Clueless Amtrak agent :)

[johnny.menhennet]

I was trying to buy a ticket SOL-VNC online with Amtrak, but a service message popped up saying that there was an issue with the booking tomorrow morning, even though the service disruption did not affect the train at all. So I decided to call Amtrak, presses the O, then O for the agent. After speaking with a not-so-helpful agent (he wasn't trying to be unhelpful, his intelligence just wasn't very high), he allowed me to book the ticket. He fought me on it since I was booking coach on an unreserved train, and tried to talk me out of it multiple times. He did not even ask me to connect my AGR # to the res, but it doesn't matter, I'd rather do it at the station tomorrow morning anyways than deal with him. After it was all said and done with, I politely said thank you for your help, and he responded with "Thank you for flying Amtrak", and hung up. Pretty funny

Also, any reason why the website won't let me book the ticket right now?

P.S. For those who remember how angry I was when Amtrak increased the unaccompanied minor age, I do not really follow the policy. I just book "one adult ticket" and don't go out of my way to get noticed. Half of the conductors know me personally, and the other half don't want to deal with me, since I look like I know what I'm doing, even though I'm very short for my age.

 

[Shanghai]

Johnny, I hope all goes well with your trip.

I'm glad to know that "you look like you know what you are doing."

Many of us do not!!

Let us know how you did on the trip.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

Both the station agent printing the ticket and the conductor gave me crap, but didn't ask for my ID, so I'm good. Cruising at almost 90 through Camp Pendleton right now, about 10 minutes behind due to a random stop (I say random because no trains passed us in either direction, and there were no yard movements) at Stuart Mesa, the Coaster and Metrolink overnight/service facility just north of Oceanside in Pendleton. Getting off in VNC, so the time should be made up, especially with the LA layover. Beautiful sunrise over the Pacific this morning

 

[johnny.menhennet]

I'd also like to add that, unfortunately, I have not been on the train in 2 MONTHS (GASP). The new wifi they installed over the Thanksgiving week is working perfectly on my laptop.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

Great job, John Bobinyec. To test Amtrak Status Maps, right as we left Santa Ana, I kept hitting refresh and clicking on the California map to see how quickly our departure would be processed. It could not have been more than 50 seconds after we left that the departure was loaded.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

We are about 5 minutes behind the SWC, just piggybacking it up to LAX

 

[Henry Kisor]

I'm pretty short for my age, too, Johnny, and I'm 71. You do look like you know what you're doing.

 

[Shanghai]

Where are you now, Johnny?

 

[daveyb99]

... He fought me on it since I was booking coach on an unreserved train, and tried to talk me out of it multiple times.

could it be you can not make a reservation on an unreserved train ?????

 

[johnny.menhennet]

... He fought me on it since I was booking coach on an unreserved train, and tried to talk me out of it multiple times.

could it be you can not make a reservation on an unreserved train ?????

But you can. I like doing it just in case I'm running late for some reason and don't have time to actually buy a ticket. I'm never late, but I like taking the precaution. Plus it is easier to have the AGR # tied in when you do it before, except in the case of last night.

 

[Golden grrl]

... He fought me on it since I was booking coach on an unreserved train, and tried to talk me out of it multiple times.

could it be you can not make a reservation on an unreserved train ?????

But you can. I like doing it just in case I'm running late for some reason and don't have time to actually buy a ticket. I'm never late, but I like taking the precaution. Plus it is easier to have the AGR # tied in when you do it before, except in the case of last night.

Pacific Surfliner (100000000000), Southwest Chief (5), California Zephyr (1), Coast Starlight (6), Capitol Corridor (1), Empire Builder (2), Acela Express (1).

 

upcoming: Pacific Surfliner (10000000000 more), LSL (1), NE Regional (1)

 

Pretty good for a 15 year old

So Johnny, would it be easier to buy a ticket in Fullerton to head south on a Surfliner, or are there more ticket machines and agents in LA, for when we get off our #3 Southwest Chief next month?

 

[johnny.menhennet]

I hate buying in LA... buy in FUL, they have at least 2 tix agents and atvleast 1 of both quik-trak machines and the combined amtrak-metrolink tix machines (but don't use a combined one, they are confusing and take much much longer). Can't wait to see you!!! Besides FUL would be more easygoing to wait at

 

[Golden grrl]

Besides FUL would be more easygoing to wait at

I don't know much about FUL - what's close to that station?

