Chicago Hotel Solution for Missed Connections

[Thirdrail7]

I went through the missed connection process last night so here's an update on the accommodations. On arrival we were herded into the old metropolitan lounge where we picked up a box lunch and a sofa. While we were eating they sorted out where everyone was to go. It appears the coach passengers go to the sleepers in the station and sleeper folks were sent to customer service for our hotel and cab vouchers.

Completely unrelated, but out of curiosity - have any changes been made to the old Metropolitan Lounge?

Just some light remodeling last I heard.

Is this Chicago or Hoboken?

Too soon? :blush:

 

[shelzp]

Railroads used to own and operate hotels. Good business. Congress probably wouldn't let Amtrak do that directly, though.

How many people, today, would even stay at a hotel where they had to share a hallway bathroom with the other guests?

I like to take the CS and stay at McMenamins in Centralia, Washington and they have hallway bathrooms and it isn't as bad as people who haven't done it think. I was surprised the first time I stayed there but it isn't a problem. Of course I'm just getting off the train and have already been sharing if I didn't have a bedroom. Plus the hall isn't swaying. Well maybe if I had a couple of flights of their beer it is.

 

[railiner]

I went through the missed connection process last night so here's an update on the accommodations. On arrival we were herded into the old metropolitan lounge where we picked up a box lunch and a sofa. While we were eating they sorted out where everyone was to go. It appears the coach passengers go to the sleepers in the station and sleeper folks were sent to customer service for our hotel and cab vouchers.

I think that is a smart way of doing things. It gives coach passengers a chance to experience sleeper cars and gives sleeper car passengers what most people would consider a nicer room at a hotel (although I would personally rather be in a sleeper at the station, I realize that this is not the case for most people).

Interesting...I wonder if Amtrak gives the sleeper passengers their choice in the matter? I could see some passengers not wanting to stray too far from the station, if they were going to take an early morning connection....

 

[railiner]

I went through the missed connection process last night so here's an update on the accommodations. On arrival we were herded into the old metropolitan lounge where we picked up a box lunch and a sofa. While we were eating they sorted out where everyone was to go. It appears the coach passengers go to the sleepers in the station and sleeper folks were sent to customer service for our hotel and cab vouchers.

Completely unrelated, but out of curiosity - have any changes been made to the old Metropolitan Lounge?

Just some light remodeling last I heard.

Is this Chicago or Hoboken?

Too soon? :blush:

From the film "Silver Streak" (1976), set in Chicago, but filmed in Toronto, although that particular scene was probably on a movie set...

 

[Train2104]

I went through the missed connection process last night so here's an update on the accommodations. On arrival we were herded into the old metropolitan lounge where we picked up a box lunch and a sofa. While we were eating they sorted out where everyone was to go. It appears the coach passengers go to the sleepers in the station and sleeper folks were sent to customer service for our hotel and cab vouchers.

Any idea if they mixed strangers in roomettes?
Personally though I had no problems sleeping the few nights I've spent in sleepers, I don't think they'd be as easy to sleep in while stationary all night...

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I went through the missed connection process last night so here's an update on the accommodations. On arrival we were herded into the old metropolitan lounge where we picked up a box lunch and a sofa. While we were eating they sorted out where everyone was to go. It appears the coach passengers go to the sleepers in the station and sleeper folks were sent to customer service for our hotel and cab vouchers.

Any idea if they mixed strangers in roomettes?

I doubt it. Would they put strangers in the same hotel room?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I went through the missed connection process last night so here's an update on the accommodations. On arrival we were herded into the old metropolitan lounge where we picked up a box lunch and a sofa. While we were eating they sorted out where everyone was to go. It appears the coach passengers go to the sleepers in the station and sleeper folks were sent to customer service for our hotel and cab vouchers.

Any idea if they mixed strangers in roomettes?

I doubt it. Would they put strangers in the same hotel room?

