What's happening? Great question. On a recent cross country Amtrak train ride, it became apparent that I needed food. I showed my room attendant my shaking hands and due to requiring accommodation for mobility issues which caused an inability to "go to the food car downstairs" as I was directed by said room attendant, "no" (food) was his final answer.
Shortly thereafter, I fainted. My legs were in the isle and my body was inside my bedroom romette. When I began coming around, it was so magical - there was the food I needed before when I was pleading for just a couple of crackers. All very traumatic and embarassing. (And as a result, I had to leave the train and rest for a few days in a hotel in Kansas.)
Who would ever imagine that Amtrak would decline a shaking woman begging for food and then claim no fault and take no responsibility?
I am legally disabled and when my husband made sure I was safely on the train, I don't believe he imagined that Amtrak would neglect his wife - after all, she made her disability known to Amtrak and her tickets clearly read disability.
As I reflect on Amtrak and what they have said and done since this incident, I see a very generic apology letter - one more appropriate for a backed up toilet. Another letter stated that because I have diabetes "it doesn't appear that Amtrak was liable for the incident." I've never, ever had diabetes. (And if you think about it, what difference does it make when the problem was denying food to a pleading woman. If food were provided when asked for, I wouldn't be writing this - diabetes or not.)
Further, I had another Amtrak employee tell me "this happens all the time on Amtrak.” (Is that in fact something you wish to share Amtrak?)
And, I had an attorney tell me if I had died due to this I would have a case - fortunately or maybe not, I lived and so the same actions that could have led to death turned out well and I'm alive. It is therefore not Amtrak’s problem.
In reaching out to have my needs met, based on my disability, I would pull the call button. It was ignored and in one case it was ignored for 45 minutes.
My bed in my room was left down until noon and I kept hitting my head on it. The room attendant ignored my request to put the bed up. Sometime later, it was put up with a crow bar.
My advice to potential travelers on a cross country Amtrak trip, be prepared to have to accommodate your own needs. These workers in my roomette area were nowhere to be found, ignoring my calls for assistance.
Since my room attendant didn't seem to know that when I was begging for food and my hands and arms were shaking he needed to act, I would advise travelers with issues to not travel alone. It is likely you will need someone to assist you.
It's scary to be on a moving train, in the dark and no help or assistance in sight.
And since Amtrak, based on a $2000 ticket/fare couldn't give me a couple of crackers, be sure to carry your own food. I waited for breakfast (included) for over two hours and it never came.
Somehow it seems that these Amtrak workers don't realize they are dealing with real life and human beings. Travelers on Amtrak need to come to their trip prepared. Once something happens, it is too late and no one at Amtrak cares, especially so when there is no access to any management level personnel. They are kept well hidden.
Amtrak Management: My call button has been on long enough. Begging for food on your trains in America, really? Own up to how wrong this incident was and then get your personnel some basic medical training/knowledge.
It must feel good to you to know that your employees can do anything they want – even at the expense of the safety of the passengers.
And don’t you know that in America, you are not permitted to ignore the needs of disabled passengers – especially when they have been made known? And that is exactly what led to this incident – I absolutely was ignored and denied the staple I needed – food.
