I have supported Amtrak for 40+ years. I've ridden every route and some former routes, too. I've supported Amtrak politically with my elected officials through the many efforts to defund Amtrak. (even though there is no Amtrak service in my state - Wyoming.)
I can no longer support Amtrak.
At the beginning of this trip, I planned to take Amtrak from Havre, Montana to Vancouver, Washington. I chose Vancouver rather than Portland because a friend was picking me up. Havre is the closest Amtrak station - 400 miles from Buffalo, WY.
First, Amtrak no longer publishes timetables - you get to throw darts in the dark on their revamped website. The new website is glitzy, but doesn't work well. Like comments above, they say this is because of the pandemic. I have written to customer service many times saying that the lack of timetalbe makes planning difficult with no response. I guess this is pandemic related, too.
Second, Havre used to be a full service stop - it is a major Burlington Northern division point. Bike boxes have always been available there. There is still a station agent, but he is no longer allowed to do any monetary transactions - thus no bike boxes. Nowhere was there any indication of this change.
Third, even though Vancouver, WA has baggage service, the westbound Empire Builder #27 does not allow baggage service. Even though its scheduled arrival is 9:30a is during staffed hours. Apparently the track configuration is such that it is difficult to do so. But not so difficult for passengers - including handicapped passengers - to reach the station.
I had already purchased my ticket to Vancouver. I wondered whether they were going to take my bike all the way up to train arrival. The Havre agent assured me he would do everything possible to get it onboard. Then I had to ask the conducto onboard for the last segment to let me go all the way to Portland (an extra 5 miles, but still not my purchased ticket) and he said it was no problem. Both the Havre agent and the conductor said that current Amtrak management and policy revisions make it unnecissarily difficult for passengers and, also, for them.
The fact that Amtrak doesn't bother to respond to my concerns that I have set out carefully in writing tells me they don't care. They can spend millions of pandemic dollars on marketing, but nothing on customer support. In the past I have endured poor service, late trains, even a bike sent to the wrong station.
But the current Amtrak has lost my support - and there is no way for them to regain it.
The reality is that Amtrak is horribly expensive - massively money-losing. A few urban corridors come close to breaking even in Amtrak's clever accounting. Even the Northeast Corridor couldn't begin to cover the huge infrastructure rebuilding costs based on ridership. Rural areas desperately need public transportation. Busses can do this for a fraction of the cost of Amtrak and can provide faster service to more areas. Yes, I know, busses are .... well, busses.
Amtrak service is dirty, late, rude, incompetent, and hostile. Why should it be maintained?
