city of new orleans is not going to new orleans :(

[TishaNola]

at first they told us that they would get us as far as jackson then we would have to find our own way the rest of the way.

my daughter and i started crying and i told amtrak i have no other way to get home.

they acted like it was HUGE hassle but they changed our tickets to memphis tenn. and from there they bought us a bus ticket on greyhound the rest of the way to new orleans.

it wont be the sleeper car i paid for but at least we are getting home

 

[J-1 3235]

at first they told us that they would get us as far as jackson then we would have to find our own way the rest of the way.

my daughter and i started crying and i told amtrak i have no other way to get home.

they acted like it was HUGE hassle but they changed our tickets to memphis tenn. and from there they bought us a bus ticket on greyhound the rest of the way to new orleans.

it wont be the sleeper car i paid for but at least we are getting home

I'm sorry to hear you have to take the dog to get home. Give Customer Relations a call and see about a partial refund for your sleeper.

 

[had8ley]

I feel sorry for you and your daughter. Wires were crossed resulting in your being misinformed. I do have to give Amtrak an A plus for not putting pax and crews in harms way. I live 8 miles from the Hammond, LA station and we had winds of 60 mph and at least six inches of rain (my rain gauge doesn't go any higher.)At one time we were under Tropical Storm warning, Flash Flood warning and Tornado warning. So, while you feel bad mentally, Amtrak is looking out for your physical well being. The last thing you would want is for the single engine train to come upon a washout and derail or the traction motors suck up water and quit pulling. I hope you use your sleeper refund for a better trip.

 

[bobnabq]

You may find the bus won't go if Lee is in it's path.

But best of luck to you.

 

[TishaNola]

made it home to New Orleans by greyhound...

I will call amtrak and see if they will at least give me a voucher for a sleeper on my next trip.

It was long an exhausting greyhound had no issues except over crowding because all of the amtrak people bought greyhound tickets to new orleans .

Its just sad that Amtrak was going to leave us in jackson Mississippi with no way home no accommodations and not taking us the rest of the way when the train started running again

Instead the passengers had to buy a bus ticket the additional way to new orleans out of their pocket and did not even get reimbursed for the extra cost that was paid for a sleeper room they didnt get to use to new orleans.

BUTTTTT I am home and safe no flooding... The amtrak and greyhound share a station in new orleans .. the station was perfect

 

[Pat Harper]

Thanks for letting us know you arrived home safely. I was wondering about you earlier.

 

[TishaNola]

Thanks for letting us know you arrived home safely. I was wondering about you earlier.

Thought I would check in I just got done writing amtrak on their website under complaints .

" what I wrote to amtrak"

This was the worst birthday trip of my entire life I normally rave about how awesome the train is and have converted many friends and family to Amtrak travelers , Now this last train ride was completely different. We started in New Orleans on August 30th and when we got to our sleeping car the buttons to turn lights on and call the attendant and such did not work , so our attendant told us he would switch our rooms when he was done getting tickets , My daughter and I waited and waited and waited he never came back Finally I had my daughter go to anther sleeping car and have the person use the call button for us as it was getting late and we had no light and could not unpack until he got us moved, he came and moved us to another room that was not getting occupied this room was one that the air conditioner did not work but we opted to have lights to no air conditioning and slept with our door open to get a little air. I am 8 months pregnant and get hot very easy the main reason I choose to pay extra for a sleeping room was so that I could adjust the temperature. So part one of our trip was EXTREAMLY uncomfortable .

NEXT PART TWO ! We got to Amtrak in Chicago and had our return tickets printed and we were waiting for our train back to new orleans When we were told that our train was canceled ... And that there was no accommodations being made that amtrak would take us as far as jackson ms. then we would have to find our own way home ! I paid for a sleeper for my daughter and I so that we would be taken care of all the way home. At first they said they could do nothing at all for us but my 9 year old has anxiety and asthma and because of them telling us this IN FRONT OF HER she started crying uncontrollably and had an asthma attack because of the lack or manners in the delivery in front of a child telling her she was not going to get home and that she was basically going to be abandoned in Jackson Mississippi . We did not have extra money with us to be able to go buy a greyhound ticket from Jackson . The lady in the amtrak station finally refunded part of our money so we could take a greyhound the rest of the way home. WHICH WAS NOT THE SLEEPER CAR that i paid extra for and reserved so that I did not have to be 8 months pregnant traveling with a 9 year old uncomfortable . Yet this was the most uncomfortable trip I have ever had in my whole life. Even on the way to memphis the train did not provide coffee or juice in our sleep room they did not turn down the beds we had to do it ourself after waiting until like midnight . Then we got to memphis got booted off the train and I had to struggle with luggage and a 9 year old and a preganet belly , trying to take a greyhound bus home to NEW ORLEANS . Finally I have made it home and there is no rain or flooding the bus station is the same place as the train station. I believe I deserve vouchers for my sleeper rooms for this trip . And HOPEFULLY MY next amtrak train ride will go back to being the very awesome rides i have grown to love. But right now I am warn out exhausted and can not believe the lack of compassion I received and just how over all bad this experience was. "

