Passenger Trains > Amtrak wasted at least $23M on office space: Inspector General

Amtrak wasted at least $23 million by acquiring unneeded office space in Boston,
New York, Washington and several other cities, according to a report by the
railroad’s inspector general.The report sketches a picture of a quasi-public, federally subsidized
passenger railroad that lacks a game plan for securing office space for its workers.
 https://amtrakoig.gov/sites/default/files/reports/OIG-A-2019-006%20Real%20Property%20%28REDACTED%29.pdf

How about putting all those unused new diners to work. Park them on a siding someplace and use as offices. No additional cost. 

Furthermore, over the next few years, the company plans to-----Redacted----.
The section on the Philadelphia call center.  Worrisome.

Lost some dining service, ticket agencies, and a reservation office to in part piss money away on this office space, which became another fixed cost to allocate across the national system.

This is how Anderson & Gardner control expenses.

Posted from Android

It is common for redacted info on items like staffing or legal outlooks.

Less common in reporting events which have already happened.

Posted from Android

There are likely non-disclosure clauses in the leases. I'm sure other landlords and tenants would like to know what Amtrak is paying for these spaces.

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA

Amtrak's wait time for calls now is getting a little ridiculous - even with Guest Rewards priority call handling. Amtrak has office space at Philly 30th Street Stationa and then at Wilmington. Could be some shuffling here. Maybe the Inspector General's office will get booted from Philly 30th Street!

mp51w Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Furthermore, over the next few years, the company
> plans to-----Redacted----.
> The section on the Philadelphia call center. 
> Worrisome.

Some states require WARN notices if you plan to move or close a facility, or its workload. 

It's possible that Amtrak wants to preserve its flexibility as it considers options, and evaluates its reservations office situation..
 

A few interesting and local tidbits:

--Headcount is down by 180 in DC, but downsizing office space requirements has not kept pace.
--Tenant leases in the REA Building are winding down, yet Amtrak departments are "reluctant" to move there. Amtrak owns the building outright.
--Amtrak Police Department wants to build new "temporary" facility at Wash. Union Station, despite a surplus of office space nearby.
--Two out of five floors Amtrak leases at 10 G St NE are now vacant. Amtrak is locked into a long-term lease, and sub-letting has apparently been unsuccessful thus far.

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/19 10:57 by Dcmcrider.

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Amtrak's wait time for calls now is getting a
> little ridiculous - even with Guest Rewards
> priority call handling. Amtrak has office space at
> Philly 30th Street Stationa and then at
> Wilmington. Could be some shuffling here. Maybe
> the Inspector General's office will get booted
> from Philly 30th Street!
>
> mp51w Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Furthermore, over the next few years, the
> company
> > plans to-----Redacted----.
> > The section on the Philadelphia call center. 
> > Worrisome.


"Hello thank you for calling Amtrak, my name is [color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.870588)]Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, how may I help you?"[/color]

Many customer service representative posts on Indeed.com are very positive toward the company.  Good pay, can't get fired, union job, etc.  The complaints are mostly about incompetent management and the "doing the time" to advance.

Usual stuff like don't steal, etc.

https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Amtrak/reviews?fjobtitle=Customer+Service+Representative&fcountry=ALL

What the hell (oops, can I say that?), it's only money and Amtrak has sooooooo much of it to waste. Imagine how much is wasted in other departments?

Dcmcrider Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A few interesting and local tidbits:
>
> --Headcount is down by 180 in DC, but downsizing office space requirements has not kept pace.
> --Tenant leases in the REA Building are winding down, yet Amtrak departments are "reluctant" to move there. Amtrak owns the building outright.

That's because the corporate office drones in WUS are timid about going down the platform to REA building.
Operations departments -- Road foremen, divisional personnel HR. and transportation in general have been in REA for years. 
But to get there from WUS, you have to go to a lower level ytsck, walk to the north end, and cross over to REA adjacent to K tower.
NS or CSX would look at the bottom line and move to cut costs....

A couple of years ago, the REA Building was the subject of a two-year legal battle between Amtrak and the building's former owner, Flourine LLC. Amtrak condemned the property via eminent domain, and then successfully fended off a suit that alleged the condemnation was improper. Amtrak deemed the property "necessary for intercity passenger rail transportation," and the court agreed.

https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4427593/national-railroad-passenger-corporation-v-344-acres-more-or-less-of-land/

So, Amtrak has gone to considerable trouble to acquire the property and give the forner tenants the heave-ho.

 

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/19 14:48 by Dcmcrider.