United Rail Passenger Alliance

SPECIAL NOTE: This is the 50th and final TWA for 2006, unless breaking news warrants publication between now and the first week in January, 2007. Thank you for reading and contributing to TWA in 2006.

1. For the last two weeks here at This Week at Amtrak, not to be confused with Amtrak This Week, which is published by Amtrak for its employees each week, we have been taking a weekly look at how Amtrak in Chicago handled the early winter storm that blew through the Midwest in recent weeks.We have noted how this year, Amtrak Chicago has been well prepared for the first winter storm from a mechanical standpoint. Unlike years past, mechanical issues were not the problem when things got below freezing in the Midwest.

   We have also noted the fallacies of Amtrak’s centralized national operations control center in Wilmington, Delaware, and, as is so often the case, for any stranded trains and passengers in what CNOC considers “bow and arrow country” (defined as anything west of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and south of Washington, D.C.), the cavalry is pretty slow to come to the rescue.

   The statement about CNOC stands, but it should be noted some Amtrak managers have pointed out in the particular situation regarding the Midwest storm, two other factors came into play.

   First, Union Pacific Railroad, once upon a time, a long time ago, one of the premier passenger railroad in the country, and today, often Amtrak’s worst nightmare (in recent years, a company spokesperson for Union Pacific labeled passenger trains “novelty transportation”), kept telling Amtrak during the storm the railroad, while temporarily blocked by falling trees and other problems, would be open soon.

   As far as we know, Union Pacific Railroad never told Amtrak not to dispatch trains from Chicago to various points in the Midwest while the storm was howling through the countryside.

   Second, some of the Amtrak Central Division trains, headquartered in Chicago, are dispatched by Amtrak personnel in Chicago. While the Chicago dispatchers knew the trains sent out early in the day were stranded along the way, they kept sending trains out while they were under the impression that Union Pacific Railroad was, indeed, going to clear the railroad and keep things fluid.

   So, there is enough sin here to go around for everyone. CNOC didn’t keep tight enough reins on things and make sure employees on the trains had proper coverage and replacements when necessary, along with enough busses for stranded passengers. It was up to non-Amtrak local emergency personnel to yet, again, bail Amtrak passengers out of a dangerous situation.

   Union Pacific Railroad kept an optimistic eye on things, but didn’t perform in clearing tracks, even when they said the tracks would be cleared. In the face of such a strong storm, that is no surprise, but someone should have said, “it’s doubtful the railroad will be open” instead of saying the tracks would be cleared under probably impossible conditions.

   Amtrak Chicago dispatchers should have used a few more grains of salt in their decision making sending out later trains, even though UP said the railroad would be open. If the early trains were not getting through, chances are the later trains would not, either.

2. Perhaps some of the changes needed to solve problems like those noted above are in the works. New Amtrak President and CEO Alex Kummant has given the nation an early and worthy Christmas present with a long overdue housecleaning at the upper levels of Amtrak management.While it is always sad when someone loses their job, particularly at this time of year, sometimes for the good of all, it must happen.

   Notably gone are former head of marketing Barbara Richardson, and former head of corporate communications William Schulz. With the exit of these two executives, Mr. Kummant will be able to put a new, positive face on Amtrak’s message to the public, its passengers, and the news media. Two executives closely intertwined with the Northeast Corridor are gone, and replacing them is the hope a new message will be crafted that Amtrak’s is America’s passenger railroad, not the Northeast – and then America’s – passenger railroad.

   In the past, Amtrak’s sales and marketing budget has been about $75 million dollars a year, roughly half of what it should be for the revenues Amtrak generates before state and federal free monies are included in revenue figures. The result of this, along with unfathomably bad marketing strategies, has been that Amtrak is America’s best kept secret. Hopefully, a new head of marketing for Amtrak will be able to quickly prove that a prudent investment in national marketing will erase Amtrak’s secret status, and the true demand for passenger train travel by Americans and visitors to America will quickly come to the surface. >From a corporate communications (or public relations, as it also entails) standpoint, Amtrak regularly misses huge opportunities to be innovative in the news media from a feature story standpoint, and seems content to only focus on damage control that has been caused by its previously annual begfest for public monies. Corporate communications/public relations is an art that can prove to be not only fruitful in results when applied correctly, but can often be as, or perhaps more, powerful as paid marketing campaigns.

