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Guest_redsandal_*

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On my recent trip from ABQ to CHI, we had no water in our first class car for the whole trip. On my way back, on the LSL from BUF to CHI, the train was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay late, requiring me to sit on miserable seats (I herniated a disk last summer and still have chronic back problems) until 3:30am (train was supposed to LEAVE at midnight. It was pretty miserable and I barely made my connection in CHI. Anyway, I spoke to customer service who are sending me a voucher for 200.00 toward a future trip. I think this is fairly decent. The guy I spoke w/ told me that was all he had the power to do and that someone else would be following up in 2 weeks or so. What do you all think?
 
Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. I realize that the voucher probably doesn't feel too good on your back, but all in all I'd say that you got decently compensated for the delays and problems.
 
Guest_redsandal_* said:
On my recent trip from ABQ to CHI, we had no water in our first class car for the whole trip. On my way back, on the LSL from BUF to CHI, the train was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay late, requiring me to sit on miserable seats (I herniated a disk last summer and still have chronic back problems) until 3:30am (train was supposed to LEAVE at midnight. It was pretty miserable and I barely made my connection in CHI. Anyway, I spoke to customer service who are sending me a voucher for 200.00 toward a future trip. I think this is fairly decent. The guy I spoke w/ told me that was all he had the power to do and that someone else would be following up in 2 weeks or so. What do you all think?
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Much too fair, especially when it is possible none of the problems were Amtrak's fault.
 
daveyb99 said:
Much too fair, especially when it is possible none of the problems were Amtrak's fault.
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I actually feel pretty good about it as I enjoy the train overall and plan to travel by train again. These problems WERE Amtrak's fault though. I paid for first class and did not get to use the facilities in our car for the entire trip from ABQ to CHI. That was inconvenient as it required me to negotiate more walking through the trains than I was comfortable w/ as far as my back goes. As far as the lateness on the LSL, it was their fault again as they decided to swap out the lounge car in Albany after leaving NYC.

I was very pleased w/ the staff on the SWC, especially Gabriel who was so very helpful and pleasant despite everyone's whining about no water. All of the attendants cheerfully brought my meals to me. Jay, on the SWC coming back was most courteous as well.

Customer service was very pleasant and I am looking forward to using my voucher. :)
 
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Guest said:
Customer service was very pleasant and I am looking forward to using my voucher. :)
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Just make sure that you use it before it expires in one year. If for some reason you can't use it before it expires, then contact Amtrak and you can mail it in and they'll issue you a new one good for another year.

But once it expires, it's too late.
 
daveyb99 said:
Guest_redsandal_* said:
On my recent trip from ABQ to CHI, we had no water in our first class car for the whole trip. On my way back, on the LSL from BUF to CHI, the train was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay late, requiring me to sit on miserable seats (I herniated a disk last summer and still have chronic back problems) until 3:30am (train was supposed to LEAVE at midnight. It was pretty miserable and I barely made my connection in CHI. Anyway, I spoke to customer service who are sending me a voucher for 200.00 toward a future trip. I think this is fairly decent. The guy I spoke w/ told me that was all he had the power to do and that someone else would be following up in 2 weeks or so. What do you all think?
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Much too fair, especially when it is possible none of the problems were Amtrak's fault.
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No water in the sleeper ??? I would call that an Amtrak problem hands down.
 
Of the dozens of times I've traveled on the SWC between LA and CHI, I have never seen a sleeper entirely without water - occasional toilet problems, yes, but no faucets?...they would pull the car out of service and reaccommodate the passengers rather than run a car like that, partly because it's an FRA violation...
 
Guest said:
...they would pull the car out of service and reaccommodate the passengers rather than run a car like that, partly because it's an FRA violation...
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The Federal Railroad Administration does not regulate Amtrak's food preparation/service, sanitation, or related matters. That is the purview of the U. S. Food & Drug Administration, the FDA.
 
Guest said:
daveyb99 said:
Much too fair, especially when it is possible none of the problems were Amtrak's fault.
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As far as the lateness on the LSL, it was their fault again as they decided to swap out the lounge car in Albany after leaving NYC.
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Sounds like something broke. So it needed to be replaced. You should applaud that.

Either way, I still think you got a more than fair shake.
 
Ok...... someone answer this question for clarification...... Are we talking about the absence of "bottled" water (the sleeping car minature sizes) or are we actually talking about no "potable" water present in the car's holding tank?

No bottled water in the sleeper wouldn't really fall under anything other an inconvenience to the passenger due to the absence of that amenity. That is still an Amtrak controlled situation, and should be addressed to see what the deal was. The commisary may have been short on it or out for that day, but it shouldn't be a problem to get down the road.

No potable water in the holding tank would fall under the FDA guidelines as previously posted. However, the FRA still could pull the car from service if the situation warranted due to that situation, but for a charge to be filed it would have to come through the FDA.

OBS...
 
daveyb99 said:
Guest said:
daveyb99 said:
Much too fair, especially when it is possible none of the problems were Amtrak's fault.
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As far as the lateness on the LSL, it was their fault again as they decided to swap out the lounge car in Albany after leaving NYC.
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Sounds like something broke. So it needed to be replaced. You should applaud that.

Either way, I still think you got a more than fair shake.
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Actually I kept meaning to come back to this bad lounge car issue. While I don't doubt what you were told by the crew, Redsandel, something doesn't make sense here in the story that you were told.

Amtrak closed the comissary in Albany about two years ago now. And Empire service trains that don't go west of Albany no longer run with cafe cars. So Albany should have no spare cafe cars just sitting around to swap out, since no train that terminates there has a cafe car. Even if they did for some odd reason have an extra car there, it would be an Amfleet I car typically used for short distance runs. The Lake Shore runs with a long distance Amfleet II car, which Albany should never have around since no long distance trains terminate/originate there.

And if they stole the cafe car from the Boston section, that would then leave the next day's train to Boston without a cafe car. Something that would not be a good idea for a 5 - 1/2 hour ride.

So I for one have to wonder just what really delayed the train in Albany? :unsure:
 
RE the LSL - I was told by my car attendant that the train was late getting into BUF because they "had to swap out the lounge car in Albany". Don't really know how to verify that, that's just what he told me. Thing is, if I'd known how late the train was going to be, I might have elected to get to the station a little later, rather than have to sit on those miserable seats w/ my back problems for so long.

As far as the SWC - when I boarded in ABQ, they started working on the water line. After about an hour, they gave up and decided to let the train go anyway so we were an hour late leaving ABQ. I overheard them complaining about the new water access not being where it used to be before they "remodeled" the cars. They seemed unable to turn something off to be able to work on the problem. Anyway, we had no potable water, were told to use the bathrooms in another car, for the entire trip to CHI. Hope that clarifies the situation.
 
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Thanks for the clarification with your situation. I am kinda surprised, but not too surprised they allowed your sleeper to go. But anyway, aside your back problems, it appears you have been fairly compensated for your troubles. Chalk it up and give it another shot when you feel like it. Good luck and let us here know as well as Amtrak how your next trip goes. OBS...
 
Guest_Amtrak OBS Employee_* said:
Thanks for the clarification with your situation. I am kinda surprised, but not too surprised they allowed your sleeper to go. But anyway, aside your back problems, it appears you have been fairly compensated for your troubles. Chalk it up and give it another shot when you feel like it. Good luck and let us here know as well as Amtrak how your next trip goes. OBS...
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Got my 200.00 voucher in the mail yesterday! I'm very pleased and looking forward to using on another trip!
 
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