Amtrak Cuts Back … and Still Delivers.
Word is flashing about on-line that, because of the coronavirus, Amtrak has made drastic cuts in its schedule—cuts that will probably be in effect for at least the next several months.
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That said, it is a fact that Amtrak has maintained a much higher level of service than probably most of us expected. Only two of their trains have been shut down completely, albeit temporarily: the Adirondack (New York City to Montreal) is one, the Pere Marquette (Chicago to Grand Rapids) is the other.
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And, yes, there are fewer trains running on what are normally the busier routes. There has been a reduction in frequency of the Hiawatha service between Milwaukee and Chicago, for instance, and fewer trains are running on the Boston-New York-Washington corridor. But the remaining roster of trains, including the long-distance western trains, continue to operate.
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Considering that Amtrak ridership is down a staggering 95% compared to last year, suspending service on only two routes is astonishing. The rest of Amtrak’s routes continue to be served, although there is less frequency on some of the busy ones and many of the trains are operating with fewer cars, both coaches and sleepers.
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And while dining cars continue to be part of the long-distance train consists, these days the diners are serving more as lounge cars where passengers may, if they wish, consume their meals . . . which, as we all know, come in cardboard boxes.
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Still, there is reason to pause and consider this: the airlines are in bad shape in what is a virtual shut down of the industry. Yet, in spite of all the problems and impediments, Amtrak passenger trains are continuing to provide a transportation alternative to some 500 cities and towns all across the country. Passenger rail: safe, reliable and affordable. Let’s hope that the general public and their elected representatives take note.
I could be wrong about The Hiawatha train from Chicago to Milwaukee but it was my understanding that all of the trains were eliminated and were replaced by just a few buses.
And just like the gradual cuts in the long distance sleeper service over the years – no newspapers, no route guides, no printed timetables in the roommettes,coffee turned off at 11am, no ice in the sleepers, and three fruit juices reduced to one, And even with the pandemic I’m not sure further cuts in the sleeper/dining car service – and more restrictions for passengers – are the way to at least try to convince travelers to come back.
As you know Southwest Chief, Empire Builder, California Zephyr,and Coast Starlight travel were never about getting from point A to B. They were about what’s left of ‘enjoying the journey;’ above average cooked-on-board cuisine, community dining, and certainly not dictates to wear face masks.
After the Richard Anderson years I find it difficult to trust the new regime not to make LD travel so unpleasant they find more excuses to drop it.
Of course long distance passenger rail fans can plan to wait out the pandemic and face mask mandates (for me, that would be my preference) but I can’t see me booking passage on ANY long distance train just to be served boxed ‘contemporary’ meals.
I certainly wish I felt more positive about Amtrak’s dedication to the long distance passenger experience.
The list is long and, when read aloud, seems to go on forever. I do wonder if the Amtrak brass really understands the negative impact it has on us long-time patrons when the entire list is presented at the same time.
There’s a great irony in all this: Remember how Amtrak has been under continuing pressure to make food service break even? All the little cutbacks we sleeping-car passengers have experienced? I got a letter from the new Amtrak president a few days ago about operations during the coronavirus. It mentions that because of reduced ridership, the railroad was overstocked on food that would go bad so Amtrak donated a bunch of it to food banks. They’re giving it away. I applaud them for finding a way to put the food to good use, but the irony …