Oh yes. Amtrak is the only long distance passenger rail operation in the US. They always lose money, but Congress keeps sinking more into them, so they aren't going anywhere for a while. I don't think there are any true private companies providing rail passenger service anywhere in the US anymore.
While I'm critical of its subsidized existence, I actually enjoy their service. Since 9/11 flying sucks big time, and a train, while slow and expensive, is a lot less agonizing. And the employees are actually nice to you.
I'm guessing you had a more negative experience?
Yes, negative experience, not Amtraks's staff fault, I think.
Back in the late 80's, I had some money(lots of overtime!), and thought I'd take my parents on a trip to the US. We did a Cooks tour(literally), LA, SF, and Hawaii. Did the usual tourist trips, and when in SF, decided to go to Yosemite National Park on the train.
It was an early start, and we got a taxi to Oakland? station, and got on a nice shiny streamlined Amtrak carriage. I think the train was the San Joaquan? Flyer.
Journey went ok, though it was very foggy(December), and couldn't see much out of the window. We came into Stockton, California, and left again, about 8am I think. A few minutes out of the station, there was a juddering, not much noise, then it got very violent. People went into the ailse, luggage came off the racks, shouting and screaming. Then it stopped, I checked on my parents, who where upset, but ok, everybody else was getting up and looking around, luckily no one seemed badly injured.
I was sat at the left-rearmost seat, and there was a banging on the carriage door behind me. I got up, and opened it, after a bit of a struggle with some luggage. The guard who checked us on was there, looking very distressed, and told us to get everyone out the carriage.
We didn't realise what had happened at this point, just thought it was a bit of a breakdown, hadn't sunk in I suppose. We all got off, and looking back up the line toward Stockton, there was an axle in the middle of the road-crossing, with the twin-wheels still atached. Dawned on us then that the train had struck a vehicle on the crossing, and been de-railed.
We walked back toward the road, there was traffic on both sides, stationary, with people getting out of them. The engine and the first two carriages were on their sides, the carriage we were in, and the ones behind were still on the track.
We stood around, looking after a lady who had a broken, or sprained her ankle , some people had cuts from the falling luggage.
The emergency services were very quick, and we walking wounded were kept in "The American Equipment Company", a local light engineering firm. They were very good, they opened their canteen, let people use the telephones. We waited there, then we were took to the local hospital, checked over, fed, watered, looked after very well.
We were eventually got back to Oakland about 3am.
The papers next day reported three killed, I don't know if that figure got worse, we went on to LA that day.
A distressing experience for all, and could have been much worse for us if that carriage had turned over.
N.
