Comments
MightaHadALittleFun t1_itdn0es wrote
Was the charging table free for customers? From what I can tell, MobileQubes offers this to vendors free, and they get a cut of profits.
umbligado OP t1_itdtr79 wrote
The table was free. It was just a long table with outlets on it. Some people would also work on their laptops while waiting for a train. It was pretty nice, and functional.
gaytee t1_itfc04c wrote
I can only guess that years of non travelers using the power here is the culprit. You’ll always see power stations post security in airports because everyone there has paid to be there.
ccbmtg t1_ithg3kg wrote
'why offer reasonable accommodations for free, when you could charge folks for the use of everyday resources?'
- Henry H. Capitalism, probably
Archaic_Avidity t1_ithewrh wrote
I forgot my power bank on Friday and I'm so glad I didn't see this when I was at Penn. It would've pissed me off
BlarghMachine t1_iten92p wrote
Anything homeless people or poor people can use, they remove.
PopularWobblyRadio t1_ithfb21 wrote
Honestly, they deserve it. This is pants-on-head stupid.
BlarghMachine t1_itjb5ty wrote
I’m having a hard time understanding what you’re calling stupid - or who deserves what
[deleted] t1_itjanyr wrote
[deleted]
miada001 t1_itf88dx wrote
how is one supposed to scan the QR code to access these chargers... if their phone.. is dead....
PopularWobblyRadio t1_ithb6wa wrote
Don't ever scan a QR if you can help it.
rand0m_task t1_ithbzv4 wrote
Why not?
judeiscariot t1_iti1im5 wrote
People replace them with fake ones for phishing schemes.
rand0m_task t1_iti5nqa wrote
Makes sense, good to know.
tacitus23 t1_itdx2ou wrote
Thats fucked up. Late stage capitalism for you.
YesIDoBlowCops t1_itgf95y wrote
Amtrak is basically a government agency. They are not really subject to normal market forces. It's more like you are complaining about something the DMV does and blaming it on "capitalism". I have friends who work for Amtrak and they are hilariously overpaid and the benefits are insane. That's part of the reason why train travel is so expensive in the US. I know a friend who is an engineer(train driver) making about 200k plus the most incredible benefit package I've ever heard of. It's a job that requires a high school education and nothing else. My friend's Dad just retired from amtrak after 25 years and is receving 6k per month for life plus another 1k for his spouse, also for life. That's why a last minute ticket is $315 from Baltimore to NYC. Amtrak loses money all the time but it routinely bailed out by congress. If it were more of a free market they wouldn't be able to operate the way they do. From an environmental perspective train travel is prefereble but high ticket prices encourage more people to drive everywhere.
It's alot like the police union in Baltimore. The unions rig it so the taxpayer pays these incredible compensation packages and the state can't really go bankrupt so the gravy train continues indefinitely. If the union were attached to a private company then the company goes under if the union is too greedy like with the American car manufacturers.
umbligado OP t1_itgo6mt wrote
I’m not quibbling with your larger points, but just to be clear, the Amtrak northeast corridor is generally net positive in terms of profitability.
YesIDoBlowCops t1_itgpexo wrote
And the other lines lose money.
Xanny t1_ithsm8n wrote
Amtrak, by its government charter, is obligated to run those lines, even when the fees they pay the track operators are extortionary and the trains themselves are too low ridership (largely because they cannot be on time when freight takes priority, and also because trains on the freight tracks are slow by track limits Amtrak cannot improve and freight operators have no reason to). Amtrak can be inefficient, but blaming its unprofitable lines on Amtrak is absurd.
There is also the whole infrastructure and transit should not be profitable. Roads in the US are never profitable. If you put a toll on it, its usually only there long enough to recoup the initial construction costs. Ongoing maintenance and unkeep still come out of state DoT budgets. The fact people want the passenger rail lines to be profitable while subsidizing the interstates completely and then wonder why there isn't more demand for trains is a major 4head mood (especially when basically nobody anywhere can live car free).
umbligado OP t1_itgqqjp wrote
Correct, especially the long routes in less populated areas.
Most_Difference_2521 t1_itgzjj7 wrote
Just fyi since you’re so concerned with what everyone else is getting ie: union benefits, Amtrak employees, etc: we pay in to our own pension. Meaning it comes out of our paychecks. Don’t worry about your tax dollars going to retirees pal.
YesIDoBlowCops t1_ith4vjd wrote
As a former federal employee, you know as well as I do that these jobs are bogus and the employees would make nowhere near what they make in the private sector.
Furthermore what you said is false. The federal government funds amtrak retirement benefits to an extent and we know this because it has been the subject of republican attack in the past. I looked it up and as of 2021 about 25% are from federal government sources. The pension system is definitely not fully amtrak funded and also amtrak is bailed out every couple of years with federal cash in addition to that subsidy. It's in the RRB 2022 annual report if you want to see for yourself.
