Passenger Trains > Cardinal trip report

With a pandemic-fueled Guest Rewards points balance, I decided to do a Chicago to White Sulphur Springs turn on the Cardinal.  Many dates were sold out when I started looking in May, but I was able to get roomette 11 out and roomette 12 back the next day in early June.  It’s a nice schedule, arriving WSS late in the morning and leaving back around 5:00pm, allowing time for the outbound to be late.  The Greenbrier Resort is across the road from the station, and although not my cup of tea, a place for restrooms, shelter and a well-served $20 club sandwich lunch.  The station has no facilities, as the stationhouse is occupied by a Christmas store, which does keep the building looking nice, while the sheltered platform has only a couple of benches.
 
My two goals were to close myself into a roomette for the duration and lower my expectations by removing memories of the Super Chief.  I didn’t quite meet both goals, but overall a very pleasant and relaxing trip.  My attendant Audrey on the way out was pleasant but required Amtrak veteran offensive skills – meals she said would be in the café (passengers were to head down within a 45-minute window) with no mention of the option of service in the room and kept quiet about the shower and coffee service at the end of the car.  Once asked she was happy to bring the meals back, but as she’d be helping in the cafe, I would need to go up and order.  Having to leave both my roomette and the car, I did my best to ignore the dripping ceiling that closed off one booth and the associated absorbing piece of cardboard on the floor, as well as the tables piled with trash.   It was harder in the morning when I went to order breakfast and the LSA was in the first booth, arms and head down flat on the table sound asleep.  Not the Pleasure Dome, nor the Chuck Wagon of the Denver Zephyr.
 
The meals did exceed my lowered expectations, though, and were decidedly “not bad”.   With a glass and some good whiskey from home before dinner, and an old Pullman towel brought along for a tablecloth (it’s first ride in 50+ years!) dinner was most enjoyable and the sunsetting over Indiana was beautiful.  And, ok, we’ll ignore the not-so-clean windows and enjoy the view from the berth and a nice stretch of jointed track south of Lafayette as night settled in.
 
Attendant Melanie on the way back (mentioned severely in a TO post recently) I thought did a nice job.  The train was an hour or so late, so when I got on after 6:00 bringing dinner to my room was her default, and she also told me of the shower and coffee in the morning as well as announcing that she would make up everyone’s room for the night. I took her comments about always wearing a mask in the room as being given with a wink-and-a-nod that she couldn’t see it if the curtains were closed, and that if I made up the room I’d be responsible if I hurt myself as probably the result of some incident.   And, unlike most attendants, her way of doing things made more work for herself.  Similarly for breakfast she offered to bring me whatever I wanted, even after sleeping in. 
 
Other than a trip to the shower (which Melanie noticed and made up my room at that time) I did achieve my goals on the return trip, arriving back in Chicago on time and “refreshed and relaxed.”
 

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"...when I went to order breakfast and the LSA was in the first booth, arms and head down flat on the table sound asleep."

Some things never change at Amtrak. About ten years ago, my son and I were on one of the Chicago to Quincy trains going to a ballgame. Upon entering the cafe car, the LSA was sitting in a four seater reading the paper. He was visually annoyed that he had to get up to take care of our food request. Although they aren't the rule, they sure do leave a bad impression for the average public about Amtrak.

As much as they are loathed, at least vending machines wouldn't give you an attitude. But, with Amtrak's track record, they'd probably be broken fifty percent of the time.

Nice trip report, by the way. Thanks for sharing.

Nice trip report, but I'm puzzled by comparisons to the Super Chief and Denver Zephyr.  Wouldn't a more a appropriate comparison be with the George Washington or other C & O passenger trains?

Jeb Brooks, an aviation YouTube vlogger, has done some Amtrak trips recently. His most recent was on train 66 from Washington DC to Boston in a roomette. He was "YELLED AT" by the LSA shortly after departure for daring to visit the cafe car, apparently not knowing it was still closed.

