by Alex Marshall, Editor, Spotlight on the Region
A few years ago I rode the then-new Eurostar train from Paris to Brussels. We were whizzing along at 180 mph or so, when the "train attendant" did something that slowed the journey down considerably for me: she asked me what I wanted to eat.
Just like on a plane, she took my order and then came and set a tray full of food on my lap. That was the only dining option, if I recall. It was clear she was quite pleased with herself in that she was providing the same kind of service you would get on a plane!
I was less than pleased. Why would anyone imitate the inconvenience of air travel, where a plate of food, usually bad, is placed precariously on your lap and thus forces you to eat elbows held in so you don't hit your neighbor, and cautiously, lest you spill food down your front, which usually happens anyway. The great thing about train travel, from a comestible viewpoint, is that you can sit across the table from someone, chat, and have a proper meal. Or at least, you used to be able to. Why would a train imitate the inconveniences of a plane?
In Europe, the answer is that flying has long been much more of an elite activity than here (although that is changing with the introduction of low-cost airlines like Ryan air). By imitating air travel, the Eurostar folks were saying, "See, we are just as sophisticated and elite as an airplane!"
Here in the USA, train travel is also imitating air travel. Amtrak now issues tickets clearly designed to resemble plane tickets and offer the train equivalent of the frequent flier program. Most significantly, Amtrak is now practicing "yield management," where you are charged different ticket prices depending on when you buy. So far you can still get a full refund on Amtrak if you don't use the ticket, but who knows, maybe that will change too to resemble airlines' no-refund policies.
In the physical design of its trains, Amtrak is imitating airlines by placing luggage racks overhead with doors that close. Little space is provided anymore for separate luggage compartments at the end of the aisles, much less entirely separate baggage cars. This makes no sense. Planes place luggage racks overhead because there is no other space for them. On trains, where space is much less at a premium, you shouldn't need to strain a muscle putting a heavy suitcase over your head.
There are two or three things at work here, and they intermingle. One is Amtrak's attempt to raise revenue by imitating the hostile pricing practices of airlines. That's understandable, if not pleasing. Nor is it a good policy choice, but we will leave that for another day. A second thing going on is that plane travel has become the dominant inter-city travel mode, and other modes of travel imitate it. Besides the reasons already stated, it may be because they don't have the time or energy to educate passengers in a different way of doing things.
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