Most_Difference_2521 t1_ith8mk4 wrote
Im not going to engage with you over this. You’re wrong. I know this because all I have to do is look at my paycheck. I know what Tier 1 and Tier 2 are.
YesIDoBlowCops t1_ithex6t wrote
The money is contributed from salaries that are extremely bloated to begin with. How much of a paycut would you take if you tried to get a job in the private sector? Some people get mad when they see facts that they don't want to acknowledge. Looks like you are one of those people.
Most_Difference_2521 t1_ithgobv wrote
“The money is contributed from salaries…”
So after telling me I’m wrong you now admit that the pension money comes from the salaries?
Also instead of blocking me you could just say “you’re right”😆
YesIDoBlowCops t1_ithn5d7 wrote
You are wrong. I was very clear about the subject.
Most_Difference_2521 t1_ith91md wrote
And as a side note a lot of people’s education on the railroad goes beyond high school. Trade school? Military experience? No everyone needs(not wants) a college degree to make money. Worried about government excess? Do you want to talk about private sector corporate bailouts? The absolutely bloated military budget? Amtrak is small potatoes in the grand scheme of things.
YesIDoBlowCops t1_ithetmm wrote
You don't have to bullshit me, I know what the deal is. Yes I oppose all forms of waste fraud and abuse.
Most_Difference_2521 t1_ithfayo wrote
How am I bullshitting you? And if you believe there’s waste, abuse and fraud going on in a publicly transparent part of the government you should definitely go file a formal complaint. You sound like you’re really good at complaining
ccbmtg t1_ithghdv wrote
I think you might find that without government subsidies (aka tax money), automobile and fuel prices would be pretty ludicrous as well.
and that link only discusses individual state subsidies, not federal.
general motors alone is the second highest recipient of federal subsidies, at $3.5 billion, second only to Boeing at a whopping $13b.
>That's why a last minute ticket is $315 from Baltimore to NYC.
surely this has nothing to do with a capitalist company exploiting your emergency or poor planning, based on basic market forces such as supply and demand.
atomlinson89 t1_itdxvdm wrote
They removed the plugs under the wooden benches?
umbligado OP t1_ite932l wrote
Oh snap. Didn’t realize they had been there. I saw nothing, and I circled three times. Also asked a the main desk in the lobby and he was like “nope, no outlets”.
atomlinson89 t1_iteby3j wrote
Glad you found them!
umbligado OP t1_itelv6s wrote
No, sadly they were not there at all. I believe they have removed them. I saw a number of wood panels that were relatively new, and I think they replaced all the former plugs with those panels.
At this point I’m just waiting for them to take out the water fountains as well…
atomlinson89 t1_itemd8w wrote
That's bullshit sorry.
jupitaur9 t1_itezrhk wrote
Added: /If they were removing the outlets/, then they had to remove everything to comply with electrical code.
It’s actually illegal to just cover up a power outlet. It has to be covered with a plate if there’s still power or a junction of some kind there.
umbligado OP t1_itgfmqe wrote
Thanks. Are you saying that electrical code shortcomings were the reason for removal, or that they had to undergo full removal rather than just covering them up in order to satisfy code?
Also, I don’t understand why you’re getting down voted. You were just relaying information.
abooth43 t1_itg5x1b wrote
They can't have accessible outlets under the benches due to electrical code?
jupitaur9 t1_itg95vf wrote
No.
They can’t just cover an existing outlet with wood or paneling or drywall. It has to have an electrical plate over it, or they have to remove the wiring itself underneath.
Velghast t1_itfdbm0 wrote
Monetize EVERYTHING, O2 Now availibal for $9.99
Spiritchaser84 t1_itgchsk wrote
Upgrade to O2+ for $99.
Unusual-Thanks-2959 t1_ite1buc wrote
I suspect to deter loitering.
BlarghMachine t1_itenf9w wrote
“Loitering” otherwise known as existing while homeless/poor and going to the only free place you could charge a phone (past tense)
umbligado OP t1_itelxyw wrote
Yeah I guess, but that’s such an extreme measure. It makes the experience of waiting for a train really miserable. Turns out that the plugs on the Amtrak also didn’t work, so I was pretty much out of luck.
STrRedWolf t1_itec69m wrote
Not surprising, given what else is there now:
- An Amtrak QuickTrak machine
- A MARC ticket machine
Plus, you're pulling out your credit card to buy tickets... which means anyone "recharging their cell phone" could take off with your card.
DisentangledElm t1_itk4ktn wrote
That QuickTrack machine has been there for at least ~ten years and it used to be the way you'd buy MARC tickets at one point. MTA probably got tired of shelling out to Amtrak to make tickets for them. It sucks they removed the outlets, but I can totally see why. People loiter all the time and the Amtrak police couldn't ever be bothered to do anything about it. When you're asked for $5 the hundredth time that morning, it gets old quick.