Being courteous to your customers costs ZERO dollars. Can't blame awful service on funding. Most trips have been better, however he is not a fan of the bathrooms in the Viewliner rooms.

Posted from Android

Passengers should decide for themselves when they want their bed made up.  That's what the call button is for if not previously arranged. Passengers should not be threatened if they decide to make up or take down their bed themselves. In all my years of overnight travel, I had never heard that one before until Melanie came along. Maybe the mask requirement speech to wear in the room was tongue in cheek. But I didn't' take it that way after she threatened to put me off at the next stop if she "caught" me not wearing my mask....and did I want one that fit better over my nose. ...she would provide. When I mentioned this service...or lack there of to the excellent attendant on my return, she asked her name. Once mentioned she just shook her head. "So you know her" I asked. "Yup."  Enough said.  Customer service at it's finest. 

Going with my experiences…

Posted from iPhone

Nice report. On my last trip on the Zephyr, admittedly a few years back, the attendant announced he would commence making beds at 9 P M, working his way down the length of the car. Then over the P A, he announced he was going to bed, in an empty bedroom, and if anything came up during the night, find the conductor. He was generally not to be seen otherwise. I swear, a true accounting. No tip, for sure, but he was waiting for one. d

On my Cardinal trip last week we were five hours late on the eastbound run due to an engine failire right out of Chicago, among other, smaller delays.  I was connecting to Boston on 66, and we were not going to get to DC in time, so we were told to stay on the Cardinal to NYC where we would do a cross platform change to 66.  Fine.  I went to bed after Charlottesville, and set an alarm for 145 am to get up for the change.

Just after Baltimore, a booming voice came over the PA, announcing that all rooms needed to be made up before NYC, and our attendant would start that right away.  She told us not to closre the door and be prepared to move to another room while she made our beds.  It was 1230 am.  We arrived in NYC at 3 am.  There were only four rooms going all the way to NYC.  She had PLENTY Of time.

At 1235 am there was a knock on my door.  I opened it, as did the fellow across the hall.  I was told my room needed to be made up, and I politely informed the attendant that I was not sitting in a chair for the next 2.5 hours when there is a bed in the room.  The guy across the hall said the same thing and told her he paid for the room.  She grunted and said, "So you are going to be that way."

We closed our doors and listened, and she went to the conductor.  While I could not make out what they were saying, let's just say that we never heard from the attendant again and the bed was down all the way to NYC.

Clearly this woman did not care a whit about us, but only about herself.  She was the first one off of our car at Penn Station.

The windows on my train were dirty, too.  I guess two days for the trainset in Chicago does not provide enough time for a bath...

Fof the few bad employees, their are many more bad customers riding these days. Wanting past services that don't exist because of cuts and lower ticket prices. W. Graham Clayton Jr. was right in the 1980's saying "Once Amtrak's ticket prices are lower than Greyhound's, we failed". Best one I saw recently was a guy berating the LSA in the cafe on 48 for the dining car being 6 cars back and not wanting his attendant to bring him his food. Threatening a letter, asking his name, etc.. Attendant just stood there. Sad.

Posted from Android

Are you suggesting that I should have let her make up my room before Wilmington? And that all of us in those four sleepers should have just sat in our seats until New York City at 3 AM? Because if you are, I think that’s ridiculous and not customer oriented.

Posted from iPhone

chessie1963 has it right.  The bed was rented to the destination, not for the convenience of the attendant.   I will suggest that Amtrak drove this behavior by refusing to pay the attendant to do this work post arrival ON the time clock.  

> As much as they are loathed, at least vending
> machines wouldn't give you an attitude. 
As a survivor of Southern Pacific's infamous Automat Car ("No tipping please."), I'm certain that an Amtrak version would make the SP's vending machine food taste like a Michelin "One Star" meal!
 

Once again examples of Amtrak's biggest weakness....the 5% or so of OBS people who should be fired immediately. Inconsistency is Amtrak's hardest to address problem and one that without question costs it untold millions over the long term. Remember,  folks who feel satisfied with a product on average will tell 4-5 other people, folks who feel unsatisfied with a prouct or service will tell 7-10 other people. These rude , sometimes hostile OBS people make " never againers" on every trip they work. 

