Amtrak Passengers Stuck On Trains For Over 30 Hours By Snowstorm

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The same snowstorm that halted highway traffic across Virginia earlier this week also caused lengthy delays on Amtrak. Several Amtrak trains were stopped in Virginia due to track conditions. Operational problems were compounded by poor customer service and communication aboard trains and with call centers. The situation was dire enough to garner criticism from Virginia’s delegation to the U.S. Senate.

From regional services to New York-bound, long-distance trains traveling from as far as New Orleans or Miami were stuck on the rails in Virginia. Downed trees were Amtrak’s most cited reason for the delays. Passengers reported that trains ran out of food and onboard toilets began to overflow. One customer abandoned the train and hitchhiked to a nearby hotel. Traincrew yelled at passengers via the PA system to stop complaining to them and to call Amtrak directly. Another passenger called customer service over 50 times without getting through.

The incidents provoked both U.S. Senators from Virginia to send an open letter to Amtrak. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine didn’t hesitate to criticize the government-owned service. Here’s an excerpt:

“It is unacceptable that Amtrak did not better communicate with passengers during an emergency situation such as this. Inclement weather is uncontrollable. However, Amtrak must have appropriate systems and practices in place to ensure that passengers and crew caught in such weather are not only safe, but also understand the situation and their options. We have long been supporters of Amtrak; but, simply put, Amtrak must do better.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/amtrak-passengers-stuck-on-trains-for-over-30-hours-by-snowstorm/ar-AASzPTr

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. Other than running out of food and overflowing toilets,

being stuck on a train would be a fuck of a lot more comfortable than being stuck on an airplane for half that time. The plane probably wouldn't have had any food in the first place, and their toilets would definitely overflow.

[Klaralven]

3. Once a plane takes off, you know it will be back on the ground in a few hours

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

4. Yes. But sometimes planes land and then for

inscrutable reasons take hours and hours to make it to the gate and be offloaded.

[Bev54]

5. I think people's expectations are far too high in emergency. Of course they

ran out of food and the toilets overflowed, they were not expecting to be stopped there for so long and not prepared to. JFC what a bunch of whiny babies, suck it up and be grateful for what you did have.

[BumRushDaShow]

2. I wouldn't be surprised that like every other industry

you have a lot of employees out sick (and/or in some kind of COVID-19 quarantine protocol).

When 2 years ago, officials said "new normal", it seems that phrase was interpreted as nothing but "buzz words" and people continued on with their "normal" routines, and thus started to hit the brick walls, complaining profusely about it. And this year it seemed people were trying to make up for what they couldn't do last year and that happened at the worst possible time.