Rough time on the City of New Orleans

[CrazyTrain]

Hi all! I had my second trip to Chicago on the City of New Orleans October 17-23. I rode coach this time, because I couldn't afford a roomette with all the stuff that's been going on in my life this year. Truly, riding coach wasn't as bad as I expected. I mean it was more crowded than I expected going up. Last year when I rode, I walked to the very end of the train to record the ride as we were passing through rural Mississippi and the last car was completely empty. Even with a seat mate, I got a decent night's sleep.

Coming back was less than ideal, but I rolled with it. We left Chicago on time at 8:05 PM on the 22nd. This time I didn't have a seat mate because the guy assigned to sit next to me was not interested in sitting in one of those seats all night. I think he rode pretty much the whole way in the observation car. One thing I will say is that I have learned my lesson about being the first in line to get on. When we were boarding in New Orleans, the car attendant was like, "Sit wherever you want." In Chicago, however, the guy was like, "You have seat XXX." And that seat was the first one in the car. So not only did I not have a tray to eat any meals at my seat, I was awakened every time someone went through the doors. For some reason, that was way more often than I expected, considering we'd left at night and I'd chatted with the couple behind me at least until 10:30.

I truly have no idea what time the trouble began, but I know that we stopped just south of Effingham, IL after midnight. We weren't at a station either. I don't know how long we were stopped, but after a while we got going again. When we did get moving again, it felt like we were going way faster than we should, but we made it to the next station without incident. I drifted off to sleep again, only to be awakened by a second stop, also not at a station. I was able to figure out where we were by pulling up MapQuest on my phone. At that point we were roughly a thirty minute drive from Carbondale, IL. I was more awake this time and wondered for a long time where all the Amtrak employees had gone. The first time we stopped, I saw them walking back and forth. The second time, it was as if they'd all disappeared. The woman across the aisle from me informed me, after a trip to the toilet, that a guy told her that he'd walked the entire length of the train and that no employees were to be found. I found that odd, but at no point was I really afraid or anything. I managed to sleep again, only to be woken around 6:30 by the train moving again.

It was at this point that the conductor came on and explained what had happened. The engine had died and we'd been waiting for a freight engine to come attach to us and get us going again. So of course the rest of the ride was at breakneck speed. I mean we'd stop at each station only long enough to get people off or on, then we were gone again. We really didn't have any proper smoke stops either. When it was all said and done, a 19 hour train ride turned into a 26 hour ride because we pulled into New Orleans at 11:15.

Yes, it was a hassle to be late, but the way I figure it, if a train's engine dies, you simply stop going. If a plane's engine dies, you're going to die too, so I'd rather be delayed than dead. I did talk to Amtrak the following day to ask about a refund for that portion of the trip. The guy was super apologetic and said that rarely happens. He then gave me a voucher for more than the cost of the one-way ticket. Over all I am pleased with their response to the matter, as far as compensation goes, but the entire train staff left a lot to be desired regarding communication. I would have appreciated knowing what was going on and that we'd inevitably be late. The woman across from me said she spoke with one of the women who worked the lounge car and was informed that the conductor didn't want to waken the sleeper car guests. I'm pretty sure we were all awake and wondering what the hell was going on and even if we weren't, I doubt they would've minded being awakened for important news like that. And on top of that, the attendants for each car could have come along and spoken to us a small group at a time to explain what was going on if the PA system couldn't be used.

 

[Sauve850]

Glad that all ended well for you. As a sleeping car passenger I would not have been pleased with some announcement if I understand you correctly to awaken me to tell me we are running late with another engine.

 

[Pat Harper]

I've been on Amtrak a bit and realized that things happen and one should "go with the flow". Freight trains take precedence over Amtrak if Amtrak is leasing the line. Equipment does break down occasionally but hopefully not while I'm on the train! One time we were on our way somewhere and our train had to stop and wait while another train ahead moved enough for us to pull into the station. I think that delay lasted about an hour. Fortunately it was while we were down for the night (we were in a sleeper). So if you are on a tight schedule and are expected to be somewhere at a specific time, either don't take the train, or call someone who may be waiting for you and let them know what's going on.

 

[CrazyTrain]

I've experienced the waiting-for-a-freight-to-move delay, but that happened at the end of the night when a freight train crossed in front of us in the suburbs of New Orleans.

 

[Steve4031]

Amtrak has a policy of no PA announcements during night time hours. 10 pm to 6 am or something similar. No updates at night is understandable. An announcement between 7 am and 8 am explaining the cause of the delay would be appropriate.

