J
JoBeth_DCA
Guest
As much as I hated missing my connecting train, I enjoyed a free hotel and meals on Amtrak's dime. It was actually a pretty nice hotel.(hotel's own website showed last minute rates of $129 that night)
This is what I don't understand. My first train was clearly delayed to weather problems along the route. At one point, the conductor announced that we had to stop here because of excessive rain and strong winds.
The only other time I've been delayed on Amtrak and given hotel and meals was last year. The train was forced to pull over to an alternate track(or whatever they call it), sit still for almost 40 minutes, all because a CSX train was coming up behind us and we had to let it go first. (what's the logic in letting freight trains go first, but that's a question I'll ask another day) An hour later, we stopped again due to another CSX train. By the time I got into DC Union Station, I only had less than 3 minutes until the scheduled departure time of my connecting train. I was an idiot and ran like a manic to my connecting train which was 4 platforms over. I watched the train pull out of Union Station right when I got the platform. A nice Amtrak employee saw me and escorted me back inside. I was put up at a lousy hotel across the river near National Airport. They gave me cab fare. I kept the money and took a Metro train to National Airport, then caught the hotel's shuttle van.(same thing the next afternoon back to Union Station)
Why does Amtrak pay for hotel/meals when delay was caused by weather or freight train delays? I don't suppose Amtrak gets reimbursed from God or CSX?
This is what I don't understand. My first train was clearly delayed to weather problems along the route. At one point, the conductor announced that we had to stop here because of excessive rain and strong winds.
The only other time I've been delayed on Amtrak and given hotel and meals was last year. The train was forced to pull over to an alternate track(or whatever they call it), sit still for almost 40 minutes, all because a CSX train was coming up behind us and we had to let it go first. (what's the logic in letting freight trains go first, but that's a question I'll ask another day) An hour later, we stopped again due to another CSX train. By the time I got into DC Union Station, I only had less than 3 minutes until the scheduled departure time of my connecting train. I was an idiot and ran like a manic to my connecting train which was 4 platforms over. I watched the train pull out of Union Station right when I got the platform. A nice Amtrak employee saw me and escorted me back inside. I was put up at a lousy hotel across the river near National Airport. They gave me cab fare. I kept the money and took a Metro train to National Airport, then caught the hotel's shuttle van.(same thing the next afternoon back to Union Station)
Why does Amtrak pay for hotel/meals when delay was caused by weather or freight train delays? I don't suppose Amtrak gets reimbursed from God or CSX?
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