Remembering Phoebe Snow

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.