   Also gone is Amtrak’s chief financial officer, with no permanent replacement named. Again, this is a key position which must be open to innovation as Amtrak moves to improve its financial reporting system. It is much more critical to have someone who will not say “but, we’ve always done it that way!” versus someone who wants to maintain the status quo.

   Replaced is the head of Amtrak’s legal department. The departing chief is staying for 90 days to assist in the transition, and Eleanor Acheson, a former assistant attorney general in the Clinton administration will be the new legal boss.

   Al Broadbent, the chief risk officer is gone, and replaced by James McDonnell.

   In an interesting move, the vice president of planning, Paul Nissenbaum, has been replaced by Roy Johansen, a management consultant, and the former VP is finishing some projects and later moving to another executive position in Amtrak. This will be the first time in a long time someone from outside the company – presumably without an agenda or previous alliance other than that directed by the board of directors and Mr. Kummant – has been in charge of shaping Amtrak’s future.

   Also gone is Tom Schmidt, the top transportation officer, who just joined Amtrak earlier this year from CSX. This is surprising, considering his short tenure, but comments have been made that since he was brought in by Amtrak’s recently departed acting president, he did not have much of a constituency at Amtrak.

   The chief customer service officer, Emmett Fremaux, will now report directly to Mr. Kummant, and will now also have marketing and sales reporting to him. Perhaps a notable change in Amtrak’s corporate culture and presentation to the traveling public would be to get rid of the annoying phrase and title “customer service,” and replace it with “passenger service.” Amtrak doesn’t have customers, it has passengers. The only customers Amtrak has are those who purchase services from Amtrak (such as the commuter railroads who buy the service of Amtrak’s operating crews) and those who use what is left of Amtrak package express services. Everyone who rides on a train is a passenger, not a customer. Thinking – and using – the concept of “passengers” distinguishes Amtrak from all other businesses, and focuses on its main reason for existence, the safe, comfortable, reliable, and expedient carriage of passengers.

   Everyone who is a close Amtrak watcher knows these first and important changes should be only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. We all wait in breathless anticipation of the many more needed changes to occur, on behalf of the American taxpayer and Amtrak passengers.

3. Amtrak This Week, Amtrak’s inhouse employee publication for December 18, 2006, notes that an agreement has been reached with the TCU (union) and Amtrak about new call center employees.Amtrak had been studying the idea of outsourcing call center (reservations center) work to save money. This new agreement solves that problem, and keeps all call center activities inhouse. Existing call center employees will continue at their current wage and benefit levels, and part-time employees may continue their employment at Amtrak in their current status. However, new call center employees, hired after January 1, 2007, will be hired at a reduced wage rate to align that cost with the rest of the domestic call center industry.

   Amtrak has agreed not to outsource the call center operations for five years, unless at least six months’ notice is provided before or after the end of the five year period, if the company chooses to outsource.

   This agreement is a wonderful example of a company and one of its unions working together to meet the needs of everyone. Current employees lose no ground, new employees come in at a more reasonable rate for the company, and everyone meets their goals. It’s a win-win.

4. Amtrak is ending calendar year 2006 with the largest board of directors it has had in years. There are six members, Chairman David Laney, and R. Hunter Biden, Floyd Hall, Donna McLean, Mary Peters who is the new Secretary of Transportation, and Enrique Sosa. Joining the board ex-officio and non-voting is President and Chief Executive Officer Alex Kummant.
5. The December edition of Amtrak Ink, the multi-page, monthly Amtrak employee newsletter, features a front page story that shows why the head of Amtrak’s corporate communications department is mercifully departed. The story is about a new effort to seek partnerships to rehabilitate many of Amtrak’s passenger stations. Considering the importance of this effort about Amtrak station rehabilitation from a standpoint of the company financially, how it will have a very positive impact on passengers (again, the reason for Amtrak’s existence), and how it will help promote new business, one has to wonder why this has not been picked up by the news media. But, if Amtrak hasn’t told anyone, then it’s no surprise this is an unnecessary secret. Here’s the story.
   

   Web Site to Generate Investment in Station Rehabilitation

   Leading the effort to bring together public officials and business communities across the country to revitalize train stations, Amtrak launched its Great American Stations Web site this month.

