Don't Go Into The Woods With Amtrak

Normally I am a big fan of Amtrak but after reading about Amtrak Train 98, the "Meteor" which has been stalled in the middle of the Georgia woods near Savannah for over 24 hours with a load of passengers I am beginning to have less than positive feelings towards the company.

What outraged me was a comment made by Amtrak spokesman Cliff Black who made the heartless comment that people who couldn't afford to pay for food would be dealt with on a "case-by-case basis." It seems to me that if you have just stranded your passengers out in the middle of nowhere for over 24 hours it shouldn't be too much to ask or expect that you open the coffers a little and just offer up free food for the inconvenience. The comment made by Mr. Black just paints a picture of an uncaring, money-grubbing corporation looking out for it's own best interests in the face of the discomfort and inconvenience of these passengers.

I realize that the situation is a result of a CSX freight train which derailed and Amtrak had no hand in that but the bottom line is, you could at least make a gesture of goodwill and customer service. Open up the snack car, it's been over 24 hours and these people are in the middle of the woods with no towns or services nearby. They are literally trapped on the train and even though it is not life threatening it is definitely not an enjoyable time.

A company should be more pro-active in seeing to the needs of their paying customers, and in this situation Amtrak has lost my support for now.