And what do you think about business class on the Surfliner? Worth it or not?

 

[The Chief]

And what do you think about business class on the Surfliner? Worth it or not?

Hey G-grrl, I've often ridden biz class on Surfliner one way (usually SB) and coach on return, LA-SDiego. Biz class is nice change, roomy, guaranteed seat and snacks and sodas, last time I rode. Seats are bigger (not that you'd need a lotta room, just notating) and more legroom too, which I like. The snacks and drinks help cover the difference in fare vs. straight coach. Enjoy, and hope this helps.

 

[Golden grrl]

And what do you think about business class on the Surfliner? Worth it or not?

Hey G-grrl, I've often ridden biz class on Surfliner one way (usually SB) and coach on return, LA-SDiego. Biz class is nice change, roomy, guaranteed seat and snacks and sodas, last time I rode. Seats are bigger (not that you'd need a lotta room, just notating) and more legroom too, which I like. The snacks and drinks help cover the difference in fare vs. straight coach. Enjoy, and hope this helps.

Thanks, Chief, I've once ridden biz on that train, but it was several years ago. I usually make such short Surfs that it doesn't matter, but guaranteed seat could be nice when I'm hauling enough to train around for 12 days. Don't need the wider seat; at my height, I do appreciate leg room.

New question, though, because I've forgotten - how many electrical outlets are available per seat in biz?

 

[MikefromCrete]

So, Johnny, you're openly violating Amtrak policy, yet posting exactly where you're at? Good thinking. Of course when I was 15 I thought I was smarter than everybody else.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

So, Johnny, you're openly violating Amtrak policy, yet posting exactly where you're at? Good thinking. Of course when I was 15 I thought I was smarter than everybody else.

Do you really feel that any Amtrak person or anyone on my train for that matter really have the time or the will just because they are bothered by my heigh tto check AU, on the off-chance that they know what it is, just for the sole purpose of making me sit ina different section of the Cafe Car??? Really???

 

[johnny.menhennet]

Besides FUL would be more easygoing to wait at

I don't know much about FUL - what's close to that station?

And what do you think about business class on the Surfliner? Worth it or not?

Contrary towhatthe chief said, thebiz class seats areneitherwider nor have more pitch than the Coach seats. Anne, I would not do it. The only benefits of it are the guaranteed seats and the booze, but you will not need the guarantee bcuz a mornin train would not be crowded.

I do not really know anything about FUL, I was just assuming that the lesser crowds and being able tonsee all of the train action would be nice.

 

[EB_OBS]

So, Johnny, you're openly violating Amtrak policy, yet posting exactly where you're at? Good thinking. Of course when I was 15 I thought I was smarter than everybody else.

Do you really feel that any Amtrak person or anyone on my train for that matter really have the time or the will just because they are bothered by my heigh tto check AU, on the off-chance that they know what it is, just for the sole purpose of making me sit ina different section of the Cafe Car??? Really???

Well Johnny, since you brought it up, I was one of the very first to view this thread the other night after you posted it. If I had posted, my post would have been #2. This was well before your scheduled departure the next morning. I work nights ya see. Believe me the thought crossed my mind to contact the station at SOL.

I chose not to and not to post and to see how it turned out for you. For one I had hoped that the personnel at the station and/or aboard the train would have asked for your ID and, seeing that you are not old enough to travel alone, would have told you you couldn't get on the train.

Now, let me tell you why. I get that you're all travel savvy and everything but you don't know everything. You're 15 and 15 years old don't consider ALL the consequences of their actions. Too many adults don't either.

Lemme give you a scenario. Suppose something happened to this train or aboard this train? You get injured or hurt or are involved in some incident. Investigators look at your ticket and look at your ID and discover you should not have even been on the train. You are 15, are unaccompanied and there's no documentation that your parents even know you got on the train. Now Amtrak has to investigate how you got onto the train in the first place. Do you know where they are going to start? With the people, the employees, the ticket agent who didn't check your ID and the conductor who didn't check you ID. Then Amtrak is going to fire one or both of them. How do you feel about that? Your disregard for the rules because you know everything just cost two people their livelihoods.

I know, I know, nothing is ever going to happen like that. I know, you know everything. Well then you should already know this. Things happen out on the train and to the trains everyday. Things happen that are totally and completely beyond the control of you the passenger or the crew and Amtrak everyday.

