AMTRAK IS A WUSS !!!!!! ....and so is Continental

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Greetings from Hollywood, FL...............

By yesterday, the 30th, the trip up to spend time with the parents was over. By 6:45 AM I was in a cab to the New Bedford bus terminal to catch the bus to Providence where I was to board my first Amtrak train. That part went fine. There was even a trolley type bus from central Providence right to the door of the Amtrak station. And Amtrack was right on time at 10:16 AM to New York. I was a bit disappointed that my friends Georgia and Charlie didn't throw me a sandwich when the train stopped in Mystic, CT for its scheduled 12.24 seconds. Little did I know that was just the beginning of a downward spiral!!! Just east of Bridgeport, CT, the train came to a complete halt....for 65 minutes. Seems there was a gas leak west of the train station in Bridgeport (note: not in the station, not on the tracks...west of the station). Then for some reason, another 10 minute hold at New Rochelle, NY. OK....well, I still had a 15 minute cushion to find which track the Silver Star train #97 left from and to find my little roomette. Working myself up to the main level at Pennsylvania Station, I was astounded to see on the departure screen: "Train 97....CANCELLED !!!! No alternatives offered". Quickly, I got myself into a ticketing queue and waited 45 minutes to speak to someone in ticketing. Ah.......that person sent me to Customer Service who, after I waited 15 minutes said "I'm sorry....we don't know when service to Florida will resume. Perhaps the folks in the First Class lounge (hey...I had a roomette....I was traveling first class) might be of help". Seems Amtrak cancelled the train because of the "hurricane". I called my neighbor who said the hurricane was a non-event so I guess Amtrak was worried about rain in the Carolinas. Now you also had to realize that the a/c on the main level of Penn Station wasn't working and it was about 89 in there!! So...after another 15 minute wait....the nice lady in the lounge said I could use the bathroom and perhaps I should go to window 13 for a refund. After only 10 minutes, I got a 100% refund and a suggestion that I go to window #6 or 7 which had 2 Continental Airlines reservations people. How was I to know that the two people standing at those windows were either buying the airline or working on a round-the-world schedule....for an hour and a half !!! Then it dawned on me....I had my cell phone...I could call Continental and book myself. Yep.....there was a flight at 5:20 (which I could not possibly make) and another at 8:40 PM from Newark...arriving FLL at 11:35 PM. Quickly, I went to window #3 and, without even having to wait, got $2.00 off for being a senior citizen for the 4:28 NJ Transit train to Newark Airport. So I have 3 hours to kill......quickly check in, breeze thru security, a nice dinner.....read my book.... and board the plane at 8:10. At 9, I asked for some water (god forbid I carry my own thru security); at 9:30 I asked to use the bathroom; at 10:00 PM, the cockpit door was still open and the ramp guy left. Two announcements were made about weather still bad at Ft. Lauderdale. Finally, we pushed back at 10:13 PM......"Uh folks...we have a bit of conjestion here and are #17 for takeoff". I counted down each and every takeoff til we were wheels up at 11:05 PM. Finally at 2:06 AM, we landed in dry, windless Ft. Lauderdale and by 2:40 AM I was home!

So how was your Wednesday?

Bob

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