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CRF 2012: Reports from Chicago


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#11 amtrakwolverine

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Posted 25 July 2012 - 01:50 PM

Still he should have explained what I needed to do since he kept saying I needed to check in when I was already checked in the pass just said wait. He even tried to stop me from leaving the area by going sir you need to go check in. But he wouldn't tell my why or how to do that.

#12 KevinKorell

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Posted 25 July 2012 - 01:59 PM

I am almost positive the guy's name was Steve. Not our Steve, another one. My final exit from Chicago will be etched in my memory for a long time to come. After Piotr left to board his Cardinal, I quickly assumed his location and electrical outlet in the same location we usually sit in. Not long after, a woman got very sick, and made it as far as the only egress from that section, when she began to heave and vomit all over the floor. She was there a good 5 minutes. Nobody in the section could go to get help for her because they would be in the line of fire. Somebody else managed to summon help, but it was a Redcap. All he could do for the lady was what he's paid to do, take her bags away, which is a good thing because he saved them from damage. When I had to leave the lounge to join the cattle line for the Capitol since I was a coach passenger at that point, I had to circumnavigate the mess as best as I could. After a long line with people cutting into it all over the place, and an usher who didn't know how to move the line thus ensuring a late departure, I finally was able to board the train on Track 26 Track 26 Track 26 Track 26. Thanks, Chicago, for the hospitality.


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#13 MistyOLR

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Posted 25 July 2012 - 05:07 PM

I am almost positive the guy's name was Steve. Not our Steve, another one.


Yes, it was.

Technicalities suck and legal name changes are a mess after it happens.

#14 EdFindlay

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Posted 25 July 2012 - 08:09 PM

Piotr and I watched the three members board the Hiawatha before heading out on our own evening railfanning before I left on that evening's Lake Shore Limited. The Orange Line was fine and we made good time but the Red Line was a nightmare due to the poor track conditions...we just barely made it to Union Station in time for boarding to begin and had the pleasure of standing behind two very drunk women.

#15 steve4031

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Posted 25 July 2012 - 08:35 PM

I've never seen "wait" written on those cards. I showed my select plus card and explained that I was just visiting. I received a card with 30 written on it. Maybe he assumed I was with Kevin who was on 30. Or confused. However, IMHO, the guy at the desk and the redcap both dropped the ball. Once amtrakwolverine was admitted in the lounge, he should have been afforded all of the privileges of being in the lounge. The attendant at the desk should have written amtrakwolverine's train number on the card, not wait. The redcap, if he was confused, should have walked over to the desk to get clarification. The burden of straightening out the confusion should never be placed on the customer. Especially in a fc lounge IMHO. Amtrakwolverine was confused and annoyed by the redcap's behavior. He took a look at the line and saw it was 10 or more people long. Waiting in this line would cause us to not make our planned 1:30 departure out of millenum as well as way lunch. Kevin and misty came up to amtrakwolverine ready to go. He still had his bag and was looking at the line. Somebody asked what happened, and amtrakwolverine stated, "this jack ass won't let me check my bag.". At this point the red cap came out of the room confronting amtrakwolverine. He was loud and intimidating. He was telling amtrakwolverine to leave the lounge. I told him to not respond and to write a letter. Then the redcap confronted me. "He calls me a jack ass, and you want to write a letter.". I said "that's right. You don't know how to work with the public, and you shouldnt be in here.". I saw an Amtrak police officer and thought it was better to walk away. This red cap needs retraining. The staff at the desk need to be trained. Perhaps they meant to write wait on my card. But have it to amtrakwolverine instead. Mistakes happen. The Amtrak employees should communicate to fix it. None of the employees stepped up to solve the problem.

#16 amtrakwolverine

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Posted 25 July 2012 - 08:43 PM

I didn't hear him say leave the lounge and even if he did that's not his call to make. Only the people behind the lounge desk the Police or security can force me to leave. The red cap is not a security guard and is not paid like one. I too saw the am cop but he didn't do anything just needed to cut through to get out.

Edited by amtrakwolverine, 25 July 2012 - 08:44 PM.


#17 KevinKorell

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Posted 25 July 2012 - 08:54 PM

Guys let's leave this as it is. Whatever happened is hijacking the thread and taking away from the many good experiences we had in Chicago and throughout the Fest. Whether it's the race, the nationality, or the gender of the person involved, it has no bearing on their handling of the situation.


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#18 amtrakwolverine

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Posted 25 July 2012 - 09:06 PM

well the thread is titled reports from Chicago and it happened during the post festivity's while In Chicago. Anyway KK and misty had a problem with there tickets during the MKA to MKE part of the post fest trip. When the conductor scanned there tickets it came up as already scanned. We all used multy city to get our tickets but they somehow split the fair whatever that means so it somehow screwed up the system. The conductor said my ticket was fine.

Edited by amtrakwolverine, 25 July 2012 - 09:06 PM.


#19 steve4031

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Posted 25 July 2012 - 09:08 PM

I need to clarify my earlier post. I did not carefully read amtrakwolverine's post. When I re-read it, I saw that in the effort to avoid confusing the attendant they incorrectly stated that their final destination was Chicago. This may have caused the word wait to be written on the boarding pass. Though why misty would be allowed to check her bags and NPR amtrakwolverine is still an inconsistency. I still feel that the red cap could have escorted amtrakwolverine to the front of the line to clarify the confusion. That's first class service.

#20 MistyOLR

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Posted 26 July 2012 - 06:22 AM

I'm used to getting in on lounge passes or other cases where Chicago is my final destination, so I still left the train out of the topic when I gave my bags to the Red Cap. He asked for what time I'd be back for them, and I said four, close to the time I'd be leaving on 393.

Technicalities suck and legal name changes are a mess after it happens.




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