96 replies to this topic

[EMDF9A]

As a paying passenger, I have two memorable non-positive experiences. The first was about 1995 aboard the eastbound Empire Builder between MSP & MKE. I had taken the builder east from Seattle to the Twin Cities, and then headed north to near Duluth to visit relatives. After a week in the north woods I headed bask to the cities and continued east to visit a boarding school friend in Milwaukee. We were having lunch as teh builder sped through the Wisconsin countryside. I was a coach passenger for this leg of the trip and was seated in the diner with a very nice Presbyterian minister, his wife and son who were sleeper passengers. I dont remember what I ordered for lunch but I did order ice cream for dessert.

We finished our entrees and the attendant removed the dishes and all the flatware. Dessert came. I had no spoon with which to eat my ice cream. I politely asked the attendant who said he'd bring me a spoon. The minister and his family were being very polite and didnt want to eat their dessert while I waited, so they sat for a few minutes while we waited... and conversed. I finally convinced them to start their pie (I think thats what it was) while I kept trying to flag a crewmember to get a spoon. By this time my ice cream was half melted (before the time of the Haagen Dazs cups). When I finally get the attention of the server, he cam & very brusquely said "You folks need to hurry up and get out so we can set the table for the next group of passengers." At that point I very politely looked up & said to him "I will be happy to, if you would bring me the spoon I asked for 20 minutes ago." This infuriated the server, who did go get a spoon, brought it to the table & dropped it into my half-melted bowl of ice cream, splattering it all over my shirt.

I very quickly consumed what was left of my ice cream, said my pleasntries to the minister and his family, who had graciously remained with me until I had finished, and got up from the table and left my tip. Two pennies. Its all he deserved.

I hadnt made it 30 feet... abut half way through the service area of the diner when I felt something strike my back. It was the pennise... the waiter had thrown them at me... and yelled "Take that back I dont need your Sh*t. I deserve more respect that that." Fortunately for me, the COB just happened to be coming up the stairs from the kitchen and heard and saw the entire episode. He apologized right away and escorted me back to my seat "I'm Sorries" all the way. He gave me information to file a formal complaint, and I did. Received a voucher fot the cost of the ticket AND the sleeper accomodation, even though I wasnt in a sleeper on this leg.



Number two:

Northbound Coast Starlight. EMY-SEA. This was about 2003.

I had taken the CS down to SF for some cultural stimulation & visit some friends. Had a great trip down. I took the AmBus from Fisherman's Terminal to EMY. Checked in, checked the luggage I wasnt taking to the room, and was told that the train was about 30 minutes late. Great, I can go watch the AMTRAK California trains come & go. Well thirty minutes turned into an hour, turned into 2 hours, four hours. I was hungry and tired and wanted to go to bed. I asked the station attendant what was happening, and was told that #14 had struck a vehicle on the track between San Jose & Jack London. There would be more delays. NINE hours after scheduled departure, after spending the night on the very uncomfortable seats of the EMY station, the train arrived. I made my way out to the assigned car. I showed the Assistant Conductor in the vestibule my ticket, and she directed me upstairs to my assigned roomette. Upon arival at the door I found the bed down and occupied.

It took several minutes to get the attention of the SCA, and the train was already leaving the station. He told me that they had given my room to someone else because I was late boarding (Well YEAH... the train hadnt reached my station yet) and I was re-assigned to a lower level roomette. I was not amused. I DO NOT travel in the lower level rooms. I get motion sickness there, and I specifically make it clear when I reserve my roomettes that it must be an upper level room. The SCA told me that I was basically SOL. They had given my room away and this was the only room available. I asked if there were roomettes on the upper level in other cars. He didnt know. I insisted that I had a valaid ticket for my room and that he needed to move the woman who was in my room to the lower level. He refused. I asked for the conductor. He said he was about to get her as he was getting tired of my attitude and would have her deal with me.

