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Amtrak - Late Trains

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Kelly of Edison NJ (6/1/05):
The nightmare began 5/29/05, I was departing WPB, FL to return to Metropark, NJ. First off, the train was over an hour late for departure, everything went ok until about 11pm. The train stopped and we were later informed that someone was hit and killed by a freight train so we had to sit there and wait.

The next morning, I woke up to no water or toilets at all on the train, so we had to wait until we got to a stop in VA to go to the bathroom ... but that was at our own risk, because if the train leaves, then oh well. We all froze during the entire trip because the a/c is either on or off, no temperature in between.

The rest of the trip was stop and go, since Amtrak has to stop to let the CSX trains go by, each stop had to be at least 30 min. We were supposed to arrive in Washington, DC by 12 noon, which just so happens to be where I had to transfer, but we didn't get there until 6:15 pm. When we got there I had to haul a** to transfer to my train to Metropark, luckily I got the train within minutes of its departing. I have learned a lesson from this, which is to NEVER ride Amtrak for a long distance trip.

Joanne of Queensbury NY (1/21/05):
On 1/21 My husband waited for an Amtrak train for almost three hours. The train was from Ft. Edward NY to Plattsburgh, NY. After an hour he called Amtrak and was told the train was terminated in Saratoga and a bus was enroute. After two hours, I called Amtrak and was told the bus left Saratoga at 2pm. It was around 2:10pm at that time. The train was scheduled for 12:08pm.

I asked the Amtrak person what bus company would be coming and he didn't know, he said he wasn't in customer relations. I called back and asked for customer realtions so I could find out. I was put on hold and when the rep came back, she said the bus had not left Saratoga. It was now 2 1/2 hours late. I started to talk and the customer servive rep RAISED her voice over mine and continued to tell me that the train was still in Saratoga. I asked her to stop yelling and she said she wasn't yelling, she said it was the phone, not her.

She also mentioned that someone was listening in (and that person spoke up at that point). I don't know what they were trying to do except intimidate me. They certainly didn't care to listen to me. I have to say the treatment I received was terrible.

"B" of St. Louis (5/19/03):
My brother was supposed to arrive at the Amtrak Station in St. Louis at 8:00am on May 19. He was traveling from Arizona. He departed on Saturday May 17. When my mother, my younger brother, and I arrived at the station at 8, the man working at the desk told them that the train would be arriving at 1:00pm. This was really depressing because my family has not seen my brother for almost a year now.

We went home and awaited my brother's call. It never came because his battery went dead. It was due to the fact that he was on the train so long. While at home I called the Amtrak station to find out once again when the train would arrive. The time was near noon. I called 8 times and the phone was busy. I waited 2 minutes and tried to call again. This time the call went through. The employee answered the phone and he told me that the train would arrive at 4:30pm. My family was very disappointed by this time we were also angry too. We killed time by sleeping and watching some sitcoms.

By 2:00pm I called 5 times. The line was busy. I waited 10 minutes and I called 5 more times each time to find that the line was tied up. I waited another 5 minutes and again I called 5 times only to find that the line was still busy. My family could wait no longer to see if anyone would answer the phone because we had to travel down to the station to pick up my brother. When we arrived for the second time to the station we were told that the train would arrive at 6:30pm. The employee was on the phone at the time and didn't put it down to answer my mother's question.

At this point we were all very frustrated and hurt. The man offered no explanation for the delay. My younger brother had to call for the reason. The reason was because the train had taken some detours. At this point my mother had to go to her college classes because she was already late and traffic was backed up. Classes aren't cheap. Now to add to my mother's stress she doesn't now who can pick my brother up from the station. Maybe she will have to leave class early to get him because she doesn't want him to be alone.

This is my brother's first time on the train and I doubt if he will take another especially if the service is Amtrak's. I know nobody in my family will ever take the Amtrak anymore.

Sylvia of Winthrop MA (4/15/03):
Amtrak 194 from Metro Park NJ to South Station Boston MA April 13, 2003 was approximately 2 hours late. No announcement was made in the Business Class Car and no information available from the conductors. Also fare was about $20 more than what I paid in March and no explanation available from a very nice ticket lady at Back Bay Station, Boston, MA when I picked up my ticket. Did Amtrak ever hear about keeping people informed?

Norma of Atlantis FL (3/22/03):
Paid $1,031.90 for one way from Chgo to WPB, Fl. Train left 2 hrs late as pipes broke from L.A. 1st class car and it had to be switched. The car they finally placed us on was cold, dirty, smelly. It came from the yard. The TV would not shut down so I could sleep. Lit all nite long. We did not get dinner until 11:00 pm and only one choice. And this is 1st class.

The train was running late where we had to switch trains for WPB, Fl so in Pittsubrgh or Philly PA they put us on a bus to travel to Washington. No breakfast. No lunch. Bottles of water and potato chips on the bus. The train was freezing from Chicago as it had been in the yard. On the DC to WPB 1st class car the ceiling lt remained on all nite; the conudctor couldn't get the large portion to turn off. No sleep again.

The trip from Orlando to WPB was harrowing. The conductor said they try to make up time and travel over 80MPH. Couldn't even sit on the chair without being tossed around. This was my very first train ride. And it was unforgettably uncomfortable, tardy, strictly NOT 1st class.

Peter of Dublin, Ireland (8/15/02):
The train was the 49 from New York to Chicago on the 13 of August and the train was supposed to arrive at 9.30 in the morning but actually arrived at 4.00 in the evening. The excause was that the railway lines were too hot, so they slowed to a ridiculous speed, it also took on several other carriages at Albany, then they couldn't get the air to work for the brakes.

We had to spend 24 hours on a train, it used up 2 days of our one-week holiday. We were meant to meet friends who by the time we arrived had suspected we hadn't traveled and so went home only to have to travel back to the station again.

Michaela Sieleman of Summit, IL, writes:
I had taken the 21 Texas Eagle on Friday evening to visit my sister, and was supposed to depart Union Station at 5:05. It was over two hours late arriving. I then proceeded to find out that the reason for the delay was because they were carrying freight cars (which they aren't supposed to) and that they weren't connecting right. So the original 20 minutes that they said the 21 was going to be late wound up being over two, and I arrived in Bloomington at 10:45, instead of the scheduled 7:22.

I work for an attornety in Chicago, but he does real estate. I have over 20 passengers' names and phone numbers that would like to join this lawsuit.

Lawsuit? For a train being two hours late? Dream on. Oh, Amtrak does now hook a few freight cars onto some of its trains and, yes, it is permitted to do this.

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