Success of Lost and Found?

[TraneMan]

Has anyone had good luck of getting something back that you may of lost on the train?

i think I may of lost my prescription sunglasses in a case on the Empire Builder. I've back tracked myself and checked with the Depot, and other places that we've stopped and they do not have my glasses, so Amtrak is next.

I will give Amtrak a call in the morning and see if anything was turned in.

 

[kal-tex]

We left a camera on the train 2 years ago. I did not realize that it was missing until about 2 weeks after or return home when we next wanted to take some pictures. I called Amtrak and gave them a description of the camera and the complete list of trains and dates that we had travelled (long trip, many trains). They were very pleasant and took all of my information. They told me that "lost items" would be turned in at the destination station, and if not claimed within 30 days, they would be donated to a local charity. In addition, they advised me to call our various "destination stations" to inquire at each of them. Long story short - I had no success, so went and purchased a new camera. Several months later while packing for our next long rail trip, we found the original camera hanging on a hook, under a seldom-worn bathrobe, behind the bedroom door. Oooops!

Conclusion: Although Amtrak was pleasant and tried to be helpful, the odds of having a lost item returned are very slim. It is impossible to know who would find the item and what that person would do with it. Though there are procedures in place for the Amtrak employees, there are no procedures for fellow-passengers!

 

[zephyr17]

We left a camera on the train 2 years ago. I did not realize that it was missing until about 2 weeks after or return home when we next wanted to take some pictures. I called Amtrak and gave them a description of the camera and the complete list of trains and dates that we had travelled (long trip, many trains). They were very pleasant and took all of my information. They told me that "lost items" would be turned in at the destination station, and if not claimed within 30 days, they would be donated to a local charity. In addition, they advised me to call our various "destination stations" to inquire at each of them. Long story short - I had no success, so went and purchased a new camera. Several months later while packing for our next long rail trip, we found the original camera hanging on a hook, under a seldom-worn bathrobe, behind the bedroom door. Oooops!

Conclusion: Although Amtrak was pleasant and tried to be helpful, the odds of having a lost item returned are very slim. It is impossible to know who would find the item and what that person would do with it. Though there are procedures in place for the Amtrak employees, there are no procedures for fellow-passengers!

Some years ago, I left my CPAP (sleep apnea) machine onboard at Orlando. I realized as soon as I got to the hotel and called Amtrak. They found the machine in my room, took it off the train at Winter Haven, put it on a northbound Silver Service train (misremember which one I was on, and which one brought it back), and had a taxi messenger it to me at my hotel from the Orlando station. I had it by 6pm that evening. They were great about it.

I did call immediately, and the facts that the machine was in a sleeping car room, not out in public, and it was medical equipment all probably helped. The taxi part blew me away, they didn't tell me they were going to do that when they called me to say they had found it and were sending it back, I assumed they'd call when it got back to Orlando, and I'd have to go pick it up, especially considering it was all my fault. But they just sent it.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Conclusion: Although Amtrak was pleasant and tried to be helpful, the odds of having a lost item returned are very slim. It is impossible to know who would find the item and what that person would do with it. Though there are procedures in place for the Amtrak employees, there are no procedures for fellow-passengers!

Yeah, I'd agree the odds are slim if you never left the item in the first place. :mellow:

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yeah, the odds arent great, especially if its something of value, ie camera/laptop/money etc. As was said, Coach is almost a given that it will be gone, Ive heard of some SCAs finding items before deboarding pax actually left the train and returned them! Personally, I'm batting 50%, my ex left a Digital Camera on the Starlight, bye bye! I left a Phone and Charger in my room while riding #21 from CHI-AUS, the next day I went to the station when #22 rolled in on the way North and the SCA (one of the good guys! )saw me, and without asking, he went and got them from his room and gave it to me! (He'd already been tipped well for great service but another token of appreciation came his way! ^_^ )

Honesty is something that one either has, or doesnt, Ive always like the saying that who you are is determined by what you do when no-one is watching! :excl: :excl: :excl:

BTW-In case anyone doesnt know it, Lost and Found is huge on the Airlines, theres a place in Alabama crammed with lost stuff/luggage etc. and you can go and bid/buy, sort of an e-bay in person!Id imagine Amtrak might have such a place, perhaps in CHI and WAS/NYP?LAX?????

 

[TraneMan]

I called both station, and nothing there.. So I called Amtrak, and put in a claim on my sunglasses.. I am not having high hope on it.. I'll give it a month, and if nothing, then I'll just reorder another pair.