When the conductor arrived I showed her my tickets. I explained why I wasnt on the train as expected (It hadnt made it to my station yet), and why I could not accept the lower level roomette. I am very thankful that this lady understood customer service. She checked the manifest. There were no other upper level roomettes open. She was also hesitant to disturb the woman occupying my space, as this woman had no idea how bad AMTRAK had screwed up. BUT... Bedroom "E" in another car was available. I gladly accepted her hospitality, followed her down the corridor and delivered to the bedroom. The SCA for tha car was there right away, made up the bed, even though it was early morning and asked me if I wanted to be awakened for lunch. I asked if breakfast was still beign served. He said yes & asked if I wanted to go to the diner or should he bring me a meal. I ordered the French Toast and scrambled eggs, and he was back with breakfast in under 10 minutes. I ate, crawled into bed & asked to be awakened for the last call at lunch.

This tale, unfortunately doesnt end there. Number 14 continued to lose time. It was dinner time and we hadnt even made Kalamath Falls. There was talk about the train being annulled in Portland and turned there as we werre now 14 hours late. The staff said not to worry, go to bed & get a good rest, they would let us know early inthe evening if that was going to happen. I enjoyed the wine tasting in the PPC and a delicious dinner (I didnt make the last call for lunch. I was too tired) and retired about 10:30.

The next thing I know I am hearing pounding on my door and yelling "EVERYBODY UP! You have 10 minutes to get off this train!" It was 5:30 AM. We were in Portland, and they indeed annulled
the train. I poked my head out the door and asked what was going on. I told the conductor that I could not possibly shower & dress & be off the train in 10 minutes, but would hurry. He then replied "IDont give a flyingF**K. Get the hell off my train NOW!" Fortunatley the other passengers heard this too.
I did not shower. I got dressed & brushed my teeth and then had to go clami my checked luggage and place it in the lower compartment of a bus for the 5 hour all stops trip to Seattle. They didnt have the courtesy to offer coffee to the frst class passengers, and I suffered the next 5 hours of a 3 year old kicking the back of my seat.


Epilogue: After getting names and address of other passengers who heard/saw/experienced the same rude treatment, as well as the SCAs Conductors & station attendants, I wrote a very polite but firm letter to I THINK it was George Warrington. I received a personal reply, not a form letter and a voucher for the entire trip PLUS the bedroom (which I really hadnt paid for). Years later I am riding the PPC southbound, just crossing the Columbia and was talking to a great attendant and relaying this story. As I got to the end she gasped 'That was YOU!? You dont know how long we'd been trying to get that guy fired because of the way he treats the passengers. It was yours and the other passengers letters that finally did it. (I had free wine the rest of the trip)

[Ryan]

And people say customer complaints never make a difference.

[jimhudson]

As the saying goes, "Alls well that ends well"! Great stories, talk about turning a Pig's Ear into a Silk Purse!!Amtrak Customer Relations does first rate work in most cases!!

Edited by jimhudson, 12 January 2012 - 11:29 PM.

[EMDF9A]

As a paying passenger, I have two memorable non-positive experiences. The first was about 1995 aboard the eastbound Empire Builder between MSP & MKE. I had taken the builder east from Seattle to the Twin Cities, and then headed north to near Duluth to visit relatives. After a week in the north woods I headed bask to the cities and continued east to visit a boarding school friend in Milwaukee. We were having lunch as teh builder sped through the Wisconsin countryside. I was a coach passenger for this leg of the trip and was seated in the diner with a very nice Presbyterian minister, his wife and son who were sleeper passengers. I dont remember what I ordered for lunch but I did order ice cream for dessert.

We finished our entrees and the attendant removed the dishes and all the flatware. Dessert came. I had no spoon with which to eat my ice cream. I politely asked the attendant who said he'd bring me a spoon. The minister and his family were being very polite and didnt want to eat their dessert while I waited, so they sat for a few minutes while we waited... and conversed. I finally convinced them to start their pie (I think thats what it was) while I kept trying to flag a crewmember to get a spoon. By this time my ice cream was half melted (before the time of the Haagen Dazs cups). When I finally get the attention of the server, he cam & very brusquely said "You folks need to hurry up and get out so we can set the table for the next group of passengers." At that point I very politely looked up & said to him "I will be happy to, if you would bring me the spoon I asked for 20 minutes ago." This infuriated the server, who did go get a spoon, brought it to the table & dropped it into my half-melted bowl of ice cream, splattering it all over my shirt.