   Acting as a central point for a range of station-related information, the site provides information and resources associated with station ownership, links to information about the Americans with Disabilities Act, background about potential funding sources for rehabilitation and upgrades, and advice on how to get started on renovations.

   According to the site’s editor, Suzi Andiman, the site is designed to foster partnerships with local communities to make investments in stations.

   “Many stations are in need of renovations that could greatly benefit not only the local community and traveling public, but also serve as an economic development engine in the heart of a city or town,” said Andiman.

   In addition to the site serving as a resource in and of itself, Amtrak’s own know-how is being made available to communities who want to learn more about reinvigorating their stations. To that end, jurisdictions may direct their station renovation-related questions to Government Affairs department field directors. While Amtrak actually owns a relatively small number of stations around the country, its employees have a great deal of experience and knowledge to offer localities.

   While the site was launched featuring the stations along the Empire Builder route, it will ultimately feature all of the stations Amtrak serves.

   “As we build the site on a route-by-route basis, we have the opportunity to really tailor it to the needs of its end-users,” said Senior Director, E-Commerce Kathleen Gordon. The site will be continually updated with new routes; the California Zephyr is next.

   The site also has the potential to become a great tool for the company’s departments, as it provides useful station information in one central location. The site is found at http://www.greatamericanstations.com

   The core members of the team that developed the Great American Stations Web site reflect the multi-department collaborative effort behind the endeavor. Accomplished mostly in-house, the project required contributions from the E-Commerce, Amtrak Technologies, Government Affairs, Customer Service and Corporate Communications departments.

6. A traveling URPA member who is a hardcore airline road warrior had an opportunity to take a round-trip ride on Wondertrain Acela earlier in December. Here is his report.
   

   I got to use Acela trains on a recent business trip. I arrived at Penn Station New York at 5:25 for 6:00 P.M. Acela 2119 to Washington. I stood in the ticket line behind 20+ passengers, with just two agents at peak Tuesday rush hour. They were in no hurry — the line is glacial. I boarded with five minutes to spare, find the “quiet car,” and get settled.

   Train leaves on time, moves three car lengths, stops, then lurches through the track ladder to the Hudson tunnel. The train is 80% full. The conductors enforce the Quiet Car rule: no cell phones, no loud talking.

   Through Secaucus Junction on rough track at 55 MPH. Trucks are very noisy. Quiet Car rules don’t seem to apply to the conductor’s radio. Trip to Newark very ordinary: rough, and not very fast.

   Leave Newark down :02 after 90 second stop, and car fills up. Beyond, track is much smoother and very fast, but still very rough by European standards and not at all like a Superliner at 75 MPH on welded rail on BNSF. Way too rough to write on fold-down table. Hard even to read.

   Meets with northbound trains produce loud jolts.

   Arrive Philadelphia at 19:05, many passengers off, few on, leave on time at 19:07.

   Time for dinner. I walk one car to the snack car. Typical Amfleet-like environment, but NO LINE. No one on this train is buying food and drink! The only seating is at awkward bar seats for about seven passengers. Space is mostly taken, but by laptop brigade, not diners. For $13.25 plus $2.00 tip, I buy a tasteless turkey hoagie (no lettuce or veggies), chips and a miniature white wine, all served up in the usual brown paper box. Design of service area requires lots of wasted back-and-forth motion by the attendant. The wine is okay. The food would be better at Subway at $4.00. No space at the sterile bar area, so I bounce back to coach. This is not the diner on the Congressional Limited! 19:25 arrive Wilmington, 60 second stop. Several off, nobody on. Car now 60% full. Leave on time at 19:26. Track is back to being too rough to write. Lots more curves here. Bathroom doors are hard to lock, hard to unlock. Interiors are weirdly designed (is that Bombardier’s doing? Or, Amtrak’s?) In the coach, you can’t take trash to the bin without making the automatic car doors open. At least the overhead bins are big which is a good thing because the car-end luggage racks are tiny.

   20:05 arrive Baltimore. Several more off, nobody on. 20:07, leave Baltimore two mins early. 20:10 arrive BWI: another half dozen off, nobody on. 20:20 leave BWI one minute early. Quiet car now 25% full.

