Your funniest Amtrak story?

Now this story isn't exactly Amtrak but I'm sure you'll get a laugh. My family and I were traveling to Cuxhaven from Hamburg main station. Our track was 22 ab. And I knew it was the metronom train. So we boarded the unlocked train as the sign said it was ours. The. Once the train started moving I noticed they added on the top a track change announcement. Our train went to the yard. So we get to the yard and I try my best to make it to the front but one of the interior doors is locked. So when I see the engineer walking by I bang on the door to get his attention. He is a bit surprised. Originally he was going to walk with us back to the station. But my grandmother can't walk well. So he called dispatch and got the train lined from the yard to the station. And we crawled into one of the busiest stations in Germany. Got off. And he took it immediately back out. The next train was five minutes late due to our antics

Train2104 said:

Triley said:

Another few I just thought of which I found kind of amusing is... "Oh, it's not like Subway and you don't make the sandwiches fresh?" Meanwhile, I have so much stock on display on the counter that you barely see the back wall, so there's no room to even put a cup on the counter.

"You don't serve french fries?" (I get this almost weekly.) I use to respond and give them thought of 400 degree oil sloshing around on a train moving at up to 150mph, and the safety hazard it would be for everyone. Now I simply say no, and move on.

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I can imagine that first time riders who didn't look up the menu before hand can come to you fairly disgusted at the selection/prices...does it happen on every trip?

Triley said:

I don't know what it is about 67/66, but it really draws the crazies out of the wood work. Which is exactly one reason why it's my favorite train! I get paid to work, and I get free entertainment in the process!

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I've spent many hours in NYP, but nothing would compare in terms of crazies to the time I waited from 1am to 6am for a late 66 on a Saturday morning/Friday night....

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It doesn't happen on the Acelas, because the clientele is pretty much nothing but regulars, and mostly business people at that, many of which are putting all their purchases on a corporate card.

On the Regionals though, it depends. Most trips I don't really get any complaints, because I'm lucky enough to avoid working most weekends, which is when we get a lot more of the infrequent riders that may be unprepared for the sticker shock. Even though, it's generally worse on the Virginia Regionals when we're south of DC, because they're use to paying a lot less for what they get. I remind them it's a captive audience, and they're paying NY prices to boot.

And about 67/66, I'm really not kidding, most of my "horror stories" come from that train. It really is hilarious most times though.

Triely I think you just made me want to buy a ticket to ride that train and sit in the lounge all night

Some trips it's completely uneventful. Others..? Oh boy.

Back in 1987, I worked the Washington - New York Executive sleeper and the Washington - Boston sleeper on that train (both long gone) on several trips. Triley's not exaggerating. Especially the weekends!

Tom

In 1982, I was riding the City of New Orleans from Chicago to NOL and enjoying a drink in the lounge car, where I overheard two men from Mississippi complaining about a crook that cheated them out of several thousands of dollars! Apparently they had gone to Chicago to purchase used cars, intending to arrange for people to drive them back down south to Mississippi. They met with the "car dealer" and paid their money and were told to meet the following day to take delivery of the cars. You can probably guess the "rest of the story"! The next day, there were no cars and no dealer! They simply couldn't believe that that "Yankee" had cheated them. Not many people in the lounge could believe their stupidity, but by that time, many drinks had been consumed and the Mississippi gentlemen were in no mood for reason! I left to return to my sleeper, laughing most of the way!

I rode the executive sleeper. I remember the sca using a broom handle to keep the door at the end of the car opening. He was concerned about unwanted visitors.

Today in the PPC on #14 (25), our SCA, Jason, was recounting some of his favorite stories. One just happened a few days ago. A man snuck onto the train at Eugene and locked himself in a roomette. Jason, being the kind hearted soul that he is, didn't want to throw him off at Chemult, an unmanned station. So, at Klamath Falls, in order to lure him out, he told the guy it was a smoke stop. Jason even supplied the cigarette and the light. He also gave him a blanket. And left him on the platform, happily puffing away, as the CS pulled out of Klamath Falls. One way to solve the problem without getting law enforcement involved. And as we were passing by a river which had ducks floating on it, Jason asked what kind of ducks live on water. :lol: The answers from the peanut gallery:

"Water Ducks"

"River Ducks"

"Pond Ducks"

"Puddle Ducks"

JayPea said:

And as we were passing by a river which had ducks floating on it, Jason asked what kind of ducks live on water. :lol: The answers from the peanut gallery:

"Water Ducks"

"River Ducks"

"Pond Ducks"

"Puddle Ducks"

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The Duck portion of your story really quacked me up :blush: :giggle: