Sometimes amusing, sometimes moving, and always surprising: the transport alliance Allianz pro Schiene annually invites train passengers to submit their special travel stories for the competition “Eisenbahner mit Herz” (Railway Staff with Heart). Our passenger Mike Finke submitted the following story – which earned Cassandra Petersen and the alex a nomination:
It was on May 7, 2022. My five-year-old daughter Lea and I were traveling on the alex from Regensburg to Hof to surprise Lea’s grandparents. The day had, however, started somewhat sadly – until Cassandra Petersen came along and didn’t leave our side until Hof! It began when it was not possible to buy a ticket by card at the machine, so shortly after departure I turned to the train attendant. When Cassandra Petersen’s payment device also didn’t work right away, Lea became curious and watched closely what this woman was doing. The young train attendant immediately invited Lea to accompany her during ticket checks. She explained everything Lea wanted to know – for example, at the stop in Schwandorf, why and how the train is split at the station. Through a call from my parents, I learned that unfortunately the surprise visit would not work out. Lea sadly told this to Ms. Petersen. However, when she said that she would be traveling back on the same train, Lea was not so upset about the canceled surprise visit. Ms. Petersen even made sure that our 1.5-hour stay in Hof was extremely entertaining. Lea was allowed to visit the train driver in the cab; there was chatting and laughter. And soon it was time to return. Since the train was quiet, Ms. Petersen repeatedly came back to us after the ticket checks. She joked, played, and talked with Lea, all while keeping an eye on her work. In Schwandorf, our paths were supposed to part because Ms. Petersen’s shift was over. However, she even took Lea to the announcement terminal. There, she announced the connecting services, said goodbye to the passengers – and handed the receiver to Lea, who added a “Goodbye dear passengers.” Lea still tells this story today! When Ms. Petersen said goodbye to us, a few tears were shed. This journey remains unforgettable for both of us. Every time we travel on the alex, Lea hopes that Ms. Petersen will be on board again as a train attendant.
