- Joined
- Jun 6, 2010
- Messages
- 1
On April 27th I took the shuttle from Phoenix AZ to Flag to get the train to LA. This was the beginning of my 5 week tour which included Via rail from Vancouver to Toronto. Did not get off to a great start in Flag. I had requested assistance with my luggage. AMTRAK employee (only 1 person working) took my luggage outside to the fence. Told me this was all he could do. When train arrived it was about 3 cars to where I had to get on. There was a female conducter and a male attendant. I could not get my bags to this car and 2 men who were meeting the train offered to help. They got it fairly close and I got in line to show my ticket. (was supposed to be boarded among the first group who were seniors and handicapped). So much for that happening at Flag. When I handed the gal my ticket I told her I was supposed to have assistance and had 2 bags which needed to be loaded. She goes "Lady, I suggest you go back into the station and cancel, your reservation and book it for another time when you can have someone here to help you". She was entirely out of ine with that kind of comment. I have reported her and am waiting for someone from AMTRAK to get back to me and hopefully get her fired, The train was about 40 minute in leaving for LA.
On my return from Chicago to Flag there were problems again. Arrived in Flag about 60 minutes late. All the trains I took between were mostly on schedule or just about 10 minutes late.
Had been told by Res Agent that I could choose my seat on the Chicago train since it was boarding here. Attendant James assigned my seat. I asked where it was and he says up the steps to your left. I could not find the seat number and instead found it to the right. I asked him to assign a different seat to one that I would choose. as the seat he put me in was at front near the doors. He would not move me as he said all seats were assigned. I told him since I had preboarded since I was Sr citizen and had handicap that he could put someone else in that seat. I was very uncomfortable and the doors opening and closing every few minutes was very disturbing. After about 1-2 hours of this I again asked him to move me to an empty seat. He said I could go downstairs and sit there. I was only there 5-10 minutes when he came down and told me I would have to move. I told him then why did he move me to a seat only to move me again. He said I could stay there for awhile but would have to move. I asked him if it would be before 8 hours as I had to take my meds and would be unable to move during that time. He insisted that if it were then I would have to move no matter what. He told me I could move to the lower level in the car ahead and would be OK there. I went to that car only to find out there was no seating on that level. He had sent me to the baggage car. That was really an insult. I ended up back in my original seat with the banging doors. I never got a pillow offered to me and waitied until 9:50. In the morning I again told him I needed to have a place to sit that was peaceful and quiet. He moved me again only to come back after about an hour or so to tell me he needed the seat for someone getting on and I would have to move once again. He made no sense at all. He could have given my original seat to someone boatrding and just let me alone to try to enjoy the remaining time in peace and quiet. He insisted that I move once again to what he says was a "better seat". He tried to give me an aisle seat and I refused. I had stated when I made my res that I needed a window seat due do a medical condition. Another attendant "Candace" says she could provide a seat for me in her car. I do not think James is capable of doing his job efficiently. He doesn't seem to try to please the passengers and seems to be verry forgetful. I had left something in the compartment above my seat and I knew where it was but he didn't even remember what car he had sent me to previously. ALso by not remembering when he told me I could sit somethere and then telling me that I couldn't. This was the end of a 5 week acrosss Canada and US trip. The SW Chief was the only train which had rude, uncourteous employees. Not all thouogh as Candace was very courteous as well as another gal who was fairly new and Shirley in the club car. There is always someone who sheds a bad light on the company.
Another person on this train had the same problem with James. She had been assigned a seat along with her family and they sat a smoker next to her. She was getting sick from the stench which was affecting her allergies. She asked him to move them and he says he had to wait until the next stop as he would probably have someone else for those emply seats. She kept asking him why then couldn't he just assign her current seats to the new people getting on. This made no sense to her nor me. If someone is not already seated then there is no reason for this, just give them another seat. I know even I would not want to be forced to sit next to someone who smells like cigarettes. They should put all smokers in a separate car and just keep that car for smokers on all routes. Once you get that smell in a car you can't get rid of it.
Other than the above problems the rest of my trip went fairly well. Although the food on my train from LA to Tacoma had some weird food (choice of lamb or duck) which I do not eat either. Also food on train from Buffalo to Boston also weird. Spinach salad unlike any I have ever eaten. No bacon or hard boiled eggs or special bacon dressing. Side order of salmon which I thought was cold and on top of salad was served hot and with MUSHROOM GRAVY. EEEW, nasty. Where did that chef attend culinary school? Decided against any more train food. Albany NY had a decent restaurant with tasty wraps, I had the turkey which I highly recommended on my return trip from Boston.