I very quickly consumed what was left of my ice cream, said my pleasntries to the minister and his family, who had graciously remained with me until I had finished, and got up from the table and left my tip. Two pennies. Its all he deserved.

I hadnt made it 30 feet... abut half way through the service area of the diner when I felt something strike my back. It was the pennise... the waiter had thrown them at me... and yelled "Take that back I dont need your Sh*t. I deserve more respect that that." Fortunately for me, the COB just happened to be coming up the stairs from the kitchen and heard and saw the entire episode. He apologized right away and escorted me back to my seat "I'm Sorries" all the way. He gave me information to file a formal complaint, and I did. Received a voucher fot the cost of the ticket AND the sleeper accomodation, even though I wasnt in a sleeper on this leg.



Number two:

Northbound Coast Starlight. EMY-SEA. This was about 2003.

I had taken the CS down to SF for some cultural stimulation & visit some friends. Had a great trip down. I took the AmBus from Fisherman's Terminal to EMY. Checked in, checked the luggage I wasnt taking to the room, and was told that the train was about 30 minutes late. Great, I can go watch the AMTRAK California trains come & go. Well thirty minutes turned into an hour, turned into 2 hours, four hours. I was hungry and tired and wanted to go to bed. I asked the station attendant what was happening, and was told that #14 had struck a vehicle on the track between San Jose & Jack London. There would be more delays. NINE hours after scheduled departure, after spending the night on the very uncomfortable seats of the EMY station, the train arrived. I made my way out to the assigned car. I showed the Assistant Conductor in the vestibule my ticket, and she directed me upstairs to my assigned roomette. Upon arival at the door I found the bed down and occupied.

It took several minutes to get the attention of the SCA, and the train was already leaving the station. He told me that they had given my room to someone else because I was late boarding (Well YEAH... the train hadnt reached my station yet) and I was re-assigned to a lower level roomette. I was not amused. I DO NOT travel in the lower level rooms. I get motion sickness there, and I specifically make it clear when I reserve my roomettes that it must be an upper level room. The SCA told me that I was basically SOL. They had given my room away and this was the only room available. I asked if there were roomettes on the upper level in other cars. He didnt know. I insisted that I had a valaid ticket for my room and that he needed to move the woman who was in my room to the lower level. He refused. I asked for the conductor. He said he was about to get her as he was getting tired of my attitude and would have her deal with me.

When the conductor arrived I showed her my tickets. I explained why I wasnt on the train as expected (It hadnt made it to my station yet), and why I could not accept the lower level roomette. I am very thankful that this lady understood customer service. She checked the manifest. There were no other upper level roomettes open. She was also hesitant to disturb the woman occupying my space, as this woman had no idea how bad AMTRAK had screwed up. BUT... Bedroom "E" in another car was available. I gladly accepted her hospitality, followed her down the corridor and delivered to the bedroom. The SCA for tha car was there right away, made up the bed, even though it was early morning and asked me if I wanted to be awakened for lunch. I asked if breakfast was still beign served. He said yes & asked if I wanted to go to the diner or should he bring me a meal. I ordered the French Toast and scrambled eggs, and he was back with breakfast in under 10 minutes. I ate, crawled into bed & asked to be awakened for the last call at lunch.

This tale, unfortunately doesnt end there. Number 14 continued to lose time. It was dinner time and we hadnt even made Kalamath Falls. There was talk about the train being annulled in Portland and turned there as we werre now 14 hours late. The staff said not to worry, go to bed & get a good rest, they would let us know early inthe evening if that was going to happen. I enjoyed the wine tasting in the PPC and a delicious dinner (I didnt make the last call for lunch. I was too tired) and retired about 10:30.

