1st Trip and Last Trip, If That

[JustToBeMe2]

I will definitely come back and report my experience and I will go with an open mind and a hopeful heart. I know that we can sometimes go into something looking for trouble.

I never heard the term bustitution but it makes perfect sense.

Does the train have a microwave that one can heat something up a bit, or will they do that for you?

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Does the train have a microwave that one can heat something up a bit, or will they do that for you?

Nope, passangers may not use the microwave. No will they heat up anything not sold by Amtrak.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

NOT TRUE, the three buses that were sent to Chicago from Saint Paul, on the 19th of July did NOT have anything for wheelchairs or scooters. You must be thinking of city buses. I have not seen very many over the road buses that do have them.

At least Greyhound is retrofitting all buses with wheelchair lifts and more comfortable seats. The bus should not be too bad if it's a Greyhound, but all bets are of if it isn't. Charter buses are usually less comfortable than line-haulers in my expierience, line-haulers usually have larger seats but not exactly more legroom.

The Thruway busses operated directly by Amtrak California are very nice, so there is no truth to that. In addition, many not offered by Amtrak California are nice, because just yesterday the Westwood-Bakersfield via VNC bus was a t VNC and it was a Coach America, which are nice.

I didn't just say Greyhound buses, I said all line-haulers. It seems that you do not know what line-haulers are, but that's OK. Amtrak California buses are line-haulers 'cause they run on a fixed route with fixed schedule. Don't know where Westwood is and I don't know much about Coach America, but at least try out a Greyhound D4505 sometime, they're much better then the old Greyhounds managed by Laidlaw.

I'm sorry. The line "The bus should not be too bad if it's a Greyhound, but all bets are off if it isn't" kinda makes me want to reply the way I did. Yes a Greyhound is a line-hauler, and sure Amtrak California buses are too, whatever. That just helps me because I am providing examples of line-haulers that aren't bad. I don't retract any of my statement.

Yeah, I guess both of us actually had the same opinion. So no need to argue.

 

[JustToBeMe2]

Well I decided to come here a post what has happened. First we decided to fly instead of the bus because of the bus substitution and another reason that had nothing to do with Amtrak but it would just work better for us this time. Our flight is 1 hour 30 mins so I'll be fine. Here is the thing that really disappoints me in Amtrak. We were scheduled to leave tomorrow evening from an near by town approximately 35 miles away. I remember reading here on this thread that Amtrak would notify every single person that a substitution would affect by calling. And, yep they sure did they called TODAY!!!!!! Can you believe that??Evidently I was still on some board list but have been refunded my money. They were only going to give us 1 day to be able to change plans if the substitution wasn't acceptable. This really scares me about riding the train again. I mean what if there is something else they don't notify us about until the last minute. If I hadn't checked the website and saw that we'd be paying tons more for a airline ticket if we could even get one at all. This is terrible customer service, just terrible.

 

[rrdude]

Get used to it, from Amtrak at least. Don't stand for it. Don't take it sitting down. Don't (for God's sake, please don't, "accept" it) but continue to hold their feet to the fire.

They should do better. They can do better.

 

[Tracktwentynine]

Well I decided to come here a post what has happened. First we decided to fly instead of the bus because of the bus substitution and another reason that had nothing to do with Amtrak but it would just work better for us this time. Our flight is 1 hour 30 mins so I'll be fine. Here is the thing that really disappoints me in Amtrak. We were scheduled to leave tomorrow evening from an near by town approximately 35 miles away. I remember reading here on this thread that Amtrak would notify every single person that a substitution would affect by calling. And, yep they sure did they called TODAY!!!!!! Can you believe that??Evidently I was still on some board list but have been refunded my money. They were only going to give us 1 day to be able to change plans if the substitution wasn't acceptable. This really scares me about riding the train again. I mean what if there is something else they don't notify us about until the last minute. If I hadn't checked the website and saw that we'd be paying tons more for a airline ticket if we could even get one at all. This is terrible customer service, just terrible.

