Craziest Drama on Amtrak you've seen?

[west point]

Not exactly Amtrak AFAIK but on airplane out of Montreal . Lady with dog in carrier let her dog out while taxiing. FAs could not get woman to put dog back. So we went back to gate and Mounties removed her and dog. Later found out that was the second airplane and she had also had that happen on a train. Could not find out if it was one of the Amtrak trains or VIA but suspected Amtrak as we were coming to the USA.?

 

[NSC1109]

Only drama I ever had was the Conductor on 8 warning passengers that whoever was smoking the reefer at Havre was going to be found out if they kept doing it, and that it was illegal on the federal level and therefore illegal on Amtrak. Also mentioned that drug dogs usually board at Havre and it just to happened that they didn’t that day so the guy got lucky.

Not a single pot smoke issue the rest of the trip.

 

[20th Century Rider]

I've seen lots of strange and amazing things aboard Trains in my 70+ years of riding, but probably the Number One Dramatic happening was when a woman went into Labor on the Sunset Ltd. after the Alpine,Tx stop and we were heading to El Paso with no scheduled stops after Alpine.

The woman was moved to the unoccupied Family Room on one of the Sleepers(mine), and the Conductors checked the Train for Doctors and Nurses, but none were aboard.

Fortunately one of the Passengers was an EMT/Paramedic from LA, and he and one of the SCAs stayed with the Woman while she delivered a healthy baby girl.

We stopped in the Middle of Nowhere at a crossing West of Valentine, an Ambulance and Sherrifs Car met the Train, and Mother and Baby were transported to the closest hospital which was in Alpine.

I had had breakfast with the lady after leaving Del Rio that morning and she was hoping to make it home to Northern California before delivering.

Thus another New Californian Texan joined us, but at least she,was born here unlike the Millions that have moved here!

Wow Jim! This story was well delivered!

 

[dlagrua]

In 20 years of riding Amtrak ; outside of the past years decline in food quality, and the one time we were delayed on the EB for 12 hours, by and large, the onboard experience has been acceptable. An unusual incident took place on one CZ trip a few years back where the SCA caught three stowaways in a bedroom making themselves comfortable. The SCA called the conductor and they demanded they pay for the room or be removed from the train at the next stop. They did so. The remarkable thing is that the passengers involved the fracas were three elderly woman.
The only other strange incident that we heard of was a story told to us by the LSA in the dining car. It was on the "spring break" Autotrain where a fist fight broke out in the lounge car. The call on the PA was made and all of the SCA's and food service people responded to help to defuse the situation. The police were called and the two guys involved were ejected from the train in the middle of the night while their cars went on to Lorton.

 

[Bigpaw]

I was on the auto train and right after we boarded an attractive older woman held up a bottle and said “time to party.” She had already drank the whole bottle before going to dinner and she must’ve had wine at dinner also. When she came back her husband was practically caring her and she was bleeding. Turns out the train took a little lurch and she went flying on the floor. They stopped in the next town which was just a shed for a station, nobody there, and waited for an ambulance to come and take her and her husband away. Remember, this was the auto train, so they were left in the middle of nowhere in North Carolina and their car was still on our train going to Florida!

 

[Deni]

Only drama I ever had was the Conductor on 8 warning passengers that whoever was smoking the reefer at Havre was going to be found out if they kept doing it, and that it was illegal on the federal level and therefore illegal on Amtrak. Also mentioned that drug dogs usually board at Havre and it just to happened that they didn’t that day so the guy got lucky.

Not a single pot smoke issue the rest of the trip.

So much pot has been smoked on the EB. I wouldn't recognize that train without the stoners.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

The only thing I saw was a man walked down into the kitchen in the diner. The LSA followed him down the stairs and yelled at him to go back upstairs.

Maybe he was a professional chef wanting to offer them his cooking expertise and secrets to turn flex meals into gourmet dinners.

