Current mood:	pissed off
Entry tags:	amtrak, life

Trains
The train is the most econmoical way to travel based on fuel used. So why is Amtrak failing? How about they are not clear and they have too much variation. Sean was supposed to take the train up here tonight. But he could not. Why? Macomb is an unmanned station and he would be travelling after dark. Minors are not allowed to do either of those things. It does not make that clear on the website. All the website made clear was that you could not buy a half price minor ticket alone. So Sean was stuck in Macomb, but sgtgwn is bringing him up at the sacrifice of her night. I was going to drive down and get him, but she is going to come up here and then drive to Des Moines tomorrow. Sigh. And then on Monday he still can not go to Macomb. My Dad has to pick him up in Galesburg. And I can not have him start in Naperville because the ticket agents do not start there until 11am and the train leaves at 8am. How does any of this make sense? So I have to take him to Union Station to catch the 7:30 train, so we will have to leave my place by 6:15 to make sure we get there in time. Fun, fun.

And then the gas costs. And the cost on the enviroment. He could take Metra anywhere up here without a second glance. I could put him on a plane or a bus. But not on an Amtrak. I called customer relations, gave them my guests reward number and then told them that this is why Amtrak loses money. I would have paid more to have my son on the train!

I know that I should have checked the rules in advance. It is my mistake. But I never dreamed the rules would be this stupid. All in the name of protecting a minor. Which by the way, is only until you are 16 for Amtrak. And the age at which you are not a child is a whole subject unto itself for me.

ARGH