The next thing I know I am hearing pounding on my door and yelling "EVERYBODY UP! You have 10 minutes to get off this train!" It was 5:30 AM. We were in Portland, and they indeed annulled
the train. I poked my head out the door and asked what was going on. I told the conductor that I could not possibly shower & dress & be off the train in 10 minutes, but would hurry. He then replied "IDont give a flyingF**K. Get the hell off my train NOW!" Fortunatley the other passengers heard this too.
I did not shower. I got dressed & brushed my teeth and then had to go clami my checked luggage and place it in the lower compartment of a bus for the 5 hour all stops trip to Seattle. They didnt have the courtesy to offer coffee to the frst class passengers, and I suffered the next 5 hours of a 3 year old kicking the back of my seat.


Epilogue: After getting names and address of other passengers who heard/saw/experienced the same rude treatment, as well as the SCAs Conductors & station attendants, I wrote a very polite but firm letter to I THINK it was George Warrington. I received a personal reply, not a form letter and a voucher for the entire trip PLUS the bedroom (which I really hadnt paid for). Years later I am riding the PPC southbound, just crossing the Columbia and was talking to a great attendant and relaying this story. As I got to the end she gasped 'That was YOU!? You dont know how long we'd been trying to get that guy fired because of the way he treats the passengers. It was yours and the other passengers letters that finally did it. (I had free wine the rest of the trip)

Just seems odd that you "can't" travel in the lower level because you get motion sickness...after all, there is LESS motion on the lower level, and most people who are subject to it prefer rooms down there (I'm a TA, which people on this board constantly and erroneously refer to as "SCA"'s...)

Its not the motion of the train I am on, it is the view out the window when other trains pass. I get very sick seeing wheels roll by at track speed.

[ColdRain&Snow]

I'm a TA, which people on this board constantly and erroneously refer to as "SCA"'s...

So help me understand this then. The term "Sleeping Car Attendant" is used by Amtrak itself -- just look at the Welcome Aboard section of every route guide that Amtrak publishes. If your employer uses the term Sleeping Car Attendant (SCA) in documentation that it provides to its passengers, why then would it be "erroneous" for us to adopt its use here? 

[AmtrakBlue]

As of 5:20 am CST, Worst is leading Best, 65 to 31. I'm proud of my fellow bellyachers.

No wonder. You keep making these kinds of posts to pad the thread.

[Ryan]

Sleeping car attendant is not the official term used by Amtrak (at least not for 10 years or more), any more than "steward" or "porter".

TA might be your job title, but Amtrak uses the term SCA quite a lot:



(from Amtrak's official Empire Builder route guide)

Edited by Ryan, 13 January 2012 - 10:34 PM.

[EMDF9A]

Just seems odd that you "can't" travel in the lower level because you get motion sickness...after all, there is LESS motion on the lower level, and most people who are subject to it prefer rooms down there (I'm a TA, which people on this board constantly and erroneously refer to as "SCA"'s...)

Please forgive me if I misunderstand the tenor and meaning of your response, but the impression I get from reading your response, especially since you put "cant" in quotes actually demonstrates what is wrong with the customer service attitude of AMTRAK employees today. You assume that I do not have a valid reason for requiring the accomodations I requested and paid for, but rather believe that I should be satisfied in receiving something less than I had agreed to.

Many people like to bring out the old adage "The Customer is always right." Well, NO, the customer is NOT always right (though in this case he was) but the customer is STILL THE CUSTOMER, and it is your job to make the customer comfortable. The customer pays a fare for transportation and a premium for the expectation of certain accomodations, and when they make it clear what their requirements are (in my case, an upper room) and the company agrees (in the form of issuing me a ticket with a specific upper room designated) then it is incumbant upon the company's representative (in ths case you and your co-workers) to honor that committment, even if it means you have to do more than the minimally expected actions needed to maintain and keep your job.

This is my biggest complaint with AMTRAK OBS crews today. Many look upon the customer as a nusiance and hinderance to them "completing their trip" rather than the reason they have a trip at all to complete.

Edited by EMDF9A, 14 January 2012 - 01:58 AM.
fix quote

[Henry Kisor]

Perhaps TA-Sleeper, TA-Coach, SA and LSA are internal (corporate) terms, while Coach Attendant and Sleeping Car Attendant are marketing terms? Maybe Amtrak believes the latter are easier for passengers to understand. What do we care, really, so long as the crew members do their jobs well and the passengers respond in kind?

(72-37. Someone has to keep score.)