 

[20th Century Rider]

Maybe he was a professional chef wanting to offer them his cooking expertise and secrets to turn flex meals into gourmet dinners.

Lots of drama always always always on the EB... with it's cast of 'impassioned and interesting' characters. There's is one Cafe attendant that literally runs the train... talks on and on and on about what foods are available and embellishing the tasteless stuff with lots and lots of adjectives. Because she talks so much it is difficult to have any kind of conversation in the SSC. She also tells jokes which are rather nothing. Is also very aggressive and she rants on about how and to whom alcohol will be sold.

If someone appears to be a bit 'tipsy' she rants on and on about too many people being drunk and that no more alcohol will be sold.

BTW it's amazing to watch folks spend money on this stuff... two drinks, a mixer, and some food for about $28!

There are also some very interested dragons who run their own 'empire' in the dining car... who announce and announce all the rules, regulations, and expectations for using this sacred place. They just love that microphone.

Between the Cafe dragon and the dining car dragon, a good portion of the trip is spent listening to their gaggling. Fortunately most of the speakers in the sleeper cars stopped working years ago... so the gaggling goes unheard. I do wonder if they know that!

Finally, not realizing that decaf coffee is tightly rationed, I asked for a few of those little sachets to take back with me and the dining car dragon shot back, "No! only one decaf per customer. This isn't the Waldorf!"

 

[KiraPi]

I was taking the train from Boston back home to NYC. It was kinda late, so I was dozing in my coach seat and didn't notice that the train made an unscheduled stop at Cos Cob. Next thing I knew, two cops were tackling the man in the seat right behind me! They cuffed him and took him off the train. I still have no idea who he was, why he was taken off the train, what tipped folks off that he was even wanted by the police?! He looked disheveled but other than that, he wasn't loud or disruptive or anything else. A few other passengers were pretty upset and tried to find out what happened but the crew wasn't talking.

 

[JontyMort]

There are also some very interested dragons who run their own 'empire' in the dining car...

That‘s where the train gets its name, surely?

 

[20th Century Rider]

That‘s where the train gets its name, surely?

Absolutely! They build their empire on every run!

 

[Cal]

Lots of drama always always always on the EB... with it's cast of 'impassioned and interesting' characters. There's is one Cafe attendant that literally runs the train... talks on and on and on about what foods are available and embellishing the tasteless stuff with lots and lots of adjectives. Because she talks so much it is difficult to have any kind of conversation in the SSC. She also tells jokes which are rather nothing. Is also very aggressive and she rants on about how and to whom alcohol will be sold.

If someone appears to be a bit 'tipsy' she rants on and on about too many people being drunk and that no more alcohol will be sold.

BTW it's amazing to watch folks spend money on this stuff... two drinks, a mixer, and some food for about $28!

There are also some very interested dragons who run their own 'empire' in the dining car... who announce and announce all the rules, regulations, and expectations for using this sacred place. They just love that microphone.

Between the Cafe dragon and the dining car dragon, a good portion of the trip is spent listening to their gaggling. Fortunately most of the speakers in the sleeper cars stopped working years ago... so the gaggling goes unheard. I do wonder if they know that!

Finally, not realizing that decaf coffee is tightly rationed, I asked for a few of those little sachets to take back with me and the dining car dragon shot back, "No! only one decaf per customer. This isn't the Waldorf!"

Would make for better entertainment than the nothingless in North Dakota!

 

[20th Century Rider]

Would make for better entertainment than the nothingless in North Dakota!

It does! [Except when eating and enjoying that angus burger - oh please, please, please, Amtrak, bring back that angus burger. I'll agree to listen to all the rants, grunts, and groans of the dragons carefully guarding the food rations if you'll just give me back that angus burger!

 

[PVD]

I liked it, it was a very good lunch item especially. I remember sitting in the dining car and the server delivered 2 burger plates to the folks across from me right as we passed a feed lot, and they yelled "sorry guys" as they chowed down.....

