Just got the call. No car 630 on 7/2. Train is sold out. Sucks to be you.
Where is this car located on the California Zephyr?
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So you won't be able to get a sleeper?
I reaccommodated for 7/4 in 17/18 640 car.
They would only discount the cost of the two roomettes for 250. I canceled all future reservations with Amtrak. I’m done with them.
Am I understanding that they wanted more money from you after they screwed up? That is outrageous!
After you get home and relax a bit, I would fire off a letter/phone call because that is awful!
Amtrak seems to be following the SP's Infamous "Run 'em off " Plan from the 60s with Crap like this!
I got frustrated with whole thing. I have canceled my reservation. And all future reservations on Amtrak.
They did not increase the price. I was attempting to get compensation for two extra hotel nights in Bay Area. I know Amtrak can get low, distressed traveler rates. I believe they could have done something if they wanted to. Instead they offered to reduce the fare for both roomettes for a total of 250. The attitude of the agent pissed me off so I canceled the whole thing.
I booked 2 nights at the hgi emy for 160 a night so 250 doesn’t even compensate fir that. Never mind meals, etc.
I will not be writing letters or doing anything else.
I cooled off and rebooked. I have had a miserable end to the school year. A long train ride will heal the wounds. I’m still angry at Amtrak. An extra 2 days in Bay Area are a plus.
Please tell me you didn't have to pay those extremely high buckets!
You have every right to be, it's an epic f up to sell space in a car that is not running.
Amtrak had done a lot of incompetent things, but this really outshines anything I've ever heard or seen and I've been riding it since 5/1/71.
JontyMort
Lead Service Attendant
Reading this with interest, as it may explain why they keep sending me updated confirmations for #5 in early October. When I booked - last November - we got 532, room 003. Then I got an amendment to 530, room 007, and finally this spring it went back to 532, 003.
The other thing they’re good at “updating” is the Thruway detail, so if the bus stop moves 20 feet you get an amendment that’s impossible to discern.
Is Car 532 the last in the consist? I’m assuming P42s, baggage, transdorm, coach, SSL, diner, 531, 532. Correct?
The other thing they’re good at “updating” is the Thruway detail, so if the bus stop moves 20 feet you get an amendment that’s impossible to discern.
Is Car 532 the last in the consist? I’m assuming P42s, baggage, transdorm, coach, SSL, diner, 531, 532. Correct?
AFAIK, sleepers are in the front and that 532 is the forwardmost sleeper.
JontyMort
Lead Service Attendant
Skimmy
Train Attendant
Not sure if i'm understanding the question or not, but we travel the Zephyr; car 531 July 15/16.Are there any recent Zephyr riders in the last week that noted the Sleeper car #'s and positions to the diner?
Zepyhr is still running 2 Sleepers up front daily, and they have traditionally been Diner, 31 and 32.
Many of us have been booked on 30 (mine coming up this weekend) but I've not seen any added cars to date on the GBB cam. I'm still trying to reconcile where/when this 30 is going to show up or if they started to use 30 and 31 regularly rather than 31 and 32.
I suppose if no one knows for sure then I can validate this weekend.
I'm fairly sure there will not be a car full of 30's left behind on the platform as the train drives off.
jis
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In my experience over the last 20 or so years, Amtrak travel like any other travel has a "crap shoot" element to it. The probability of such seems to have increased over time. In any case one has to have a plan B and be ready to bail to air or something else when push comes to shove. I have had to bail less than half a dozen times over the last 20 or so years, but in each case I did have a plan B to fall back on.
But this business about booking people onto non-existent cars and then not taking care of them is actually LCC quality nonsense. This is the reason that a "Rail Riders' Bill of Rights" is necessary. Amtrak has become the sole arbiter of these things and has very little checks and balances and appeal process that is not extremely onerous. That needs to change. This is the sort of thing that gives me pause in endorsing immense increase in funding for Amtrak with no service level conditions attached. Amtrak like any other good bureaucracy has a tendency to self perpetuate with little regard for its customers, unless someone regularly holds their feet to fire.
But this business about booking people onto non-existent cars and then not taking care of them is actually LCC quality nonsense. This is the reason that a "Rail Riders' Bill of Rights" is necessary. Amtrak has become the sole arbiter of these things and has very little checks and balances and appeal process that is not extremely onerous. That needs to change. This is the sort of thing that gives me pause in endorsing immense increase in funding for Amtrak with no service level conditions attached. Amtrak like any other good bureaucracy has a tendency to self perpetuate with little regard for its customers, unless someone regularly holds their feet to fire.
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@CourtneyB posted the following on their profile. I don't think many members use that, so I'm sorry it was missed before your trip!
Anyway, hey there! Welcome to AU! I hope your trip went well! If you have any other questions on room locations, post it here or just create your own thread if you have others. Here is a link to useful (unofficial) car diagrams. Room numbers on usual Superliner sleeper cars only go up to 15 with the rest being bedrooms, so you were in the Transition Sleeper car, the first passenger car after the baggage car and engines. It's called the transition sleeper because it allows the crew (who sleep in that car) to access the baggage car, which is only single level, while the train is moving. The Superliners are bilevels and only have passageways between the cars on the upper level. I've never traveled in one, but some like it because there's less foot traffic. The whistle can be loud at night, though, so it may be worth calling Amtrak and getting them to "modify" your reservation to be in a different car if you still have yet to travel back on #6.
Anyway, hey there! Welcome to AU! I hope your trip went well! If you have any other questions on room locations, post it here or just create your own thread if you have others. Here is a link to useful (unofficial) car diagrams. Room numbers on usual Superliner sleeper cars only go up to 15 with the rest being bedrooms, so you were in the Transition Sleeper car, the first passenger car after the baggage car and engines. It's called the transition sleeper because it allows the crew (who sleep in that car) to access the baggage car, which is only single level, while the train is moving. The Superliners are bilevels and only have passageways between the cars on the upper level. I've never traveled in one, but some like it because there's less foot traffic. The whistle can be loud at night, though, so it may be worth calling Amtrak and getting them to "modify" your reservation to be in a different car if you still have yet to travel back on #6.
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