Funniest thing that ever happened on an Amtrak trip?

[user 6862]

Agree with you DA, outstanding.

 

[cirdan]

We (a friand an I) were on the Texas Eagle in 2008 or thereabouts.

We were only an hour or so out of Chicago when we went to the observation car.

There wemet a young man who told us he was getting off at Memphis.

I told him that I thought this train is probably not going to Memphis. He should better go and talk to the conductor.

He said, no, he always catches this train when he's going to Memphis.

As we crossed the Mississippi bridge by St Louis, he said, next stop is Memphis.

I said, no. It's probably Saint Louis. hey, they even just announced it. But what does the conductor know?

So he comforted himself by saying it was the stop after that.

I spoke to him again and said he really ought to speak to the conductor or somebody.

He said, no he always catches this train.

The conversation drifted onto other things.

At one point he said "I really like you, you're great guys"

"You should get off with me at Memphis, I'll show you around"

I tried to exlain that not only did I think the train was not going to Memphis, but even if it was, I had other travel arangemnets.

He said, if you need drugs there, I can get some for you, or even a prostitute.

I replied that I wasn't interested in either.

We finally got off the train Dallas. His parting words were, we haven't reached Memphis yet. the train must be running late.

I was never quite sure whether he was genuine or having a laugh at our expense.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

One time I was on the southbound Coast Starlight around Salinas. I was walking forward in the train; I believe I had just entered the Sightseer Lounge from the coaches. A Hispanic guy who looked to be in his 20s or 30s was walking in the opposite direction towards the coaches and the back of the train. He stopped and asked my dad and I which way Los Angeles was. Since the train was travelling southbound to Los Angeles, we pointed him forward towards the front of train. He turned around and walked towards the diner and sleepers. I believe we saw him again a few hours later in the Sightseer Lounge and he appeared angry, presumably because he was yet to find Los Angeles. I don't know if he just wanted to reach the city limits a few seconds before the rest of the train or what he wanted. Next time, it a few seconds mean that much to him be should probably fly rather than take what is probably the slowest public transportation method between San Francisco area and Los Angeles (or another city further north to Los Angeles).[emoji6]

Sent from my SM-J327P using Amtrak Forum mobile app

 

[Steve4031]

This didn't happen on a train. I was videotaping my high schools football team in Chicago . When I arrived it was starting to rain. There were 4 coaches arguing loudly and profanity over three spaces in the rain proof press box. When I arrived the head coach booted two coaches from the press box so I could video in dry conditions.

Roosevelt, the lowest coach on the totem pole was angry with me so he tried to taunt me. "Hey Steve, im riding amtrak tonight." I asked where to. "Little Rock". Thus was a night game so I said "No your not". "Yes I am." "No you are not.". "How you figure?". "21 left at 1:45 pm.". "How you know?" I ride it to STL several times a year, goofy. The other coaches laughed and shooed him out into the pouring rain.

 

[Huelsy]

. The capper was at Ontario, when she detrained. She was in the warm embrace of a different man than the one she was in a warm embrace with at Ft. Worth. Talk about moving fast!

Riding the CL back in 2011, my sister and I got talking to this lady who just went on and on about how wonderful her BF was, a few times she mentioned something about her husband

 

[Asher]

Dunno about the rest of the forum but I think Danno wins this thread. :lol:

I'm the total opposite of you when it comes to handling clingy strangers but the payoff was a great story.

The woman was a crack up or was cracked up. Exactly why I don't ride coach. But, I admire you and your family's Patience.

Amtrak's lack of an armrest or any privacy divider makes their coach experience even worse than it needs to be. Seems like such a simple and obvious fix but I guess if they haven't cared for this long they probably never will.

Divider, great idea. Next time I'm on a train Im going to checkout what it would take to make a divider that one could whip out of a suitcase and slam down between the seats. Should cut down on the nuisance. I'll be looking for volunteers.

 

[Cina]

A couple years ago I was on the Zephyr and forgot which sleeper car I was in (well, I didn't forget, I just wasn't paying attention.) I tried to enter what I thought was "my" roommette, but there was already a lady inside. I was super embarrassed and left. When I got back I got on AU I saw a trip report that happened to be from the lady I had walked in on.

That same train had a "furry" riding along. He wore a full-body Dalmatian costume the entire trip. In July. That costume can't have smelled good by the time we got to CA.

 

[the_traveler]

Best one I have is this one time, the train was on-time.

You know this thread is supposed to be TRUE STORIES! :giggle:

 

[Steve4031]

This was from 1977 when I was 10 years old on the San Francisco Zephyr. I went to the snack car to buy a can of pop. There was another kid ahead of me in line who also bought a can of pop. He walked back about 7 cars, shaking his can a pop without a care in the world. I followed him not really thinking about the consequences of shaking a can of pop. We both climbed the stairs in to a dome coach and settled on to watch the scenery. He was 2 rows ahead of me. He opened his can of pop and it erupted hitting the dome glass and spraying several nearby passengers.