[Philmont] Travel by Amtrak

Greetings,

We traveled by train to Philmont this year. I am a big proponent of
train travel, but I would not recommend Amtrak for any travel at this time.

The train started out 6 1/2 hours late and went down hill from there.
The dining car on the Cardinal was not as promised and the snack car
attendant was rude and worse. We were several hours late getting into
Chicago. They did hold the train in Chicago for an hour so we could
make our connection.

The return trip was a disaster. There was a freight train derailment
and Amtrak was busing passengers from Santa Fe, N. M. to La Junta, Co.
  They did not provide enough buses to pickup the about 100 scouts at
Raton. We waited for about 4 hours for the final bus. The rest of the
passengers on the train were talking that we were waiting on the "Boy
Scouts", not that we were waiting on Amtrak to provide the buses.

The train did not get into Chicago in time to make the connection to
Washington. The conductor told us, as we were getting into Chicago,
that he did not have any information on the connecting train. We
already knew the train to Washington had left, but he claimed "no
knowledge". They offered to put us up in a hotel and on a train the
next day. We would have been 24 hours late getting home. I requested
that they fly us instead. It took them 3 1/2 hours to make the
arrangements, but they finally put us up in a hotel and flew us home the
next day.

At this time I would not recommend anyone travel by Amtrak.

Disappointed,
Jimmy

Donald S. Roberts wrote:

> *From:* Steve B.
> > I agree that Amtrack is a great way to travel...
> > if you are not on a tight time table.
> */Melinda Elmore <mkelmore@mac.com>/* wrote:
>> There was some discussion on this list about using Amtrak to
> > Philmont. I just got back from a personal trip from Missouri to
> > California and back on Amtrak.
>
> When we were looking at Amtrak for our 2003 trek in 2001, the joke at
> Philmont was that if the train arrived on time they would throw a
> party. In one direction, the 2003 train was one hour late, in the other
> two hours. This on a trip from Fullerton Calif. to Raton NM.
>
> For our 2005 trek, the train was 30 minutes late leaving Fullerton, on
> time in Raton, on time leaving Raton coming back and on time in
> FUllerton on the return.
>
> It appears they may have gotten far better on their timing.
>
> You can look at train arrival times on www.amtrak.com
> <http://www.amtrak.com> (I believe the Philtrains are 3 and 4) and see
> how they are doing and guage for yourself if they are mostly on time.
>
> Regards
> Don Roberts
> Fullerton, CA
>
>
>
>
>
>
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> loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
> cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
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As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
-------------------------------------------------------

 
Received on Tue Aug 15 13:03:59 2006