 

[zephyr17]

Okay I'll bite. I've been on several trains with involuntary debarkations over the years, but I'll chime in with the two most dramatic.

The first was on the Starlight back in the early 1990s. Southbound, starting somewhere south of Portland there was this guy in the cafe area (they really didn't do the downstairs for eating Amtrak food only thing back then) who was inebriated on something. I talked with him for a bit, I had had a few myself. But he wasn't making that much sense even for a drunk and his pupils appeared pinned. I politely ended our conversation, which was getting weird and thankfully he took it okay and moved off. So I was minding my own business. In the meantime, he took up a conversation with an older gent. Suddenly he was yelling about that "...you never took care of me!" at the gentleman and had him cornered. Under the influence of whatever he was on, he had gotten it in his head that the older gent was his father. By this time we were past Eugene, BTW The LSA got the conductor down there, and the conductor got the guy away from the older gent and upstairs. I went to dinner. We stopped at the little yard in Oakridge surrounded by flashing blue lights. The father-issues guy was now in the hands of Oakridge PD.

The second one was audio only, a just a few years ago on the Starlight. I had a scanner, which I hadn't had for the father-issues guy incident. There was a guy that was causing trouble in one of the coaches, and the conductor radioed ahead to have Richmond PD meet us at a grade crossing to take him off (Richmond was no longer a stop). So they got him off. Then it turned out he had left luggage behind, apparently deliberately. The conductor apparently looked inside and there was some illegal substances in there. He radioed that in, and asked for the cops to meet the train in Martinez so he could give them the suitcase. Well, that turned into a drama. While most of it not broadcast on the scanner, he used his phone but was also broadcasting to update the dispatcher and also the ACs as to what was going on. It turned out that no police agency wanted it. Martinez PD apparently did not want to pick it. Richmond PD wanted Amtrak Police to pick it up (I don't know how many Amtrak PD there are in the Bay Area, but my guess is not many). This went round and round and round and meanwhile we sat at Martinez. An increasingly irritated UP dispatcher kept calling the train wanting to know when we would be on the move, and the conductor said he didn't know. It took over an hour to get straightened out, but unfortunately for me, the conductor stopped talking about it on the road channel except responding to the dispatcher ("...still don't know...") about 30 minutes in. In any case, ultimately somebody took it and the conductor radioed the dispatcher we would on the move shortly and we were.

 

[Cal]

It does! [Except when eating and enjoying that angus burger - oh please, please, please, Amtrak, bring back that angus burger. I'll agree to listen to all the rants, grunts, and groans of the dragons carefully guarding the food rations if you'll just give me back that angus burger!
View attachment 22528

You know, I never ordered the angus burger when it was available. Definitely regretting that now. If it ever comes back, I am DEFINITELY ordering it. Just wasn't much into burgers at the time.

 

[20th Century Rider]

You know, I never ordered the angus burger when it was available. Definitely regretting that now. If it ever comes back, I am DEFINITELY ordering it. Just wasn't much into burgers at the time.

If it comes back... go for it and enjoy!

 

[20th Century Rider]

Okay I'll bite. I've been on several trains with involuntary debarkations over the years, but I'll chime in with the two most dramatic.

The first was on the Starlight back in the early 1990s. Southbound, starting somewhere south of Portland there was this guy in the cafe area (they really didn't do the downstairs for eating Amtrak food only thing back then) who was inebriated on something. I talked with him for a bit, I had had a few myself. But he wasn't making that much sense even for a drunk and his pupils appeared pinned. I politely ended our conversation, which was getting weird and thankfully he took it okay and moved off. So I was minding my own business. In the meantime, he took up a conversation with an older gent. Suddenly he was yelling about that "...you never took care of me!" at the gentleman and had him cornered. Under the influence of whatever he was on, he had gotten it in his head that the older gent was his father. By this time we were past Eugene, BTW The LSA got the conductor down there, and the conductor got the guy away from the older gent and upstairs. I went to dinner. We stopped at the little yard in Oakridge surrounded by flashing blue lights. The father-issues guy was now in the hands of Oakridge PD.

