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Bad experience on Train #51-Amtrak Cardinal

Posted by TransitChuckG on Sun Feb 16 10:37:18 2020

Quite an experience on Amtrak 51, the Cardinal, yesterday and today. We departed WAS (bound for CHI) yesterday on time at 11am. We were in a viewliner roomette. Just before arriving Prince, WV, the sleeper car lost all lights on the ceiling in the rooms. The toilets (one in each room) stopped flushing. The WiFi stopped (only stopped in the sleeper). And the announcements didn’t work (only in the sleeper). They trouble shot it, but no luck. So we departed Prince. A very short time later, the train stopped. There was a mud and land slide that closed the rails. So we sat there for about 8 hours. Since we had a malfunctioning announcement system in the sleeper, we heard NO updates. Around 2:30am I saw the conductors being whisked away in a car outside, even though we were basically “in the woods.” They obviously “timed out.” I walked the entire train looking for someone to update me, but found no one. I went back to bed. In the morning, we began backing up and returned to Prince, WV. We sat there a few hours, then they made us detrain. They wanted to “turn the train around.” The train departed, and we sat in the tiny terminal for 3 more hours! It finally returned to pick us up. We ended up returning all the way to Staunton, Virginia. They supposedly booked hotels for us, but it was SO disorganized, with NO transportation, so we jumped in our own Uber and booked our own room. I wasn’t waiting any longer. They have us booked again tomorrow, but we’ll see if the tracks are open. Mother Nature is not within anyone’s control. But Amtrak could have handled this better. The crew was taking the train one more stop to Charlottesville. Many of us wanted to stay on, as other options are available there, such as a NE Regional train. But the “supervisor” (who boarded after the conductors were removed) would not allow it. We can’t control Mother Nature, but many other issues were not handled well. I’ll chalk it up to “an experience.” I’m still an Amtrak Fan, but a little disappointed tonight.

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Re: Bad experience on Train #51-Amtrak Cardinal

Posted by TransitChuckG on Sun Feb 16 10:38:22 2020, in response to Bad experience on Train #51-Amtrak Cardinal, posted by TransitChuckG on Sun Feb 16 10:37:18 2020.

This was from a friend, I copied and pasted it.

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Re: Bad experience on Train #51-Amtrak Cardinal

Posted by Steamdriven on Sun Feb 16 11:15:55 2020, in response to Bad experience on Train #51-Amtrak Cardinal, posted by TransitChuckG on Sun Feb 16 10:37:18 2020.

Government and Hollywood types don't take the train, so don't expect it to work.
Funny thing, Ms Green Nude Eel takes Uber Black (on your dime, natch). Uber works in NYC and DC, albeit with a $$ markup in both places.
Cause, effect?

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Re: Bad experience on Train #51-Amtrak Cardinal

Posted by Dave on Sun Feb 16 13:19:24 2020, in response to Bad experience on Train #51-Amtrak Cardinal, posted by TransitChuckG on Sun Feb 16 10:37:18 2020.

It's a miracle anyone takes a LD train nowadays.

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Re: Bad experience on Train #51-Amtrak Cardinal

Posted by Henry R32 #3730 on Sun Feb 16 23:07:15 2020, in response to Re: Bad experience on Train #51-Amtrak Cardinal, posted by Dave on Sun Feb 16 13:19:24 2020.

Still better than flying (as long as you get a roomette).

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Re: Bad experience on Train #51-Amtrak Cardinal

Posted by AEM-7AC #901 on Mon Feb 17 01:03:22 2020, in response to Re: Bad experience on Train #51-Amtrak Cardinal, posted by Henry R32 #3730 on Sun Feb 16 23:07:15 2020.

Still better than flying (as long as you get a roomette).

Fly Delta. :-)

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Re: Bad experience on Train #51-Amtrak Cardinal

Posted by Henry R32 #3730 on Mon Feb 17 01:29:05 2020, in response to Re: Bad experience on Train #51-Amtrak Cardinal, posted by AEM-7AC #901 on Mon Feb 17 01:03:22 2020.

Eh, I take United in hopes of watching random doctors get beaten and dragged screaming from the plane.

That and Delta from Albany only goes to Detroit and Atlanta (sometimes MSP), United is a little more useful (Chicago, Newark, Dulles).

Southwest is my other airline, but mainly because there's a 50% chance of being able to board/embark the rear of the plane at Albany (one of their gates has a functional rear jetway... the other one broke a few years ago and hasn't been fixed).

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