next train out of Washington, rather than meekly sit there for two hours -- waiting for a relief crew -- as a succession of other northbound trains departed from right across the platform.

As for Amtrak's employees. . . some are truly worth their weight in gold. But others I've encountered would have a hard time holding down a job at Burger King.

Behold the power of labor unions.

However, I took issue with his using the oft misunderstood figure of subsidies per passenger, and why they don't accurately reflect the cost of running a given train. I then mentioned to him that the vast majority of Amtrak's subsidies go into the NEC infrastructure. When he wrote back he skirted the subsidy per passenger issue and only said that the NEC infrastructure is owned by Amtrak.

------------------
Sing to the tune of Humoresque:
Passengers will please refrain,
From flushing toilets while the train,
Is standing in the station,
I love you.

I agree.

I wish that the writer had had a better trip but I don't feel like he had a particular axe to grind.

I'm saddened by the state the Cardinal is in at this point in time having had a number of very pleasant trips on nearly full 7 superliner car Cardinal consists (2 sleepers, diner, lounge, 3 coaches) in recent years.

I'll add that I don't think that this was a particularly bad day for Amtrak in the east. My wife was on the Carolinian delayed four hours north of DC due to an engine failure. The train sat motionless with no explanation for hours near Aberdeen, MD. The crew completely disappeared from the site of increasingly hostile passengers.

I had my own issues aboard a delayed Carolinan (trackwork near Durham, NC) several days later. Unlike my fellow passengers I knew it was coming though.....I had seen the notice on the NCDOT website a couple of days before.

It's as if the entire 'Amtrak' thing has been one step up, two steps back. I see improvements but then aboard the train I'm amazed at how 'anti-customer' many individual employees are.

One brownie point though.......last week I called Amtrak to book passage using my guest reward points this summer on the Wyoming detoured California Zephyr (looking to add new miles to my collection). The very next day I had a phone call from someone at Amtrak to caution me that the train would be detoured around the Colorado Rockies and asking if I'd like to reschedule my trip for a 'more favorable' date. I thanked her for the call but declined telling her I wanted to be on the detoured train to begin with.

However, this article did seem "typical" of the east coast trains I have travelled. The author should be glad he got an electrical outlet. You are lucky to land an outlet on the old Superliners.

What was "typical" was that these were the reflections of a first-time east coast long haul traveller. A more experienced traveller would have boned up on his facts and been more critical of government funding for Amtrak, putting it into perspective with the massive subsidies that go to airlines and highways.

Had this writer been less miserable (and who can blame him for being miserable) then he would have said it was a miracle that Amtrak can keep its 30,000 mile network running for less money in a year than it takes to keep the 97 mile Bay Area Rapid Transit system going.

Anyway, he could have at least tried the cheese pizza in the cafe car (no preservatives or additives) and maybe had a drink or two of cabernet sauvignon. There are definitely ways to survive those horrid east coast trains and I don't think he was trying hard enough.