The Auto Train was not long ago a more civilized and genteel
method of travel. Our past experience
has shown the bloom is off of the rose.
Now the Auto Train is simply another means to get from point A to point
B. From what I have gleaned on the
Internet, one disgruntled congressman is responsible for derailing this very
popular train. Congressman John Mica
from Florida
appears to have the destruction of rail service as one of his primary
goals.
It is dismaying to see that an elected representative can be
so short sighted as to not recognize the importance of rail travel. The Auto Train has available coach and
compartment travel from Lorton Virginia to Sanford Florida
The differential between a coach ticket and a compartment is
significant, depending on the date of travel more than $400.00 each way. That differential meant in the past that
compartment travelers had wine tasting
upon arrival and had wine for dinner. Due
to budget constraints the wine has been eliminated. Not only that, the staff has been cut and an
additional coach class car has been added.
This adds eighty plus people who need care and decreased significantly
the number of people who were barely adequate for service needs prior to the
downsizing.
The lounge car that previously was used for the compartment
passengers wine tasting has been eliminated.
The wine tasting and the socializing that ensued meant that new friends
could be made and a trip could be congenial rather than burdensome The elimination of the lounge car made
dinner more difficult as well. The
dining car was overburdened. The staff
was forced to run to the bar car to get wine and to collect the money for said
wine leaving their tables to their own devices. You can't get coffee if you have no
server.
My personal disappointment is that a long train ride that
was made far more acceptable due to amenities that I was willing to pay for has
now become little more than a cattle car with ribbons. Congratulations to Congressman Mica in the
destruction of a civilized method of travel and the ensuing increase in road
traffic, pollution and wear and tear on our highways. His short sighted cost cutting will add up
to far more destruction of both our infrastructure and our way of life. Adeiu Auto Train, I will now ship my car and
fly. No fun at all but at least I will
save some money.
If reviewing a product, it may have been received free of charge. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.
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