at the Amtrak website?
Posted by HopefulRailUser (Member # 4513) on :
Yes, I rather liked it. Now, is there a way to get potential riders to see it?
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Had a look at it. It certainly has potential. But the "feature story" on the Empire Builder, I suspect, was solicited by Amtrak from a travel writer to "jump-start" the feature. It is awfully sunny, without even a single mild negative observation.
This is the kind of journalism we see in "booster" magazines designed to sell a particular region to tourists. Nothing wrong with it as such, but it needs to be taken with a grain of salt -- the reader needs to realize he's reading only one side of a story, the side the marketers want him to see.
I hope Amtrak has the courage to allow riders to post stories that tell the truth -- that discuss the bad with the good.
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
I was thinking the same thing, Henry. It's all about "fluff," isn't it?
I wonder who ranked those "most scenic" trips. Can't believe the Lake Shore through the Rust Belt was ranked near the top way ahead of the CZ.
Posted by 1702 (Member # 4508) on :
quote:Originally posted by Henry Kisor:
I hope Amtrak has the courage to allow riders to post stories that tell the truth -- that discuss the bad with the good.
Henry, there's a sentence in the introduction to "Whistle Stop" that starts with "If you have a fond memory of a favorite train adventure...". I think that pretty much says it all.
Besides, disseminating negative stories about a product one is marketing is likely to lead to a swift exit from one's employer. We can't realistically expect "Whistle Stop" to post anything other than "feel-good" stories.
Posted by 20th Century (Member # 2196) on :
The whistle stop feature was a fun read! Especially the Empire Builder story. The Autotrain sounds interesting. But I think 1702 definitely has a point regarding disseminating negative stories. This feature really is a form of promotional advertising. But I do have one question. Where are the tall picture windows in an amfleet cafe car on the Adirondack as mentioned in the story?
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Whether one views the stories on Whistle Stop as boosterism or promotional advertising, one had best take them with a grain of salt -- or a whole handful.
My memories of Amtrak trips are all fond -- but they are not Pollyannish either.