Report by Paul J. Dyson, RailPAC President
Los Angeles, December 19, 2013
Today I attended the opening ceremony of the new Amtrak lounge for sleeping car and Business class passengers. In spite of being Amtrak’s 5th busiest, Los Angeles Union Station has never had a facility of this kind and it is much to be welcomed.

View of the new Metropolitan Lounge on dedication day. Pictured on the right are Mike Dwyer, Route Director for the Coast Starlight and Southwest Chief, left, and Jack Rich from Amtrak Planning in Washington DC. (Photo by RailPAC member Alex Gillman)

The project was managed by Marcos Gonzalez, assistant Superintendent, and Peter Zavala, project manager, engineering. Passengers can enjoy Internet access, newspapers, a conference room, and comfortable seating in a quiet setting. In addition, ticketing assistance is available and priority boarding via Red Cap service. The lounge offers complimentary beverages.

Original train-themed art work is displayed, including a number of pieces by Assistant Superintendent Road Operations, Eric Smith. Eric’s work is on the cover of the 2014 Amtrak timetable. Amtrak VP Operations D.J. Stadtler performed the ribbon cutting together with L.A. City Council member Tom LaBonge. Also in attendance was Art Leahy, CEO of Metro, owner of LAUS. The lounge will be open from 5.00am to 10.00pm daily.