Great food on via rail. Fillet mignon, prime rib, etc. While in dining car one evening we were stopped for a while and found out we were in a forest fire. How kewl!!!!! Saw plane swooping in to put it out. When we later proceeded there were the firefighters on the hillside waving to us.
Employees of Viarail were very courteous and went out of their way to accomodate people.
On my return from Chicago to Flag there were problems again. Arrived in Flag about 60 minutes late. All the trains I took between were mostly on schedule or just about 10 minutes late.
Had been told by Res Agent that I could choose my seat on the Chicago train since it was boarding here. Attendant James assigned my seat. I asked where it was and he says up the steps to your left. I could not find the seat number and instead found it to the right. I asked him to assign a different seat to one that I would choose. as the seat he put me in was at front near the doors. He would not move me as he said all seats were assigned. I told him since I had preboarded since I was Sr citizen and had handicap that he could put someone else in that seat. I was very uncomfortable and the doors opening and closing every few minutes was very disturbing. After about 1-2 hours of this I again asked him to move me to an empty seat. He said I could go downstairs and sit there. I was only there 5-10 minutes when he came down and told me I would have to move. I told him then why did he move me to a seat only to move me again. He said I could stay there for awhile but would have to move. I asked him if it would be before 8 hours as I had to take my meds and would be unable to move during that time. He insisted that if it were then I would have to move no matter what. He told me I could move to the lower level in the car ahead and would be OK there. I went to that car only to find out there was no seating on that level. He had sent me to the baggage car. That was really an insult. I ended up back in my original seat with the banging doors. I never got a pillow offered to me and waitied until 9:50. In the morning I again told him I needed to have a place to sit that was peaceful and quiet. He moved me again only to come back after about an hour or so to tell me he needed the seat for someone getting on and I would have to move once again. He made no sense at all. He could have given my original seat to someone boatrding and just let me alone to try to enjoy the remaining time in peace and quiet. He insisted that I move once again to what he says was a "better seat". He tried to give me an aisle seat and I refused. I had stated when I made my res that I needed a window seat due do a medical condition. Another attendant "Candace" says she could provide a seat for me in her car. I do not think James is capable of doing his job efficiently. He doesn't seem to try to please the passengers and seems to be verry forgetful. I had left something in the compartment above my seat and I knew where it was but he didn't even remember what car he had sent me to previously. ALso by not remembering when he told me I could sit somethere and then telling me that I couldn't. This was the end of a 5 week acrosss Canada and US trip. The SW Chief was the only train which had rude, uncourteous employees. Not all thouogh as Candace was very courteous as well as another gal who was fairly new and Shirley in the club car. There is always someone who sheds a bad light on the company.
Another person on this train had the same problem with James. She had been assigned a seat along with her family and they sat a smoker next to her. She was getting sick from the stench which was affecting her allergies. She asked him to move them and he says he had to wait until the next stop as he would probably have someone else for those emply seats. She kept asking him why then couldn't he just assign her current seats to the new people getting on. This made no sense to her nor me. If someone is not already seated then there is no reason for this, just give them another seat. I know even I would not want to be forced to sit next to someone who smells like cigarettes. They should put all smokers in a separate car and just keep that car for smokers on all routes. Once you get that smell in a car you can't get rid of it.
Other than the above problems the rest of my trip went fairly well. Although the food on my train from LA to Tacoma had some weird food (choice of lamb or duck) which I do not eat either. Also food on train from Buffalo to Boston also weird. Spinach salad unlike any I have ever eaten. No bacon or hard boiled eggs or special bacon dressing. Side order of salmon which I thought was cold and on top of salad was served hot and with MUSHROOM GRAVY. EEEW, nasty. Where did that chef attend culinary school? Decided against any more train food. Albany NY had a decent restaurant with tasty wraps, I had the turkey which I highly recommended on my return trip from Boston.
Great food on via rail. Fillet mignon, prime rib, etc. While in dining car one evening we were stopped for a while and found out we were in a forest fire. How kewl!!!!! Saw plane swooping in to put it out. When we later proceeded there were the firefighters on the hillside waving to us.
Employees of Viarail were very courteous and went out of their way to accomodate people.
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