Let me add my comments.
First of all, I am a very experienced Amtrak traveler , with over a hundred-thousand miles to my credit. I do not mention this to brag, but simply to validate the fact that I am very familiar with the "system" and how it works. I have traveled over every one of Amtrak's long-distance routes (first-class), most numerous times.
Everydaymatters:
When individuals like myself read "horror" stories like this lady reports , of course , we are very concerned , and honestly attempt to be as understanding as we can possibly be. At least that is the way it is with me. Sometimes we DO question certain aspects of the story, because they may not seem to make sense to us. I would not call this "trashing."-----just analysis.
First, I have been hoteled by Amtrak in Chicago due to the late arrival of my train. In fact, the one time this happened it was with train #4 , the Chief. First-class passengers we placed in the same hotel that Amtrak uses for its crews. It was not a four-star hotel , but quite adequate.
I was offered cab-fare and a meal allowance, also. It DID take a while for all of the first-class passengers to be accomodated at Union Station---that is, given the hotel vouchers and money. But the process was not too painful or lengthy and the staff attempted to be polite and caring.
If I remember correctly, within an hour I was on my way to the hotel.
The lady mentioned both the Hyatt and Westin (who evidently did have rooms available.) To my knowledge, Amtrak does not use these hotels for either their crews or passengers simply because they are much too expensive. So I understand this policy completely. Airlines most certainly do not place their crews in 4 or 5 star hotels over-nite either.
I do not know anything about the Swisshotel. It may be very expensive, too.
The lady said that she was familiar with the hotel Amtrak suggested , BUT "as a child." Well that could have been 20-30 years ago !! Times change. By now the hotel could be under new management and completely different from what she remembered. Doesn't that make sense ? Even the area where the hotel is located could have changed since she was a child.
I did not understand why she thought she would be unable to get back to Union Station until after noon , and thus miss her connection back home to Michigan.
When I was sent to my hotel, it was by cab. That is the way I believe all passengers are sent to their hotels from the station. That being the case, wouldn't she have been offered cab-fare for the return trip to the station and thus been able to arrive back there whenever she wanted to ?
Regarding the Metro Lounge:
To my knowledge, unfortunately , it closes at about 11 PM and thus would have been unavailable for the family and other passengers to use.
I do not understand WHO these "private-car passengers" were and WHERE they came from. Any private rail-cars attached to the back of an Amtrak train have NO access to the Amtrak train itself. First of all, most of these private cars are SINGLE-LEVEL. Amtrak Super-liners are double-deck and there is NO way to cross from car to car except by an UPPER level. Thus it is impossible for any private-car passenger to enter the Amtrak train. Also, tickets would be needed for the Amtrak train. Furthermore, as was mentioned, WHY would any passenger traveling in a luxurious , private rail-car WANT to enter an Amtrak train. It would not make sense.
So my question is , who were these mysterious passengers so obnoxious to the lady ??
So that is my reply to some of the comments the lady made. I have no doubt she may have encountered some rude Amtrak service staff. We all have. When this happens in my experience, I get the NAMES of these individuals and report them directly.
My intent was not to "trash" the lady who reports the story. However, there are simply parts of the story that do not make sense to me , from my own EXPERIENCE.
If anyone lives in the Chicago area, IS Homewood over 40 miles from Union Station , and what "type" of an area is it today ?
