This is pure speculation, so this may be all wrong.
I had a interesting conversation with a railroad supervisor the other day. I was curious about any changes with the EHH regime at CSX that might affect service in my area - mid South Carolina.
According to him the one through freight train between Columbia and Hamlet has been discontinued. All that’s left is a couple locals that serve customers at both ends. Hamlet no longer is an active hump and classification yard and has also stopped block swapping. The main line between Hamlet and Atlanta is also seeing far less traffic. Trafffic from Wilmington, NC that had been handled at Hamlet is now using the former A line thanks to a new connection at Pembroke, NC.
So, if factual, it raises the question of the fate of the Silver Star that now uses this route. I expect the line will be spun off to a short line railroad. Will Amtrak hang on and lower the speed (as I suspect CSX will stop maintaining it at current levels); will CSX tell Amtrak to fund all costs on the line for the portions without customers; will Amtrak move the Star to another route? Stay tuned.
Posted by yukon11 (Member # 2997) on :
Doesn't sound too good for the Silver Star, Mr. Palmland. I hope that don't scrub the Star and just have the Silver Meteor
By they way, has anyone visited the Amtrak website recently? There must be some ancient maxim that says whenever they update a website, it's always worse than what they had before. I like the new Amtrak website for look and feel, but it is really hard to navigate. I also looked to see if they have a national Amtrak system map, but Julie couldn't tell me. I'm glad to have kept the old hard copy Amtrak system timetable.
I guess it may be futile to hope for a return of a Silver Star dining car, they way things are going.
Richard
Posted by DonNadeau (Member # 61606) on :
In my opinion, Amtrak.com's new look would work nearly perfectly if its fonts were visible.
As is, little contrast exists between type and background, which makes it extremely difficult to read let alone navigate.
This becomes even more serious because my guess is that Amtrak's demographics skew more toward older, with often poorer vision, users than most travel sites.
Posted by yukon11 (Member # 2997) on :
I see what you mean, Don, by little contrast.
On the old Amtrak website, you could click on "schedules" on the home page, then get the timetables for desired trains. Now, the first thing you see is "Find Schedules" which is not the list of timetables. Then, smaller letters in black where you can click "get downloads". Then, finally, you can click to see a timetable for your desired train. Too many obscure hoops to jump through.
I still don't see a map of the nationwide Amtrak routes. Maybe it's there but I sure can't find it. I wish the Amtrak store would offer a large, colorful and laminated map of the nationwide Amtrak routes. I think it would be a quick sell.
Richard
Posted by DonNadeau (Member # 61606) on :
Had first hand experience with booking Wednesday this week when couldn't at first find the do your agree to terms box to check. Had to come back later.
Agree that the former navigation was so much clearer.
I guess that Amtrak's web designers went the Costco way > the fewer choices presented (within reason) the more likely you'll buy.
Costco offers less than 1,000 items--far fewer than than major supermarkets. Apparently when we don't have to choose between ketchup bottle sizes we are more likely to buy at least one. That may Amtrak's new philosophy to not let us get sidetracked when most people just want to know times and prices and to book.