Passenger Trains > "Amtrak restores staffing position Marshall station" [+ others]

(I shouldn't have posted this - I didn't notice it was done below a few hours before)

https://www.marshallnewsmessenger.com/news/amtrak-restores-staffing-positions-at-marshall-station/article_c02ad896-9afb-11ea-91d7-6bfa5362531a.html

(A few people may get a paywall after 5 viewings)
Note there is another Richard Anderson -  a former State Senator .

The 14 other cities are:

• Texarkana, Arkansas;
• Cincinnati, Ohio;
• Topeka, Kansas;
• Meridian, Mississippi;
• Tuscaloosa, Alabama;
• Hammond, Louisiana;
• Charleston, West Virginia;
• Fort Madison, Iowa;
• Ottumwa, Iowa;
• Garden City, Kansas;
• La Junta, Colorado;
• Lamy, New Mexico;
• Shelby, Montana;
• Havre, Montana.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/20 16:29 by joemvcnj.

Amtrak is responding. Must be some of Bill Flynn's actions!

Sounds like some of Anderson's downgrading of Amtrak is being reversed == hallelujah!

Maybe there's a chance his horrible actions on dining car downgrading will be reversed also (especially the ban on coach passengers)

If ALL of his negative actions get reversed -- then we can consider Anderson as just a bad dream that happened to Amtrak.

As I call the process - starting to de-Andersonize,
and noting who butters their bread
and reading their Appropriation directives.

(yes, likely a bad dream, the wicked witch is dead, back to Kansas now)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/20 14:56 by joemvcnj.

Now to restore checked baggage at the stations open seven days.

A few more need to be staffed, but were not part of the Congressional action, such as Huntington WV and Maricopa AZ

Baby steps. Amtrak and everyone else is in financial straits with Covid-19. But they know they need to stay on the good side of Congress, especially the Senate.

at a time when amtrak ridership is at historical LOWS, is the restoration of some station staffing really needed now?

66

With states like Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Texas etc., having opened up more and without any wild flare-ups thus far, plus the advent of summer travel season I'm sure that there will be increases in bookings. Further many have had it with lock down.

goneon66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> at a time when amtrak ridership is at historical
> LOWS, is the restoration of some station staffing
> really needed now?
>
> 66

The need to follow the law to appease Congress, especially when they need any stimulus infusion.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/20 17:04 by joemvcnj.

i was just wondering how it will look this year with the historic LOW ridership and then increased costs in staffing.

but, it's not like anybody will care..........

66

This is a good start. But that's all it is, a start. Vastly improving the Dining cars in the East should be next, and that will be more of a challenge. Replacing the Amfleet 2's and Superliner 1's should follow too..

GOOD !

About time, but once good news on the dining car stuff gets announced, watch Another_View show up protesting like crazy!

Posted from Android

chess Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Replacing the Amfleet 2's and
> Superliner 1's should follow too..

Not sure why you think this - The Superliner I sleepers are much nicer than the Superliner IIs with the newest reconfiguration!

ProAmtrak Wrote:
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> About time, but once good news on the dining car
> stuff gets announced, watch Another_View show up
> protesting like crazy!

On the station agents, if he shows up, he'll defend it and act like he was never for cutting them in the first place, but that depends who his rabbi is at Amtrak. 
 

Replacing Amfleet II and Superliner I? With what money? With everyone and their brother getting a handout right now, I'd imagine Amtrak won't even be able to fight for table scraps

One of my first jobs out of High School in 1973 was an Amtrak Baggage Man at Topeka, KS.  Everything was still very much as if it were still under Santa Fe, which it basically was.  I would handle vast amounts of Santa Fe RRB mail (Railroad Business), including diesel fuel samples from around the system for testing by the ATSF.  Our day and night ticket clerks were busy with both revenue passengers and Santa Fe pass riders booking reservations and picking up tickets. We had multiple Santa Fe employees come to Topeka by train to go to the Santa Fe Hospital a short distance away in Downtown Topeka.

The station was full sized back then with no areas closed off or reduced to the public.  The ticket counter handled tickets and I worked baggage at my own counter at the opposite end of the station.

Good memories.  

mundo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Now to restore checked baggage at the stations
> open seven days.
>
> A few more need to be staffed, but were not part
> of the Congressional action, such as Huntington WV
> and Maricopa AZ

The newspaper article says Maricopa is to be staffed. And how far is Huntington from Charleston?

Cumbresfan Wrote:

> And how far is Huntington from  Charleston?

49 miles. Huntington lost it first, and did not get caught up in the legislation. But back when it happened, I detected a shift in ridership from Huntington to Charleston. Rural areas of WV have poor intent access for online purchasing. 

BuddPullman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One of my first jobs out of High School in 1973
> was an Amtrak Baggage Man at Topeka, KS. 
> Everything was still very much as if it were still
> under Santa Fe, which it basically was.  I would
> handle vast amounts of Santa Fe RRB mail (Railroad
> Business), including diesel fuel samples from
> around the system for testing by the ATSF.  Our
> day and night ticket clerks were busy with both
> revenue passengers and Santa Fe pass riders
> booking reservations and picking up tickets. We
> had multiple Santa Fe employees come to Topeka by
> train to go to the Santa Fe Hospital a short
> distance away in Downtown Topeka.
>
> The station was full sized back then with no areas
> closed off or reduced to the public.  The ticket
> counter handled tickets and I worked baggage at my
> own counter at the opposite end of the station.
>
> Good memories.  

I really appreciate your memories of the past!  I distinctly remember, even under Amtrak, the many heavy canvas bags of ATSF company mail!
To be, long time agent Richard Mercer's replacement, was a real honor!  If only we had kept the Lone Star, I think things would have turned out differently for Topeka.