We’re not customers, we’re travelers!
Think for a minute about the last flight you took. What do you remember about that experience? Anything? If it was anything like my most recent flight, there was probably nothing memorable or special about it.
And therein lies the difference between choosing to fly or taking one of Amtrak’s long-distance trains.
People fly because they’re in a hurry and because what’s passing below holds no particular interest for them. Someone flying first class gets a comfortable seat, a meal and a complimentary alcoholic beverage. If you’re in economy class . . . well, forget it. And, for reasons I cannot fathom, the airlines all refer to us as customers.
By contrast, passengers on one of Amtrak’s long-distance western trains are on a journey that could last for two nights. Seats in sleeping car accommodations convert to reasonably comfortable berths. And meals are served in a dining car where we’re seated at tables conversing with other passengers.
People who take the time to travel by long-distance trains are interested in the cities and towns and the countryside through which they’re passing. We are not customers and we’re more than passengers. We’re travelers!
If Amtrak’s national network is going to be here for the long term, the long-distance trains will have to increase ridership. To do that, Richard Anderson had better understand that his trains must appeal to travelers.
And here’s the thing: to keep the travelers he’s got and to attract more travelers, Mr. Anderson had damn well better reverse course and see to it that Amtrak once again provides the amenities that we travelers want: clean windows, good service, and good food provided in full-service dining cars.
Because we’re travelers, dammit … and that’s why we ride his trains!
I always take the Lakeshore Limited at Christmas in a roomette so that I can relax and have some peace after the hectic holidays. The windows really are a plus as I enjoy the countryside (it’s a beautiful route along the Mohawk River). They have become noticeably dirty of late, but I chalk that up to winter. Since the goal is to view the scenery and enjoy the ride it’s unfortunate that such is the case.
In the summer I have to make a few trips between Boston and Buffalo so I fly. I like to film takeoffs and landings, either in real time, slo-mo, or time-lapse. Lately, I’ve noticed the windows on JetBlue have been filthy and when you’re flying over lighthouses off the Massachusetts shore it’s a shame to miss them.
Curious, isn’t it? We tend to take the really important things for granted: safety, for instance. And yet, nothing bothers me more than to settle into my roomette and discover that the windows are dirty. I do think that Amtrak does a pretty good job in that regard … at least on the long-distance trains.