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On our recient Viewliner the heat knob did not do much likely because the car itself had problems. I have never had it work all that well but it is normally good for either on or off and it does take time to adjust. Part of the problem is that these cars are not designed for extreem cold...

Best advice is to go to the Amtrak first class lounge and ask where to go. They did a good job of helping me last week. There is a customer relations office not far from the lounge under the stairs and ther is likely going to be a very long line. Good luck Stan

Just got back from a trip on 5 different long distance trains. On each the diner crew opened at 6 or 630AM but did not make an anouncement till 7AM in the time zone that the diner was operating in. The lounge car also did not make anouncements till 7AM. When going west the anouncement may seem...

Just completed our latest trip. 5 long distance trains taken on this trip and 2nd long distance trip in 2013/14. Overall impression is that employee service on the train has seen a real improvement and is now very good overall. Actually I rate it as excellent. Station personnel is another...

Guess we were lucky Came through on 8 last night and it only added two hours to our delay. Had the Seattle leg not been late due to a brake hose problem (fixed by duck tape and zip ties) we likely would not have been very late. As it is connnection to the Cardinai will be iffy. Still saw a...

We are on 8 heading east. Last night we took the detour. We left the norm route just east of Minot skipping Rugby, Devils Lake, and Grand Forks, rejoing the main line in Fargo Slept through most of it but had GPS on. We we going about 50 until 30 miles west of Fargo. At that point it was...

Several years back you could check 4 pieces of baggage and indeed there was a problem. The new baggage policy was supposed to be more like the airlines in size and weight. Now you only get two pieces of free checked baggage and additional pieces cost money. I can see some additional...

Lately there seems to be a whole lot of equipment failures. On the 21st we were on 5 in a sleeper that had an electrical fire that also took out the locomotive power unit. From the recent posts there seem to be a whole lot of equipment failures lately, a lot more then in previous years. This...

Seems that the baggage policy has again changed, at least at some stations. Got a Christmas present of some redwood for my modeling. Packed it in a box under the dimensions and weight limits and intended to check the box on my return trip home. Was told that wood is not a item needed on the...

While disappointed for all the customers this will effect, I am encouraged that there is mention of an additional trainset which should help in the future. We are taking 8 on the 31st from Portland connecting to the Cardinal and hopefully since this is a holiday perhaps we will make it all...

While we have all been talking about the ND/MT area lately, the EB has gained an hour at MSP only to loose it again on its way heading east towards red wing. Not sure why it looses time in that area. Stan

Actually there should be no problem checking your bag in Boston all the way through. The only issue is that it will not go on yout train out of Boston but instead the night train. Best if you check you bag one or two days before your trip so ot gets there when you do. We prefer to check our...

I would call again to double check. At a minimum they should issue a new reservation so that the train is expecting someone and stops. With the existing ticket number thay should be able to make the changes centrally. If he gets off at White Pass to talk to the ticket agent it is possible that...

The pancakes are cooked fresh and are wonderful. Wish they were also available on some of the east coast trains. Overall a good improvement. Stan

Actually there is a way but it requires an agent to work with you. If you look at the schedule from LAX to Denver you will see a connection to the Zephyr. This is a one zone award. What I have done in the past is to ask for this and then ask that as long as I am going from LAX to Sacramento...

Indeed we are are thankful this stupid action by an Amtrak crew did not result in serious accident. Had 14 not been ao late at that point, the results may have been much different. In all at least 3 trains were significantly affected and three train loads of passengers were inconvienineced by...

We left from Track 10 on time this afternoon and remaining close to being on time so far. Stan

Glad to hear the Northbound made up some time and you will eventually get on the Builder On the Southbound we finially made it this morning more then 6 hours late. The crew from the Surfliner was on our train and apparently were destined for a drug test. Surprised that they were saying that...

It just keeps getting better. 5 hours late and counting. We are stopped now for an FRA mandatory locomotive inspection. No power to the train. On all the long distance trains I have been on this is the first time we got stopped for a locomotive inspection. Wonder if the crew will run outlaw...

Not a signal problem, apparently an engineer on a Surfliner ran a block and was taken off the train. We are on the southbound Starlight with the Surfliner in tow. 4+ hours late and counting. What a mess. Stan