I take the train a good bit (and have been bustituted twice). For one of the bustitutions, I found out when I got to the station. If I'd known 6 months in advance, I still wouldn't have changed anything, and I don't regret taking the train, either. The second case, was due to a delay in the train, so it would not have been possible to notify me in advance.

At any rate, I hope you don't expect better treatment from the airlines. I've never been more than 2 hours late on Amtrak [fingers crossed], despite having ridden it over 18,000 miles over the last 7 years. This year alone, I sat on a plane for over 3.5 hours on the tarmac due to weather. And last year, I got delayed in Cleveland 3 times for a total delay of over 12 hours due to weather, mechanical problems, and a combination thereof.

So, I'm sorry work that Amtrak has no control over has inconvenienced you. Don't expect better treatment from the airlines, though.

 

[JustToBeMe2]

Well I decided to come here a post what has happened. First we decided to fly instead of the bus because of the bus substitution and another reason that had nothing to do with Amtrak but it would just work better for us this time. Our flight is 1 hour 30 mins so I'll be fine. Here is the thing that really disappoints me in Amtrak. We were scheduled to leave tomorrow evening from an near by town approximately 35 miles away. I remember reading here on this thread that Amtrak would notify every single person that a substitution would affect by calling. And, yep they sure did they called TODAY!!!!!! Can you believe that??Evidently I was still on some board list but have been refunded my money. They were only going to give us 1 day to be able to change plans if the substitution wasn't acceptable. This really scares me about riding the train again. I mean what if there is something else they don't notify us about until the last minute. If I hadn't checked the website and saw that we'd be paying tons more for a airline ticket if we could even get one at all. This is terrible customer service, just terrible.

I take the train a good bit (and have been bustituted twice). For one of the bustitutions, I found out when I got to the station. If I'd known 6 months in advance, I still wouldn't have changed anything, and I don't regret taking the train, either. The second case, was due to a delay in the train, so it would not have been possible to notify me in advance.

At any rate, I hope you don't expect better treatment from the airlines. I've never been more than 2 hours late on Amtrak [fingers crossed], despite having ridden it over 18,000 miles over the last 7 years. This year alone, I sat on a plane for over 3.5 hours on the tarmac due to weather. And last year, I got delayed in Cleveland 3 times for a total delay of over 12 hours due to weather, mechanical problems, and a combination thereof.

So, I'm sorry work that Amtrak has no control over has inconvenienced you. Don't expect better treatment from the airlines, though.

Yep have had trouble with the airlines as far as weather and delays but my big complaint with Amtrak is they knew at least 3 months ago and waited until the day before our trip to let us know. That is terrible customer service. Just because the airlines have troubles also doesn't mean two wrongs make a right. The is no way whatsoever to defend Amtraks action on this. We will probably try the train again at some point but I now know not to depend on them to let me know with enough advance time to change my plans if they have a bus substitution. If they even had posted on their website when we bought the tickets to keep checking back for issues that might pop up I'd have felt much better about it. I also wouldn't have had much to say if it had been because of weather or an unforseen mechanical problem but they knew long beforehand.

As I said we may try the train again, it was our bad luck to be traveling on one of the only 3 days of the substitution and they were VERY nice during the refund process. Just his one issue is pretty major for me.

Off to pack and get going as soon as he gets off work.

 

[Carolyn Jane]

I'm so glad I discovered this thread...Now, when I'm waiting in the parking lot for the Autotrain to go through...I can forget it. Do you suppose this means that the Silver Meteor will be on time? I might have to adjust my schedule for that! CJ

 

[me_little_me]

Alice, I will definitely keep a notebook and record of any mishaps if there are any with names and times. I am hoping things go smoothly. Do they move your things from train to bus for you?Thank you for the info.

Digital camera or picture-taking cell phone (preferably one with video capability). Great for documenting things and what happens. It is a lot easier for people to dispute "he said/she said" than pictures and videos.