Our Amtrak adventure.......

[pepe of ohio]

Well folks, we just returned from our 45th trip and most via Amtrak...this was the worst trip ever.....first leg of the trip headed done is from Ohio to DC....pretty much the norm, train 2 hours late to pick us up.....then a big layover in DC....then we board in DC and sit in the station over 2 hours not moving.....then they announce that the tracks are washed out below DC and we have to get off...after 2+ hours of sitting.....then in station, the Amtrak offical says for everyone to go home...no trains are running south of DC....WHAT...go home...are you kidding...there's people from all over, some from Chicago and California and just go home....not acceptable....

After alot of yelling and irrateness...we finally have a decent Amtrak representive in Customer Service, give us each 30 dollars, a hotel room for the night and transpo to if from the DC station....but no recourse for tomorrow...we blow the first night at Disney....they say to call in the am for further instructions....we call at 7 am the next day and they say trains running, come in at 3 pm to board.....we leace for the station at 9 am, too many stories from all our friend passengers stuck in the same boat....very conflicting stories and decide to go early and get the skinny in person...

Here we go again....at the station they say no trains can get thru after being told on the phone they are....who's right? There are about 30+ of us passengers trying to head south and no solution...after about 3 more hours, we're all waiting for a solution, they say we'll board you all on buses and drive around the flooding tracks to Richmond Virginia and you can then board the train south....so 5 chartered buses pick us all up outside the DC station....luggage and all and make the 4 hour trip to Richmond where we board the train headed to Florida...day late and a dollar short.....

All in all, what an experience, losing a night in WDW (not cheap) one day of vacation sleeping in a hotel in DC and the way ot was handled, if you want to call it that, by Amtrak officals was the worst thing I've ever encountered...absolutely no operating procedures for this event....telling everyone to go home (to where?)

Our return trip back home went as planned, tracks repaired, no buses, just like normal....we're not done with Amtrak yet...there will be many complaints, (they claim act of God) beyond their control but a plan should have been in the reaady for something like this....we were headed south and stuck and there was just as many south headed north that we in the same boat......but like I always say...using Amtrak is an adventure but this one was the all time worst...costing us the night at Disney.....

 

[ToddyLu]

Wow I am so sorry to hear that and know how frustrated you muct have been. But yayyy, a trip to WDW makes it all better in the end!!.

 

[bdcp]

The communication problem isn't Amtrak's fault since they don't know either. The tracks are owned by CSX and not Amtrak so they have to wait to be told the status. They have no control over the tracks or their use of them. They did have major delays due to the heavy, heavy rain we received.

We'll be on the AutoTrain in 2.5 weeks and always book knowing we might have to alter plans. We're prepared to drive if we have to.

We have friends who were booked on Jet Blue a few days ago and their flight was cancelled and they were rebooked the next am. Not an issue for them as they live 5 miles from the airport, but there were quite a few people stranded overnight. They sat in the airport for a couple of hours, then on the plan for at least 2 before they found out it was cancelled. There is no perfect transportation plan, unfortunately.

 

[buckirj1]

Pepe, I'm sorry this happened to you. You've posted often enough that I know you're not exaggerating. I live in the DC area, and to be fair, it was a hot mess in these parts...floods came out of nowhere, went away, then cropped up somewhere else a little while later. The flooding was completely unpredictable and took everybody by surprise.

Amtrak often isn't very good at communicating delays at the best of times, and they tend to completely drop the ball when things really go sour. Even so, Amtrak is one of the best options for many, many folks. I hope your next trip goes a lot more smoothly.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I am not sure what "ranting and raving" does.

Amtrack is not in charge of "weather" complaints about that should be directed to higher authorities.

I am not sure what OP expected, but... he got more then he would have on an airline where there is no compensation for weather delays. Sure they could have communicated better, but they probably really didn't have anything more to tell him.

Did you try calling Disney and asking them to cancel that first night. While I know it's "outside" the cancellation period, they have been good about weather issues in the past.

 

[pepe of ohio]

I am not sure what "ranting and raving" does.

Amtrack is not in charge of "weather" complaints about that should be directed to higher authorities.

I am not sure what OP expected, but... he got more then he would have on an airline where there is no compensation for weather delays. Sure they could have communicated better, but they probably really didn't have anything more to tell him.

Did you try calling Disney and asking them to cancel that first night. While I know it's "outside" the cancellation period, they have been good about weather issues in the past.

Who's ranting and raving? Just explaining our situation during a train trip....so to help others as to what can happen....

As for an act of nature...yes.....as to how Amtrak personel handled it...very poor.....telling people to return home....some trained in from Chicago...California been on the train for days and then say....sorry, go home...let's get our priorities in perspective, you have passengers using and paying for your services...they want help..options...not go home.....we've been taken off trains and put on chartered buses before by Amtrak...easy option was to order up the motor coaches and drive around the disruption (which they came up with late the next day) or say we're working on an alternative route to get you to your destinations.....

We're greatful for the later cool headedness and putting us up but wanted to know about getting to our destinations an alternative way the next day...some called airlines (prices were tripled....Greyhound ran about the same and car rentals were way more...talk about price gouging....

Disney was very understanding, we called, and refunded the first night....since you asked.....what we expected was an alternative to our situation plus the others, not compensation but just to continue to our destinations.....we know Amtrak doesn't own the rails.....there are crews to repair, the freight trains haul more than Amtrak passengers....and getting everything back in order pronto is primary.....

As for the yelling and irateness...that was the Amtrak employees going off......traveling guests we sincere and just wanted alternatives and future information....case closed!

 

[Echo queen]

I thank you for sharing this experience, I come here to learn about others experiences and amtrack should have a plan in the event of what ever comes about. We all hope for the best, but it is nice to be aware of the monkey quench that can be thrown in. Thanks again for sharing.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Ok. You were not "ranting and raving". I apologize. That was my paraphrase of "yelling". It is a train company with no "alternatives". They cannot put you on another carrier, they are the only train company in the game

I think they did pretty well. Trains were not running. They could have just made you wait until the rails were clear again. Weather related delays generally mean you wait it out.