Parking For Auto Train?

[rrdude]

Oh sure they had candy bar, hamburgers , chips, one variety and almonds. And next drinks and wine, but no fruit, no cheese and crackers, nothing even approaching "healthy"

Mw wife n kids r ALL pissed! Guess who's the bad guy? Not Amtrak.... ME. For booking, even though we are regular for over 10 years, autotrain passengers...

See Ya!

 

[rrdude]

No, on AT they close boarding up to an hour prior.....

After I boarded, they started switching in about 15 mins. Often, with "all pax accounted for", AT will depart early, as they shud.

And btw, the sleeper diner had flowers, albeit fake, but I guess I won't need my bud vase and carnation, OR, the printed photo of a flower-on-the-table, that I had planned to tape to the window....

 

[Allypet]

RRDUDE, can you post an exact makeup of the consist with car numbers?

 

[rrdude]

Not today, but will try to when I arrive in Sanford in AM.

Over the PA, was told we har 48 cars.... And all the regular PR BS.....

 

[VentureForth]

FYI, you're trailing the Silver Star by about 8 miles. It'll either slow ya down or hopefully you will overtake it before too long - perhaps in Richmond.

 

[OBS]

I am sure you will, but be sure to share your thoughts with Amtrak after the trip...

 

[me_little_me]

I DO NOT recommend cutting it THIS CLOSE to anyone taking Amtrak.....Just the wat I roll

Try that some time with an airline flight. :giggle:

 

[pennyk]

Jerry, I think you need some more wine and a lot of deep breaths. :lol:

 

[rrdude]

Working on it, and "ME", I know I cudnt get away with THAT on an airline, which is why I chose (in the past) Amtrak, and AT, but alas, no mo. Even r dinner companions, who r Silver-Regulars, said "never again on AT"

Dinner service was a debacle... So sad, they even announced over the PA, ".......Done with dinner?, get yer ass outa the diner, we have THREE more seatings........"

 

[Allypet]

Working on it, and "ME", I know I cudnt get away with THAT on an airline, which is why I chose (in the past) Amtrak, and AT, but alas, no mo. Even r dinner companions, who r Silver-Regulars, said "never again on AT"

Dinner service was a debacle... So sad, they even announced over the PA, ".......Done with dinner?, get yer ass outa the diner, we have THREE more seatings........"

Oh my! I'm not looking forward to my July AT trip!

 

[VentureForth]

Dinner service was a debacle... So sad, they even announced over the PA, ".......Done with dinner?, get yer ass outa the diner, we have THREE more seatings........"

PLEASE tell me that wasn't a direct quote!!!

 

[SarahZ]

Dinner service was a debacle... So sad, they even announced over the PA, ".......Done with dinner?, get yer ass outa the diner, we have THREE more seatings........"

PLEASE tell me that wasn't a direct quote!!!

I sincerely hope not.

I've heard similar announcements on full trains. It's usually something like, "We have a very busy train tonight. If you are finished with your meals, we ask that you please return to your rooms or seats so that we may serve others who are waiting for a table."

 

[neroden]

no fruit, no cheese and crackers, nothing even approaching "healthy"

Did I mention earlier that the current Amtrak clientele wants to have healthy food available? Yes, yes, I did...
And rrdude -- please immediately contact Amtrak to complain about the insane mis-operation of the dining car. By immediately, I mean before you leave the train. (Though you'll want to send a letter by mail afterwards too.) The quicker Amtrak gets the message that its cuts to the Auto Train service were idiotic, the better.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Alternatively, the quicker the Auto Train gets cut, the better. It was always an elitist train, only for the first class citizens of this country who are privileged to be permitted to own and drive a car. Second class citizens, that is, non drivers are not permitted on it. Which is why, I suspect, they reserved first class service just for them. Otherwise first class service might be given to a second class citizen, and that simply is not allowed in this country.

 

[rrdude]

Same announcement at breakfast, and same cluster-fu%#^. Not having a lounge car to "hold" waiting diners is just INSANE, EVEN MY WIFE, who cud care less about stuff like this, commented on all the pax who came into the diner, only to be told, "no seats, wait in your room for an announcment..." Everyone of them looked like they were thinking, "What kind of Mickey Mouse operation is this?" We were lucky, our car was directly next to the diner, others (i'm talking SENIOR, senior, citizens were not...

"No", of course that wasn't a direct qouote, but, AND I AM ABSOLUTELTY ACCURATE ON THIS, many, many other diners were looking at each other, with that ***? Look....

So, it wasn't just me. In the AM, "If u r just chatting, please exit the diner and take u r conversation back to u r accomodations, or the lounge car." (Which is a hundred miles away....and full when u get there....)

I think if I ever take the AT again, I'm gonna bring my own folding/camping chair, and make my own mini-lounge by were they used to have the coffee for the sleeper pax.

Just plain insanity....

 

[Green Maned Lion]

They don't have coffee for the sleeper pax anymore?

 

[rrdude]

They don't have coffee for the sleeper pax anymore?

They do, but our unit was DOA... No juice or hot choc thou, first thing my 14 yr old daughter asked for. Plenty of ice though!

 

[OBS]

no fruit, no cheese and crackers, nothing even approaching "healthy"

Did I mention earlier that the current Amtrak clientele wants to have healthy food available? Yes, yes, I did...
And rrdude -- please immediately contact Amtrak to complain about the insane mis-operation of the dining car. By immediately, I mean before you leave the train. (Though you'll want to send a letter by mail afterwards too.) The quicker Amtrak gets the message that its cuts to the Auto Train service were idiotic, the better.

