I’ve have not taken the train to ORD, but from PHL to Center City is just OK. It’s ghetto, old and dirty. Grumpy ticket controllers still selling tickets using hole punchers. No electronics. That’s the 21st century of public transport in America.
Honestly, it’s a commuter train. Electronics beyond simple station announcements are stupid when there’s a map on the wall and the stations have big signs.
There’s only one stop between downtown and the airport terminals anyway. And they replaced the oldest trains a few years ago. It’s actually a tribute to how well the equipment was built that they ran rail cars from the late 1950s up until the 2010s. Ran them every day, not as some sort of museum.
As far as the ticket controllers, problem is an outdated law requiring conductors on commuter rail that’s connected to the national system rather than just a motorman. Might as well have them do something since they’re there.
