Chicago Hotel Solution for Missed Connections

[hessjm]

We all have heard the war stories of the hours spent getting vouchers and hotel arrangements when you miss a connection in CHI. Some of us have been stuffed into vans for a several hour ride to our destinations.

So how would you feel about instead of the mess, you were instead hypotheticaly sent to a sleeper complete with an attendant sitting inside the station? Would that be better than the current procedure? A lot of things to consider and think about, so chime in!

Edit: typos

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Would they have the equipment to do that since the equipment you just came in on has to go to the yard to be turned for the next train.

 

[greatcats]

That might be a reasonable alternative, but I would think it unlikely that this would be offered on any regular basis with the tight equipment situation.

Several years before I worked for them, my original railroad, Erie Lackawanna offered sleeping car accommodations parked in Hoboken Terminal for those attending the New York World's Fair. I don't know how well it was patronized. Alas, all that is long gone history, although Hoboken Terminal is still very much in business.

 

[Eric S]

I can't imagine that would be the best use of a sleeper though. Seems like it might be less expensive for Amtrak to set up some sort of standing arrangement with nearby hotel(s), maybe?

Assuming for now that major delays to Amtrak trains are inevitable (that even if Amtrak equipment never caused delays, that freight railroads still would), some of the problems travelers have faced could be alleviated by better policies and procedures on Amtrak's part at the connecting station. Service quality and inconsistency can be fixed, in large part, within Amtrak itself.

 

[MARC Rider]

How about finding some room on the station grounds for a "capsule hotel?" or a "sleepbox?"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsule_hotel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleepbox

http://www.travelandleisure.com/blogs/how-to-sleep-comfortably-in-an-airport-terminal

 

[willem]

At Train Days last year, Chicago Union Station was being refurbished, and there were plans to put some sleeping rooms in the station. My recollection is that the rooms were only for crew laying over, but there might be an empty room on occasion.

 

[RPC]

I think parking sleepers would be a poor use of track space unless you stipulate that the users be out of their rooms by, say, 8AM to make room for the morning rush. As others have pointed out, Amtrak also hardly has a surfeit of sleepers at this time. The optimal solution would probably be an on-premises hotel. Some of the airports I have used (ORD, PHL) have this option.

 

[penguinflies]

Also, Union Station closes to the public in the middle of the night.

It might be of better use to convert the vacant office space accessible from the Clinton Street Hallway elevators into a hotel, if anything. Still allows Union Station to close nightly while allowing access to hotel users.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

Amtrak lists the hours as 5:30 to midnight, but Metra has departures as late as 12:40 AM. How do people access their trains if the station is closed?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Good thought Joe, but I agree that having sleeping rooms in Union Station would work better since equipment, especially Sleepers, is so short!

 

[afigg]

So how would you feel about instead of the mess, you were instead hypotheticaly sent to a sleeper complete with an attendant sitting inside the station? Would that be better than the current procedure? A lot of things to consider and think about, so chime in!

If you missed the connection, why would you want to spend the night in a stationary sleeper car with small rooms and limited amenities? If you are spending a unscheduled night in Chicago, I think the vast majority of passengers would rather spend the night in a hotel room with normal beds and a regular bathroom. A hotel/motel that offers breakfast. Even if one has to travel a couple of miles in a shuttle van to the hotel. Yes, it would be preferable if Amtrak were to put passengers up in a hotel at or in walking distance from the station, but downtown or near downtown hotel prices are a consideration given the pressure to reduce LD train operating losses.

 

[MARC Rider]

What would b great is a sleepbox/capsule hotel with a sleeping car theme: A long corridor with cabins in roomette or bedroom sizes. A "sleeping car attendant" greets you, takes you to your room, and sets up the bed for you. The "window" is actually a TV screen that will display HD video of your favorite rail line. Authentic train noises available onthe sound system, but I think we'll forgo room shakers for that overnight through Kansas sensation. If the room is too small, there's a "vista-dome lounge" to socialize and a diner-style restaurant for breakfast.