The second one was audio only, a just a few years ago on the Starlight. I had a scanner, which I hadn't had for the father-issues guy incident. There was a guy that was causing trouble in one of the coaches, and the conductor radioed ahead to have Richmond PD meet us at a grade crossing to take him off (Richmond was no longer a stop). So they got him off. Then it turned out he had left luggage behind, apparently deliberately. The conductor apparently looked inside and there was some illegal substances in there. He radioed that in, and asked for the cops to meet the train in Martinez so he could give them the suitcase. Well, that turned into a drama. While most of it not broadcast on the scanner, he used his phone but was also broadcasting to update the dispatcher and also the ACs as to what was going on. It turned out that no police agency wanted it. Martinez PD apparently did not want to pick it. Richmond PD wanted Amtrak Police to pick it up (I don't know how many Amtrak PD there are in the Bay Area, but my guess is not many). This went round and round and round and meanwhile we sat at Martinez. An increasingly irritated UP dispatcher kept calling the train wanting to know when we would be on the move, and the conductor said he didn't know. It took over an hour to get straightened out, but unfortunately for me, the conductor stopped talking about it on the road channel except responding to the dispatcher ("...still don't know...") about 30 minutes in. In any case, ultimately somebody took it and the conductor radioed the dispatcher we would on the move shortly and we were.

Ok! If you do bite... it will be a memory for a lifetime!

 

[CTANut]

I would walk back to the rail fan window, and a customer in coach would yell at me every time I passed by. (I was in a roomette)

 

[20th Century Rider]

I would walk back to the rail fan window, and a customer in coach would yell at me every time I passed by. (I was in a roomette)

No... the customer who is yelling at you needs to be kicked off the train. What rationale is there for him to be abusive to you? You should have gone to the conductor. You have every right to look out the rear window of the train. C'mon... get with it and stick up for your rights! Amtrak needs to 'get it on' when it comes for passenger protection of basic rights!

 

[Cal]

I would walk back to the rail fan window, and a customer in coach would yell at me every time I passed by. (I was in a roomette)

I always feel a bit weird walking and then just standing there LOL

 

[zephyr17]

I always feel a bit weird walking and then just standing there LOL

Me, too.

I really enjoyed being in the sleeper on the rear on the Baby Builder out ot Portland. I could go to the back window as much as I liked without weirdness.

 

[Bob Dylan]

So much pot has been smoked on the EB. I wouldn't recognize that train without the stoners.

The Zephyr, Chief and Sunset/Eagle too!

 

[20th Century Rider]

It is quite often that when the EB stops in MSP it picks up a huge number of Cubs fans for the trek to CHI. Usually boisterous and routy and toting concealed bloody Mary's ... tend to take over the train.

So as the mighty train glides out of the station I take a seat in the SSL to get some great river views. Some prissy missy polks out of the coach car and yells at me... "these seats are taken." So I move... and she says "You can't sit there either." So I yell back at her... 'If you gotta problem get the conductor!"

The conductor comes and asks "Whats the problem?" She says that I was intruding on the seats she was holding for a large group. The conductor responds... 'Sorry ma'am... these seats are unreserved and are for whoever is sitting in them.'

By now she was furious as she took a sip of something concealed in a bag. So the conductor walks up to her... smells it... and grabs it from her... "Ma'am... you've already had too much to drink!"

‼‼‼

 

[CTANut]

It does! [Except when eating and enjoying that angus burger - oh please, please, please, Amtrak, bring back that angus burger. I'll agree to listen to all the rants, grunts, and groans of the dragons carefully guarding the food rations if you'll just give me back that angus burger!
View attachment 22528

Don’t they have it in the cafe car?