In case of delay on AGR trip

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Train Attendant
Joined
Apr 30, 2008
Messages
56
Location
St. Louis, MO
Greetings,

I've traveled quite a few times on AGR points and dealt with lateness, but I've yet to have to deal with a missed connection from an LD train.

So with that in mind, I've got a couple trips coming up this summer where I transfer from an LD train to a St. Louis-bound train (both in Chicago, one to the Eagle and one to Illlinois Service).

What do you guys do when it's obvious you're running hours late, who do you call (amtrak or AGR) or who do you talk onboard to in order to assure the best possible outcome? Or will onboard staff come to me to adjust the itinerary?

I have a CZ trip to Chicago changing to #305 in Chicago (2:25 layover). I may end up needing to get off at Galesburg and change to the bus/van to Springfield, or at least get the later Illinois Service train out of Chicago.
 
In my experience, they will not let you make a change until you receive an update from Amtrak with your new reservation for the connection. The update will not be sent until it's more than obvious that your train cannot possibly make the connection. As soon as that is recognized, it will be "automatic", and come by email if your original reservation was sent to an email address. If I had not overheard someone in the lounge talking about their new reservation, I would not have known till I talked with AGR again (I just have a "dumb" phone, so could not check email from the EB).

I borrowed a smartphone, checked my email, and found that they were figuring on my sleeping half the day away and then catching an evening Lincoln Service. Luckily, it was still AGR hours, so it was then a simple matter to call AGR and get that changed to the morning Lincoln (I figured I could sleep just as well in a roomette, LOL!).

Printman is right, CS agents and station agents cannot modify an AGR reservation, you will need to call AGR yourself.
 
If one encounters a major delay or a "service failure" on an AGR trip, that would normally merit some form of Transportation Certificate, would one be issued?
 
I've also been told to "see customer service in Chicago," despite repeated attempts to get AGR to preemptively fix a missed connection.

If it's a trainload (or 2) that are missing connections, be sure to hoof it to the customer service counter, too. I sprinted one time and was about 4th in line. Within 10 minutes, there were over 100 people in line for the two agents to help. I learned from a couple the next day that they had waited in line for 3 hours (until 1:30am) before they got their Hotel/taxi/meal vouchers. Delays can happen and it can cause inconvenience to customers, but if Amtrak could do a little better at communicating and handling the situation it could reduce stress on travelers. I've heard of situations where they put CS people on the train and start advising people of alternate arrangements before they even arrive at the connection point, but I've not seen it done that way yet.
 
My brother was on an AGR trip last summer in a roomette (Southwest Chief to Capitol Limited). The Southwest Chief was very late and he missed his connection. The next days train only had a bedroom and he was told because it was AGR, they could not assign him to the empty room. If it was a paid reservation they could have easily done it. Apparently, even AGR could not make the switch.

Fortunately, a roomette opened up and they got it.
 
That is sad. He paid (points) for a roomette, and apparently AGR and Amtrak were fine with switching him to coach, but not to a bedroom?

Cue Darth Vader breathing: I have altered the terms of our agreement. Pray I do not alter them again.
 
I had a somewhat similar situation. I got off the EB (back in the old days when it ran on time), but when I got to CHI I was notified that the Cardinal was to be terminated midway with a bus bridge. Since I was going to WAS anyway, I went to the CS office at Union Station to switch to the CL.

There were no roomettes available on the CL. (I was on an AGR award.) The agent called AGR. They also said there were no roomettes available, but there was a bedroom available! :) The AGR agent said I could have that, but the CS agent said she could not do so. She even asked her manager who also said no. But the CS agent wouldn't give up. (Maybe she felt sorry for me being handicapped. :) )

When her manager left the office, she said to the AGR agent on the phone, "Perhaps you can book it instead of me?" The AGR agent did so, and then I went over to the ticket counter to get the new tickets printed! The CS agent even came over to see if there were any problems!

So I was upgraded to a bedroom! :) I guess persistence pays off.
 
Thanks to this thread. I wasnt aware amtrak treats AGR and paid tickets differently for missed connection.

What do you do if hte delay was noticed during off hours of AGR support?
 
AGR is now in house and their agents can handle Paid Reservations as well as AGR Reservations. Station Agents and Call Center Agents can't!

In emergencies however, the story changes in that Customer Service Reps CAN handle both!

For example, last Summer while returning on an AGR Award on the CZ #6, we hit a herd of Cattle outside McCook,NE. After many delays due to all the various hoop jumping involved in such instances, we arrived into CHI @ 2am.and everyone was sent to Customer Service inside Union Station. ( I called AGR and CustomerService from the train to try to rebook, and was told not to worry, it would be handled in CHI!!)

Our original rez had us taking the Thruway Shuttle Van from Galesburg to Springfield to catch the #21 TE.

Upon arrival into Union Station, I hot footed it to Customer Service Office to beat the crowd, was issued a voucher for hotel, taxi and food money and told to go to the ticket windows across the way where I received my Cash and Tickets,we were Booked on the Next Days #21 to Austin and upgraded to Bedroom!(it was a 2 Zone Roomette Award)

I've also had similar things happen due to late connections from the Empire Builder in PDX and CHI, from the Cap to the Star and Meteor in WAS and from the Starlight to the Sunset Ltd. ( a 2 day layover) in LA!!

Of course with Amtrak's inconsistentcy and lack of flexibility and authority allowed agents by Management, there are also many instances of horror stories when stuff arises! As we say, YMMV, but it Shouldn't!!
 
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On my ABQ-CHI-WAS-TPA trip I also missed my connection in Chicago. It was a 2-zone Roomette award and I was put in the H bedroom on the next day's Cap Ltd and a regular bedroom on the Silver Meteor out of WAS. No questions and no extra charge.
 
The help is much appreciated.

I have a follow-up, however. Assuming the CZ is late, and my spouse and I have to be put on a later Illinois Service train from CHI-STL. Business class will likely be unavailable (it always seems to sell out early).

But one thing I've noticed riding the CHI-STL trains, they seem to be much less full on the southern half of that route. Assuming a CHI-STL business class seat weren't available, would there be any way to get a business class seat for part of the route (or any part that's available)?

That midnight arrival into STL, which I've been on many times, is never very crowded at that point of the trip the times I've been onboard.
 
When I got put on a later Lincoln (due to a missed connection) last year, business class was indeed unavailable, so they booked us in coach -- but I kept checking, and it came available later, so we switched.

Business class fills up, but people cancel at the last minute as well.
 
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