Follow the rules. You have a long life ahead of you and you only have to wait until you're 16 to travel unaccompanied. In the meantime have your parents bring you to the station, fill out the paperwork and have an adult meet you at your destination. It's not that difficult a thing to do.

Safe travels.

 

[Anderson]

I've run into clueless agents before. It's always fun...for certain values of fun. One time, one of them offered to honor my Petersburg-Richmond coach fare for a trip from Deland, Florida to Richmond, VA when I was doing a trip shuffle (I'd booked a sleeper DLD-PTB and coach PTB-RVR due to a packed train) but couldn't figure out my attempt to upgrade to a sleeper. I actually hung up on that agent (we'd basically ended up in a shouting match over what were clearly crossed wires...and I'm sorry, but I did not want to do a night in coach, even if it was only $18.90!). But that's the only truly headache-inducing experience I've ever had.

As to what Johnny said...here's my take on it:

1) Johnny, I don't necessarily agree with what you're doing, but my (somewhat sad) experience is that it's pretty normal.

2) EB_OBS, I really hate to say it, but there's enough not-checking of IDs where Amtrak is supposed to check, not-checking of signed tickets, and so forth that I'm inclined to actually call the problem "systemic" in many areas. It's not everywhere (some LD trains are pretty good on this front), but the non-checking is rampant enough that I would dare say that it's a substantial problem that ought to be looked at by Amtrak at some point.

Of course, it's behind about ten other pages of procedures that are regularly either fudged or ignored. Amtrak does seem to have this problem on a fairly broad scale. For example, I have never been asked for my AAA card on a train even though the ticket says I'm supposed to have it along. There have been times when I could have gotten away with riding the Meteor from WAS-RVR without having my ticket collected and then exchanged it, and I swear I could have managed it from Osceola to Chicago at least once, too. For the record, I've always ensured that it was collected...but these times have stood out in my mind, and not in a good way.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

So, Johnny, you're openly violating Amtrak policy, yet posting exactly where you're at? Good thinking. Of course when I was 15 I thought I was smarter than everybody else.

Do you really feel that any Amtrak person or anyone on my train for that matter really have the time or the will just because they are bothered by my heigh tto check AU, on the off-chance that they know what it is, just for the sole purpose of making me sit ina different section of the Cafe Car??? Really???

Well Johnny, since you brought it up, I was one of the very first to view this thread the other night after you posted it. If I had posted, my post would have been #2. This was well before your scheduled departure the next morning. I work nights ya see. Believe me the thought crossed my mind to contact the station at SOL.

I chose not to and not to post and to see how it turned out for you. For one I had hoped that the personnel at the station and/or aboard the train would have asked for your ID and, seeing that you are not old enough to travel alone, would have told you you couldn't get on the train.

Now, let me tell you why. I get that you're all travel savvy and everything but you don't know everything. You're 15 and 15 years old don't consider ALL the consequences of their actions. Too many adults don't either.

Lemme give you a scenario. Suppose something happened to this train or aboard this train? You get injured or hurt or are involved in some incident. Investigators look at your ticket and look at your ID and discover you should not have even been on the train. You are 15, are unaccompanied and there's no documentation that your parents even know you got on the train. Now Amtrak has to investigate how you got onto the train in the first place. Do you know where they are going to start? With the people, the employees, the ticket agent who didn't check your ID and the conductor who didn't check you ID. Then Amtrak is going to fire one or both of them. How do you feel about that? Your disregard for the rules because you know everything just cost two people their livelihoods.

I know, I know, nothing is ever going to happen like that. I know, you know everything. Well then you should already know this. Things happen out on the train and to the trains everyday. Things happen that are totally and completely beyond the control of you the passenger or the crew and Amtrak everyday.

Follow the rules. You have a long life ahead of you and you only have to wait until you're 16 to travel unaccompanied. In the meantime have your parents bring you to the station, fill out the paperwork and have an adult meet you at your destination. It's not that difficult a thing to do.

Safe travels.

