448 and 449 - CLE to BOS to CLE

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n3rdg1rl

Train Attendant
AU Supporting Member
Joined
May 5, 2022
Messages
78
Location
Cleveland
My husband and I were on the 448 in Roomette 5 on 10/3 - We were the only sleeper passengers getting on in CLE. Our SA, Ray, was nice when we got on, and told us when breakfast was. He did have us wait in the Cafe for him to set up the room for a few minutes, but then we were on our way. I got such a good vibe I posted on here how good the staff was. I was wrong. We got to ALB, and I got off to watch them split the train. I hadn't seen the SA since we boarded at this point until he closed the door behind us. Another railfan and I heard final boarding, but the door was closed for the sleeper and the cafe, so we ran up the platform. Another attendant asked why we had to get on in Coach and we explained the door never reopened after it was closed behind us. He let us through the closed Cafe and asked, "Who is your attendant?" I said, "Ray." and he kept asking, "Who is that? I don't know who that is!" So that seemed odd. About 20 minutes later our SA showed up and told us to go to the cafe to get dinner. He said he had to make the beds up now. I thought that was strange considering we were 6 hours out from BOS and our sleep schedule was strange due to getting on in CLE at 5:50AM. We went to the Cafe and were the only people in there besides some staff on the other side. We ate and went back to the room. About an hour later, the SA comes in and tells us he HAS TO take the garbage out now and we can't use the garbage in the room anymore. Fine, I guess. At one point we went to use the bathroom and of course had to walk through the Coach car. There were 2 dogs and 3 cats running around. Just out on the isle. The bathrooms were so foul I started gagging and I'm not a delicate flower. It looked like no one was flushing. I confirmed it could flush and people were just being disgusting. We got to BOS about 30 minutes late, so it was not bad at least in that way.

On the way back we were on the 449 in Roomette 4 on 10/6 - Our SA this time, I can't remember his name really was almost forceful that we don't need to leave our rooms for anything. At first, I was thinking it was because he could get our meals for us and bring them back and was trying to be helpful. He started explaining when breakfast would be (it was 12:50PM) and I told him we get off in CLE. He seemed surprised. My husband and I went to the cafe to grab our lunch. Half of the cafe car had signs (stickers) on the wall saying For Crew Use Only. There were both attendants, two conductors, and the Cafe attendant sitting there laughing. I get to the window at the cafe car and look back and smile at the cafe attendant and she lets out an audible sigh. I let it go. We ordered what we wanted. I complemented her hair bow (it was a cute Halloween one). She looked at me and sighed again. So, we went back to our room and ate. Then we start smelling...bathroom smells. Not great. That continued the rest of the way. Our attendant came to take our dinner order. I told him we would eat at the diner since my husband has never done that. He said, "I'm just going to bring it to you." We get our food about 20 minutes later. As we're eating, he comes back and says, "I can make the beds up now." I looked at our food and back at him and he just stared at me. I said, "Maybe in about half an hour?" and he walked away. 20 minutes later he comes back and says, "I'm going to make your beds up now." As he's making the bed up, he again starts telling me about breakfast and I again tell him we're getting off in CLE and AGAIN he looks surprised. My husband took the opportunity to go to the restroom and the SA told him, "Just use the one in your room. Your wife knows what happens. You don't have to go by coach." My husband is a shy guy, so he nervously laughed and walked down to the coach car. The SA looked at me and he said, "No one wants to just stay in their rooms. There's even the bathroom right there." I said, "I get not wanting to use the toilet 3 inches from where I'm going to sleep." He said nothing else. The rest of the trip was uneventful besides the wafting bathroom odor, and we were over an hour late into CLE due to the bridge over the Hudson in ALB having to be manually closed apparently.

Now I haven't taken Amtrak since before the panorama and this was my husband's first trip, and honestly may be his last. I was saddened at the quality of service on the train now. These employees are hospitality workers and none of them seem to realize that. Another passenger and I almost got left in ALB because he didn't want to come back and open the door and I still don't know where he was! Every employee was happier sitting than doing anything else! To not let us enjoy the room the entire trip because you want to get off faster is not okay! Trying to get people to just stay in their rooms so they don't have to make people do work is not okay! It just felt like everyone wanted to do nothing except get a paycheck. I was disappointed. I have two more trips coming up in January and February. Hopefully, I get people that take pride in their work.

I know I might sound like a Karen, but I'm not. I'm a 41-year-old businesswoman who paid a lot of money to share something she loves with her husband in the hopes that he would fall in love with it to. I know he was not happy. I wasn't happy. I kept apologizing to him and tried to tell him that this wasn't what it is supposed to be. That the crew was just bad. I don't know if he'll be getting on the train with me again any time soon.
 
