Very Bad Amtrak Review at my3cents.com

[Buildy]

All I can say is after my experience with a disconnect on Thurs night and my experience with the Chicago Union Station employees the subsequent day, I feel some serious changes should be made. The "south lounge" is a hole in the wall,with the ceiling tiles out, high watt light bulbs with no covers give the room a surreal sickly atmosphere. The employees were surly and downright rude and un-helpful bordering on totally useless. Over 100 of us came inches from missing the Capital Limited for the second night in a row due to the bumbling station workers who told everyone to go to gate C to board, only to change it to gate F without saying anything to anyone. Some old lady passenger stumbled onto the change and came over to tell the passengers who were at Gate C as they were told to do. It was a mad scramble to get people straight on what was going on in time. Included in this fiasco where many elderly and disabled passengers... When I told the employee who was boarding the passengers that it would be nice if when they change gates at the last second that they let people know about it,he got all ignorant. If I was his boss,I`d have had his job.

They treat you decent if you pony up the bucks to go First Class,and I will call it first class. They treat you like cattle or worse if you have a trip where you decide to take coach. I have tried both and the difference is shocking to me.

We came off the Cal Zephyr as Sleeper passengers,or First class or whatever you want to call it.

Also,the wife and I were given $24.00 total to eat three meals in Chicago-$3.00 per meal. They charge coach passengers $2.50 for a 30 cent bottle of water and then expect you to eat on three bucks a meal in downtown Chicago.... Our train didn`t leave until 7:05 PM the next day. We came off Sleeper and were going coach on the Capital. They wouldn`t let us use the Metro Lounge,so we had to pay 9 bucks to cram our luggage in a locker or sit in the cargo hold like South lounge for about 6 hrs and watch our bags. That "South Lounge" is the one the original lady with her horror story was holed up in overnight if I am correct.

I love riding on the train but hate what happens in between the way they are doing things in Chi-town....

 

[had8ley]

Here is the link to her story.
She describes a peculiar situation at the Holland, MI train station. Then, she notes that first class sleeping and dining car services have really gone down. Finally, she describes a nightmarish experience at Chicago Union Station.

I pray that what she went through is the exception and not the rule. In any event, I think that situations like these need urgent attention and proper remedy.

Well we made six pages out of this one. There's no doubt in my mind that there is a lot of bullying going on on the customer service end. I think the last five pages bear that out.

 

[Guest]

Here is the link to her story.

She describes a peculiar situation at the Holland, MI train station. Then, she notes that first class sleeping and dining car services have really gone down. Finally, she describes a nightmarish experience at Chicago Union Station.

I pray that what she went through is the exception and not the rule. In any event, I think that situations like these need urgent attention and proper remedy.

Well we made six pages out of this one. There's no doubt in my mind that there is a lot of bullying going on on the customer service end. I think the last five pages bear that out.

Well, I guess all of the complaints have started to flow in. After I sent my complaint letter to Amtrak two days ago, they told me that it may take up to four weeks to get a response due to an unusually high number of complaints.

 

[Train Seeker]

ok..here is the original complaint lady again....I am trainseeker now. It is good to know that at least people are complaining and I agree that amtrak needs some reworking. I've read all the posts, and I'm just glad I got my story out there. Maybe now, others will come forward and change will happen. It shows that around 3000 people viewed my letter on this site alone. Good. Maybe Amtrak is flooded with complaints right now. I know the one lady who did get a bus home for herself and her scouts that night made a lot of noise and slammed down a few papers that had amtrak's customer service info. on it. I didn't know the number was a 24 hour a day number, or I would have called it that night too. The sheets she slammed down were immediately snatched up by people. I hope they all complained too.

I have seen even a little pondering as to my demeanor on this thread too. Please let me tell you that I am the youngest of eleven kids. I put myself through college by working the drive-up window at a very popular fast food chain. I did that job full time for six years. I know what it is to work with the public...even when I was ill, dog tired, working an extra shift, or hadn't left my register/window for hours on end...and this was back in the day when the worker took the order, handled the money, and coordinated the order out the window. There was only one window on the side of the fast food places back in those days. Lengthy story I know, but I take extra care to be good to people who must work with the public. I've been there.

Now I work for the government - just like Amtrak employees. In the last 5 years, my staff took a pay cut, we lost our longevity bonus on the very first year I would have gotten it, and trimesters mean we will teach 30 percent more kids each year in our classrooms than we have ever taught before. So, I do know what the "crunch" feels like, but I would never take it out on my students or their parents. I am the highest tenured teacher in my subject matter in the entire district. I could really slide and do nothing for the rest of my career if I wished, but it would not be right. It is not right when Amtrak people do not do their jobs either...just because they can get away with not doing their jobs. Students and parents are my customers, and maybe it is my fast food training, but the customer is King. I was never rude or snippy or even short with any amtrak employee. I am a "please" and "thank you" kind of person.

I did e-mail amtrak a reply when they sent me an invitation to ride the deluxe version of the Chief. When I received a prefunctory e-mail that told me they would get back to me by e-mail in 48 hours, I did write them a pretty rude reply. I told them that the little rider on amtrak wanted a good train company, and that we were ready to make some noise in order to make train travel pleasurable again. Funny, I didn't get a reply to that e-mail either....hmmmm.

So, to the 3000 people who may read this...please demand better from Amtrak. If the current employees don't wish to be nicer, I know a lot of people who live around me who would love to have a job. If enough people make some noise, someone will have to listen. We have these awesome trains and the incredible scenery of America. I don't want to be punished just because I would like to choose to ride across our country instead of flying over it.

ok. ok. I think I'm done now. Obviously, I like to write...sorry about that.

Thanks for reading.

