Oldsmoboi
OBS Chief
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2011
- Messages
- 589
A few weeks back I was returning home from New Haven to Pittsburgh. I just barely made it onto train 143 at NHV before the doors closed.
The woman next to me with two small children was taking Amtrak for the first time and was a bit confused. She was asking the conductor for assistance getting to her next train in NYP. It turns out that her father-in-law booked her tickets for her and rather than letting her stay on the 143 all the way to her final destination in PHL, he booked it for a layover in NYP and then switching to the 43 there.
Overhearing the conversation, I told her that I was making the same connection and that I was comfortable in NYP so I would make sure she got on the right train. The conductor instantly made himself scarce.
I took the rest of the trip to NYP to discuss the virtues of Amtrak, especially for her who was new to New Haven but would need to visit the Philly area frequently for family. (Actually Newtown PA, so I told her to only book to Trenton and have her family pick her up there rather than Philly)
I am not a big fan of kids, but for some reason kids really like me. So naturally, the kids are now sitting in the seat next to me asking me all sorts of questions.
Once we arrived in NYP, she told the kids to follow me as she was dragging drastically oversized luggage behind.
As I got off the train, I turned around to watch the kids. Before I got all the way around, the 4 year old boy fell down in between the car and the platform to where only his head was above the level of the platform and one arm holding onto the car floor. I dropped my bags and scooped him up out of the gap. The boy was scared and crying, but otherwise unharmed.
What annoyed me was the two AmPolice officers on the platform didn't even flinch or make a move to assist.
I got the family upstairs into the AmLounge where we waiting for 43 to board. I got them into the coach, bid them goodbye, and then proceeded down to my seat in B.C. to camp out for the next 8.5 hours.
At least it was a scarey scenario with a happy ending.
The woman next to me with two small children was taking Amtrak for the first time and was a bit confused. She was asking the conductor for assistance getting to her next train in NYP. It turns out that her father-in-law booked her tickets for her and rather than letting her stay on the 143 all the way to her final destination in PHL, he booked it for a layover in NYP and then switching to the 43 there.
Overhearing the conversation, I told her that I was making the same connection and that I was comfortable in NYP so I would make sure she got on the right train. The conductor instantly made himself scarce.
I took the rest of the trip to NYP to discuss the virtues of Amtrak, especially for her who was new to New Haven but would need to visit the Philly area frequently for family. (Actually Newtown PA, so I told her to only book to Trenton and have her family pick her up there rather than Philly)
I am not a big fan of kids, but for some reason kids really like me. So naturally, the kids are now sitting in the seat next to me asking me all sorts of questions.
Once we arrived in NYP, she told the kids to follow me as she was dragging drastically oversized luggage behind.
As I got off the train, I turned around to watch the kids. Before I got all the way around, the 4 year old boy fell down in between the car and the platform to where only his head was above the level of the platform and one arm holding onto the car floor. I dropped my bags and scooped him up out of the gap. The boy was scared and crying, but otherwise unharmed.
What annoyed me was the two AmPolice officers on the platform didn't even flinch or make a move to assist.
I got the family upstairs into the AmLounge where we waiting for 43 to board. I got them into the coach, bid them goodbye, and then proceeded down to my seat in B.C. to camp out for the next 8.5 hours.
At least it was a scarey scenario with a happy ending.
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