Vol. 6, No.3 February 25, 1979 Rail, Accommodations Fares Raised _____------, I To Keep Pace With Inflation A six per cent increase of most • No increase in slumbercoach • No increase in custom class seat regular rail fares and accommoda­ charges for passengers between New charge on the Blue Water Limited. tions charges will become effective on York and Florida on the Champion • Custom class seat charges will be March 5. At the same time, New or the Silver Meteor. raised from $3 to $4 for New York­ York-Washington fares will be raised • No increase in rail fares or ac­ Buffalo service and on the Adiron­ 10 per cent. commodations charges on the Wash­ dack. Higher fares for the New York­ ington-New Orleans leg of the Cres­ Washington segment reflect the ac­ cent. Fares will increase by two per Excursion fares and other special tual marketing conditions of the cent, however, for passengers board­ fare plans, such as ' the Family Plan Northeast Corridor. ing at points north of Washington and multi-ride tickets, will be ad­ The total fare package is intended bound for any point on the Crescent's justed to maintain their present rela­ to keep pace with inflation. The rates route south of Washington. tionship to the one-way fare. are within the Presid ent's price guide­ lines. Crescent Makes Inaugural Run Exceptions to the general fare in­ crease include: Gala inaugural celebrations at both "flagship" of the Southern Rail­ • The price of the U.S.A. Rail ends of the route marked the addition way-on February 1 after an agree­ Pass will not be increased at this time. of the Crescent to Amtrak's nation­ ment on takeover terms was reached wide passenger fleet. Along with the between the two railroads. • No fare increase f()r stations be­ takeover came a number of changes The first trains under Amtrak tween New York's Penn Station and in operations. auspices departed northbound from Princeton Junction, New Jersey, or Amtrak took over operation of the New Orleans at 6:45 a.m., on for the Vancouver-Seattle route. former Southern Crescent-the February 1, and southbound from ·No increase on sleeping ac­ commodations on the Broadway Limited or the Lake Shore Limited. • No increase in rail fares to and between points west of Cumberland, Maryland, on the Shenandoah. Fares to and from the end point cities of Washington and Cincinnati will in­ crease to match the fare increase on the Cardinal. The fare increase will, however, go into effect for all points between Washington and Martins­ burg, West Virginia. • No increase for passengers traveling locally between Los Angeles and San Diego. Rail fares, however, will be increased for travel between the end points. • No increase in accommodations charges on the National Limited, the The Olympia Brass Band plays at trackside after arrival of the first Amtrak­ Cardinal or the Panama Limited. operated Crescent at New Orleans. Washington at 7:20 p.m. terviews to reporters covering the ing on the Peanut Special which car­ An extra lounge car, specially event. ried several hundred residents of decorated for the event with multi­ Media coverage continued as more Plains, Georgia, to Washington in colored balloons and streamers, was than 150 passengers boarded the train 1-977 for President Carter's in­ added to each of the two trains. Spe­ under the glare of TV film crew augural. cial entertainment aboard also helped floodlights. An unexpected-and impromptu­ mark the occasion. Headed by one of Amtrak's E-9 singing performance was given by To help celebrate the premiere run locomotives, the train left Rosa "Peaches" Reeves, an on-board of the northbound Crescent, Helen Washington to head south for Vir­ services attendant on the train. Hays, a pianist-singer at New ginia, North and South Carolina, Passengers liked her so much they Orleans' Bienville House, entertained Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and coaxed her into several encores. passengers. Louisiana, bringing Amtrak service On arrival at New Orleans Union At Washington's Union Station, a to many southeastern cities for the Passenger Terminal, on February 2, bon voyage party was held that even­ first time. detraining passengers were greeted by ing to highlight the departure of the On board the train were Ronald the Olympia Brass Band, the city's first southbound Crescent. Nathan, member of Amtrak's board top-and very well known-march­ The party, held on the station's up­ of directors; M.L. Clark Tyler, vice ing band. Everyone was escorted_ per level, featured the cast of "Story­ president, government affairs; and Al down the platform to the tune of ville," who performed selections Michaud, vice president, marketing. "When the Saints Go Marching in." from the new musical currently play­ All along the entire 1, 154-mile During a brief reception on the sta­ ing at Washington's historic Ford's route, Amtrak paper engineer hats tion