Cross Country Amtrak Horror Show

Charlie Weeks
Aug 24, 2017 · 6 min read

A cross country train trip gone awry after sitting next to criminals on the run.

10/16/2014

My bad luck seemed to continue as I was seated around a bunch of older gang of characters.

Coming from Chicago to San Francisco, I didn’t quite realize yet that this two and a half day long Amtrak ride was going to end up feeling much longer to be; as opposed to the comfortable ride with endless cross-country scenery that I was hoping for.

As soon as I was directed to my a seat someone sat next to me. He told me his name was “Lucky.” Asking what his story was, he told me that he was on the run from the law after being handed a three-year jail sentence for 3 counts of drunk driving.

Perhaps by then I should have taken that as warning sign to request another seat, but he seemed nice and sympathetic — talking about returning to his wife and kids in Fresno. And then there were a few others sitting behind me who got increasingly sketchy — especially after the first night on the train.

On top of noticing three to four of the people, “Lucky”, and a very ramshackle/overly old and strung out looking couple telling others that they were on their 40th wedding anniversary and had a big bouquet.

Where the man’s face was so flabby and wrinkled you could barely see his eyes. With a wife who had one of those one sided support canes that run up her elbow, and young-ish looking Asian guy who spoke with them every now and then. Sitting in between the couple and I.

Though whenever the train would stop at a station for a bit and people would go outside for a smoke, the couple and “Lucky” hung out and chatted with each other rather often. I’d often smell weed coming from them — as well as chatter about ‘spliffs’ or whatever else.

I securely kept my big with all my most valuables (computer, meds) in a hard to reach area. Though it is possible that they may have gone into my other bag with just my clothes in them — since I saw later saw that the zippers were wide open.

But then again I may have left it that way to get a tooth brush or something, since it was over packed was rather difficult to re-close.

Soon I couldn’t help but get the impression that these people behind me were talking about me in negative ways and maybe talking about the computer I had, or about ‘pills in that guys pouch.’

I couldn’t help but keep hearing things that seemed aimed towards me. All done in a fashion where the woman would be talking in a low whispery volume and then suddenly in a louder voice hear her talking about how some observation of the spectacular view of the Colorado mountains.

And so throughout the morning and afternoon period, I was conflicted as to whether I was just hearing things or if my edgy instincts were onto something.

I also noticed that on the opposite side of the train car we were in, I could see the reflection of the young Asian man sitting behind me. Where I figured with that angle of reflection, he could probably see me too. Hence perhaps giving some justification of some of odd conversation I was possibly overhearing that seemed directed about me.

At that point I took my big bag and went out to the observation car to get away from it but soon the couple walked into the car shortly after. During I overheard the older guy talking on his cell phone with some friend — it sounded like — saying how they got this ‘one young fella scared to pieces (to perhaps paraphrase it) — followed by a sort of chuckling sound.

I’m not sure if this was before or after, but this “Lucky” guy, who was still happy-go-lucky amicable (almost like a good cop, bad cop routine) asked if he could borrow my phone so he can call his family in Fresno. I just looked at him and shrugged a passive ‘No.’

After a little bit more time on the train, really trying to consider my options of what to do; believing that I couldn’t say anything without coming across as paranoid — as I knew I had no solid evidence to back me up. All I had was my word against theirs’.

Soon I got up from my seat and moved to a few coach cars down and sat in an empty chair. I felt both paranoid and threatened. Feeling that I could not be around in a place where those people had access to.

So I chose drop an extra $300 for my own sleeper car from Salt Lake City to Reno (would have been $400 to Emeryville, CA — which the conductors even said it was ridiculous since both are essentially overnight rides). The room was located in the last car of the train.

Not wanting to pass by these four people I found threatening and suspicious. I figured I could get past them without them looking when we reached a station that had cigarette breaks.

So I waited in one of the coach cars until the train stopped. Whereby then I got up with my bag of valuables and walked through the car I started my trip in, where the old couple and “Lucky” were predictably absent smoking on the platform.

As I pulled my bag down and started going to the back of the train car the Asian man saw what I was doing and I clearly remember glancing at him for a moment and hearing his reaction to my walking away and looked out the window at the platform then in what appeared to be panic he said a breathy ‘Oh shit!’

I never looked back as I headed to the bottom right corner of the last train car — where I at least was able to get a full night of sleep but still felt weary and neurotic.

As I was settling into my room I shut all the blinds that looked out into the hallway. Yet shortly I was met with a loud pound on my glass door. I didn’t open my door nor bother looking out the windows to try and catch a glimpse of who had done that.

Yet found waking up to the view of vacant mounds of land outside my window in twilight gave me some ease and further comfort.

______

The next day when I was supposed to arrive in Emoryville, outside of San Francisco, I returned to the coach. The old couple was gone, and all who were left were Lucky and the Asian man who had sat behind.

When it reached Lucky’s stop I thought I heard him say ‘We’ll get him’ to his friend, and to which he then got off in a town north east of San Francisco.

While arriving at the last stop I felt that I was finally safe; even though I had an itinerary that would later include Los Angeles and then Phoenix. However it would turn out to be the beginning of my encounters out West.

)
Charlie Weeks

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writer, observer, thought generator

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