Don't know if the website under complaints was even the place to write.

im just done and now im ready to go to bed since there was no sleeping on greyhound

 

[Amtrak George]

Sorry about your difficulties! We didn't know for sure at the time, but we departed New Orleans Friday on the last train 58 before they quit running. It may not be all Amtrak's fault that they didn't run to New Orleans Saturday, as the flood gates might have been closed by then, and if so the train simply can't run.

That being said, you should have been treated better and alternate transportation should have been provided.

Hope you get vouchers etc., if you don't hear from your written complaint, I suggest you call.

 

[TishaNola]

Sorry about your difficulties! We didn't know for sure at the time, but we departed New Orleans Friday on the last train 58 before they quit running. It may not be all Amtrak's fault that they didn't run to New Orleans Saturday, as the flood gates might have been closed by then, and if so the train simply can't run.

That being said, you should have been treated better and alternate transportation should have been provided.

Hope you get vouchers etc., if you don't hear from your written complaint, I suggest you call.

I understand completely that sometimes service gets disrupted for whatever reason.

It was how it was handled we were already checked in and in the metro lounge in chicago , they could have called me up privately and let me know what was going on They could have offered to move our reservation to Monday or Tuesday and offered to put us in a cheap hotel until then, or anything except just say we will get you to jackson and your on your own from there . Now on the website it says they are giving refunds for the tickets . They did not even want to refund my ticket at the station and give me cash for it so I could use the cash to get home because it would take 3-5 days for the credit to go on my credit card , they really seemed to not know what to do and I was one of the very first people to check in and they did not get the news until after I had already gotten to the station and was waiting for my train

They should just never tell anyone we will get you to jackson and your then on your own and we won't even put you on the next train out of jackson ... Just nothing what so ever.

BUT ANYWAY.

I do normally love Amtrak I won't let this kill my opinion of them. As I understand bad things happen .

Positive Energy and I believe that they will pull through and make it up to me some how.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Ditto on the mistreatment by the Amtrak staff, sounds like the Chicago Brownshirts strike again! :angry2:

Please CALL Customer Relations @ 1-800-USA-RAIL, when "Julie" answers say , Agent, then ask to be connected to Customer Relations! You should receive a Refund for you missed Sleeper and Meals, and a Voiucher for future Travel, plus an apology! If you know who the rude staff were in CHI be sure and let them know! Have all your info ready, if you happen to mget an agent that is unsymphathetic, or apethetic, ask to speak with A Supervisor! Glad you made it home, let us know what happens!

 

[George Harris]

Remember also, it quite often was not Amtrak's decision in the first place. Amtrak is simply the one left dealing with the people related problems.

If the New Orleans Levee Board decides to close the floodgates, neither IC nor Amtrak have anything to say in the matter. If Illinois Central decides to embargo the line due to their concerns with operational and safety issues, then Amtrak again has no choice but to not run.

 

[TishaNola]

Well I have to wait until tomorrow to talk to anyone

 

[RRrich]

Remember also, it quite often was not Amtrak's decision in the first place. Amtrak is simply the one left dealing with the people related problems.

As usual, George is exactly right - so we are back to Amtrak's usual problem with rude and apparently uncareing staff.

What a multi-headed hydra :help:

 

[TishaNola]

like I said I understand why the service was disrupted , I just really don't understand how they handled it.

I paid for a sleeper room all the way to new orleans . Not to be dropped off half way and then have to pay for a greyhound to take me and my 9 year old. // Also to have them not even offer to put us on the Monday train in a sleeper or give us vouchers for our next sleeper , they offered no solutions at all.

 

[NY Penn]

like I said I understand why the service was disrupted , I just really don't understand how they handled it.

I paid for a sleeper room all the way to new orleans . Not to be dropped off half way and then have to pay for a greyhound to take me and my 9 year old. // Also to have them not even offer to put us on the Monday train in a sleeper or give us vouchers for our next sleeper , they offered no solutions at all.

What you should do is call Amtrak and get a voucher for the cost of the missed sleeper segment and the Greyhound.

About the offer to be put on Monday's train: nobody knew if it would be running to New Orleans either. Sleepers also could have been sold out on that train.

