From: sam@terapin.com (Sam Lewit)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: VIA's excellent, Amtrak sticks bigtime
Date: 13 Aug 92 19:28:19 PST
Organization: BBS

In article <5471@transfer.stratus.com>, btarbox@sw.stratus.com (Brian Tarbox)
writes:
>I just returned from a circle America trip:
>VIA rail from Montreal to Vancouver,
>Amtrak from Vancouver to San Fran. to Boston.
>
>I went first class all the way so expect I saw the best of both
>systems.
>
>I would travel VIA again in a flash and would travel Amtrak again
>if the alternative was walking.  The difference between the two
>system was amazing.
>
>VIA was like train travel in the movies: elegant and with style,
>a friendly car host bringing afternoon coffee to your room, 
>a beautiful diner car with better meals than most high class resturants,
>and engineers who could start/stop the train without jerks.

I took almost the same exact routes. San Fran to Seattle, Vancouver to
Montreal, New York to San Francisco. Here was MY experience compared to yours.

The VIA rail equipment I had was ancient. The dome car was freezing probably in
the mid 30's (This was wintertime), so nobody was using that car. In my
roomette, the bed latch was broken, so every time the train started and
stopped, the bed would slide in and out along its track.

The restaurant was too expensive for my taste. I think the main course was like
$18 or so. I can't compare those.

I WILL admit that the sleeping car attendant was friendly and provided A-1
service. I sure hope he didn't lose his job as this was the old "Canadian" line
which got cut (via Banff).

>Amtrak was like many things american (I'm one so I can flame): crass,
>loud, arrogant, and poor.  Eating in Amtrak's dinner (first class ticket,
>remember) would like a cross between Denny's and a high school cafeteria
>(probablly unfair to Denny's).

I disagree with you on some of these. I found the people on VIA to be much more
loud and arrogant eh? There was this one guy who was stinkin drunk and talking
to his stinkin drunk friend cursing and swearing very loudly. But they still
continued to serve him alcohol in spite of his obvious drunkeness.

I definitely disagree with you on Amtrak's food. I can't stomach Denny's
myself, but I've found Amtrak to serve decent food at a reasonable price. Not
gourmet food mind you, but certainly not at the Denny's level.

>On the California Zephyr, supposedly one of their premeir trains, we were
>woken up by the attendant at 6AM and told that if we wanted breakfast we
>had to go back 4 cars and make reservations for later in the morning!  Nice
>treatment.  Then they run out of 90% of the food choices.  The train has been
>sold out for months, the number of people on board is NOT a surprise!

I'm a late sleeper, and this has never happened to me. Oh... yes it has! On VIA
rail I remember getting waken up early for my breakfast order.

>I also don't see why when I'm paying $1300 or so for first class tickets
>that Amscum can't get me another pillow.  If this is typical than railfan
>or not, I'm taking the plane next time.

I'll agree with you on this one. Amtrak's sleeper arrangements are priced
astronomically. I believe my VIA sleeper was an additional 40 some odd dollars
a night. On at least one Amtrak route (SF to Eugene, OR) I was quoted an extra
$200+ for a roomette. Some routes are cheaper than others.

>Both trips had great scenery, but if you'd rather be treated as valued
>customer rather than as an inconvenience, go VIA, 'cause Amtrak stinks.

I think the real test of all this would be to take a half a dozen of these
types of trips and compare. It is obvious that things will break down, or
you'll get an obnoxious group of people. I had a far better trip on the Amtrak
train than the VIA train THAT time. If I did this again, thinks might be
switched.

Sam Lewit                 | sam@terapin.com
2550 Shattuck #73         | "We shouldn't be blindly opposed to all progress.
Berkeley, Ca. 94704       | But we should be opposed to blind progress"
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