I was on an Empire Builder, 8(12/19) that was 12 hours late into Chicago. None of the delay was Amtrak's fault. We were 6 hours late from the gate in Everett, due to slide problems between Seattle and Everett, a new slide had occurred after the deadheading train left Seattle and that had to be cleared and inspected. We were further delayed in Stevens Pass due to downed trees and were 8 hours late into Spokane. BNSF dispatched us well and we did not lose any more time as long as we were on BNSF. However, we dropped another 4 hours once on the CP past Minneapolis/St. Paul. I was connecting on the Hoosier State to Indianapolis.
Historically, Amtrak has put Chicago Passenger Services representatives on trains that are that late somewhere up the line (MSP, Winona, La Crosse) with the connecting passengers' the ongoing travel arrangements, hotel and cash vouchers etc. They would give each passenger their arrangements and explain it to them while enroute to Chicago . That way when they arrived in Chicago in the wee hours of the morning, all they would need to do is trade the cash vouchers for cash at the ticket office and go on their way. That method made the best of a bad situation.
However, on this trip, no Passenger Services representatives came on board the train, and the conductor had not been given any information, other than the Michigan passengers would be bused (which turned out to be wrong). So a couple hundred people had to line up for like 3 passenger services agents upon our 4am arrival in Chicago. I was lucky in that I was on the sleeper, which was spotted close to the station, I knew the layout of CUS and where Passenger Services was, and made a beeline for it. So I was among the first through it, but by the time I got finished, there was a huge line-up of passengers. I don't know how long some of them waited, but it wasn't a good situation at 4am. Plus, I overheard one of the passenger services representative saying to one of the Michigan passengers "Bus? We don't have a bus" so what little information we did get turned out to be wrong.
I don't have any complaints about where Amtrak put us up (Hyatt Regency McCormick Place), although they also did not manage to order cabs, so a bunch of passengers were out on Canal Street at in freezing weather at 4:30 am with no cabs.. Luckily, a Chicago policeman saw it, and got cabs requested, and also hung around.
Ordinarily, when the delay is not Amtrak's fault, I don't launch a customer service complaint, no matter how bad the delay is. Amtrak can't do much about mudslides, fallen trees and CP's dispatching and I know it. However, they could have made the situation easier by following their up-until-now customary practice of handling the ongoing travel arrangements enroute, so I did register a complaint with Customer Service. They sent me a $125 travel voucher, which is great, I'll use it. As I said, I was lucky to be one of the first ones through, but I know it was no fun for the majority of passengers to queue up at 4am to find out what your fate is.
BTW-one thing that didn't change was that they brought out the Dinty Moore, per tradition. Although we in the sleepers got regular meals, as they had not served dinner coming out of Everett because we were so late, so they still had enough regular supplies for the sleeper passengers.
Historically, Amtrak has put Chicago Passenger Services representatives on trains that are that late somewhere up the line (MSP, Winona, La Crosse) with the connecting passengers' the ongoing travel arrangements, hotel and cash vouchers etc. They would give each passenger their arrangements and explain it to them while enroute to Chicago . That way when they arrived in Chicago in the wee hours of the morning, all they would need to do is trade the cash vouchers for cash at the ticket office and go on their way. That method made the best of a bad situation.
However, on this trip, no Passenger Services representatives came on board the train, and the conductor had not been given any information, other than the Michigan passengers would be bused (which turned out to be wrong). So a couple hundred people had to line up for like 3 passenger services agents upon our 4am arrival in Chicago. I was lucky in that I was on the sleeper, which was spotted close to the station, I knew the layout of CUS and where Passenger Services was, and made a beeline for it. So I was among the first through it, but by the time I got finished, there was a huge line-up of passengers. I don't know how long some of them waited, but it wasn't a good situation at 4am. Plus, I overheard one of the passenger services representative saying to one of the Michigan passengers "Bus? We don't have a bus" so what little information we did get turned out to be wrong.
I don't have any complaints about where Amtrak put us up (Hyatt Regency McCormick Place), although they also did not manage to order cabs, so a bunch of passengers were out on Canal Street at in freezing weather at 4:30 am with no cabs.. Luckily, a Chicago policeman saw it, and got cabs requested, and also hung around.
Ordinarily, when the delay is not Amtrak's fault, I don't launch a customer service complaint, no matter how bad the delay is. Amtrak can't do much about mudslides, fallen trees and CP's dispatching and I know it. However, they could have made the situation easier by following their up-until-now customary practice of handling the ongoing travel arrangements enroute, so I did register a complaint with Customer Service. They sent me a $125 travel voucher, which is great, I'll use it. As I said, I was lucky to be one of the first ones through, but I know it was no fun for the majority of passengers to queue up at 4am to find out what your fate is.
BTW-one thing that didn't change was that they brought out the Dinty Moore, per tradition. Although we in the sleepers got regular meals, as they had not served dinner coming out of Everett because we were so late, so they still had enough regular supplies for the sleeper passengers.
Our T&E Crew had gone Dead during the wait @ the Scene of the Slaughter so new Crew Members had to be Transported from OMA and one of the Conductors from #5 got off and took over our Train but we couldnt go anywhere until the Engineer and another Conductor arrived 4 Hours later!