   20:40 arrive Washington five minutes early. As a corridor train, this was okay, but no big deal. Speed was not apparent, and below Philadelphia, train was very lightly loaded. But the “normal” hassles of flying were missing: Snarly TSA snoops, cramped, dirty, dry airplanes, multiple lines, cramped center seating, long, expensive taxi ride to/from airport, airline peanuts and $5.00 beers, abusive airline ticketing policies, air traffic control delays.

   The next day I rode Acela 2166, the 1:00 P.M. train from Washington to Providence, in first class.

   First class has the same seats, but wider spacing. Two attendants work the car, which is half full; it was never full except New York to New Haven. Very polite, attentive service, like good airline domestic first class. Lunch menu offers choice of turkey hoagie or shrimp Caesar salad, wine included. Like good airline first class in quality. Dinner choice of meatloaf, chicken gumbo, veggie lasagna, with free wine and cocktails. Cell phone talkers show why the Business Class Quiet Car is nice idea. Employee — customer ratio here is much higher than on a Superliner train, even in the sleepers.

   Just as rough as last night. Daylight reveals that parts of the NEC look better at night.

   First class is a real step up, but worth the price?

   My impression from observing loads and turnover: passengers view Acela NOT as “very fast” (who knows? Cars don’t have speedometers) but merely as a limited-stop “express service.”

7. Again, this Christmas, we thank and honor all of the Amtrak employees who will be working and away from their families this busy Christmas season. While many of Amtrak’s host freight railroads will have freight operations shut down for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Amtrak will still be running, “having the railroad” to itself without freight train interference. On those trains will be many employees making sure their passengers are having a safe and pleasant Christmas journey. In addition, there will also be operations employees, dispatching, commissary, ticketing, reservations center, station, and many other areas where, on December 25th it will “just be another work day.” Thank you to each one of those employees who will be working so the trains will continue running and taking holiday travelers to their destinations.
8. And, finally, to the 84% of Americans who are Christian, “Merry Christmas!” To the two percent of Americans who are Jewish, “Happy Hanukkah!” To the other 14% of Americans who are of other religions, or no religion, Happy Holidays!”

The will end the year for This Week at Amtrak. See you again the first week of January, 2007. Thank you for reading and commenting on TWA in 2006.

SPECIAL NOTE: This is the 50th and final TWA for 2006, unless breaking news warrants publication between now and the first week in January, 2007. Thank you for reading and contributing to TWA in 2006.

1. For the last two weeks here at This Week at Amtrak, not to be confused with Amtrak This Week, which is published by Amtrak for its employees each week, we have been taking a weekly look at how Amtrak in Chicago handled the early winter storm that blew through the Midwest in recent weeks.We have noted how this year, Amtrak Chicago has been well prepared for the first winter storm from a mechanical standpoint. Unlike years past, mechanical issues were not the problem when things got below freezing in the Midwest.

   We have also noted the fallacies of Amtrak’s centralized national operations control center in Wilmington, Delaware, and, as is so often the case, for any stranded trains and passengers in what CNOC considers “bow and arrow country” (defined as anything west of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and south of Washington, D.C.), the cavalry is pretty slow to come to the rescue.

   The statement about CNOC stands, but it should be noted some Amtrak managers have pointed out in the particular situation regarding the Midwest storm, two other factors came into play.

   First, Union Pacific Railroad, once upon a time, a long time ago, one of the premier passenger railroad in the country, and today, often Amtrak’s worst nightmare (in recent years, a company spokesperson for Union Pacific labeled passenger trains “novelty transportation”), kept telling Amtrak during the storm the railroad, while temporarily blocked by falling trees and other problems, would be open soon.

   As far as we know, Union Pacific Railroad never told Amtrak not to dispatch trains from Chicago to various points in the Midwest while the storm was howling through the countryside.

   Second, some of the Amtrak Central Division trains, headquartered in Chicago, are dispatched by Amtrak personnel in Chicago. While the Chicago dispatchers knew the trains sent out early in the day were stranded along the way, they kept sending trains out while they were under the impression that Union Pacific Railroad was, indeed, going to clear the railroad and keep things fluid.

   So, there is enough sin here to go around for everyone. CNOC didn’t keep tight enough reins on things and make sure employees on the trains had proper coverage and replacements when necessary, along with enough busses for stranded passengers. It was up to non-Amtrak local emergency personnel to yet, again, bail Amtrak passengers out of a dangerous situation.