Chicago hotels aren't quite as pricey as new York or London or Tokyo so I'm not sure whether this concept could be done at a discounted price point suitable for the very small room.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

If you missed the connection, why would you want to spend the night in a stationary sleeper car with small rooms and limited amenities?

I got the point being that such would be no worse than the accommodations you paid to use, on the train.

 

[railiner]

Kind of reminiscent of the old "Railroad YMCA's" that at one time were common in various stations and trainyards around the country to house crews laying over...

I recall the ones in Penn Station, NY and Sunnyside Yard....

 

[neroden]

There's a lot of empty space in the upper floors of Chicago Union Station. If Amtrak could pull it off, it would make sense to lease space to a hotel with a condition in the contract that the hotel will house displaced Amtrak passengers at low cost to Amtrak...

 

[PVD]

To guarantee a favorable price does not guarantee rooms will be available. If rooms need to be left unsold at the market rates to accomodate a favorable rate for Amtrak, the economics of the hotel operation go out the window. If they are sold and not available to Amtrak, It really doesn't matter what price would have been paid.

 

[hessjm]

Heh, a little birdie told me that last night a bunch of passengers were put up for the night in sleepers in the station. So this policy has now been implemented.

 

[CCC1007]

Heh, a little birdie told me that last night a bunch of passengers were put up for the night in sleepers in the station. So this policy has now been implemented.

That is interesting, where did they find that idea, and where did they find the sleepers?

 

[hessjm]

I don't know what track they used, but it was Superliner equipment.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Even if it made financial sense, I can't envision Congress allowing Amtrak to run a "hotel" in Chicago for which, it doesn't charge customers the full going rate.

 

[glomor]

I had a van ride with 5 other passengers from Chicago to Grand Rapids recently. I was happy with that solution. A few years ago I was offered a hotel voucher but my husband drove from Grand Rapids to pick me up. The Pere Marquette from Chicago to Grand Rapids only makes the trip once a day so 24 hours is a long wait! I am curious about the hotel accommodations however in case that should be needed in the future. Are the hotels decent or seedy? What about meals for the 24 hour period? On Amtrak or on me? Transportation to and from the hotel?

I don't think another night in a sleeper would be a preferable option.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I had a van ride with 5 other passengers from Chicago to Grand Rapids recently. I was happy with that solution. A few years ago I was offered a hotel voucher but my husband drove from Grand Rapids to pick me up. The Pere Marquette from Chicago to Grand Rapids only makes the trip once a day so 24 hours is a long wait! I am curious about the hotel accommodations however in case that should be needed in the future. Are the hotels decent or seedy? What about meals for the 24 hour period? On Amtrak or on me? Transportation to and from the hotel?

I don't think another night in a sleeper would be a preferable option.

Vouchers for food - take them to the ?ticket counter? to get the cash. Transportation to the hotel, or voucher for cab fare, I believe.

 

[willem]

The two times that I spent a night in Chicago on Amtrak's dime were both in downtown hotels. The pretentiously named Inn of Chicago was satisfactory. The other hotel was the Homewood Suites, and it was quite nice.

At least once, an Amtrak employee joined the train a couple of hours out of Chicago and prepared vouchers for affected passengers. The voucher was calculated to provide taxi fare to and from the hotel and meals the next day until the train left. Once in Union Station, I had to go to the ticket counter to redeem the voucher for cash. There was another piece of paper to present to the hotel for the room; no cash was involved in paying for the room.

I have heard that more recently Amtrak arranged vans to take people to distant hotels. I have not heard of anyone complaining of hotels being seedy.

 

[PVD]

It probably varies based on availability of hotels and number of rooms needed. Further out might be cheaper, but cab fares higher. I got the Swissotel, it was downtown & pretty nice

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

It probably varies based on availability of hotels and number of rooms needed. Further out might be cheaper, but cab fares higher. I got the Swissotel, it was downtown & pretty nice

Why don't they just get hotels near Metra stations? I imagine they would be much less expensive than downtown. I don't think most customers would mind; I would personally rather ride the Metra than take a cab.