finally home from rail excursion 07

[mp-44]

This years trip started out good left MSS on time on 51. two roomettes to Chicago in sleeper Imperial View.The car attendant was very helpful as was all the other staff on board. Miracles we arrived 30 minutes early into Chicagut the same day on 21 to DAL family room this time This crew was probably the best I ever had. it was easy to see they had all worked together for awhile. Arrived Dal on the 29th 1hr late no big deal there Stayed until Friday the 3rd Did get to ride DART and TRE. they run RDC cars Now this where it goes downhill big. 3:20 dep from DAL but no train freight derailment near Austin will be late train shows up at 11:00PM 1 ENGINE THIS IS IMPORTANT LATER had to roomettes in trans/dorm very small poor at best crew no attendant most of the time. Food service later. We got to Arkadelphia.and the 1 ENGINE BROKE DOWN.No HEP.waited for 21 coming south to take and engine from them. DID this and then the brakes would'nt work more time.13hrs late by now Poor breakfast 1 selection.and lunch was 1/2 of a burger dinner was whatever was left. Customer service got on at St.Louis got voucher for food and room but no help for connection back to MSS. ARRIVED IN CHI 6AM THE 5TH. 17HRS LATE. NO CONNECTING SERVICE No coach or sleeper on the CAP OR LSL. no help either Finally got tired of it and took Greyhound bus to WAS. Well 3 busses later and were home got in today the 6th about noon AGAIN WHAT A NIGHTMARE mp-44............

 

[Carole A. Wright UK]

This years trip started out good left MSS on time on 51. two roomettes to Chicago in sleeper Imperial View.The car attendant was very helpful as was all the other staff on board. Miracles we arrived 30 minutes early into Chicagut the same day on 21 to DAL family room this time This crew was probably the best I ever had. it was easy to see they had all worked together for awhile. Arrived Dal on the 29th 1hr late no big deal there Stayed until Friday the 3rd Did get to ride DART and TRE. they run RDC cars Now this where it goes downhill big. 3:20 dep from DAL but no train freight derailment near Austin will be late train shows up at 11:00PM 1 ENGINE THIS IS IMPORTANT LATER had to roomettes in trans/dorm very small poor at best crew no attendant most of the time. Food service later. We got to Arkadelphia.and the 1 ENGINE BROKE DOWN.No HEP.waited for 21 coming south to take and engine from them. DID this and then the brakes would'nt work more time.13hrs late by now Poor breakfast 1 selection.and lunch was 1/2 of a burger dinner was whatever was left. Customer service got on at St.Louis got voucher for food and room but no help for connection back to MSS. ARRIVED IN CHI 6AM THE 5TH. 17HRS LATE. NO CONNECTING SERVICE No coach or sleeper on the CAP OR LSL. no help either Finally got tired of it and took Greyhound bus to WAS. Well 3 busses later and were home got in today the 6th about noon AGAIN WHAT A NIGHTMARE mp-44............

We, too, had nightmare trips with Amtrak in September of this year. Booked and paid for months in advance we arrived in the USA, went to Boston to board our train to meet friends, presented the vouchers which our travel agents had given to us to be met with puzzlement and blank looks - they did not know what to do with them and could not find our reservations. Not surprising as when we then went on to Albany a few days later we were told by the ticket clerk that all our reservations had been cancelled as they had not been "protected" whatever that means! As we had booked a roomette to Chicago overnight and then two days later, sleeping accommodation from Chicago to Seattle you can imagine the stress and anxiety this caused. We are no spring chickens and were not even sure we would get on the trains, never mind have somewhere to rest our old bones. AND we were travelling with two American friends so it put a damper on their trip too.

It is a long story and the stress did not stop there - it was piled on in triplicate and we were thankful to reach Seattle and go on the most amazing cruise to Alaska. Amtrak ruined our train trips across America.

 

[AlanB]

This years trip started out good left MSS on time on 51. two roomettes to Chicago in sleeper Imperial View.The car attendant was very helpful as was all the other staff on board. Miracles we arrived 30 minutes early into Chicagut the same day on 21 to DAL family room this time This crew was probably the best I ever had. it was easy to see they had all worked together for awhile. Arrived Dal on the 29th 1hr late no big deal there Stayed until Friday the 3rd Did get to ride DART and TRE. they run RDC cars Now this where it goes downhill big. 3:20 dep from DAL but no train freight derailment near Austin will be late train shows up at 11:00PM 1 ENGINE THIS IS IMPORTANT LATER had to roomettes in trans/dorm very small poor at best crew no attendant most of the time. Food service later. We got to Arkadelphia.and the 1 ENGINE BROKE DOWN.No HEP.waited for 21 coming south to take and engine from them. DID this and then the brakes would'nt work more time.13hrs late by now Poor breakfast 1 selection.and lunch was 1/2 of a burger dinner was whatever was left. Customer service got on at St.Louis got voucher for food and room but no help for connection back to MSS. ARRIVED IN CHI 6AM THE 5TH. 17HRS LATE. NO CONNECTING SERVICE No coach or sleeper on the CAP OR LSL. no help either Finally got tired of it and took Greyhound bus to WAS. Well 3 busses later and were home got in today the 6th about noon AGAIN WHAT A NIGHTMARE mp-44............

We, too, had nightmare trips with Amtrak in September of this year. Booked and paid for months in advance we arrived in the USA, went to Boston to board our train to meet friends, presented the vouchers which our travel agents had given to us to be met with puzzlement and blank looks - they did not know what to do with them and could not find our reservations. Not surprising as when we then went on to Albany a few days later we were told by the ticket clerk that all our reservations had been cancelled as they had not been "protected" whatever that means! As we had booked a roomette to Chicago overnight and then two days later, sleeping accommodation from Chicago to Seattle you can imagine the stress and anxiety this caused. We are no spring chickens and were not even sure we would get on the trains, never mind have somewhere to rest our old bones. AND we were travelling with two American friends so it put a damper on their trip too.

It is a long story and the stress did not stop there - it was piled on in triplicate and we were thankful to reach Seattle and go on the most amazing cruise to Alaska. Amtrak ruined our train trips across America.

Carol,

While I'm dismayed that things went so badly for you, it sounds like your travel agent didn't do something right here and that the blame lies with them, not Amtrak. An unprotected reservation basicaly means that the agent made a reservation, but never paid for it. A travel agent should issue actual tickets, not vouchers for travel on Amtrak.