What will it take for a smoother, more satisfying Amtrak ride?

Railroads

January 10, 2018 by Marlin Taylor

My friend Mike and I – both train lovers – were chatting a couple of days back, talking about how great it would be to see the rail passenger’s “customer satisfaction” level improve in this coming year. In other words, what would it take to create a more satisfying Amtrak ride?

In letting you in on what this likely would require, we thought it best for you to read it from the perspective of an Amtrak P42 diesel locomotive we happen to know. He’s very friendly, loves hauling passengers on many different routes around the country and would love to see his railroad provide better service to its customers, those who love and need to travel by train, in the days ahead.

Here’s the “wish list” he shared with us:

Amtrak Infographic — What does the train have over cars and trains? This infographic explains…

That the freight railroad owners would begin caring enough for the people of America to clear the tracks for my train to arrive on schedule.
That my fellow locos and me receive better maintenance and loving care so that we experience fewer breakdowns, also helping us arrive on time.
When Amtrak replaces the Acela train sets, the new ones are designed to operate safely in severe snow and cold temperatures.
That CSX would replace the bad track in the Carolinas so that my Florida-bound train passengers would have a smoother ride and not feel like they are on an antique roller coaster.
That Amtrak acquire new single level coaches designed so the vestibules do not fill up with snow during storms, causing slippery and extremely unsafe conditions for passengers getting on and off the train or going from car to car.