A real live 'Julie' call...

[Cristobal]

My very first trip on Amtrak (over 2 yrs ago) began a month or so before with an automated 'Julie' message informing me of a route change (CZ #5 going thru WY instead of the Rockies). I more recently had another automated 'Julie' call informing me of a bus-bridge being utilized during a recent trip on the CC.

This evening I got my first call from a real person informing me of a schedule change (CZ #5 into EMY 2 hrs later) for an upcoming trip. Is this something new with Amtrak or am I just 'special'?

 

[Steve4031]

I got one last year. I booked a points run from chicago to bloomington and back on 21 and one of the Lincoln service trains on a saturday morning because the fare for my usual run to galesburg was too high. About 1 hour later, I got a call from amtrak and the person informed me that there was a problem with one of the coaches on 21, and they wanted me to take a lincoln service train. I explained that this would mess up the timing on my points run. I was ready to cancel. The lady was very sympathetic, and offered to try to book another points run. I mentioned that the run to galesburg was too expensive, and she rebooked me at a lower fare. Don't know how she did it, but I thought that was very kind of her.

 

[AlanB]

The lady was very sympathetic, and offered to try to book another points run. I mentioned that the run to galesburg was too expensive, and she rebooked me at a lower fare. Don't know how she did it, but I thought that was very kind of her.

Agents with proper cause, can override the bucket on any train at any time. They must be able to justify why they did that, or they could be in serious trouble, but they can override. In this case, since Amtrak was changing things on you and not the other way around, she had just cause to override things.

 

[Steve4031]

It was handled in a very classy way. I even explained that these were joyrides that were not necessary. It certainly left a good impression. Perhaps she could replace done of the riffraff on the Chicago metropolitan lounge.