rtabern
Conductor
Just got back from one of the most "interesting" trips on Amtrak. (none of it was really Amtrak's fault though)
I left out of Chicago on 421 on Tuesday, 3/4/08... going CHI-LAX... to visit my best friend from high school who lives out in Santa Monica. (a trip I do about twice a year) I know I could take the Southwest Chief, but I usually like taking the Eagle/Sunset because you get an extra day and night on the train... and I like the layover in San Antonio where I usually walk to the Alamo.
Anyway, 3 interesting occurances. When we were boarding the Texas Eagle on 3/4/08, there were tons of cops swarming around Chicago Union Station and as we were getting on the train they were wheeling a body out of the station. From what I heard some guy died in the bathroom located between the North and South boarding gates. (I hope it was natural causes) Then, before we pulled out of Chicago, 4 cops boarded the train and busted the guy IN THE ROOMETTE NEXT TO MINE in the 2130 sleeper for having drugs and a gun. Nice, huh? I don't know if the cops were Am-cops or DEA agents or what, but they got the passengers pretty upset. I was pretty freaked when I heard them tackle the guy in the hallway next to my room. THEN, we got bussed from Tucson to LA because of a UP derailment in Palm Springs, CA. Unfortunately, the bus trip was 12 hours and was overnight... so I lost a night in my sleeping car room. I'm a light sleeper (that's why I ALWAYS get a sleeping car room on LD trips) and didn't get a wink of sleep on the bus.
Crazy trip.
Pictures are here:
http://rtabern.shutterfly.com/
Enjoy!!
I did talk with Amtrak and they put 30,000 AGR points back into my account because of everything.
Not a bad deal since they trip cost me only 20,000 AGR points.
Now I can re-book the trip for later this fall, except in a deluxe bedroom!!
That's what I tell people about Amtrak -- they DO take care of you when crap happens on your trip... even when all of the problems were beyond their control. Something the airlines DON'T do.
Enjoy the pics.
RT
I left out of Chicago on 421 on Tuesday, 3/4/08... going CHI-LAX... to visit my best friend from high school who lives out in Santa Monica. (a trip I do about twice a year) I know I could take the Southwest Chief, but I usually like taking the Eagle/Sunset because you get an extra day and night on the train... and I like the layover in San Antonio where I usually walk to the Alamo.
Anyway, 3 interesting occurances. When we were boarding the Texas Eagle on 3/4/08, there were tons of cops swarming around Chicago Union Station and as we were getting on the train they were wheeling a body out of the station. From what I heard some guy died in the bathroom located between the North and South boarding gates. (I hope it was natural causes) Then, before we pulled out of Chicago, 4 cops boarded the train and busted the guy IN THE ROOMETTE NEXT TO MINE in the 2130 sleeper for having drugs and a gun. Nice, huh? I don't know if the cops were Am-cops or DEA agents or what, but they got the passengers pretty upset. I was pretty freaked when I heard them tackle the guy in the hallway next to my room. THEN, we got bussed from Tucson to LA because of a UP derailment in Palm Springs, CA. Unfortunately, the bus trip was 12 hours and was overnight... so I lost a night in my sleeping car room. I'm a light sleeper (that's why I ALWAYS get a sleeping car room on LD trips) and didn't get a wink of sleep on the bus.
Crazy trip.
Pictures are here:
http://rtabern.shutterfly.com/
Enjoy!!
I did talk with Amtrak and they put 30,000 AGR points back into my account because of everything.
Not a bad deal since they trip cost me only 20,000 AGR points.
Now I can re-book the trip for later this fall, except in a deluxe bedroom!!
That's what I tell people about Amtrak -- they DO take care of you when crap happens on your trip... even when all of the problems were beyond their control. Something the airlines DON'T do.
Enjoy the pics.
RT