   So the logical next question is...why aren't they fired??  That's a wheel with many spokes.  Start with weak hiring practices, add " diversification" goals ( so many females, so many minorities), add union representation and defense ( even of the indefensible), add very weak management and you get what we now have. 

    Until/unless there's a wholesale overhaul of Amtrak's culture it ain't gonna change.  

    Sad but true. Ross Rowland 

Chessie1963 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Are you suggesting that I should have let her make
> up my room before Wilmington? And that all of us
> in those four sleepers should have just sat in our
> seats until New York City at 3 AM? Because if you
> are, I think that’s ridiculous and not customer
> oriented.
>
> Posted from iPhone

Not at all. I go with tourist railroads for train rides these days and I always have a better experience. A good example is Strasburg and the Red caboose motel. You stay on a train without a attendant bothering you.lol

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/21 18:54 by grlhughes.

Thanks for the report, I hope you let Amtrak know of your experiences.

Chessie1963 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> On my Cardinal trip last week we were five hours
> late on the eastbound run due to an engine failire
> right out of Chicago, among other, smaller delays.
>  I was connecting to Boston on 66, and we were
> not going to get to DC in time, so we were told to
> stay on the Cardinal to NYC where we would do a
> cross platform change to 66.  Fine.  I went to
> bed after Charlottesville, and set an alarm for
> 145 am to get up for the change.
>
> Just after Baltimore, a booming voice came over
> the PA, announcing that all rooms needed to be
> made up before NYC, and our attendant would start
> that right away.  She told us not to closre the
> door and be prepared to move to another room while
> she made our beds.  It was 1230 am.  We arrived
> in NYC at 3 am.  There were only four rooms going
> all the way to NYC.  She had PLENTY Of time.
>
> At 1235 am there was a knock on my door.  I
> opened it, as did the fellow across the hall.  I
> was told my room needed to be made up, and I
> politely informed the attendant that I was not
> sitting in a chair for the next 2.5 hours when
> there is a bed in the room.  The guy across the
> hall said the same thing and told her he paid for
> the room.  She grunted and said, "So you are
> going to be that way."
>
> We closed our doors and listened, and she went to
> the conductor.  While I could not make out what
> they were saying, let's just say that we never
> heard from the attendant again and the bed was
> down all the way to NYC.
>
> Clearly this woman did not care a whit about us,
> but only about herself.  She was the first one
> off of our car at Penn Station.
>
> The windows on my train were dirty, too.  I guess
> two days for the trainset in Chicago does not
> provide enough time for a bath...

That's simply outrageous behavior on the part of the attendant.

I had a similar experience 20 some years ago and responded just as you did. Very much a souring experience

Posted from Android

Charles De Gaule will be open soon with its many fine trains. An overnight flight and I can be on my way.

co614 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Once again examples of Amtrak's biggest
> weakness....the 5% or so of OBS people who should
> be fired immediately. Inconsistency is Amtrak's
> hardest to address problem and one that without
> question costs it untold millions over the long
> term. Remember,  folks who feel satisfied with a
> product on average will tell 4-5 other people,
> folks who feel unsatisfied with a prouct or
> service will tell 7-10 other people. These rude ,
> sometimes hostile OBS people make " never
> againers" on every trip they work. 
>
>    So the logical next question is...why aren't
> they fired??  That's a wheel with many spokes. 
> Start with weak hiring practices, add "
> diversification" goals ( so many females, so many
> minorities), add union representation and defense
> ( even of the indefensible), add very weak
> management and you get what we now have. 
>
>     Until/unless there's a wholesale overhaul of
> Amtrak's culture it ain't gonna change.  
>
>     Sad but true. Ross Rowland 