EB_OBS, I completely understand what you are saying. The scenarios are possible, and I actually wish that they did check ID more often. However, it's not an issue with me becaus eI have been safely following the unaccompanied minor rules since the day I turned 8. There are at least two conductors on every single train that know me personally, and if anything happened/I was caught, they would not really care/treat me well. Remember, this new policy took effect in November. Since I have a September Bday, I actually travelled legally in October. Just to clear things up though, I ALWAYS have a parent drop me off. As lomg as Amtrak does not verify your age somehow when you book, or quik-trak machines allow me to bypass station agents though, the system has no way of preventing it. I only have a few more months though, and then I should (rightfully) be legal. I do understand why the policy was changed to include 15 year olds, because most of them are outright stupid and/or clueless, but the 8-12 year olds should still be able to do this. I would not be nearly as close with my grandparent sif this had always been in effect.

 

[Anderson]

So, Johnny, you're openly violating Amtrak policy, yet posting exactly where you're at? Good thinking. Of course when I was 15 I thought I was smarter than everybody else.

Do you really feel that any Amtrak person or anyone on my train for that matter really have the time or the will just because they are bothered by my heigh tto check AU, on the off-chance that they know what it is, just for the sole purpose of making me sit ina different section of the Cafe Car??? Really???

Well Johnny, since you brought it up, I was one of the very first to view this thread the other night after you posted it. If I had posted, my post would have been #2. This was well before your scheduled departure the next morning. I work nights ya see. Believe me the thought crossed my mind to contact the station at SOL.

I chose not to and not to post and to see how it turned out for you. For one I had hoped that the personnel at the station and/or aboard the train would have asked for your ID and, seeing that you are not old enough to travel alone, would have told you you couldn't get on the train.

Now, let me tell you why. I get that you're all travel savvy and everything but you don't know everything. You're 15 and 15 years old don't consider ALL the consequences of their actions. Too many adults don't either.

Lemme give you a scenario. Suppose something happened to this train or aboard this train? You get injured or hurt or are involved in some incident. Investigators look at your ticket and look at your ID and discover you should not have even been on the train. You are 15, are unaccompanied and there's no documentation that your parents even know you got on the train. Now Amtrak has to investigate how you got onto the train in the first place. Do you know where they are going to start? With the people, the employees, the ticket agent who didn't check your ID and the conductor who didn't check you ID. Then Amtrak is going to fire one or both of them. How do you feel about that? Your disregard for the rules because you know everything just cost two people their livelihoods.

I know, I know, nothing is ever going to happen like that. I know, you know everything. Well then you should already know this. Things happen out on the train and to the trains everyday. Things happen that are totally and completely beyond the control of you the passenger or the crew and Amtrak everyday.

Follow the rules. You have a long life ahead of you and you only have to wait until you're 16 to travel unaccompanied. In the meantime have your parents bring you to the station, fill out the paperwork and have an adult meet you at your destination. It's not that difficult a thing to do.

Safe travels.

EB_OBS, I completely understand what you are saying. The scenarios are possible, and I actually wish that they did check ID more often. However, it's not an issue with me becaus eI have been safely following the unaccompanied minor rules since the day I turned 8. There are at least two conductors on every single train that know me personally, and if anything happened/I was caught, they would not really care/treat me well. Remember, this new policy took effect in November. Since I have a September Bday, I actually travelled legally in October. Just to clear things up though, I ALWAYS have a parent drop me off. As lomg as Amtrak does not verify your age somehow when you book, or quik-trak machines allow me to bypass station agents though, the system has no way of preventing it. I only have a few more months though, and then I should (rightfully) be legal. I do understand why the policy was changed to include 15 year olds, because most of them are outright stupid and/or clueless, but the 8-12 year olds should still be able to do this. I would not be nearly as close with my grandparent sif this had always been in effect.

Johnny,

I've got to say that while I know what you're saying, but in the event that something does go wrong, what you just posted could bring holy hell down on all of the Surfliner conductors.

To be fair, from what you said, the station agents are pretty clearly off the hook (they never see you). Ditto the booking agents. But you just posted, in plain English, words to the effect that at least two conductors on each Surfliner know you are underage and still let you ride. And you did this on a Google-searchable forum. Don't take this the wrong way, but what were you just thinking when you posted this? You do realize that this is a public board that, in theory, someone from 50 Mass or from a district office could search...right?

 

[johnny.menhennet]

So, Johnny, you're openly violating Amtrak policy, yet posting exactly where you're at? Good thinking. Of course when I was 15 I thought I was smarter than everybody else.

