I need more amtrak help re trains being late

[mommiepoppins]

ok I have to take a train from albany - penn station. The train from alb is at 610 am getting to penn at 845.
my train from penn-orlando leaves at 1108 do you think I will make the train ( I am worried about my train from albany being late)

also on the way home I arrive at penn at 1030 and my train to albany is at 245? I really do not want to miss my conncetions can someone stear me in the right direction?

 

[kaytieeldr]

No, but you might want to call Amtrak and find out what their policy is regarding passengers who miss connections due to Amtrak running late.

 

[DC7800]

If you miss a guaranteed connection you will be reaccomodated at Amtrak's expense. That usually just means you are put on the next train. While unlikely, sometimes misconnecting passengers are put on buses (or even taxis) to their destination, or (where there is only one train a day on the route) you could even be fed and put up for the night in a hotel - again, on Amtrak's dollar. Occasionally, trains are held to wait for passengers connecting from late arriving trains, but then they are late (often hours late) all the way down the line - truly a 'can't win' situation.

That said, there is realistically almost no way you could possibly miss your southbound connection at Penn Station (and even if you did there's a later train that day). So put that one out of your mind. Northbound the connection is also safe for all practical purposes, as the train will not often fall so far behind schedule. It can happen, unfortunately (note recent weather-related issues in NY state), but 'late' trains are ususally not that late. Even in a worst-case scenario this is one of the better connections to miss, as there are later trains to Albany you can be reaccomodated on if necessary.