   Union Pacific Railroad kept an optimistic eye on things, but didn’t perform in clearing tracks, even when they said the tracks would be cleared. In the face of such a strong storm, that is no surprise, but someone should have said, “it’s doubtful the railroad will be open” instead of saying the tracks would be cleared under probably impossible conditions.

   Amtrak Chicago dispatchers should have used a few more grains of salt in their decision making sending out later trains, even though UP said the railroad would be open. If the early trains were not getting through, chances are the later trains would not, either.

2. Perhaps some of the changes needed to solve problems like those noted above are in the works. New Amtrak President and CEO Alex Kummant has given the nation an early and worthy Christmas present with a long overdue housecleaning at the upper levels of Amtrak management.While it is always sad when someone loses their job, particularly at this time of year, sometimes for the good of all, it must happen.

   Notably gone are former head of marketing Barbara Richardson, and former head of corporate communications William Schulz. With the exit of these two executives, Mr. Kummant will be able to put a new, positive face on Amtrak’s message to the public, its passengers, and the news media. Two executives closely intertwined with the Northeast Corridor are gone, and replacing them is the hope a new message will be crafted that Amtrak’s is America’s passenger railroad, not the Northeast – and then America’s – passenger railroad.

   In the past, Amtrak’s sales and marketing budget has been about $75 million dollars a year, roughly half of what it should be for the revenues Amtrak generates before state and federal free monies are included in revenue figures. The result of this, along with unfathomably bad marketing strategies, has been that Amtrak is America’s best kept secret. Hopefully, a new head of marketing for Amtrak will be able to quickly prove that a prudent investment in national marketing will erase Amtrak’s secret status, and the true demand for passenger train travel by Americans and visitors to America will quickly come to the surface. >From a corporate communications (or public relations, as it also entails) standpoint, Amtrak regularly misses huge opportunities to be innovative in the news media from a feature story standpoint, and seems content to only focus on damage control that has been caused by its previously annual begfest for public monies. Corporate communications/public relations is an art that can prove to be not only fruitful in results when applied correctly, but can often be as, or perhaps more, powerful as paid marketing campaigns.

   Also gone is Amtrak’s chief financial officer, with no permanent replacement named. Again, this is a key position which must be open to innovation as Amtrak moves to improve its financial reporting system. It is much more critical to have someone who will not say “but, we’ve always done it that way!” versus someone who wants to maintain the status quo.

   Replaced is the head of Amtrak’s legal department. The departing chief is staying for 90 days to assist in the transition, and Eleanor Acheson, a former assistant attorney general in the Clinton administration will be the new legal boss.

   Al Broadbent, the chief risk officer is gone, and replaced by James McDonnell.

   In an interesting move, the vice president of planning, Paul Nissenbaum, has been replaced by Roy Johansen, a management consultant, and the former VP is finishing some projects and later moving to another executive position in Amtrak. This will be the first time in a long time someone from outside the company – presumably without an agenda or previous alliance other than that directed by the board of directors and Mr. Kummant – has been in charge of shaping Amtrak’s future.

   Also gone is Tom Schmidt, the top transportation officer, who just joined Amtrak earlier this year from CSX. This is surprising, considering his short tenure, but comments have been made that since he was brought in by Amtrak’s recently departed acting president, he did not have much of a constituency at Amtrak.

   The chief customer service officer, Emmett Fremaux, will now report directly to Mr. Kummant, and will now also have marketing and sales reporting to him. Perhaps a notable change in Amtrak’s corporate culture and presentation to the traveling public would be to get rid of the annoying phrase and title “customer service,” and replace it with “passenger service.” Amtrak doesn’t have customers, it has passengers. The only customers Amtrak has are those who purchase services from Amtrak (such as the commuter railroads who buy the service of Amtrak’s operating crews) and those who use what is left of Amtrak package express services. Everyone who rides on a train is a passenger, not a customer. Thinking – and using – the concept of “passengers” distinguishes Amtrak from all other businesses, and focuses on its main reason for existence, the safe, comfortable, reliable, and expedient carriage of passengers.

   Everyone who is a close Amtrak watcher knows these first and important changes should be only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. We all wait in breathless anticipation of the many more needed changes to occur, on behalf of the American taxpayer and Amtrak passengers.