We're talking about single coach passengers, correct? The folks who risk sleeping with a stranger in an undivided loveseat style contraption every other night they're on the train? Even if single coach passengers on a missed connection were assigned a roomette with another stranger they'd actually have improved separation compared to their usual Amtrak sleeping arrangements. If Amtrak tried to mix multiple strangers on coach tickets in the same hotel room the contracted rate agreement would prevent that. Maybe that helps explain how misconnected coach passengers ended up sleeping in the station while sleeper passengers continue to receive hotel rooms for the night.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

Even for coach passengers, I don't think sharing a roomette is advisable. I, personally, would never sleep(i'm 75) in the upper roomette bunk. Not flexible enough to climb up into that coffin with no window even just to sleep.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I hadn't considered age or flexibility. Is a party of two coach passengers allowed to use two roomettes?

 

[neroden]

I went through the missed connection process last night so here's an update on the accommodations. On arrival we were herded into the old metropolitan lounge where we picked up a box lunch and a sofa. While we were eating they sorted out where everyone was to go. It appears the coach passengers go to the sleepers in the station and sleeper folks were sent to customer service for our hotel and cab vouchers.

I think that is a smart way of doing things. It gives coach passengers a chance to experience sleeper cars and gives sleeper car passengers what most people would consider a nicer room at a hotel (although I would personally rather be in a sleeper at the station, I realize that this is not the case for most people).

Interesting...I wonder if Amtrak gives the sleeper passengers their choice in the matter? I could see some passengers not wanting to stray too far from the station, if they were going to take an early morning connection....

I have fabric allergies. I'd rather stay in an Amtrak sleeper (known to have cotton sheets) than a random hotel (probably polyester-cotton blend sheets which I would be allergic to). I wonder if they would accomodate.

In fact I just got my own hotel room because I didn't want to mess around.

Where Amtrak fails, again, is communications. Amtrak failed to provide any information about accomodations until people got off the delayed train at 11 PM and got into the station at Chicago. This is both unacceptable and stupid. Amtrak clearly had a plan prepared hours in advance, but didn't bother to notify the customers on the train. Which they certainly could have done.

 

[greatcats]

In 1998 I rode the Indian Pacific across Australia from Sydney to Perth. I was in second class; there was also first class and coach. Each class was separated from the rest of the train. I was in what we call a roomette, and yes, they put me in with a stranger! He was an older Australian gentleman who was quite fun, who did entertaining skits in the lounge car.

 

[railiner]

I went through the missed connection process last night so here's an update on the accommodations. On arrival we were herded into the old metropolitan lounge where we picked up a box lunch and a sofa. While we were eating they sorted out where everyone was to go. It appears the coach passengers go to the sleepers in the station and sleeper folks were sent to customer service for our hotel and cab vouchers.

Any idea if they mixed strangers in roomettes?

I doubt it. Would they put strangers in the same hotel room?

We're talking about single coach passengers, correct? The folks who risk sleeping with a stranger in an undivided loveseat style contraption every other night they're on the train? Even if single coach passengers on a missed connection were assigned a roomette with another stranger they'd actually have improved separation compared to their usual Amtrak sleeping arrangements. If Amtrak tried to mix multiple strangers on coach tickets in the same hotel room the contracted rate agreement would prevent that. Maybe that helps explain how misconnected coach passengers ended up sleeping in the station while sleeper passengers continue to receive hotel rooms for the night.

I think Amtrak would probably not place strangers in a roomette or hotel room for reasons of liability...

In a coach, being elbow to elbow is still out in the open, public space. Being in a closed door room could result in one claiming they received unwanted contact by the other....

 

[PVD]

Of course this whole thread could be ruined by someone finding out what the actual policy is. That unfortunately presupposes one could get a straight answer from Amtrak.

 

[CoachSlumber]

I went through the missed connection process last night so here's an update on the accommodations. On arrival we were herded into the old metropolitan lounge where we picked up a box lunch and a sofa. While we were eating they sorted out where everyone was to go. It appears the coach passengers go to the sleepers in the station and sleeper folks were sent to customer service for our hotel and cab vouchers.

Any idea if they mixed strangers in roomettes?
Personally though I had no problems sleeping the few nights I've spent in sleepers, I don't think they'd be as easy to sleep in while stationary all night...

Yeah, I think that would be weird not to be moving. It would also be a bummer to go back to coach when you were actually back on the train.