[aggman]

What a weekend.
First, we got to the airport at O'Hare on Friday at 5 to find all Delta flights (ours was 2820) to Detroit cancelled although the weather wasn't bad yet in Chicago and was intermittently bad in Detroit. No explanations, no alternatives. A one way car to Detroit was at rental offices that had it available for $700 to $1000 just for a drop-off fee.
We rescheduled for 9am (flight 2620) the next morning after paying for a hotel room, boarded the plane at 8:30 and waited and waited for them to fix a latch. We were finally told to deplane the plane with luggage which we did. We were told to wait in line to talk on a phone to a Delta agent since there were no agents or Delta people around. The flight was delayed till 2pm. I accidentally changed to a flight at 4:15 which was fortunate because 2620 was delayed till 3, then 5:30, then cancelled without explanation. Planes were canceled, no explanations, no help, no one around, people were screaming, such as a Chinese family not knowing what to do, a man who spoke little English with 3 kids stuck, everyone bewildered.
We had no faith that Delta would fly again that day and fortunately, 2720 got off around 5:30, packed with people.
I have never seen a more customer-punishing airline experience with no people to help, no options, everyone feeling stuck, and everyone ,including me, never wanting to fly Delta again.

[jimworcs]

I hope you will follow through and never fly them again. This is a toxic organisation which has the most hostile, anti-passenger attitude of any airline with the possible exception of Ryanair in Europe. You should avoid them at all costs: your experience is typical of many, as reading this board will attest.

[aggman]

I agree with you. Delta's service is lousy but when you're from Detroit, they are often the only option. But I will try to avoid them at all costs.

[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

The OP's story is another example of the advantages of starting your trip early in the morning. There are three departures every day to Detroit from Chicago. However, the last train leaves Chicago at 6:00 PM. Too late if you're still at O'Hare around 5:30.

For future reference the Amtrak fare is about $43 one way, with Business Class seating available for a surcharge. The trip time is just under 7 hours with no change of trains. There is no checked baggage service between Chicago and Detroit. You must carry everything on. For those stranded at either of Chicago's airports due to weather one should remember that Chicago is Amtrak's hub. So travel to many points on Amtrak's system is possible, without a change of trains, from Chicago.

[aggman]

I had a meeting and couldn't just move to a train. However, I know that the Mega Bus, car, or train would be a better option than flying. My wife said the same thing.

[jimworcs]

Detroit to Chicago is 281 miles according to Google. Paris to Lyon by comparison is 288 miles.

It is no wonder people don't use trains in the US.

The train from Lyon to Paris takes 2 hours 12 minutes.

7 hours is utterly unbelieveable!! It is less than 45 miles per hour. Do you still have a man walking in front of the train with a flag? WTF?

[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

Jim: One does not travel Amtrak for speed. If your departure and destination cities also have Amtrak stations then Amtrak is good for two things: (1) Amtrak is more resistant to bad weather, like thunder storms, than the plane. (2) Perhaps because of Amtrak's better pay (at least for some crew members) Amtrak crews are generally more civilized and less inclined to make a police case out of every single slight--real and imagined.

A correction: My 7-hour figure is closer to 6.5---as if that makes any difference in terms of time. The schedules are at:

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Conten.../1237405732505

Under "MICHIGAN SERVICES," click on the "effective date."

[jimworcs]

Jim: One does not travel Amtrak for speed

I guess not!

You are right... 6.5hrs doesn't really make much difference. I am taken aback at what the train is doing. How can it travel so slowly? I can't imagine, unless it stops at every po dunk town enroute, how it can maintain such a slow speed.

[The_Judge]

I think you nailed it. I've never taken Amtrak but have driven through small towns and have seen it stopped picking up/dropping off people. It's not much better than a long-haul bus imo

[Leatherboy2006]

The state of the rails in the US on most routes would not support high speed trains like in Europe, most of the rails are in very bad need of repair (if not totally replaced).
Amtrak is just as disgusting as most of the airlines, with dirty trains, late trains, and very rude employees.