u/oldyawker

From a comment on r/Amtrak

Idea was, with my son, take the Crescent down to the grandparents in NOLA, long ass trip, and then fly back after done. This for me is an alternative on my yearly tech trip, where I fly down and back alone, addressing and fixing any issues that might of come up at the house since the holidays (don't get me started on HP printers).

But let's make a memory, my son is 10, this would of been his first rail trip. So, I booked a roomette for us. Something like a 25 hour overnight trip. He was excited, and we thought it was cool. Expensive though, more than twice the cost of a flight.

Then today, 10 minutes before getting aboard a connecting train at the start, sitting in the station, got a call from a human at Amtrak, the roomette was "taken out of service". No upgrade available, they offered to downgrade us to economy - trip cancelled with refund right then - not a class thing, but a sitting in any seat for 18 hours plus thing, no way to sleep - just ask Hinckley. Make anyone crazy. Traveling while asleep was part of the appeal.

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Very disappointed all around. Pissed even. All in, also this wasn't a cheap mistake: cabs, equipment & prep, snacks, planning, etc. The whole build up, shot.

But questions, how reliable is this service? How often do they cancel long haul service? Any suggestions on how to avoid? Things I should know?

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Right now very gun shy about any trip on Amtrak, even on commuter hops, my last trip of four hours became seven, and that was a short trip

I'm in the process, (maybe, I'm getting bitter) of buying a 26 NX350h. I got quoted $1800 to install a hitch. Something about replacing the bumper because of electronics. I don't need an electronics package. I need a hitch with a 2" receiver to install a rear bike rack. There is a light weight hitch with 125 pound capacity. Unfortunately it comes with an 1 1/4" receiver. Has anyone installed an aftermarket hitch on this particular vehicle and have you had any issues with the cameras, sensors or aesthetics?

We have been sitting here in Connellsville for near 5 F***ing hours. Last update 2 hours ago with vague promises of “work” being done. I get that something happened but at this point send some buses and let me sort out my trip a new way. I gave myself a 8 hour buffer for my plans and I still might not make it.

I’m sorry but a transportation agency just casually having customers sit for 5 HOURS with barely any communication or way out is crazy. Hell this train was 2 1/2 hours late in the first place. Hell of a first experience with Amtrak

I'm currently in Chicago, supposed to take the Texas Eagle back down to St. Louis. I got a last minute text alert that "due to unscheduled maintenance needs," I have been kicked off the train and put on an express bus back to STL.

But, then I heard that they oversold the train by over fifty seats.

How in the world do you oversell the train by that big of a margin?

I can only hope I don't get a bombastic idiot behind me the whole trip down I-55! 😭

I thought it would be nice to take the train to visit my sister. The fare from Seattle to San Francisco in a sleeper compartment is $973. That's just nuts.

I love Amtrak and will continue to travel with them, but my current trip is a challenge. pittsburgh-chicago-portland, or. I'm traveling with my adult son. Pittsburgh-Chicago with a bedroom. Chicago Portland with two roomettes.

First train was the Floridian, so naturally late. 4 hours. Not great leaving PGH at 4am, but plenty of time to meet the Empire Builder in Chicago. Lovely lounge but not enough time to do anything between trains. Except the EB left a couple of hours late.

First bit of bad news: the chef quit (or something) so no normal meals. They heated up somethings for dinner and served it in plastic bowls. Continental breakfast. They brought in popeyes for lunch. Dinner day 2: just like day 1.

Now none of the toilets in our sleeper car work. I hope the next coach car is ok. I fear I should not have that beer with "dinner".

I assume no automatic compensation will happen. Is it worth calling them afterwards? These are expensive tickets of course and I feel bad for those on "bucket list" trips: this is decidedly not the Amtrak experience they should have.

P.s. day 2 dinner was either salmon or cold Papa Johns pizza.

I have a reduced fare card. I was hoping to link it to a bank account to recharge it, like ez-pass. I can't even open an account using the system. I would never link my bank to these people. I just want access to my card balance, now. But that appears to be too much for them.

OMNY (06/01/2026 11:13 AM): Hello, thank you for contacting OMNY. My name is Glen. How can I help you today?

You (06/01/2026 11:14 AM): I never received the activation link.

OMNY (06/01/2026 11:14 AM): I understand. Give me a moment to view the account.

OMNY (06/01/2026 11:16 AM): I did resend the link. I have noticed the link being delayed today. I think you should receive it ,but just delayed.

You (06/01/2026 11:16 AM): LIke the subway, makes sense. Thanks.

We rode 38 miles, counting from home in Brooklyn to the start. Wall Street pizzaria to Sunnyside Pizza over the 59th St. Bridge. The Triboro to Randals Island into the Bronx and over to the Willets Ave Pizza place. The IRT wasn't stopping at the local stop so we headed over the Willets Ave Bridge to 90th street and took the ferry to Red Hook, had to transfer at 34th. From Luigi's in the South Slope we rode to Bay Ridge we grabbed a bus over the Verazano. It had a bike rack. We got off at Clove and Victory Blvd. Worked our way to the pizzaria on Forest then down the hill to the ferry. Through the rain to the party. We took the subway home my buddy was beat, he doesn't ride much. 38 miles of riding, 23 miles of ferry and bus. We used every form of public transport and crossed over 5 bridges. Cafe Milano on SI had the best pizza, although we didn't eat the Wall Street slice. It was like an 8 hour day. We heard the best time was 4 hours. A good time was had by all.

I signed up in February got a ticket that has last years event date and haven't heard anything related to the event since. I get plenty of other email from Transportation Alternatives. Emailed and apparently they check their email twice a week, yeah like when? Monday and Tuesday? Anybody have any info?