(The Winona Daily News posted the following article by Steve Cahalan on its website on April 24.)
WINONA, Wisc. — As of Monday, passengers again will be able to buy tickets on weekends at the Amtrak depots in Winona and La Crosse, Wis. And throughout the week, they’ll once again be able to check their baggage instead of having to carry it on board themselves
Amtrak is restoring a relief ticket agent position at the Winona and La Crosse depots that was eliminated on March 1, 2002, in a cost-cutting move, said Bob Kamrowski, Amtrak ticket agent in La Crosse. The relief agent splits his time between the two depots, Kamrowski said Wednesday.
Restoring the position will allow both depots to once again have a ticket agent seven days a week instead of only Monday through Friday, Kamrowski said. Both depots had a ticket agent seven days a week before March 2002.
After Amtrak eliminated the relief ticket agent’s position in March 2002, it hired a part-time caretaker to open and close the two depots on Saturdays and Sundays. But there was no one at the depots to sell tickets on weekends.
Since that and other March 2002 personnel cuts on Amtrak’s Empire Builder route, passengers at the depots have had to carry their baggage on board seven days a week.
Because Amtrak is restoring a number of positions along the Empire Builder route, Kamrowski said, checked baggage service is being restored as of Monday.
The Empire Builder provides service between Chicago and Seattle and Portland, Ore. An eastbound train stops in La Crosse in the morning, and a westbound train stops in La Crosse in the evening.Amtrak is restoring ticket agent hours and checked baggage service at 22 stations around the nation, including 10 on the Empire Builder route, said Cliff Black, Amtrak director of media relations. At the same time, it is reducing staffing at 31 other stations around the nation. The changes are expected to result in a net savings of about $2.1 million a year, Black said.
“We are constantly looking at our station staffing, and effective April 28 will make some changes,” Black said. “We are trying to bring some consistency to our staffing policy.”