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I was glancing at the "News & Media" tab of the Amtrak site and noticed 2 new entires. First off, Amtrak launched a new website: AmtrakSurvery.com It appears to be directed at the experience of customers traveling on Long Distance trains. I have noticed several companies launching these survey sites recently, they are very common at restaurants nowadays to gain feedback on consumer experiences.
Furthermore, Amtrak is also launching a new Advertising Campaign. And its Focusing on the experience of long distance train travel. This was pretty odd. I have not seen a National Amtrak ad in some time, and I look forward to seeing them.
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The ad campaign should put to rest any notions about Amtrak management trying to kill long distance service. Looks like a positive move to me.
sbalax Member # 2801
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I just completed the survey about our Coast Starlight trip on #14 on Monday. I will follow it up with a letter. The condition of our sleeper was shameful. The Passenger Service Manager agreed but promised that the entire train will be up to the standards of the Empire Builder by June.
We were in a Deluxe Bedroom and one half of the window was almost opaque, there was duct tape everywhere, the toilet/shower smelled and, when we returned to the room after dinner, it was like a sauna. The car attendant said he had turned up the heat because "the old people complained they were cold". The in room control was broken. The knob just spun. The PSM said it was like a sauna but he had no other room to move us to. We were able to make it to SJC by keeping the door open but could not have spent the night in that room.
The good news is that we left the train only about one hour late. That was before it hit a vehicle between SJC and Oakland adding two more hours to its lateness.
Frank in clear but cooling SBA
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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quote:Originally posted by Mr. Toy: The ad campaign should put to rest any notions about Amtrak management trying to kill long distance service. Looks like a positive move to me.
Likely, Mr. Toy, it is more a case of the Bush administration ("Congress funds, the President runs") having a few more hot potatoes in the oven of late.
The 2005 initiative (Marionetta *** and Pony Show) obviously flopped; people, and hence their elected representatives, do like trains.
But such hardly implies that LD trains suddenly provide meaningful transportation. The ad campaign is likely more of a concession by the Administration that 'we're stuck with 'em; so may as well fill 'em up".
But if the objective is 'fill 'em up' rather than deliberately turning prospective passengers away, I agree such is a positive move.
sojourner Member # 3134
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I believe the 2007 budget proposed by the Administration again gives far less to Amtrak that it needs to operate.
RRCHINA Member # 1514
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As Mr. Norman informs, it is Congress who provides the funding, and it will be included in legislation which includes many other expenditures so a veto is unlikely. Congress has always had the ability to provide funding for Amtrak in a way that any Administration will approve because of the way it is packaged. So our primary focus should be on Congress, both for funding existing operations and the enhancement of exixting services.
No matter which party is in the White House they only submit a budget and we advocates have been dissatisfied with both party's budgets. We should quit dissing the administrations and go after the Congress.
PaulB Member # 4258
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I've received a few surveys in the mail regarding a particular long-distance trip I've taken. These come in the mail a few weeks after you've taken the trip, and state "Even if you've taken other Amtrak trips since then, only base your responses on your trip taken on [DATE]". The questions run the gaumet from tardiness, quality of the food, cleanliness of the train (inside and out), service from the crew, help during booking, etc. It then asks you, of these items, the most important issues to you during a trip.
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