- Joined
- Jul 16, 2010
- Messages
- 4,894
We have traveled on Amtrak since the '70s and seen many changes over the years. Last year, we did Albuquerque - Kansas City, Reno - Denver and ATL to New Orleans. We've done the Sunset, the Silvers, NYP to Montreal, etc. But Tuesday's Crescent was the best ever. From the (unknown named) baggage handler/agent in Atlanta who treated every single person like she would treat her own kids to the SCA Steve who treated us like kings, everything went well.
The agent helped people repack their bags to meet requirements, taped up bags and provided boxes for overweight ones (then carefully wrapped and marked them), helped a bicyclist with packing his bike and numerous confused handicapped people who needed help or advice. In spite of my spinal problem, I had to get up, walk over to her and tell her I observed her in action and told her she was the best there was.
Then we hit Steve, our SCA. He picked up our bags and brought them to the room w/o being asked to help (that spine was killing me), brought me a cup of coffee w/o asking and told us to take it easy and have dinner when we were ready. He constantly looked into our welfare and was more than willing to tell us about how his schedule went. He asked if we were experienced with the roomettes and when we told him we were, he avoided redundantly explaining everything but when my wife forgot which switch did what and how to best adjust the temperature, he patiently explained both.In the morning, I asked him to leave my bed down all day so I could rest my back when not sitting with my wife in her roomette. We had taken two roomettes as a test in lieu of a bedroom as it was cheaper and it turned out to be prescient. My wife can't climb ladders, my spine flared up and two rooms with one bed available all the time combined with two toilets was perfect. Steve, took all our bags off the train and checked our rooms when we left. There was nothing he failed to do quickly, quietly and efficiently. He was everything we had never seen combined in a single SCA. Hope we have him on our return. We intend to write Amtrak about both these people.
Even dining was great, from the late (9:30 departure from ATL meaning a late night for dining crew) dinner out of Atlanta to the efficient morning and lunch service, it all went well.
We've done 2 of 5 legs ATL->WIL and WIL->NYP, the latter being 45 minutes late out of WIL and 1 1/2 hours late into NYP. Next is Bridgeport to Boston Back Bay. More to come.
The agent helped people repack their bags to meet requirements, taped up bags and provided boxes for overweight ones (then carefully wrapped and marked them), helped a bicyclist with packing his bike and numerous confused handicapped people who needed help or advice. In spite of my spinal problem, I had to get up, walk over to her and tell her I observed her in action and told her she was the best there was.
Then we hit Steve, our SCA. He picked up our bags and brought them to the room w/o being asked to help (that spine was killing me), brought me a cup of coffee w/o asking and told us to take it easy and have dinner when we were ready. He constantly looked into our welfare and was more than willing to tell us about how his schedule went. He asked if we were experienced with the roomettes and when we told him we were, he avoided redundantly explaining everything but when my wife forgot which switch did what and how to best adjust the temperature, he patiently explained both.In the morning, I asked him to leave my bed down all day so I could rest my back when not sitting with my wife in her roomette. We had taken two roomettes as a test in lieu of a bedroom as it was cheaper and it turned out to be prescient. My wife can't climb ladders, my spine flared up and two rooms with one bed available all the time combined with two toilets was perfect. Steve, took all our bags off the train and checked our rooms when we left. There was nothing he failed to do quickly, quietly and efficiently. He was everything we had never seen combined in a single SCA. Hope we have him on our return. We intend to write Amtrak about both these people.
Even dining was great, from the late (9:30 departure from ATL meaning a late night for dining crew) dinner out of Atlanta to the efficient morning and lunch service, it all went well.
We've done 2 of 5 legs ATL->WIL and WIL->NYP, the latter being 45 minutes late out of WIL and 1 1/2 hours late into NYP. Next is Bridgeport to Boston Back Bay. More to come.
