Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/07/05

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Amtrak - long rebuttal
From: "Mitch Zeissler" <zeissler@directvinternet.com>
Date: Fri, 05 Jul 2002 13:33:12 -0700 (PDT)

Seth...

++++++++++++
> Mitch, there are so many inaccuracies it is hard to
know where to start.

No inaccuracies, Seth.  You didn't experience it; they
did.  And they wrote a lengthly letter to their
congressman about it as well.  Too bad you have such a
hard time believing it.


++++++++++++ 
> What train does Amtrak run from San Jose through a
Montana snow storm to get to DC?

Dunno the name and route, but they went up the coast to
Portland, then cut across Oregon, Washington and
Montana, North Dakota, then cut across down to Chicago.
 Route can be traced at the following link:
http://www.amtrak.com/pdf/national.pdf

I'm sure if you call Amtrak, they'll tell you the exact
schedule.  And in case you don't know, snow can fall
any time of the year in the Rockies.


++++++++++++
> San Jose Amtrak station was closed? Please, Mitch.

Take your patronizing tone elsewhere, Seth.  I never
said the San Jose station was closed.  I said they
originated from the San Jose area.  The Salidas station
is the one closest to their home [just south of San
Jose] and is the one that was closed.  They were told
afterwards that it is closed one day per week due to
the current budget crisis.


++++++++++++
> There is no train that runs from San Jose to the east
coast. Grandpa would 
> have ridden on at least three Amtrak trains. They all
ran out of food?  

They ran out of food once before the Chicago stop and
once before arriving at Pittsburgh.


++++++++++++
> In the past five years I have ridden in Amtrak
sleeping cars on the Lake 
> Shore Limited between Chicago and either New York
City or Albany ten times, 
> between Chicago and either San Francisco or Los
Angeles six times and this 
> April between San Antonio and Chicago. I also ride
Amtrak between Albany and 
> New York City on average six times a month and
between New York City and 
> Washington D.C. on average six times a year.

Big deal; so what.  That makes you an expert on the
*entire* Amtrak system?

++++++++++++
> No Amtrak train I've ever ridden has ever run out of
food nor have I ever 
> heard of an Amtrak train "running out of food." 

The last time they came out [summer of 1997], all the
riders on the train were given $25 dollars cash and
were told to find their own meals at a stop in North
Dakota because the train had run out of food.  They
wrote a nastygram to their congressman after that trip
as well.


++++++++++++
> What a San Jose to DC train was doing wandering
around the north country, 
> I'll never know. Neither will Amtrak. Must have been
a different trip. Maybe by different people.

You obviously don't know what you're talking about. 
Hard to see reality when your vision is obsured by your
navel.


++++++++++++
> Amtrak takes care of its own. Yes, Amtrak does
experience delays caused by 
> weather. And a blizzard can obstruct tracks. 

Yes, as I would expect them to take care of their
customers.


++++++++++++
> Your right, Mitch, I've never heard of a plane trip
being delayed by a 
> blizzard or a weather front coming in. Oh shoot, I
just remembered Buffalo 
> airport being completely shut down for four days a
few winters ago.

Your snide point?  I was not saying the weather delays
were Amtrak's fault; just that delays and unexpected
events happen on the rails as well.


++++++++++++
> Amtrak does sell out space. If they stopped over in
Pennsylvania and hadn't 
> booked in advance a bedroom for the intended day of
departure, that's not 
> Amtrak's fault, it the fault of Grandpa's SO.

No; Amtrak OVER-BOOKED and denied them the berth they
had rightfully paid for in advance and correctly
scheduled.  I saw the tickets myself and heard the
apology from the ticket master in DC.


++++++++++++
> If they had first class tickets, I simply don't
believe this. Given your very 
> clear errors and your obvous zeal for Amtrak, I have
the very powerful 
> mistrust of the rest of your *facts*.

Again; tough to see much from the view out your navel. 
You weren't there and you didn't experience it.


++++++++++++
> .....obviously Amtrak's fault.

Didn't say that.  However, it was Amtrak's fault that
they couldn't [or wouldn't] tell us why the train was
so late coming into Union station.


++++++++++++
> I don't believe this either. Tickets are
computer-generated. 

I saw the ticket myself.  The ticket master in DC said
the error was on Amtrak's end.  They make schedule
changes around the time changes in the spring and fall
and it happens more frequently than they like to admit.
Jeez, can you see *anything* out that navel?


++++++++++++
> .......obviously Amtrak's fault again.

Didn't say that.


++++++++++++
> Mitch, your animus against Amtrak reeks. Does Amtrak
make mistakes? Of 
> course. But give us a break, pal.

Your ignorance reeks, and I'm not your pal.

Good bye.

/Mitch

/Mitch
_____________________________________
Mitch Zeissler
  E-mail: zeissler@directvinternet.com
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