I know, I usually try to keep the website a little more politically correct (or at least neutral), but you will soon find out just how angry I am.
The last post was mostly about how ridiculous the scheduling was, but I met some really neat people on that train and overall it was a pleasant ride. We actually did make it to Portland, OR in time for me to make my connecting train. Then things went downhill.
When I made my reservations originally, I booked a "lower level coach" seat. I can't really say why...Amtrak's website didn't give much of a description, but for some reason I decided that lower level was better. On the first train, I ended up in standard coach and didn't really care (there was no difference in ticket price), but the second train was starting to sound like it was overbooked. I put my foot down and reminded them that I had a reserved lower level seat, just to be able to sit somewhere. That's when I found out that the lower level is really intended for folks with mobility problems. Why, you might ask, don't they specify that on the website? Seems like a pretty easy thing to clarify. So I boarded the train, young and able bodied, and at first was shunned by the rest of the folks in the car - they were the first to tell me that I was in the handicap section. As I explained that there were no other seats on the train, others (also young and able bodied) joined us and that debate stopped quickly. Though it was clear that tensions were already running high among the passengers.
Trains, like buses, planes, and all other forms of tin can, get stuffy. But they aren't all that bad upstairs where the air moves from car to car. On the lower level, it's a sauna - just a pocket of dead air. I was between an asthmatic woman and someone carrying an oxygen tank. When I tired of the unhappy vibe in my section, I set out for the cafe. The two women convinced me to report the ventilation issue to a conductor, which bothered me. The attendant in our car was doing his best - he was resetting the cooling system about every thirty minutes, but it didn't seem to matter much. I never ventured far enough to find the conductor, but I did pass on the message to another car's attendant. That's when I found out that this had been going on quite some time. Apparently, nobody in our section wanted to deal with our attendant. Worse yet, he didn't seem to be very popular with the rest of his staff. I hope for his sake he finds a different job because he's certainly under-appreciated where he is.
The lounge car has more comfortable seats, cold drinks (for an astronomical fee), and much better air conditioning. As time passed, I was less and less interested in returning to my car. I even considered giving away my seat so I could claim a bench at a table and really lie down flat for some real sleep. Instead, I settled for grabbing a bunch of my junk to entertain myself with. Later in the night, I had everything plugged in to charge. I stayed in the lounge car with a few other people who were up for socializing, and when we stopped in Klamath Falls for a stretch break, we all just ran for the door, leaving our bags behind. When we came back, my iPod was gone. It had been plugged into my laptop, which was also charging, and though I'm absolutely furious, they could have taken the laptop too. I guess the iPod was just pocket sized and more interesting than the cell phone that was next to it (not my phone at this point).
So I found the assistant conductor and tried to file a report. I expected that to be a simple process of filling out a form. I expected a little compassion. I was hoping for a short announcement over the PA system about a theft, and a request for any information if someone saw something. Instead, I was chastised. "You left it unattended? WHY would you do that?" No announcement over the PA - that would wake people up. So I asked - "Is there anything we can do if I suspect someone in particular?" Though I was almost certain that the iPod made its way into someone's pocket and left the train at that last stop, I had a weird feeling about a particular person. If it's still on that train, I would put money down on this individual having it. But Amtrak, in the midst of all this national security craziness where even ferries reserve the right to search your bag, won't search anyone's bags. There was nothing to be done.
When you board an Amtrak train, the attendant puts a slip of paper in the baggage holder above your head, usually with the 3 letter abbreviation for your departure stop and a number of people traveling. Sometimes they scribble your car number on it while you're boarding. This slip of paper is about 5 inches long, and maybe 1.5 inches wide. THAT is what the assistant conductor gave me to file a report on - and she was reluctant to bother doing even that. I continued talking to every staff member I encountered, just to get the word out. That's when I got the story of "you know, people are crazy...just can't trust 'em. I was working on a train where there was a woman sleeping in coach with her purse in her lap. For safety, she had her arm through the straps. While she was asleep, someone went IN to the purse and stole her wallet." No wonder everyone asked me why I wasn't carrying a gun while I was on my bicycle. That tour really does put me in a different world where I don't have to worry about personal safety so much.
I could continue on about overpriced and under flavored food, hot seating compartment (that same bitch that wouldn't take my complaint turned our fucking air conditioning off last night because the people upstairs were "too cold"...right after our space had become tolerable), more power problems between the cars, etc - but I'm going to move on to the rest of the saga.
Union Pacific is doing major rail replacement around the Mt. Shasta area. Construction happens during the day, so all rail traffic must get through at night. To get out of the way of 2 other trains, we had to stop in a side pull out...for over 2 hours. The time kept adding up, and I watched my 7:30 bus departure tick right on by. Unfortunately, the assistant conductor was the only person I could find, so I asked about how to deal with missing my connection. My instructions were to get off the train at the next stop, walk forward and speak with the conductor. With any luck, he'd hold the train for another 5 minutes while I went into the station and worked things out. But the train stopped at that station for all of about 1 minute - just long enough to shove a few departing passengers out the door - and we were off again.
I arrived in Redding, CA 7 hours late. The station is not staffed. So I did the only thing I could do - called the 800 number for Amtrak and complained. They told me that, in so many words, I'm shit out of luck. Had there been someone at that station, they could help me. But over the phone they're powerless. No rental car. No motel for the night. No assistance whatsoever. They even expected me to have the entire bus schedule and route in front of me so we could discuss alternatives - which was pointless because they'd already told me they couldn't help. Alternatives meant me shelling out money and sending the receipts into Amtrak Corporate, and hoping for a refund in 4 to 6 weeks from the time they get my package.
I'm in a motel in Redding, and tomorrow I'll walk over to the bus station early in the morning, and all will proceed as planned, but one day late and one iPod lighter. Greyhound (I hate traveling by bus and I can't believe I'm about to say this) was extremely helpful. I don't have to buy another ticket. I don't even have to get the tickets reprinted with tomorrow's date - just show up and board the bus. Tomorrow will be a better day...