platform, New Orleans Mayor Theater. The musical deals with New and promotional buttons were Ernest Morial told the assembled au­ Orleans' one-time legalized red light handed out to passengers and dience that he hoped Amtrak's district at the turn of the century. trackside visitors. takeover of the Crescent would mean Guests at the reception included Adding to the merry atmosphere a resurgence of rail service to New Crescent passengers, and Amtrak and was Carmalita Krup, a signer-pianist Orleans. "To see America as it really Southern Railway employees. Am­ formerly with Pat O'Brien's club in is," said Morial, "requires a ride on a trak President Alan Boyd joined the New Orleans. Krup had gained na­ train." Then, at his request, the crowd and gave several informal in- tional fame for her singing and play- Olympians began playing Duke El- (Lefl) Amlrak 's Crescent wailS in A Ilanla for a " highball " {() con­ linue ils maiden run. (Below) New Orleans Mayor Ernesl Moriallries on an Amlrak hal. (Right) Lewis G. Rogers, on-board ser­ vices attendant, is inter­ viewed enroute by Tuscaloosa Channel 33 's Sarah Moquin. (Far RighI) Kathy Rustin, on-board serv­ ices attendanl, serves refreshments to Tanya Pfeffer and Joe Zuck­ er' then assistant di- rector, NARP, at Wash­ ington send-off party. ington's "Take the' A' Train." available for families, groups and tract, is hiring an additional seven Al Edelston, director, state and children. persons. They will all be responsible local services, acted as master of Amtrak, too, has eliminated the for maintenance on 53 cars and 16 ceremonies while Tyler presented traditional charge for pillows in locomotives. Morial and the director of the Olym­ coaches as well as the coach seat Amtrak will continue to use pia band with Amtrak jackets. reservation charge. Southern Railway locomotives and cars on the train for the present time, After the platform reception, Sleeping car accommodation leasing the equipment from the guests were escorted to a champagne charges will remain approximately railroad. A lounge-coach and a reception on the station's upper level. the same. Amtrak also extended its express bedroom-coach have replaced the To give the Crescent as many ad­ service to most of the cities located on bedroom-lounge car that formerly vantages as possible to attract new the train's route as of Thursday, operated on the train. customers, Amtrak's President Boyd February 15. The expansion provides To ensure the further efficient revealed a number of changes in the small shippers access to some 290 operation of the train, Amtrak has trains' operations beginning with other locations on Amtrak's route consolidated operations at single sta­ Amtrak's takeover. system. tions in both Charlottesville, Most significant was the restora­ Another available express option Virginia, and Birmingham, Alabama. tion of daily service between Atlanta will be Custom Rail Express, a tailor­ Prevously, Am trak trains and the and New Orleans. Since 1970, the made service for customers with fre­ Southern Crescent operated out of train has operated daily between quent, regular, heavy or other un­ separate separate stations at both Washington and Atlanta, but only usual shipments. locations. tri-weekly south of there. Travelers As Amtrak worked up its plans to In Charlottesville, all trains wi ll use on the Crescent will also benefit from handle maintenance of the trains, 39 the Southern Railway station, while Amtrak promotional discounts. new jobs were created in New Or­ in Birmingham the trains will use the Some of these include special round­ leans, making the Crescent City the station formerly used only by the trip coach fares between certain cities train's home maintenance base. Floridian. and "Night Owl" fares for persons Amtrak added 21 locomotive To introduce travelers to Amtrak's traveling on the portion of the route maintenance positions, plus II for new Crescent, and its various opera­ which the Crescent serves during the car maintenance. In addition, Safety tional changes, an advertising and early morning hours. Car Services, Inc., which will handle sales promotion campaign has been Special discount fa res are now also electrical maintenance under con- started. Government Affairs Department Directors Named Several key directors have been Prior to his Amtrak career, Lom­ California Department of Transpor­ named to serve as the nucleus of a bardi served as director of worldwide tation, from September 1977 to newly reorganized government affairs marketing for Pan American World December 1978, she represented that department. Appointed were: Airways from 1960 to 1971 . department's positions on surface John V. Lom bardi, as se nior direc­ Parkhurst was formerly director of and air legislation before the ap­ tor for government affairs, Congressional relations for the John propriate Congressional committees.