Sat, 22 Dec 2007
An Amtrak Christmas
Amtrak: It's not just a journey, it's an Adventure
This has certainly been one of my more memorable train journeys. My plan was to take the train from Ann Arbor to Mount Pleasant, IA, which is a couple hours south of where my parents live, instead of flying back to Iowa for Christmas.
The train left Ann Arbor about fifteen minutes late, which, by Amtrak standards, is early. We hadn't even made it to Jackson when one of the cables that connects the cars and supplies them with electricity fell off and was damaged. The train stopped, and after about a half hour of several unsuccessful attempts to get it to stay on (with attendant brief periods of hope when the lights came on for a half- second, only to go right back out) we went the twenty miles to Jackson. There I saw a guy heading towards the back of the train with a hacksaw. This is always a good sign. After about ninety minutes our train and electricity again, and we were on our way.
Things would have been fine, however, the Universe smiled down upon us and the fallout from a freight train derailment that happened yesterday left northwest Indiana with only one track. More waiting ensued, and we finally arrived at Union Station at around 3:00 pm, or an hour after the California Zephyr left for Mount Pleasant and points beyond.
Fortunately, the well-oiled machine that is Amtrak knows how to handle this situation, and I was given money for food and taxi, and they paid for a night at the Inn of Chicago, which is probably the fanciest hotel I've stayed in. I'll be in Iowa tomorrow (Goddess willin' and the creek don't rise). Soon I'll go out wandering about for food. I'm apparently on the Magnificent Mile and close to Navy Pier, so there should be something worth looking at.
I know what the next cover of Late Night Thinking is going to look like:
Posted at: 18:44 | category: /travel | Link
Wed, 28 Jun 2006
Dear Amtrak, I Hate You, No Love, Thomas
So, this afternoon after purchasing an ipod nano (whee) I get a voice mail message on my cell phone. It's someone from Amtrak, telling me that the train I'm scheduled to leave on tomorrow, from Osceola to Chicago, is already 10 hours late. This would put me in Chicago (assuming it didn't lose any more time) a couple hours after the train to Buffalo leaves.
So I chat with Lou a bit, basically planning to take the late train tomorrow, kick it at the Castle Juloulie, and take the remainder of my trains one day later. Satisfied with that plan, I call Amtrak.
The nice person who I talked to at Amtrak tells me that because of the 4th of July weekend the trains to Buffalo are booked solid for the next several days. There isn't even a sleeper berth available.
So, I'm now flying out of Des Moines on the 1st, and flying back the 11th. Additional cost after the Amtrak refund, about $500. Sigh. But I will be in Canada on Canada Day, come Hell or High Water.
To add insult to injury, when I called to get a refund, since I already have my tickets I have to mail them back to a very specific address (they gave it to me, line by line) and in six to eight weeks I get my money back, minus ten percent.
I guess if I ever take Amtrak again, I'll do a stay a day at whatever city I change trains at.
Who wants to move to a country with real train service?