Amtrak Looking to Beyond Pandemic

Amtrak executives expect to return service to normal levels gradually once the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

Senior Vice President Stephen Gardner told employees during a town hall meeting late last week that restoring service after the pandemic will be a challenge because the railroad doesn’t know how quickly demand will recover.

Some services might see strong demand once the public begins to travel again.

Also addressing the town hall was incoming Amtrak President William Flynn, who will replace Richard Anderson on April 15.

“We’re planning for several scenarios where the recovery pattern might be different in specific regions — gradual or a big jump,” Flynn said.

Trains magazine obtained a copy of the town hall meeting and reported some of its contents on its website on Monday.

Gardner said Amtrak will work with states that fund corridor service to determine “how much service we have on routes they help support.”

Flynn was introduced during the town hall by Anderson.

The next Amtrak CEO lauded Amtrak employees for their diligence during the pandemic, particularly those who handled the derailment of the northbound Auto Train on March 26.

Flynn pledged to avoid furloughing Amtrak workers during the pandemic.

Anderson said Amtrak’s overall bookings have plunged by 95 percent with ridership in the Northeast Corridor down 98 percent, state-supported service down 93 percent and long-distance ridership declining 87 percent.

Amtrak’s daily train frequencies have been slashed from 309 to 156, with 77 percent of the Northeast Corridor service suspended.

There are just 10 trains boarding and discharging passengers from New York to Washington and four from New York to Boston.

Gardner said Amtrak has no plans to screen passengers for COVID-19.

“We are not qualified to undertake mass testing (and) we don’t have the ability to control who is coming on board once they purchase a ticket, but we can reinforce the good guidance that’s out there and we will work with   . . . officials to help them implement health checks should they be required,” said.

With ridership on long-distance trains down Amtrak is no longer practicing communal dining in its dining cars. Gardner said there is no need to seat passengers not traveling together at the same table.

Tags: Amtrak, Amtrak ridership, Richard Anderson, Stephen Gardner, William Flynn