My 6 y.o. grandsons first Amtrak trip!

[tourlink99]

On March 17 I took my grandson on his first train trip. We travelled on #91 between Tampa and Fort Lauderdale. I have say the service and attitude of everyone we encountered was first rate. On the southbound trip we were right on time through out the entire trip. When the train arrived in Tampa to pick us up, the sleeper attendent Frank went right to my grandson, He introduced himself and called him by name. It made the young man feel very special. He even took him by hand and showed us to our room. Surprise! He upgraded us to a bedroom! Then he had us go to the diner for lunch. The service there was excellent and the SDS food was better then expected.

Even the conductor came by a few times to see if everything was ok and to chat with my grandson. When we arrived Frank, the attendent carried our bags from room to trackside. On the return It was almost a repeat of on time service and customer care. The conductor on the return stopped by to chat with my grandson every time he saw us. Even the manager of onboard service of the south east was on board and also was in top customer service mode. I have to say I was in the travel industry for over 25 years. I know what professional service is and what it entails, and I have to say for this trip. It exceeded what is expected and I think Ill be travelling with my grandchildren from now on.

 

[AlanB]

Thanks for a nice little report! Glad you had a good trip with some top notch employees.

 

[RailFanLNK]

My very FIRST encounter with "service" from Amtrak was by a conductor named Lester. It was in Lincoln NE. and it was a week BEFORE I was to take my first train trip with my ex-girlfriend. We went down to the station and the train was early. He thought we were boarding and we told him we would be in one week. He glanced at his watch and said, "do you know you are a week early?" He had us in stitches! :lol: He calmly and patiently answered alot of questions and was the conductor on the CZ the following week when we were on our way to Emeryville. He did everything he could to ensure we had a great trip, even going as far as having the next conductor named "John" who was the CZ's conductor from DEN to GJT joke around with us. We have had great service by Lester, by JC Adams (sleeper car attendent) Ray Chambers (sleeper car attendent) and the dining car waiter named Red. Also the ticket agent in LNK named Mike is very knowlegeable and always kind when I'm at the station. We have had other Amtrak employees that were fantastic, I'm just not around my travel notes to be able to name them. The ones named here have been so good that I can't forget there names. Service means alot to me (and hopefully you) in this day and age, its gotten pushed to the backseat in so much of the industries in the US. So glad to read about your pleasent trip and how your 6 year old grandson was treated. He's at an age that he will never forget it.