A Pain in the Train update

After writing a LONG extensive letter to Amtrak, I finally got a response back. Here's the letter:

Dear Amtrak Customer Care Representative,

I am writing to share my disgust with your services dated March 19, 2008 on Train 98 to New York Penn Station.

I understand delays, though when the train pulled in more than an hour late it left me but 30 minutes to find my next train.

By the time I actually arrived at Penn Station, I had less than 15 minutes to exit train 98 and find train 86. Once inside I learned that train 86 would be two hours late. So on top of looking for something to drink, avoiding the beggars following me, one attempt of someone trying to take my backpack and keeping an eye on the arrival/departure display board, the experience was stressful to say the least.

Finally by 4 p.m. train 86 arrives just as a fight breaks out in the lobby and we board the train heading for Boston South Station. Everything seemed to be going smoothly until the train reached a bridge over Brooklyn and died. Simply died. No power, no movement, no electricity and no heat … nothing. The announcement was made 30 minutes later that the train was dead and another engine would be attaching itself to the front and either push us back to Penn Station or pull us to the next stop. Two hours went by before another train showed up, but not to push us. It showed up with a replacement engine.

Apparently that didn’t work both as the train was still dead and at this point the passengers including myself were freezing, hungry and annoyed. It was approximately around 6 p.m. when another train arrived to push us off the bridge and then there was the wait. I eventually went to the café to purchase a tuna sandwich, which was horribly overpriced at $7 but I had to eat something. Even if it meant using up my subway money that was being saved for Boston.

Just after 7 p.m. another train pulled up on the adjacent bridge and we were told to climb off the train which was already a big jump down on steep slippery rock hill with our bags and up another steep hill to the other train in the middle of the rain where the conductors at the other train threw our bags on to the train and lifted us high enough to reach the first step so we could get on. At that point I just wanted to find a seat to sit in and nurse my ankle, which was sprained as a result of walking between the steep hills from one train to the next. I also wanted to check my electronics, which were in the backpack that was tossed aboard. The conductor threw it so forcefully, I was afraid the contents of my bag (camera, mp3 player and cellphone) were damaged. They were fine, but the strap on my backpack had been ripped off.

Train 86 was supposed to arrive at Boston South Station at 9:45 p.m., we arrived shortly after midnight leaving me only 10 minutes to catch the last redline subway to my brother’s house.

I am amazed that an organization such as Amtrak would have such poor service, shoddy equipment, total disregard for passenger safety.

I know I am not the only one to complain about this trip but if this is the kind of service you provide, I can understand why most patrons prefer to spend a little extra for an airline ticket.

Furthermore, I can assure you this will be the last time I travel with your company.

It was nice of them to call me back a month after the events. When they did call they thanked me for my response, I asked about my backpack and all they told me was I was going to receive a discount voucher for half-off on my next trip. ..... I would have settled for money or a new backpack to be honest. But now I need to find a reason to use the voucher before the end of the year. Any suggestions?