Recent content by greatwestern

I have also just received a "revised" Sales Invoice for my CZ trip Emeryville to Chicago in Sept 2024 (with no actual revision). Digging through the attached pdf eTicket and comparing it with the previous one shows earlier departure and arrival times. Initial panic over !! Last time I received...

I have always changed my roomette seat to and from the bed mode myself. Out of courtesy I have advised the attendant that I wished to deal with it myself.

With reference to Devil's Advocate's comment regarding us foreigners tipping because we assume everyone else is tipping, I probably fall into that category. Culturally it seems to me that tipping in the USA is "expected" just for doing your job - I tip simply so that I don't feel embarrassed ...

I agree that it seems you cannot change sleeping accommodation online. Although I can make a new "booking" for my bedroom type for my date of travel when I look at my booking it specifically states that I cannot make changes, and indeed all the accommodations in all the cars are shown as...

The reversing is standard practice as there is no other way of accessing the route you need to take. You really lucked out in getting moved to the Cabin for 2 from your Cabin for 1 - single occupancy of a Cabin for 2 is priced at 50% more than a Cabin for 1 !!

I agree. Last time I used that service (2019) also booked in business I arrived at 5:30 and there was a queue of about 20 ahead of me (they had separate lines for business and non-business passengers). As a UK citizen I was treated somewhat differently to US/Canadian citizens and was escorted...

On the Canadian this year we were allowed out for fresh air break at Kamloops but instructed not to stray away from immediate area of train as it was a live rail yard.

Just started its back-up manoeuvre into Vancouver Pacific Central, so going to arrive just over 5 hours late having been over 13 hours behind schedule at one time.

Apparently a collision between 2 freights 30 km south of Parry Sound resulting in 13 cars "on the ground".

If I go into Amtrak Alerts all I now get are alerts in seemingly random order (definitely not date order). I see alerts ranging from 2018 up to 11th July 2023 but only a fraction of the alerts in that period are showing. As far as I can tell only 2 alerts for 2023 ! I do not have a Twitter/X...

It is many years since I used a ticket office here in the UK to purchase my rail ticket. Even when I have not pre-purchased my ticket (online) I have used the self service machines at the station. At stations where there was neither a ticket office or a machine, I have purchased onboard the...

I "studied" French in senior school for 3 years and got my exam pass (UK General Certificate of education, ordinary level) but never actually used the language in anger - good job too as being a Bristolian I often think I struggle with English !! However bringing this back on track to the...

You got lucky (I'm being sarcastic). Last year I made 2 trips from the UK to ride Amtrak and for both journeys my Bedroom reservations were downgraded to Coach just a week or so before I was due to fly !! (I managed to "partially rescue" both my vacations by effectively bagging last available...

Service alert on UP Express website posted yesterday states that for the rest of the week they will be operating a 30 minute (frequency) train service. (A couple of days ago I purchased my CAN $6.20 senior single fare from Pearson to Union station for when I fly in from the UK in June !!)

I don't think Amtrak is doing anything to (automatically) mitigate the situation for downgraded passengers. I was downgraded (Emeryville - LA - Chicago) from Bedroom to Coach on the SWC in June and it was myself whilst on hold waiting for an agent who found an alternative (Emeryville - Chicago)...