No excuse not to have cheese/crackers available...especially with the 3 week shelf life the assembled product has...

 

[rrdude]

OBS, the LSA working the lounge car was embarrassed, they were, for all practical purposes, SOLD OUT of virtually everything w/in 45 mins of departure, except for almost full liq kits, and plenty O beer.

Because of my tight schedule, I missed lunch, so didn't have a chance to eat til 6:00pm. Imagine if I had a later seating....

Please bear in mind, I hold very little ill will to staff on board, (cept our personality-defcient TAS) they are, as almost always, "doing the best they can under shi%#}y circumstances...."

It was mix of china plates and non-recyclable plastic this AM

 

[I always rode the Southern]

Alternatively, the quicker the Auto Train gets cut, the better. It was always an elitist train, only for the first class citizens of this country who are privileged to be permitted to own and drive a car. Second class citizens, that is, non drivers are not permitted on it. Which is why, I suspect, they reserved first class service just for them. Otherwise first class service might be given to a second class citizen, and that simply is not allowed in this country.

I agree with a lot of what you say, GML, but you are way off base on this. First time in my entire life I have ever been referred to as elite, first class, and privileged. Daughter of a steelworker, wife of a steelworker, and maintaining middle class status simply because both of us worked full time to provide the basic necessities for our family. In our town it was not a privilege to own a car, it was a necessity, or you couldn't get to work, go shopping for groceries, etc., unless you lived within walking distance,

The auto train is a way for us to take our car and visit our family, because now we are too old to be driving that long of a distance, and with not enough budget to afford the cost of long term car rentals. Heck, we couldn't even afford to take the auto train trips as often as we do if it weren't for AGR points.

.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Alternatively, the quicker the Auto Train gets cut, the better. It was always an elitist train, only for the first class citizens of this country who are privileged to be permitted to own and drive a car. Second class citizens, that is, non drivers are not permitted on it. Which is why, I suspect, they reserved first class service just for them. Otherwise first class service might be given to a second class citizen, and that simply is not allowed in this country.

I agree with a lot of what you say, GML, but you are way off base on this. First time in my entire life I have ever been referred to as elite, first class, and privileged. Daughter of a steelworker, wife of a steelworker, and maintaining middle class status simply because both of us worked full time to provide the basic necessities for our family. In our town it was not a privilege to own a car, it was a necessity, or you couldn't get to work, go shopping for groceries, etc., unless you lived within walking distance,The auto train is a way for us to take our car and visit our family, because now we are too old to be driving that long of a distance, and with not enough budget to afford the cost of long term car rentals. Heck, we couldn't even afford to take the auto train trips as often as we do if it weren't for AGR points.

.

You have the privilege of owning a car. You only object to my statement because you have never been denied that privilege. But 20% of Americans are denied it. They are not allowed, because of various non qualifications and we do nothing to help them if they don't qualify as legally disabled.

No personal offense, but it pisses me off to no end that so many people are not aware of their plight and resultantly sit there and harp about how they are this and that and not privileged when they very much are. Try living life without a car. You probably couldn't live in the town of your choice. Those of us who are not dis-baled are simply TABs - Temporarily Able Bodied, a status you can lose at gods whim. And then maybe you'll appreciate that now you are privileged.

 

[jis]

The concept of "being an elite" is highly dependent on the universe of discourse that we are dealing with.

If the Universe of discourse is 1%-ers, then many that would normally be considered elite (in the US population context) would be considered to be barely members - let alone being elite.

If it is general US middle class society then of course people who are middle class would not be elites. However, when the entire US society is taken into consideration then many even in the middle to upper middle class get to be elites.

OTOH if the whole world population is taken into consideration, then there are relatively few in US that are not elite.

So it all depends.

In general we should all be grateful to have been given the privilege to be part of the world that we are in, warts and all, and behave accordingly. That will make the world a better place for everyone - a fervent hope....

 

[VentureForth]

Alternatively, the quicker the Auto Train gets cut, the better. It was always an elitist train, only for the first class citizens of this country who are privileged to be permitted to own and drive a car. Second class citizens, that is, non drivers are not permitted on it. Which is why, I suspect, they reserved first class service just for them. Otherwise first class service might be given to a second class citizen, and that simply is not allowed in this country.

I agree with a lot of what you say, GML, but you are way off base on this. First time in my entire life I have ever been referred to as elite, first class, and privileged. Daughter of a steelworker, wife of a steelworker, and maintaining middle class status simply because both of us worked full time to provide the basic necessities for our family. In our town it was not a privilege to own a car, it was a necessity, or you couldn't get to work, go shopping for groceries, etc., unless you lived within walking distance,The auto train is a way for us to take our car and visit our family, because now we are too old to be driving that long of a distance, and with not enough budget to afford the cost of long term car rentals. Heck, we couldn't even afford to take the auto train trips as often as we do if it weren't for AGR points.

.

You have the privilege of owning a car. You only object to my statement because you have never been denied that privilege. But 20% of Americans are denied it. They are not allowed, because of various non qualifications and we do nothing to help them if they don't qualify as legally disabled.
No personal offense, but it pisses me off to no end that so many people are not aware of their plight and resultantly sit there and harp about how they are this and that and not privileged when they very much are. Try living life without a car. You probably couldn't live in the town of your choice. Those of us who are not dis-baled are simply TABs - Temporarily Able Bodies, a status you can lose at gods whim. And then maybe you'll appreciate that now you are privileged.

Take everything you have worked for and give it to a disabled homeless man.

 

[Ryan]

Overreact much?

Sent from my iPhone

 

[VentureForth]

Overreact much?

Sent from my iPhone

Not much. You?