My 15 year old son travelled from Chemult, OR, to Oakland, CA, last night on Amtrak #11, the Coast Starlight. This is normally a busy train, but even when full the ride has always been pleasant with great customer service, even for the lowly coach passenger.
Normally, they board the coach passengers into two coaches, based on destination. I was surprised that despite one of the largest crowds I've ever seen board the train at Chemult, they boarded everyone into one coach - the one directly behind the lounge car.
I helped him load his big bag (no checked baggage at Chemult) and the conductor assigned him to "seat 78, lower level". The train departed (a few minutes late at 10:30), we got in the car, and headed home.
A few minutes later he texted me "They put me in the lounge car". We replied "Just to Klamath Falls?", and he said "No, they said I could get a seat in Sacramento" (8:35am). That means we paid $98 for my son to sleep in an uncomfortable lounge car seat! He said he'd be fine, and would talk to us in the morning.
In the morning he called from Davis (8:50am), and still didn't have a seat. He was told that he now "didn't need a seat since he was only going to Oakland".
To top it all off, the crew member(s) couldn't provide him with a pillow. Two employees said they'd look for one but never returned. When he reminded one of the guys he got rude and told him to roll up his sweater. He ended up having to go to his bag (downstairs in the coach, one car back) and dig out some clothes to use as a pillow.
And, as usual, conversation and traffic in the lounge is heavy all through the night...
I spent a half hour on the phone this morning complaining, and was only told to "call back after his round trip is complete" to discuss the problem. I was really hoping to get a refund on this return trip so I could fly him home from Grandma & Grandpa's!
Normally, they board the coach passengers into two coaches, based on destination. I was surprised that despite one of the largest crowds I've ever seen board the train at Chemult, they boarded everyone into one coach - the one directly behind the lounge car.
I helped him load his big bag (no checked baggage at Chemult) and the conductor assigned him to "seat 78, lower level". The train departed (a few minutes late at 10:30), we got in the car, and headed home.
A few minutes later he texted me "They put me in the lounge car". We replied "Just to Klamath Falls?", and he said "No, they said I could get a seat in Sacramento" (8:35am). That means we paid $98 for my son to sleep in an uncomfortable lounge car seat! He said he'd be fine, and would talk to us in the morning.
In the morning he called from Davis (8:50am), and still didn't have a seat. He was told that he now "didn't need a seat since he was only going to Oakland".
To top it all off, the crew member(s) couldn't provide him with a pillow. Two employees said they'd look for one but never returned. When he reminded one of the guys he got rude and told him to roll up his sweater. He ended up having to go to his bag (downstairs in the coach, one car back) and dig out some clothes to use as a pillow.
And, as usual, conversation and traffic in the lounge is heavy all through the night...
I spent a half hour on the phone this morning complaining, and was only told to "call back after his round trip is complete" to discuss the problem. I was really hoping to get a refund on this return trip so I could fly him home from Grandma & Grandpa's!