Thanks for posting that report. I am sorry that you had such a disappointing trip.

The scenery in the Berkshires is great but I have found that it is generally a mistake to board 448 or 449 and assume that you are going to have a nice trip. Things can go south on those trains rapidly. When I am on 449 it is always great to reach Chicago and prepare to board one of the nicer western trains. When I am on 448 it is always a relief to reach Boston not more than 3 hours late which allows me to board the last bus to Maine instead of sleeping on a bench in South Station.

As a train which serves New York City, Boston and Chicago, one would think that the Lake Shore would be operated as the premier train in the Amtrak system. Instead it is hard to believe how poorly these trains, especially the Boston section, are operated.

I hope you will get a chance to take your husband on one of the western trains which hopefully will be a much better experience.
 
Don’t get your hopes up for the Texas Eagle!
Oh yes...However I promised a friend in Austin I would come down so that's the only choice since I'm not currently flying. Even better the Crescent is in Feb/Mar. So, I am picking all the winners now. LOL

Please contact Customer Relations and Report that Crew, there is No excuse for their performance, and you're poor treatment by those Slackers!🤬
I'm not sure what I would say. Everything worked and I got what I paid for, I guess. Would they even investigate the crews or are they so understaffed they are just taking what they can get now? That doesn't seem right since I hear/read of so many people applying and not getting any call back or it takes months to hear anything. The only thing that really made me angry was closing the door 15 minutes before departure and never coming back to open it to let us back on.
 
Oh yes...However I promised a friend in Austin I would come down so that's the only choice since I'm not currently flying. Even better the Crescent is in Feb/Mar. So, I am picking all the winners now. LOL
First your trip on the Lake Shore. Now it is to be followed by a trip on the Texas Eagle and a trip on the Crescent. I

I hope those trips go better than expected and I hope you will post a report.

I do not recommend that you start a new career as a travel consultant.
 
The issues discussed by the OP are legitimate, and not acceptable. Call 1-800-872-7245. Keep saying agent until you get a live agent. Then ask customer relations to log a complaint. I believe they do keep a record of things and if enough people complain that employee could experience discipline. I have had relatively decent service on both sections of the Lake Shore Limited. What you experienced was not acceptable.
 
Oh yes...However I promised a friend in Austin I would come down so that's the only choice since I'm not currently flying. Even better the Crescent is in Feb/Mar. So, I am picking all the winners now. LOL


I'm not sure what I would say. Everything worked and I got what I paid for, I guess. Would they even investigate the crews or are they so understaffed they are just taking what they can get now? That doesn't seem right since I hear/read of so many people applying and not getting any call back or it takes months to hear anything. The only thing that really made me angry was closing the door 15 minutes before departure and never coming back to open it to let us back on.
Report that excessive tables were taken up by crews denying them to revenue passengers. Report that you were restricted to your room and denied use of the diner and cafe car if I read your post correctly. Report that the car attendant dictated when he was would turn down your bed, not allowing you to choose a time before 10. And interrupting your meal while he was at it. All are against official standards and policy (not that OBS crews pay attention to that).

Also report the door was closed 15 minutes before departure while you're at it.

Hope you didn't tip him. I sure as heck wouldn't have.
 
Hope you didn't tip him. I sure as heck wouldn't have.
My husband did cause he's that guy. I will call them in the morning Monday and complain. Thank you all for at least making me feel like I'm not just being a pain and that this really wasn't correct.

I'm on here pretty much daily and I knew what I was getting into. I think since it was my husband's first trip, I wanted it to be a better adventure. If it were just me, I don't know if I would have noticed as many issues. After at least 100 trips on Amtrak in the past 20 years, I know what can happen.
 
Several people brought pets on and were letting them play out of their carriers. I don't think staff even knew since they were just hanging out in the Cafe car.
I'm surprised they allow pets on the Lake Shore Limited. According to the Amtrak pet policy, they only sell pet tickets for trips of seven hours or less. Apparently, they allow them on the long-distance trains for short trips. I guess it's an easy extra $39 (the usual pet fee), so why not?

By the way, pets have to be in their carriers, the combined weight of the carrier and pet is maxxed out at 20 lbs, and no pets in Acela First, non-Acela business or sleeper rooms.
 
Probably not, sadly. Then they would have to acknowledge the problem.

I called and the first woman said that nothing could be done because it already happened. I called back and they said they would send a voucher $100. It's been a week, and nothing is in my account. I'm calling again...
 
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