3. Amtrak This Week, Amtrak’s inhouse employee publication for December 18, 2006, notes that an agreement has been reached with the TCU (union) and Amtrak about new call center employees.Amtrak had been studying the idea of outsourcing call center (reservations center) work to save money. This new agreement solves that problem, and keeps all call center activities inhouse. Existing call center employees will continue at their current wage and benefit levels, and part-time employees may continue their employment at Amtrak in their current status. However, new call center employees, hired after January 1, 2007, will be hired at a reduced wage rate to align that cost with the rest of the domestic call center industry.

   Amtrak has agreed not to outsource the call center operations for five years, unless at least six months’ notice is provided before or after the end of the five year period, if the company chooses to outsource.

   This agreement is a wonderful example of a company and one of its unions working together to meet the needs of everyone. Current employees lose no ground, new employees come in at a more reasonable rate for the company, and everyone meets their goals. It’s a win-win.

4. Amtrak is ending calendar year 2006 with the largest board of directors it has had in years. There are six members, Chairman David Laney, and R. Hunter Biden, Floyd Hall, Donna McLean, Mary Peters who is the new Secretary of Transportation, and Enrique Sosa. Joining the board ex-officio and non-voting is President and Chief Executive Officer Alex Kummant.
5. The December edition of Amtrak Ink, the multi-page, monthly Amtrak employee newsletter, features a front page story that shows why the head of Amtrak’s corporate communications department is mercifully departed. The story is about a new effort to seek partnerships to rehabilitate many of Amtrak’s passenger stations. Considering the importance of this effort about Amtrak station rehabilitation from a standpoint of the company financially, how it will have a very positive impact on passengers (again, the reason for Amtrak’s existence), and how it will help promote new business, one has to wonder why this has not been picked up by the news media. But, if Amtrak hasn’t told anyone, then it’s no surprise this is an unnecessary secret. Here’s the story.
   

   Web Site to Generate Investment in Station Rehabilitation

   Leading the effort to bring together public officials and business communities across the country to revitalize train stations, Amtrak launched its Great American Stations Web site this month.

   Acting as a central point for a range of station-related information, the site provides information and resources associated with station ownership, links to information about the Americans with Disabilities Act, background about potential funding sources for rehabilitation and upgrades, and advice on how to get started on renovations.

   According to the site’s editor, Suzi Andiman, the site is designed to foster partnerships with local communities to make investments in stations.

   “Many stations are in need of renovations that could greatly benefit not only the local community and traveling public, but also serve as an economic development engine in the heart of a city or town,” said Andiman.

   In addition to the site serving as a resource in and of itself, Amtrak’s own know-how is being made available to communities who want to learn more about reinvigorating their stations. To that end, jurisdictions may direct their station renovation-related questions to Government Affairs department field directors. While Amtrak actually owns a relatively small number of stations around the country, its employees have a great deal of experience and knowledge to offer localities.

   While the site was launched featuring the stations along the Empire Builder route, it will ultimately feature all of the stations Amtrak serves.

   “As we build the site on a route-by-route basis, we have the opportunity to really tailor it to the needs of its end-users,” said Senior Director, E-Commerce Kathleen Gordon. The site will be continually updated with new routes; the California Zephyr is next.

   The site also has the potential to become a great tool for the company’s departments, as it provides useful station information in one central location. The site is found at http://www.greatamericanstations.com

   The core members of the team that developed the Great American Stations Web site reflect the multi-department collaborative effort behind the endeavor. Accomplished mostly in-house, the project required contributions from the E-Commerce, Amtrak Technologies, Government Affairs, Customer Service and Corporate Communications departments.

6. A traveling URPA member who is a hardcore airline road warrior had an opportunity to take a round-trip ride on Wondertrain Acela earlier in December. Here is his report.
   

   I got to use Acela trains on a recent business trip. I arrived at Penn Station New York at 5:25 for 6:00 P.M. Acela 2119 to Washington. I stood in the ticket line behind 20+ passengers, with just two agents at peak Tuesday rush hour. They were in no hurry — the line is glacial. I boarded with five minutes to spare, find the “quiet car,” and get settled.

