Amtrak passengers stranded in Fairfax
Train 195 gets stuck with a failed locomotive. Train 92 enroute from Florida to DC stops to help, but fails, and the crew of Train 92 exceeds permitted work hours and has to wait for a new crew. Finally, Train 99 pushes train 195 to Richmond. Train 195 six hours late, Train 92 is 5:35 late.
From the comments on this article people claim to be treated badly, or very well, and some even claim to be on the train for over 10 hours. Many passengers allegedly made false 911 calls to get off the train according to the comments, too.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/14/AR2010021400007.html?wprss=rss_metro/va
My curious thought about this problem: It’s been beaten to death that AMTK does not or cannot have “protect power.” How would this have been handled in the golden days of passenger rail? Why didn’t AMTK send a protect unit from Union Station the short 10 minute ride to Alexandria to shove this train on its way?
The bigger problem isn’t that the locomotives failed or the crew out-lawed, it’s how did Amtrak handle the riders while this was going on. According to the Gainesville GA paper, Amtrak did a pretty decent job with handling the riders when an NS train derailed ahead.
Step 0: Have a contingency plan for just about everything. Written down. Practice it in training.
Step 1: Tell the riders what’s happened and what the plans are. As the plans change, tell them right away.
Step 2: Feed the passengers. For free. Cater in boxed food if you have to.
Step 3: Hand out vouchers for a free trip or $50 off their next trip.
Step 4: Apologize. Sincerely. At the start and the end of the event.
All this talk about protection locomotives or AC vs. DC power is fine. But you’re hauling real people not a box car of autoparts.
Absolutely! I was just trying to cover the mechanical side. Until AMTRAK learns to discipline their crews for not telling passengers what is going on some employees will not tell passengers. I had an incident where we were delayed over 6 hours at an airport and by making an announcement every 20 - 30 minutes even though I could not find out the problem the passengers realized I was very frustrated and began to understand me. (although I did play it up a bit). Because of a catering strike as well when some demanded food I told them flat out that it would delay us more and I never had a single complaint come in about no food. I did get food at destination handed out by calling from delay.
Step 0: Have a contingency plan for just about everything. Written down. Practice it in training.
Step 1: Tell the riders what’s happened and what the plans are. As the plans change, tell them right away.
Step 2: Feed the passengers. For free. Cater in boxed food if you have to.
Step 3: Hand out vouchers for a free trip or $50 off their next trip.
Step 4: Apologize. Sincerely. At the start and the end of the event.
Step 0: the most important. A logic diagram avaiable to both conductors and On Board Service Manager (when present). . Amtrak needs a customer service duty manager position that can take some of the load off any train crew that is esperiencing a problem. The availability of information from the internet would allow the duty manager to immediately locate whatever help is needed locally. The real time satellite location system being installed on each Amtrak loco will pinpoint any train.
Step 1: very important. During awake times even tell passengers if siding waits will be ___ minutes. Just tell them the truth.<
People will put up with a lot if you just treat them right and let them know you are doing your best. If you act like you don’t care, people won’t put up with very much at all.
A train service employee who considers informing passengers about what’s going on a nuisance needs more than discipline…
This is interesting about protect power being at WASH but I wonder if that is diesel or electric. This delay was in non-electric territory.