1-800-USA-RAIL

[RRUserious]

Tried doing a reservation with the automated phone service. This was after the website failed. Both of these referred me to 1-800-USA-RAIL. Trouble with that is that it is as clogged up as some of the rail lines. You'd think at least THIS could be enough in Amtrak's control to be improved. The jobs report says 8.2 percent of workers are unemployed. Apparently the tax break that was continued hasn't helped that. But maybe Amtrak could hire a few to do SOMETHING so that the phone queue moves faster than some of the trains. When I couldn't get through, I just gave up and reserved a seat on a plane. Really wanted to ride the #7 to Seattle, but evidently the reservation system chokes on doing that. Upside: Trains must be pretty full. The automated site said "hurry j ust one left" when I tried to buy a room.

 

[Mackensen]

Tried doing a reservation with the automated phone service. This was after the website failed. Both of these referred me to 1-800-USA-RAIL. Trouble with that is that it is as clogged up as some of the rail lines. You'd think at least THIS could be enough in Amtrak's control to be improved. The jobs report says 8.2 percent of workers are unemployed. Apparently the tax break that was continued hasn't helped that. But maybe Amtrak could hire a few to do SOMETHING so that the phone queue moves faster than some of the trains. When I couldn't get through, I just gave up and reserved a seat on a plane. Really wanted to ride the #7 to Seattle, but evidently the reservation system chokes on doing that. Upside: Trains must be pretty full. The automated site said "hurry j ust one left" when I tried to buy a room.

Thanks for the content-free post. You should make more of these; we really enjoy them.

 

[RRUserious]

Tried doing a reservation with the automated phone service. This was after the website failed. Both of these referred me to 1-800-USA-RAIL. Trouble with that is that it is as clogged up as some of the rail lines. You'd think at least THIS could be enough in Amtrak's control to be improved. The jobs report says 8.2 percent of workers are unemployed. Apparently the tax break that was continued hasn't helped that. But maybe Amtrak could hire a few to do SOMETHING so that the phone queue moves faster than some of the trains. When I couldn't get through, I just gave up and reserved a seat on a plane. Really wanted to ride the #7 to Seattle, but evidently the reservation system chokes on doing that. Upside: Trains must be pretty full. The automated site said "hurry j ust one left" when I tried to buy a room.

Thanks for the content-free post. You should make more of these; we really enjoy them.

You really went to all that trouble and for what? Slow day for you.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

But maybe Amtrak could hire a few to do SOMETHING so that the phone queue moves faster than some of the trains.

Well, I have to agree today. When Julie could not help me, I was passed onto a person. The announcement claimed the wait would be 7 minutes, but turned out to be more like 20 minutes.

No problem. I just did some work while waiting.

The person was very pleasant, helpful, and if he was having tough/long day, he certainly hid it well.

 

[Ryan]

How exactly did the website fail?

 

[me_little_me]

But maybe Amtrak could hire a few to do SOMETHING so that the phone queue moves faster than some of the trains.

Well, I have to agree today. When Julie could not help me, I was passed onto a person. The announcement claimed the wait would be 7 minutes, but turned out to be more like 20 minutes.

No problem. I just did some work while waiting.

The person was very pleasant, helpful, and if he was having tough/long day, he certainly hid it well.

Yup! That's why God made speaker phones. I simply put the phone on Speaker and continue reading my email or playing hearts. When someone comes on, I wake up and talk to them.

A good reason to have a regular phone or unlimited cell service (or calling nights and weekends from your cell).

I sure hate call-in sites there the music taste is all in the manager's mouth.

 

[the_traveler]

If you want Amtrak to add more workers contact your Congressperson and Senators to appropriate more money to Amtrak! Right now, Amtrak can barely survive on what it receives!

It doesn't have extra cars, and you want more employees?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Could it be maybe, nah, it couldn't be, they are extra busy dealing with customers due to the problems caused by last weeks UNEXPECTED strong storms? With the Cardinal cancelled for who knows how long, there are a lot of customers who need to be either rebooked or get refunds.