Bob Wilcox
Charlottesville, VA
My Flickr Shots

co614 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Once again examples of Amtrak's biggest
> weakness....the 5% or so of OBS people who should
> be fired immediately. Inconsistency is Amtrak's
> hardest to address problem and one that without
> question costs it untold millions over the long
> term. Remember,  folks who feel satisfied with a
> product on average will tell 4-5 other people,
> folks who feel unsatisfied with a prouct or
> service will tell 7-10 other people. These rude ,
> sometimes hostile OBS people make " never
> againers" on every trip they work. 
>
>    So the logical next question is...why aren't
> they fired??  That's a wheel with many spokes. 
> Start with weak hiring practices, add "
> diversification" goals ( so many females, so many
> minorities), add union representation and defense
> ( even of the indefensible), add very weak
> management and you get what we now have. 
>
>     Until/unless there's a wholesale overhaul of
> Amtrak's culture it ain't gonna change.  
>
>     Sad but true. Ross Rowland 

As a whole I found the female on board service employees to be better than the males. Especially when working in the dining cars. But they really do have too many bad apples working of all races and sexes. They all do seem to do whatever they want ranging from excellent service to downright terrible. Of course when you have management that really doesn’t care what do you expect is going to happen? I just rode the Empire builder a week ago, and the dining car staff was friendly, but they never checked back to see if you wanted anything or how the food was. Maybe they’re afraid to ask? 😂

Posted from iPhone

I've had the finest service and the worst service ever both on Amtrak.   I like to get to know my attendants and tip well.   The lack of consistency is rather amazing though, something you don't see much of anymore in corporate america - even when it's patently false like rental car counters service people and airline check in.   

You can't always rule with a stick, you also have to be able to reward outstanding service.   I see that lacking as well, in any manner, when I've talked to crew.   They will get chewed out, but any kind of incentive system even if not financial seems to be buried in the past.

It is a tough life though.   For every really, really, really late train, it also takes a toll on the service crews involved.   Can you imagine another job where you're stuck in your office for another 4-12 hours because the elevator regularly hangs up and nobody fixes it?

I was riding back on the "Three Rivers" eastbound accross Ohio on the newly double-tracked CSX main, commented to my sleeper attendant how well I'd slept in the night.   "Should have, we never moved much!" to discover that we were actually running about six hours late due to congestion.   We got in that late to Pittsburgh, too, where he was based from.   He'd missed his kids birthday party and you could see it really bothered him, although he was making the best of it, that he was SERIOUSLY wondering why he worked for Amtrak.

randgust Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've had the finest service and the worst service
> ever both on Amtrak.   I like to get to know my
> attendants and tip well.   The lack of
> consistency is rather amazing though, something
> you don't see much of anymore in corporate america
> - even when it's patently false like rental car
> counters service people and airline check in. 
>  
>
> You can't always rule with a stick, you also have
> to be able to reward outstanding service.   I
> see that lacking as well, in any manner, when I've
> talked to crew.   They will get chewed out, but
> any kind of incentive system even if not financial
> seems to be buried in the past.
>
> It is a tough life though.   For every really,
> really, really late train, it also takes a toll on
> the service crews involved.   Can you imagine
> another job where you're stuck in your office for
> another 4-12 hours because the elevator regularly
> hangs up and nobody fixes it?
>
> I was riding back on the "Three Rivers" eastbound
> accross Ohio on the newly double-tracked CSX main,
> commented to my sleeper attendant how well I'd
> slept in the night.   "Should have, we never
> moved much!" to discover that we were actually
> running about six hours late due to congestion. 
>  We got in that late to Pittsburgh, too, where he
> was based from.   He'd missed his kids birthday
> party and you could see it really bothered him,
> although he was making the best of it, that he was
> SERIOUSLY wondering why he worked for Amtrak.

Most people respond well to incentives, but Amtrak doesn't seem to provide any significant carrots for its employees.  The pay is excellent, but it doesn't change much whether you are the best performer or the worst.  That's not a recipe for success anywhere.

Every company needs some kind of system where good performers are rewarded, and poor performers are retrained or put in a job suitable for their talents.