holding train #90 for connecting passengers???
Aug 21, 2017, 1:46 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NYC, MD, LA
Programs: Delta-DM, United, Hilton-DM, SPG-PLTM
Posts: 462
holding train #90 for connecting passengers???
Epic fail by Amtrak customer service last night.
I was on the 8:57 p.m. #90 from BWI - NYP.
Upon arriving at BWI train station the app shows the train is 10 minutes late. I lament and wait in the car. After another 30 minutes of the app updating additional 10 minute delays at a time - and seeing on the app that the train does not show as departed from WAS I go into speak to the CSR.
She informs me that train #90 is waiting on train #66 to arrive as there are "connecting passengers that can't be left behind". She also informs me she's unsure when #66 will arrive in WAS.
I'm about to walk back to my car and decided to check the status of #66 on the app. The app showed #66 would not arrive in WAS until 11:30 p.m.???!!??
So I go back to the CSR at the window and show her this and ask if this is correct. She punches some keys on her computer and states "YES". So I ask again - #90 won't leave until #66 gets to WAS at 11:30 p.m. - her response is now yes - at the earliest.
Since it is 9:30 we decide to head home and return to BWI once we see that #66 is close to WAS we will head back - a 20 minute trip.
I also called 800AMTRAK and confirmed again #90 would not leave until #66 arrived at WAS - ALL of this was so that "connections could be made". #66 and #90 follow the exact same route - same stops all the way through NYP. why would they hold a train for 2.5+ hours for connections that would be 20 minutes behind?
I then tried to get put on a train the following morning; however the only one that worked for my time frame was the 6:21 a.m. Acela and Amtrak refused to change my ticket without a $300+ change fee. I find this ridiculous.
I followed the app and when saw that #66 was leaving Alexandria we headed back to the BWI train station. I then looked for the status of #90 . Low and behold #90 had left WAS and would be leaving BWI in 10 minutes???!!!??? How is this possible?? Train #66 had not yet arrived at WAS???
Back to the phone and 800AMTRAK - CSR "Ah yes, well we ended up pulling the people off of #66 that had connections and put them on a bus to WAS".
Me "I've talked to 3 different people over the course of this evening and each and everyone of you CSR's stated #90 would not leave until #66 arrived at WAS"
CSR "sorry"
Train #66 ends up leaving WAS at 1 a.m. - gets to BWI at 1:25 a.m. and NYP at just past 4 a.m.
If Amtrak knows they are holding a train for hours, why can't they update the app/their customers with the actual delay times instead of incrementally extending the delay 10 minutes at a time?
Why can't their CSR's be honest and forthcoming with the info?
Why are they holding a train full of people for connections from another train that travels the exact same route?
Why don't they have to keep the station open until their customers are taken care of?
If something changes with the timing why can't they send out an alert to their customers?
This was some of the worst communication and customer service I have ever experienced.
I was on the 8:57 p.m. #90 from BWI - NYP.
Upon arriving at BWI train station the app shows the train is 10 minutes late. I lament and wait in the car. After another 30 minutes of the app updating additional 10 minute delays at a time - and seeing on the app that the train does not show as departed from WAS I go into speak to the CSR.
She informs me that train #90 is waiting on train #66 to arrive as there are "connecting passengers that can't be left behind". She also informs me she's unsure when #66 will arrive in WAS.
I'm about to walk back to my car and decided to check the status of #66 on the app. The app showed #66 would not arrive in WAS until 11:30 p.m.???!!??
So I go back to the CSR at the window and show her this and ask if this is correct. She punches some keys on her computer and states "YES". So I ask again - #90 won't leave until #66 gets to WAS at 11:30 p.m. - her response is now yes - at the earliest.
Since it is 9:30 we decide to head home and return to BWI once we see that #66 is close to WAS we will head back - a 20 minute trip.
I also called 800AMTRAK and confirmed again #90 would not leave until #66 arrived at WAS - ALL of this was so that "connections could be made". #66 and #90 follow the exact same route - same stops all the way through NYP. why would they hold a train for 2.5+ hours for connections that would be 20 minutes behind?
I then tried to get put on a train the following morning; however the only one that worked for my time frame was the 6:21 a.m. Acela and Amtrak refused to change my ticket without a $300+ change fee. I find this ridiculous.
I followed the app and when saw that #66 was leaving Alexandria we headed back to the BWI train station. I then looked for the status of #90 . Low and behold #90 had left WAS and would be leaving BWI in 10 minutes???!!!??? How is this possible?? Train #66 had not yet arrived at WAS???
Back to the phone and 800AMTRAK - CSR "Ah yes, well we ended up pulling the people off of #66 that had connections and put them on a bus to WAS".
Me "I've talked to 3 different people over the course of this evening and each and everyone of you CSR's stated #90 would not leave until #66 arrived at WAS"
CSR "sorry"
Train #66 ends up leaving WAS at 1 a.m. - gets to BWI at 1:25 a.m. and NYP at just past 4 a.m.
If Amtrak knows they are holding a train for hours, why can't they update the app/their customers with the actual delay times instead of incrementally extending the delay 10 minutes at a time?
Why can't their CSR's be honest and forthcoming with the info?
Why are they holding a train full of people for connections from another train that travels the exact same route?
Why don't they have to keep the station open until their customers are taken care of?
If something changes with the timing why can't they send out an alert to their customers?
This was some of the worst communication and customer service I have ever experienced.