STrRedWolf t1_itkpgnu wrote
A bit of the other way around. Amtrak notified MARC they couldn't keep selling MARC tickets through their QuickTraks and ARROW system. So MTA got together the MARC TVMs.
The added kick is that you now got TVMs at practically every stop on the MARC system (I have to check College Park, but they're definitely not on flag stops like Jessup).
wbruce098 t1_itfyik1 wrote
Looks like the kiosk itself is also hardwired so you can’t just unplug it to charge your phone 🤔
Responsible_Fix_2030 t1_itenpiq wrote
Omg I was stuck using one of those in San juan pr.
HyacinthMelusine t1_itgppv4 wrote
Always bring a snap on or separate battery with you. Set your phone on low battery mode, if available. Those free charging stations can compromise your phone’s security.
meowmeowbuttz t1_ith8xe7 wrote
In the Philly Amtrak station they have USB outlets along most of the benches -- I'm hoping some similar will come to Penn with the reno! This does blow.
epzik8 t1_itfwu4v wrote
Dang
gaytee t1_itfbv5e wrote
I’ve never understood this. Public places don’t owe anyone free power, airports do, because there’s a premium paid to get in there etc, but idk why people get mad about lack of outlets. It’s 2022, if you don’t have a portable charger by now, that’s on you.
It’s 29 bucks for an anker battery that will charge my phone 6-7 times. Get real people and stop acting so entitled.
okdiluted t1_itfhj5o wrote
why can't there be things that are just for the public good? why are things that are commonly accepted as essential for travelers turned into yet another rent-extraction scheme? why does everything have to turn a profit for someone? outlets existed there for ages and it took more work and more expense to remove them and install something that is just another excuse to charge people money for trying to exist in public. phones charging off of the previous available outlets were not gonna bankrupt penn station--this is just another way to both make public spaces more hostile and to extract a profit from a previously free courtesy service. it doesn't need to be like this! why would you advocate for things being like this! the world doesn't have to be crueler and worse all the time!
Worth-Slip3293 t1_itg7oib wrote
For real man. Let’s also get rid of side walks, cross walks, the fire department and public education too. It’s 2022, stop being entitled and expecting public services. If you get hit by a car or die in a fire, that’s on you.
/s
umbligado OP t1_itgg0sb wrote
To be clear, I’m not saying that I am owed power, merely that this is a very small concession/amenity that makes logical sense to provide, they were already providing it, and it was appreciated and used by customers of the rail lines. It’s pretty common to find power outlets available in say, coffee shops, and customers are spending substantially more on the train than they are for a latte.
And to be clear, this is only a public space in the sense that it is freely accessible. It nonetheless has an express business purpose, and general usage outside of the purposes of transportation is discouraged (in as much as that may be ignored). It’s not like it’s a public park or a random corner bus stop.
Spiritual-Hedgehog-7 t1_itemegj wrote
I’m sure I’ll get downvoted, but powerbanks are extremely affordable on amazon. Quit crying, nothing is owed to you.
umbligado OP t1_itemtdd wrote
Yeah I already mentioned that. At the same time power is cheap, and not everyone’s walking around with a power bank all the time. Also, laptops. The station has intentionally ripped all basic amenities out, and it’s getting really spartan in there. I use the station all the time, but increasingly I really dislike being there. Being stuck there with a train delay now really sucks, especially now that the little bar/restaurant is closed as well.
Spiritual-Hedgehog-7 t1_iteo1ni wrote
Spiritual-Hedgehog-7 t1_itenwvu wrote
Agreed. They are undergoing a complete renovation so hopefully they’ll be upgrades + eateries in the near future
okdiluted t1_itfhob4 wrote
"nothing is owed to you" is such a terrible outlook to have about the world!
Spiritual-Hedgehog-7 t1_itj7xhd wrote
Work towards a good paying job you bum. So many libs on this app. I’m by far a conservative but this app is a joke
okdiluted t1_itkobgi wrote
you sound like a deeply unhappy person!
MYQkb t1_itgn3pn wrote
A mantra of the greedy little people, ironically the world owes THEM some things.
Always funny to see the seething rage come spewing out of people, WHENEVER you try to benefit others.
Balt is getting a steady influx of these morally crooked people, viciousness is the flavour around town.
DreSledge t1_ith38u2 wrote
Sounds about yt
[deleted] t1_itf2y1d wrote
[removed]
DirtyPolecat t1_itl0xnd wrote
They day they start bottling and selling oxygen because they've made the air so completely unbreathable without catching 50 different cancers is the day you start defending bottled oxygen.
umbligado OP t1_itdlgoq wrote
There used to be a nice charging table/station right in the main waiting area. They removed it and now this is the only source of charging anywhere in the station. Normally that’s not an issue, and sure, I should probably have an external battery pack, but now I’m waiting for a significantly delayed train. Why can’t we keep nice things? That charging table was working just fine, and it was pretty new.