Do you really feel that any Amtrak person or anyone on my train for that matter really have the time or the will just because they are bothered by my heigh tto check AU, on the off-chance that they know what it is, just for the sole purpose of making me sit ina different section of the Cafe Car??? Really???

Well Johnny, since you brought it up, I was one of the very first to view this thread the other night after you posted it. If I had posted, my post would have been #2. This was well before your scheduled departure the next morning. I work nights ya see. Believe me the thought crossed my mind to contact the station at SOL.

I chose not to and not to post and to see how it turned out for you. For one I had hoped that the personnel at the station and/or aboard the train would have asked for your ID and, seeing that you are not old enough to travel alone, would have told you you couldn't get on the train.

Now, let me tell you why. I get that you're all travel savvy and everything but you don't know everything. You're 15 and 15 years old don't consider ALL the consequences of their actions. Too many adults don't either.

Lemme give you a scenario. Suppose something happened to this train or aboard this train? You get injured or hurt or are involved in some incident. Investigators look at your ticket and look at your ID and discover you should not have even been on the train. You are 15, are unaccompanied and there's no documentation that your parents even know you got on the train. Now Amtrak has to investigate how you got onto the train in the first place. Do you know where they are going to start? With the people, the employees, the ticket agent who didn't check your ID and the conductor who didn't check you ID. Then Amtrak is going to fire one or both of them. How do you feel about that? Your disregard for the rules because you know everything just cost two people their livelihoods.

I know, I know, nothing is ever going to happen like that. I know, you know everything. Well then you should already know this. Things happen out on the train and to the trains everyday. Things happen that are totally and completely beyond the control of you the passenger or the crew and Amtrak everyday.

Follow the rules. You have a long life ahead of you and you only have to wait until you're 16 to travel unaccompanied. In the meantime have your parents bring you to the station, fill out the paperwork and have an adult meet you at your destination. It's not that difficult a thing to do.

Safe travels.

EB_OBS, I completely understand what you are saying. The scenarios are possible, and I actually wish that they did check ID more often. However, it's not an issue with me becaus eI have been safely following the unaccompanied minor rules since the day I turned 8. There are at least two conductors on every single train that know me personally, and if anything happened/I was caught, they would not really care/treat me well. Remember, this new policy took effect in November. Since I have a September Bday, I actually travelled legally in October. Just to clear things up though, I ALWAYS have a parent drop me off. As lomg as Amtrak does not verify your age somehow when you book, or quik-trak machines allow me to bypass station agents though, the system has no way of preventing it. I only have a few more months though, and then I should (rightfully) be legal. I do understand why the policy was changed to include 15 year olds, because most of them are outright stupid and/or clueless, but the 8-12 year olds should still be able to do this. I would not be nearly as close with my grandparent sif this had always been in effect.

Johnny,

I've got to say that while I know what you're saying, but in the event that something does go wrong, what you just posted could bring holy hell down on all of the Surfliner conductors.

To be fair, from what you said, the station agents are pretty clearly off the hook (they never see you). Ditto the booking agents. But you just posted, in plain English, words to the effect that at least two conductors on each Surfliner know you are underage and still let you ride. And you did this on a Google-searchable forum. Don't take this the wrong way, but what were you just thinking when you posted this? You do realize that this is a public board that, in theory, someone from 50 Mass or from a district office could search...right?

I did not mean i tthat way at all. It's not that I see them on every run. Most of the ones I know work biz class, an dI usually sit at the back. To make everyone feel better, I'll ride back as an UM tomorow. I see what you're saying now, Anderson, and I don't want to be the cause of any misfortune to the employees. I was.just trying to say that they'd treat me well. I'll be quiet now.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

The connductors are by no means at fault. I was exaggerating the # who personally know me. Although I've never specifically been asked for ID, some have given me a hard time, judging from my appearance. I will ride back as an UM tomorrow. The station agents that I have talked too have given me crap too, as they rightly should of. I only have 8 months left to go as an UM. Life could be worse.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

And I'm sorry if the "clueless" and the make me sound arrogant. I started off this thread just as a funny way to show how an uninteligent booking agent told me " thank you for flying Amtrak and didn't ask some things that I thought were common, such as AGR #s an dso forth. I had no intention of this turning into an argument that made me realize that I should more strictly adhere to the rules. Sorry to all that my carelessness have offended.

Johnny