   Train leaves on time, moves three car lengths, stops, then lurches through the track ladder to the Hudson tunnel. The train is 80% full. The conductors enforce the Quiet Car rule: no cell phones, no loud talking.

   Through Secaucus Junction on rough track at 55 MPH. Trucks are very noisy. Quiet Car rules don’t seem to apply to the conductor’s radio. Trip to Newark very ordinary: rough, and not very fast.

   Leave Newark down :02 after 90 second stop, and car fills up. Beyond, track is much smoother and very fast, but still very rough by European standards and not at all like a Superliner at 75 MPH on welded rail on BNSF. Way too rough to write on fold-down table. Hard even to read.

   Meets with northbound trains produce loud jolts.

   Arrive Philadelphia at 19:05, many passengers off, few on, leave on time at 19:07.

   Time for dinner. I walk one car to the snack car. Typical Amfleet-like environment, but NO LINE. No one on this train is buying food and drink! The only seating is at awkward bar seats for about seven passengers. Space is mostly taken, but by laptop brigade, not diners. For $13.25 plus $2.00 tip, I buy a tasteless turkey hoagie (no lettuce or veggies), chips and a miniature white wine, all served up in the usual brown paper box. Design of service area requires lots of wasted back-and-forth motion by the attendant. The wine is okay. The food would be better at Subway at $4.00. No space at the sterile bar area, so I bounce back to coach. This is not the diner on the Congressional Limited! 19:25 arrive Wilmington, 60 second stop. Several off, nobody on. Car now 60% full. Leave on time at 19:26. Track is back to being too rough to write. Lots more curves here. Bathroom doors are hard to lock, hard to unlock. Interiors are weirdly designed (is that Bombardier’s doing? Or, Amtrak’s?) In the coach, you can’t take trash to the bin without making the automatic car doors open. At least the overhead bins are big which is a good thing because the car-end luggage racks are tiny.

   20:05 arrive Baltimore. Several more off, nobody on. 20:07, leave Baltimore two mins early. 20:10 arrive BWI: another half dozen off, nobody on. 20:20 leave BWI one minute early. Quiet car now 25% full.

   20:40 arrive Washington five minutes early. As a corridor train, this was okay, but no big deal. Speed was not apparent, and below Philadelphia, train was very lightly loaded. But the “normal” hassles of flying were missing: Snarly TSA snoops, cramped, dirty, dry airplanes, multiple lines, cramped center seating, long, expensive taxi ride to/from airport, airline peanuts and $5.00 beers, abusive airline ticketing policies, air traffic control delays.

   The next day I rode Acela 2166, the 1:00 P.M. train from Washington to Providence, in first class.

   First class has the same seats, but wider spacing. Two attendants work the car, which is half full; it was never full except New York to New Haven. Very polite, attentive service, like good airline domestic first class. Lunch menu offers choice of turkey hoagie or shrimp Caesar salad, wine included. Like good airline first class in quality. Dinner choice of meatloaf, chicken gumbo, veggie lasagna, with free wine and cocktails. Cell phone talkers show why the Business Class Quiet Car is nice idea. Employee — customer ratio here is much higher than on a Superliner train, even in the sleepers.

   Just as rough as last night. Daylight reveals that parts of the NEC look better at night.

   First class is a real step up, but worth the price?

   My impression from observing loads and turnover: passengers view Acela NOT as “very fast” (who knows? Cars don’t have speedometers) but merely as a limited-stop “express service.”

7. Again, this Christmas, we thank and honor all of the Amtrak employees who will be working and away from their families this busy Christmas season. While many of Amtrak’s host freight railroads will have freight operations shut down for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Amtrak will still be running, “having the railroad” to itself without freight train interference. On those trains will be many employees making sure their passengers are having a safe and pleasant Christmas journey. In addition, there will also be operations employees, dispatching, commissary, ticketing, reservations center, station, and many other areas where, on December 25th it will “just be another work day.” Thank you to each one of those employees who will be working so the trains will continue running and taking holiday travelers to their destinations.
8. And, finally, to the 84% of Americans who are Christian, “Merry Christmas!” To the two percent of Americans who are Jewish, “Happy Hanukkah!” To the other 14% of Americans who are of other religions, or no religion, Happy Holidays!”

The will end the year for This Week at Amtrak. See you again the first week of January, 2007. Thank you for reading and commenting on TWA in 2006.