MiniMax
Train Attendant
- Joined
- May 25, 2004
- Messages
- 82
I’m in my 70s now and more grateful than ever to take an Amtrak long-distance train. It’s an exciting occasion for me. My wife and I are soon to board the Coast Starlight for a trip from Los Angeles to Portland in a bedroom. I booked the trip online and printed an electronic ticket, but I still like the feel of an old-fashioned cardboard ticket. It’s stated plainly on the ticket that any Amtrak ticket window will issue an official ticket. Since we live in Sherman Oaks I drove to the close-by Van Nuys station and requested a ticket. I showed the person behind the window my electronic ticket and with only a glance at it she promptly said, “That IS your ticket.” I explained that just for old time sake, I like to have an Amtrak-issued ticket.
She became argumentative and insisted that I don’t NEED another ticket. I didn’t know what to say. I’ve never run into such snippiness at Amtrak. After a pause and a long stink-eye, she raised her voice for others to hear in the waiting room that I was WASTING her paper, but that she would print it anyway.
I don’t often get the opportunity to take a long distance trip in an Amtrak bedroom. In all my years of travel on trains, the ticket window people and, indeed, most all Amtrak employees are happy to help me and are always courteous. They are the face of Amtrak. Corporate can spend money on advertising and PR, but the real face of Amtrak is the actual face of an Amtrak employee. I can understand frustration and she may have been having a bad day, but she had been laughing and courteous with the younger couple who was there just before me, so, no, I think that she was just being purposely discourteous. What a shame.
This is just a vent dear friends. I’m still looking forward to our trip on the beautiful Coast Starlight and the adventure ahead.
She became argumentative and insisted that I don’t NEED another ticket. I didn’t know what to say. I’ve never run into such snippiness at Amtrak. After a pause and a long stink-eye, she raised her voice for others to hear in the waiting room that I was WASTING her paper, but that she would print it anyway.
I don’t often get the opportunity to take a long distance trip in an Amtrak bedroom. In all my years of travel on trains, the ticket window people and, indeed, most all Amtrak employees are happy to help me and are always courteous. They are the face of Amtrak. Corporate can spend money on advertising and PR, but the real face of Amtrak is the actual face of an Amtrak employee. I can understand frustration and she may have been having a bad day, but she had been laughing and courteous with the younger couple who was there just before me, so, no, I think that she was just being purposely discourteous. What a shame.
This is just a vent dear friends. I’m still looking forward to our trip on the beautiful Coast Starlight and the adventure ahead.