”Be patient. People have a tendency to look at timetables and watches. Sit back and relax.” That bit of advice for first-time passengers on long-distance trains came from Earl R. Woods Jr., Amtrak`s chief of on-board services.
The Empire Builder, which runs between Chicago and Seattle in 46 hours, is a train for people who are not in a hurry. And most riders aren`t. A lot of retirees ride Amtrak because time isn`t of the essence. They find the train a great way to see the country and meet new people.
It takes a while for many passengers to mingle. Woods noted that ”we don`t communicate with one another. We don`t make eye contact in the lounge car. Even today people have their faces in a newspaper or a book.
”Sometimes I`ll just join one or two people (in the Superliner`s Sightseer Lounge Car) and one person might ask me a question,” said Woods, 44, married and the father of three from Sycamore, Ill. ”When I`m answering the question, I might direct a question to the other person. Then, when I leave, both are talking to each other.”
While Amtrak passengers aren`t like a convention of salespeople chattering all the time, many people like the interaction, whether traveling alone or as part of a family. Kids especially gravitate toward one another in the lounge car.
”We have a lot of history on this route, but to me, travel is open communication, to get a chance to see how other people are living,” said Woods, who joined Amtrak 18 years ago after working in hotel/motel management. His job with Amtrak combines being a hotel manager, concierge, host and part- time psychologist.
Woods said most of his summer travelers are families, so there are lots of kids in the lounge, which is open to all train passengers.
He advice to families: Bring such things as puzzles, reading material and computer games to occupy their time. ”A lot of parents use television as a babysitter. They ask me, `Could you turn on the television so they`ll quiet down?` ” (The TV set in the lounge car is used to show movies at night.)
” `Why don`t they read a book?` I ask. The parents look at me as if I`ve insulted them.”
Woods recalled a game that one father cooked up for his four children.
”It was a trivial history or geography game dealing with the trip. He offered them a $1 prize for each question answered correctly. His kids were asking me all kinds of questions to get answers. They weren`t hard questions. How many miles is it from Malta to Havre (two Montana towns)? I`d tell them they could find the answer in the timetable. The father did his homework and showed a little caring. The kids would get the money at the end of the trip to spend on souvenirs.”
On the first day of the trip, kids want to experience the train and they walk all over, Woods observed. ”On the second day, it`s kids versus parents. If you don`t put any effort into the trip, you don`t get anything out of it.” Because summer is family time, Woods said, most of our regular travelers, senior citizens, usually travel in the early spring or late fall to avoid the crowds.
In addition to being jovial with passengers, Woods also keeps an eye out for problems, usually with kids. ”Most of the kids are mild-mannered,” he said, ”but if I see something is going to develop, I call them off to the side and talk to them one-on-one. I don`t try to embarrass them or single them out.
”If an employee sees trouble brewing, especially with young people traveling alone, he or she will tell me. I`ll tell the person, `We`d appreciate it if you`d discontinue what you were doing. If you keep on doing it, we might have to put you off the train.` Every now and then we might have one or two individuals that cross the line. We just call the local authorities. We just tell them the problem and they`ll meet us. Just because this looks like open plain, somebody is out there watching us all the time. If the problem is bad, we can have someone meet us at the next crossroad.”
On this trip, there don`t appear to be any problems for Woods to solve.
”There are 260 people on the train and we could carry about 420.” This particular train had two sleeping cars, four coaches, a dining car, a lounge car, baggage car, mail car and two engines.
Woods, who has worked all the trains out of Chicago, is in his sixth year on the Empire Builder, the train he likes best.
Woods has high hopes for Amtrak.
Amtrak was born in 1971 when Congress formed the quasi-public National Railroad Passenger Corp. to take over the operation of intercity trains. Amtrak has been improving slowly but steadily, at first burdened with old equipment and antiquated union work rules. Today Amtrak operates 220 trains a day, reaching most major cities in 45 states and the District of Columbia. It`s adding equipment every year.
”You can`t rebuild something that had been torn down for 50 years,”
said Woods. ”Everybody wants to see results overnight.
”In 20 years, Baby Boomers are going to be knocking on the door of retirement,” Woods continued. ”They`ll have a lot more time on their hands. They won`t have to fly. Airports, the skies and the interstates are overcrowded now, so where else can you go? High-speed trains will be the future. That`s where we should be putting our money.”
As the train rolled through the plains toward the Montana border, Woods reflected: ”Look at this land. Think of how it was 100 years ago. Forget about everyday thoughts, telephones and the 5 o`clock news. Talk to people. You can learn a lot.”
Good thoughts from a veteran railroad man.
