Happening Now
Remembering Phoebe Snow
February 21, 2025
Brian Rosenwald (also known as Phoebe Snow), retired Amtrak VP, beloved innovator in passenger rail customer service, and the executive credited with introducing the Pacific Parlour Car with its special dining menu and wine-tastings to the Coast Starlight, died Wednesday at 72 following a brief illness.
“Brian... oversaw the rebuilding of vintage cars and created an exclusive club for sleeper car occupants,” the family wrote in an obituary published this week. “Brian scheduled on-board wine tastings and entertainment and gave a controversial and characteristically visionary 100% service guarantee. It was all a monster hit. Brian was proud to be an excellent boss who believed in his employees. He retired as a Vice President at Amtrak in 2013.”
Following retirement, Brian, known later as Phoebe, “embarked upon a new labor of love," the family said, "becoming co-owner of Taste Food & Wine on Jarvis, where she conducted richly informative and entertaining tastings.”
Griff Hubbard, a colleague and video-blogger who was with the Texas Eagle Marketing & Performance Organization revenue-managing the Texas Eagle, did an extensive interview and conversation with Phoebe about Amtrak, trains, customer-service, and Brian’s story. You can find that on YouTube by clicking here.
"On behalf of Amtrak’s onboard service staff, I want to thank the Rail Passengers Association for honoring their hard work with this award. The past couple years have indeed been difficult for Amtrak onboard service staff – coping with furloughs and job insecurity, adapting to changing protocols and services, not to mention the unfortunate events such as a tragic derailment and a fatal shooting. Nevertheless, our dedicated members at Amtrak have handled these hurdles with the care, attention and diligence for which they’re known. We thank Rail Passengers for their acknowledgement of our members’ hard work and, as always, look forward to seeing you on the rails."
Arthur Maratea, TCU/IAM National President
December 21, 2021, on the Association awarding its 2021 Golden Spike Award to the Frontline Amtrak Employees.
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