 

[SarahZ]

If a plane's engine dies, you won't die. They have more than one engine, and it's rare to the point of fantasy that all of the engines would die at the same time. Even then, planes can glide, and approximately 90% of people involved in plane crashes survive. I understand the basis for your comparison, though.

If they had made an announcement in the middle of the night, or stopped to talk to small groups, I would have been LIVID upon waking. There is no need to wake sleeping passengers unless there is an emergency.

Amtrak was extremely generous to refund that portion of your trip (and then some). If you remember the CSR's name and the time/day you spoke with him, you should submit feedback to Amtrak. CSRs very rarely receive accolades. It’s nice to hear.

 

[dogbert617]

Amtrak has a policy of no PA announcements during night time hours. 10 pm to 6 am or something similar. No updates at night is understandable. An announcement between 7 am and 8 am explaining the cause of the delay would be appropriate.

IIRC, the rule is between 10pm to 7am when they don't do announcements. They sometimes slightly bend this rule and do one last one barely after 10pm IF it's necessary to say some final thing(s) before the nighttime quiet period starts, and that's it. And I agree with Steve4031, that an announcement a little after 7am to explain the incident that caused delay to one's train, would've been very appropriate to do.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

As to the “no employees to be found”, the OBS were in the transdorm getting their much needed, but too brief, sleep. The conductor(s) may have been outside checking the train or talking with the crew of the rescue engine.

 

[MARC Rider]

If a plane's engine dies, you won't die. They have more than one engine, and it's rare to the point of fantasy that all of the engines would die at the same time. Even then, planes can glide, and approximately 90% of people involved in plane crashes survive. I understand the basis for your comparison, though.

For an example of what can happen in a bad case scenario, google "Gimli Glider." That flight was lucky, because, apparently the pilot was also a tecreational glider pilot.

 

[Larry H.]

You think Amtrak was running fast, you should have rode it in the ICC days when the average speed of the Panama Limited was 100 miles per hour. They managed to Leave I think around 6pm in Chicago and arrived in New Orleans around 8am I think.. The last time I rode it north when the ICC still ran it the cars were throwing sparks off the wheels when we went around curves. Quite and experience.

As to delays once before Amtrak the Missouri Pacific pulled out of Kansas City for St.Louis and the train died and we sat for six hours in the outskirts of the K.C. rail yards at Union Station. Like a previous writer said, you have to be able to not worry about running too late if your riding the trains now days.. Another thing I just recalled is that on a ICC trip from Memphis in the 60s the L & N I think it was pulled in exactly on time and left to them minute. In those days the passenger trains still had the right of way around freight lines.

Living near Centralia on the City of New Orleans route the worst part of running late is when you plan a day trip to Chicago and you find out its running 6 hours behind. Sort of ruins your shopping trip.

 

[dogbert617]

You think Amtrak was running fast, you should have rode it in the ICC days when the average speed of the Panama Limited was 100 miles per hour. They managed to Leave I think around 6pm in Chicago and arrived in New Orleans around 8am I think.. The last time I rode it north when the ICC still ran it the cars were throwing sparks off the wheels when we went around curves. Quite and experience.

As to delays once before Amtrak the Missouri Pacific pulled out of Kansas City for St.Louis and the train died and we sat for six hours in the outskirts of the K.C. rail yards at Union Station. Like a previous writer said, you have to be able to not worry about running too late if your riding the trains now days.. Another thing I just recalled is that on a ICC trip from Memphis in the 60s the L & N I think it was pulled in exactly on time and left to them minute. In those days the passenger trains still had the right of way around freight lines.

Living near Centralia on the City of New Orleans route the worst part of running late is when you plan a day trip to Chicago and you find out its running 6 hours behind. Sort of ruins your shopping trip.

That would suck for sure, if a delay to a northbound CONO would reduce your time you got to spend doing things in Chicago for after boarding in Centralia! Not sure if that occurs to you on a future Amtrak trip, that you could either call 1-800-USA-RAIL(872-7245, remember when you hear the automated Julie prompt to say 'agent', and Amtrak's 800-872-7245 number will automatically transfer you to a live human agent) or fill out this form on their website to complain( https://www.amtrak.com/contact-us/email.html?content=E-mailUs ), so that for all I know they might give you a small travel voucher($50? or whatever) to use on a future Amtrak trip?