[johnny.menhennet]

Perhaps TA-Sleeper, TA-Coach, SA and LSA are internal (corporate) terms, while Coach Attendant and Sleeping Car Attendant are marketing terms? Maybe Amtrak believes the latter are easier for passengers to understand. What do we care, really, so long as the crew members do their jobs well and the passengers respond in kind?

(72-37. Someone has to keep score.)

OK this is getting a little annoying. The two discussions are for people to share their memorable experiences with train travel, whether good or bad. If bad ones are the more memorable, then their stories will be more vivid and interesting to read. I do not believe that this says much about our "bellyaching" members, I just think that "keeping score is not useful whatsoever.

My worst experience was not being able to ride a train any time I wanted to.

[Henry Kisor]

Alas, irony closes on Saturday night. It was not meant to annoy you, Mr. Menhennet. It was a dig at someone else.

While we are on the subject of job nomenclature, are the TA-Coaches, TA-Sleepers and Service Attendants all cross-qualified in their jobs? In other words, could a TA-Coach bid on a SA job and vice versa?

[johnny.menhennet]

I think Amtrak would have them go through at least some form of retraining first. Although not overly complicated, the tasks for both are so substantially different that Amtrak would have them trained a little bit more.

[ColdRain&Snow]

Sleeping car attendant is not the official term used by Amtrak (at least not for 10 years or more), any more than "steward" or "porter".

Just another vacuous comment proffered by a disappearing guest who will shamelessly slink back under their cloak of anonymity while they reassure themselves of their righteousness. Weak.

Edited by ColdRain&Snow, 14 January 2012 - 01:19 PM.

[daveyb99]

My worst experience was watching someone trying to do an "end run" around the conductor an onboard upgrade.

[EB_OBS]

While we are on the subject of job nomenclature, are the TA-Coaches, TA-Sleepers and Service Attendants all cross-qualified in their jobs? In other words, could a TA-Coach bid on a SA job and vice versa?

When a new TA is hired they are trained in both crafts, Train Attendant and Service Attendant. The Extra Boards were separate until around 2003 when Amtrak combined them. A TA can bid on any job opening they want. The employee with the highest seniority will get the job. In general the jobs are held by seniority in this order; SA, TAS, TAC.

On the Empire Builder, if you work out of Seattle, it takes about 2-4 years seniority to hold a coach attendant job, 5-8 years seniority to hold a sleeping car attendants job and around 13 years minimum to hold in the dining car as a Service Attendant.

[EB_OBS]

Just seems odd that you "can't" travel in the lower level because you get motion sickness...after all, there is LESS motion on the lower level, and most people who are subject to it prefer rooms down there (I'm a TA, which people on this board constantly and erroneously refer to as "SCA"'s...)

Please forgive me if I misunderstand the tenor and meaning of your response, but the impression I get from reading your response, especially since you put "cant" in quotes actually demonstrates what is wrong with the customer service attitude of AMTRAK employees today. You assume that I do not have a valid reason for requiring the accomodations I requested and paid for, but rather believe that I should be satisfied in receiving something less than I had agreed to.

Many people like to bring out the old adage "The Customer is always right." Well, NO, the customer is NOT always right (though in this case he was) but the customer is STILL THE CUSTOMER, and it is your job to make the customer comfortable. The customer pays a fare for transportation and a premium for the expectation of certain accomodations, and when they make it clear what their requirements are (in my case, an upper room) and the company agrees (in the form of issuing me a ticket with a specific upper room designated) then it is incumbant upon the company's representative (in ths case you and your co-workers) to honor that committment, even if it means you have to do more than the minimally expected actions needed to maintain and keep your job.

This is my biggest complaint with AMTRAK OBS crews today. Many look upon the customer as a nusiance and hinderance to them "completing their trip" rather than the reason they have a trip at all to complete.

In my experience and research on the subject, it is as EMDF9A has stated, it's not the motion of the train itself but the view of the motion or ground out the window. If traveling in the lower level the passing scenery or another train, going in the opposite direction, are passing by very very fast. On the upper level the speed is of course the same but due to the distance from the ground, it visually appears to be slower and the effect is lessened.