 

[Mackensen]

Tried doing a reservation with the automated phone service. This was after the website failed. Both of these referred me to 1-800-USA-RAIL. Trouble with that is that it is as clogged up as some of the rail lines. You'd think at least THIS could be enough in Amtrak's control to be improved. The jobs report says 8.2 percent of workers are unemployed. Apparently the tax break that was continued hasn't helped that. But maybe Amtrak could hire a few to do SOMETHING so that the phone queue moves faster than some of the trains. When I couldn't get through, I just gave up and reserved a seat on a plane. Really wanted to ride the #7 to Seattle, but evidently the reservation system chokes on doing that. Upside: Trains must be pretty full. The automated site said "hurry j ust one left" when I tried to buy a room.

Thanks for the content-free post. You should make more of these; we really enjoy them.

You really went to all that trouble and for what? Slow day for you.

I think you got about the response your post deserved. Since you don't seem to think so, let me show you what it looks like when I waste my time.

You made a meandering post with no details (length of wait time vs. promised wait time, endpoints, dates of travel) which would help people figure out what's wrong with the site or Amtrak's customer service. With Amtrak still cleaning up storm damage (you know, that huge storm that's dominated the news) it's entirely reasonable that Amtrak is getting slammed with calls. It's not really reasonable, if that's the case, to have Amtrak lay on more staff who will then be surplus when call volumes return to normal. You then segued somehow into tax breaks, as though that as anything to do with a semi-private corporation dependent on Congress for its operating subsidy. I have no idea what that has to do with anything.

If the site's actually broken, that's interesting and I'm sure I'm not the only person interested in that. You gave us no way to test that theory for ourselves.

If Amtrak's phone service has become intolerable, that's a matter of concern. It's far more likely that they're overwhelmed dealing with the storm problems in the East. You might as well blame the airlines for not anticipating that Icelandic volanco.

If Amtrak doesn't have enough employees, it's because Congress doesn't appropriate more money. We know that. Not a lot we can do about it.

 

[RRUserious]

Yeh, well, the GOP House majority might be a block to any solution. They only want people hired AFTER they take full control. Before that it will all look like their failure.

My bottomline: Amtrak isn't really ready for any large shift of passengers from any other means of transportation. They don't really do a great job with what they have now. I wonder what would happen if they charged enough to break even. My crystal ball says all the "fans" desert en masse because they don't want to pay that price. One more way America sucks when it comes to moving people. Maybe if gas is $10 there might be a tiny bit of movement, but right now, America isn't pumped for rail travel. More of a niche hobby.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

If you want Amtrak to add more workers contact your Congressperson and Senators to appropriate more money to Amtrak! Right now, Amtrak can barely survive on what it receives!

It doesn't have extra cars, and you want more employees?

Except that the extra cars cost far more to maintain then extra employees' wages, even though the cars are far more important for Amtrak right now.

How exactly did the website fail?

What does this mean? Why did you quote yourself without answering?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

If you want Amtrak to add more workers contact your Congressperson and Senators to appropriate more money to Amtrak! Right now, Amtrak can barely survive on what it receives!

It doesn't have extra cars, and you want more employees?

Except that the extra cars cost far more to maintain then extra employees' wages, even though the cars are far more important for Amtrak right now.

How exactly did the website fail?

What does this mean? Why did you quote yourself without answering?

Maybe he's repeating his question since it wasn't answered the first time.

 

[Ryan]

Exactly.

Seems RRUSerious would rather rant and rave than try and have a productive conversation.

Go figure.

 

[the_traveler]

1341621871[/url]' post='378320']

1341618319[/url]' post='378288']If you want Amtrak to add more workers contact your Congressperson and Senators to appropriate more money to Amtrak! Right now, Amtrak can barely survive on what it receives!