 

[TishaNola]

Some flood gates were closed but not all 28 of the gates were closed in prep for the storm in New orleans East.

 

[TishaNola]

they are mailing me a 100$ voucher for future travel " it does not even cover the 216$ cost of the sleeper room that I paid for.

I asked if I could talk to supervisor he said that it would be another hour wait

crazy !

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Did you get to use the room from CHI to ?Memphis? ? Did you get any meals on the train? If so, then I'm not sure you should expect a full refund/voucher.

 

[jmbgeg]

Thanks for letting us know you arrived home safely. I was wondering about you earlier.

Thought I would check in I just got done writing amtrak on their website under complaints .

" what I wrote to amtrak"

This was the worst birthday trip of my entire life I normally rave about how awesome the train is and have converted many friends and family to Amtrak travelers , Now this last train ride was completely different. We started in New Orleans on August 30th and when we got to our sleeping car the buttons to turn lights on and call the attendant and such did not work , so our attendant told us he would switch our rooms when he was done getting tickets , My daughter and I waited and waited and waited he never came back Finally I had my daughter go to anther sleeping car and have the person use the call button for us as it was getting late and we had no light and could not unpack until he got us moved, he came and moved us to another room that was not getting occupied this room was one that the air conditioner did not work but we opted to have lights to no air conditioning and slept with our door open to get a little air. I am 8 months pregnant and get hot very easy the main reason I choose to pay extra for a sleeping room was so that I could adjust the temperature. So part one of our trip was EXTREAMLY uncomfortable .

NEXT PART TWO ! We got to Amtrak in Chicago and had our return tickets printed and we were waiting for our train back to new orleans When we were told that our train was canceled ... And that there was no accommodations being made that amtrak would take us as far as jackson ms. then we would have to find our own way home ! I paid for a sleeper for my daughter and I so that we would be taken care of all the way home. At first they said they could do nothing at all for us but my 9 year old has anxiety and asthma and because of them telling us this IN FRONT OF HER she started crying uncontrollably and had an asthma attack because of the lack or manners in the delivery in front of a child telling her she was not going to get home and that she was basically going to be abandoned in Jackson Mississippi . We did not have extra money with us to be able to go buy a greyhound ticket from Jackson . The lady in the amtrak station finally refunded part of our money so we could take a greyhound the rest of the way home. WHICH WAS NOT THE SLEEPER CAR that i paid extra for and reserved so that I did not have to be 8 months pregnant traveling with a 9 year old uncomfortable . Yet this was the most uncomfortable trip I have ever had in my whole life. Even on the way to memphis the train did not provide coffee or juice in our sleep room they did not turn down the beds we had to do it ourself after waiting until like midnight . Then we got to memphis got booted off the train and I had to struggle with luggage and a 9 year old and a preganet belly , trying to take a greyhound bus home to NEW ORLEANS . Finally I have made it home and there is no rain or flooding the bus station is the same place as the train station. I believe I deserve vouchers for my sleeper rooms for this trip . And HOPEFULLY MY next amtrak train ride will go back to being the very awesome rides i have grown to love. But right now I am warn out exhausted and can not believe the lack of compassion I received and just how over all bad this experience was. "

Don't know if the website under complaints was even the place to write.

im just done and now im ready to go to bed since there was no sleeping on greyhound

I have had zero luck getting resolution through e-mailed website complaints. All I get is requests to call the 800 number.

 

[TishaNola]

Did you get to use the room from CHI to ?Memphis? ? Did you get any meals on the train? If so, then I'm not sure you should expect a full refund/voucher.

we did not get anything they did not even have a sleeping car attendant to make coffee or put out juice. Nor one to put down our beds it was really hard being 8 months preg and 5 foot trying to put down the lower bunk into a bed , pushing the seat and trying to hold down that silver latch was really hard. We never even had an attendant The train left chicago an hour late they did not come and get us early for dinner like they normally do.

so i paid 216$ for a roomette , and the dinning car was closed and so was the cafe car so we could not even buy coffee in the morning.

We were in the very last sleeping car evidently the first sleeping car that was located in front of the coach cars had an attendant and they got coffee and juice and had beds turned down

 

[daveyb99]

they are mailing me a 100$ voucher for future travel " it does not even cover the 216$ cost of the sleeper room that I paid for.

I asked if I could talk to supervisor he said that it would be another hour wait

crazy !

AMTRAK gave you $100 for a 3-1/2 hour trip Jackson-NOL Sleeper which you did not use.

Sounds like you got a fair deal to me.

 

[TishaNola]

im happy with the voucher im not happy that i couldnt report that we had no train attendant or meals or coffee . But im not trying to get anything more.