Train Seeker

12,000 Amtrak miles....

 

[AlanB]

It shows that around 3000 people viewed my letter on this site alone. Good. Maybe Amtrak is flooded with complaints right now.

Train Seeker,

Not to burst your bubble, but the board adds one to the count each time anyone visits. So for example, someone like me whose usually on for a good portion of the day, has probably visited the topic at least 2 to 3 dozen times and advanced the counter by at least that much. As one of the moderators, I have to look at all the new posts just to make sure that they are ok, no foul language for example or spam.

And the other moderators have most likely read the thread a couple of dozen times too, as well as many of our regular members.

Now that's not to say that it still isn't an impressive number of people, but if I had to guess I'd say that it's probably more likely that maybe a few hundred people have actually seen your letter.

And welcome here!

 

[frj1983]

OK,

Allow me to share with you an experience of good customer service at CUS:

About a month ago, an electrical generator at work failed about mid-morning and we were all sent home at noon. I stopped and had a lunch, and then made my way to Union Station (my usual part-hike, part CTA) and arrived at CUS at 1:30pm. Checking the Metra board I noted I would have to wait to board my Aurora bound train until 2:15pm. So I decided to plunk myself down in front of gate S14.

I noted a Superliner equipped Amtrak train on that track, and many of the train attendants were gathered together in a group on the platform, listening to who I thought might be the Conductor. They then split up and went to the doors in their assigned passenger cars. Sure enough the digital sign lit up and stated "California Zephyr" with of course the time of departure and the station stops listed.

I noted then, 3 Amtrak staffers line up with one just outside the door of the South Lounge, one about half-way to the gate, and one directly in front of the gate (she had a walkie-talkie and seemed to be in charge). Soon after a group of red cap carts arrived with passengers, and then some followed on foot with their luggage. I was pretty sure that these were the sleeping car passengers. Then the Boarding Announcement was made for the CZ, and people began to drift out of the South Lounge, where each attendant pointed them on their way, and got them to Gate S14 where the passengers began to board. The three Staffers, were never rude, answered questions patiently, and kept the line moving quickly. In fact, at the very end of the line was a young woman with a toddler and an infant who was struggling with her kids and her luggage. Very smoothly, one of the staffers grabbed the toddler, a red cap grabbed her luggage and they were able to get her to the gate and helped her board on time. All of this was done with no muss no fuss. I was impressed with the way it was all handled.

And then I read the horror stories here and wonder why things are so inconsistent at CUS?

 

[Buildy]

"And then I read the horror stories here and wonder why things are so inconsistent at CUS?"

I don`t know why,but they certainly are!

Depending on the roll of the dice,you can get anywhere from your example,all the way to the woman who was locked in the South Lounge,instead of opting for a fleabag hotel...

I had a mixed bag during my disconnect last week.

On one hand,we got only $24.00($12.00 each) for two adults to eat in Chicago for 20 hours. However,we were taken to a four star hotel in Northbrook,also 25 miles out. There were Audis,Mercedes Volvos,etc driving around the hotel. A free Courtesy Van whisked us to the Metra Station at Glencoe for our ride back to Chicago. We opted to take Metra vs the Amtrak supplied bus... The Hotel was beautiful,much nicer than I can typically afford when I am traveling.

Then,going from being sleeper passengers on a late Cal Zephyr to becoming coach passengers for a one night trip home on the Capital,I got to see the nasty side of how coach passengers are treated in the South Lounge. Make of this what you will....

My fear was that we might be taken to a scary, nasty place like Homewood,which would have been the final straw for my wife and I with Amtrak had they sent us there. There ought to be a way for Amtrak to find people rooms in the Chicago area without resorting to sending them into a place like Homewood. Maybe the supervisors who approve these places should have to try them out.

Imagine how someone would feel,if they were new on Amtrak,and they asked me what would happen if they missed their connection in Chicago. Based on my experience with mine, I would probably have said "Don`t worry,Amtrak will take you to a great Hotel." Then instead they are bussed to Homewood?

The wife and I could have very easily ended up in Homewood had Amtrak made the choice to send us there instead of a Renaissance by Mariott in Northbrook,as I am not familar enough with Chicago to know that Homewood is one of the bad parts of town.

Amtrak should take steps to fix this problem,in my opinion.

Let`s put it this way,I`m not expecting a 4 star Hotel,but not a 1 star "hotel" in a dangerous area either!

(Edited to highlight the quote - AmtrakWPK)

 

[Guest]

Why doesn't the Amtrak Board of Directors hire a foreign passenger railway company like DB, GNER, or SNCF to run Amtrak for them?

 

[had8ley]

Why doesn't the Amtrak Board of Directors hire a foreign passenger railway company like DB, GNER, or SNCF to run Amtrak for them?

Probably because they would have to hire Homeland Security to check them out; DEA to do drug screenings and the National Guard to monitor the trains. The red tape is so thick at Amtrak that any idea is just another waste of time and energy. Just try getting ANYONE at Amtrak to tell you what their positive goals are for the coming years (besides getting a pay check). I promise you'll come back from Washington with an empty basket.

 

[MrFSS]

Why doesn't the Amtrak Board of Directors hire a foreign passenger railway company like DB, GNER, or SNCF to run Amtrak for them?

Probably because they would have to hire Homeland Security to check them out; DEA to do drug screenings and the National Guard to monitor the trains. The red tape is so thick at Amtrak that any idea is just another waste of time and energy. Just try getting ANYONE at Amtrak to tell you what their positive goals are for the coming years (besides getting a pay check). I promise you'll come back from Washington with an empty basket.

And, on top of all of that, if they did hire someone with good skills and ideas on what needed to be done, that person would never get anything done because of the politics and the union.