It doesn't have extra cars, and you want more employees?

Except that the extra cars cost far more to maintain then extra employees' wages, even though the cars are far more important for Amtrak right now.

True, but without more money from Congress, even that can't done!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I think RRUSerious works for the airlines.

 

[the_traveler]

1341619990[/url]' post='378303']Yeh, well, the GOP House majority might be a block to any solution. They only want people hired AFTER they take full control. Before that it will all look like their failure.

Moderator's Note

This is getting very close to the political restrictions on posts. I'm just going to add 1 thing to what was said, and hopefully no more of such political statements like the above are made. Before the current president, was there not a GOP president and Amtrak was not funded any better!

 

[Ryan]

I think RRUSerious works for the airlines.

That's funny, I had the exact same thought myself earlier this evening.

 

[RRUserious]

Wow, struck a nerve here. Well, at least there were some realistic disclosures. I was thinking during a shopping trip that there are some short-haul routes that make COMPLETE economic sense. Anybody aware of the Colgan crash at Buffalo. It demonstrated how inappropriate air was to serve that route. The airline was hiring marginally qualified people and then running them ragged just to make money flying short routes. I remember thinking "why air for something like that"? Many trips fit that template. Going airborne to travel a couple hundred miles makes no sense. And how could they HOPE to do security right? It would have to be a joke. But to do something like New York to LA or Houston to Chicago, I'm not sure rail will be practical. But if it is going to be, it will be because the country decides it has some sort of external importance. Sending men to the moon wasn't an economic decision. And some rail trips would have to be of that sort to be done right. Otherwise rail will be what it is now for long haul, the stepchild of travel. Living on handmedowns and pocket change.

 

[rusty spike]

I think RRUSerious works for the airlines.

That's funny, I had the exact same thought myself earlier this evening.

According to ACSI (American Customer Satsifaction Index), airlines overall have a satisfaction rate of 65%...most CSI's on Amtrak have it above 80%. Maybe we Amtrak riders don'l expect much.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Wow, struck a nerve here. Well, at least there were some realistic disclosures. I was thinking during a shopping trip that there are some short-haul routes that make COMPLETE economic sense. Anybody aware of the Colgan crash at Buffalo. It demonstrated how inappropriate air was to serve that route. The airline was hiring marginally qualified people and then running them ragged just to make money flying short routes. I remember thinking "why air for something like that"? Many trips fit that template. Going airborne to travel a couple hundred miles makes no sense. And how could they HOPE to do security right? It would have to be a joke. But to do something like New York to LA or Houston to Chicago, I'm not sure rail will be practical. But if it is going to be, it will be because the country decides it has some sort of external importance. Sending men to the moon wasn't an economic decision. And some rail trips would have to be of that sort to be done right. Otherwise rail will be what it is now for long haul, the stepchild of travel. Living on handmedowns and pocket change.

I heard about the crash, but I'm not sure what exactly happened. I think the plane stalled.

NYP-CHI could actually be practical if the service is improvced, made faster, and properly advertised to business travellers. There is no train from NYP-LAX or HOU, you know.

 

[Ryan]

I heard about the crash, but I'm not sure what exactly happened. I think the plane stalled.

Exactly - it stalled when the wings iced up because the cockpit crew was too busy chatting with each other to pay attention to what was going on with the aircraft. By the time that they noticed what was going on, the plan was headed towards the ground.

I still do want to know

How exactly did the website fail?

 

[VentureForth]

I noticed on Thursday that there were some issues trying to get itineraries priced on the website. Lasted a couple of hours.

What I don't get is why the automated phone service would refer one to 1-800-USA-RAIL. Isn't that the number you dialed to get to the automated phone service to begin with?

Sounds like they were overloaded. Probably had everyone working overtime. This happens. It's rare, but does. I've sat on hold for many many minutes waiting for cable service, cell phone service, public service, even the Disney hotel reservation line - and I worked at that one!