AFTER ACCEPTING A CLRNC TO CLB 4000 FT IN 4 MINS; AN RJ85 CREW DETERMINED AFTER THREE AND ONE HALF MINS THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO MAKE THE CLB.

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WHILE CRUISING AT FL290; WE WERE ASSIGNED FL330. THE CTLR THEN ASKED HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE FOR US TO CLB TO FL330 FROM FL290. THE CAPT RESPONDED BY SAYING 4 MINS. AS WE WERE CLBING THROUGH FL320 IT HAD ALREADY BEEN 3 1/2 MINS AND WE WERE ONLY CLBING AT 500 FPM. WE COULD NOT INCREASE OUR RATE OF CLB BECAUSE WE HAD ALREADY REACHED OUR MINIMUM CLB SPD FOR OUR ALT AND WT. THE CAPT CALLED ATC AND RPTED THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REACH FL330 IN THE REQUESTED 4 MINS. AS WE WERE CLBING THROUGH FL325; THE CTLR KEPT ASKING US IF WE WERE LEVEL AT FL330. HE REPEATED THIS QUESTION 3 TIMES WHILE WE WERE TRYING TO GET BACK WITH HIM. HE ALSO TURNED A NEARBY FLT 15 DEGS R FOR SPACING. WE DID NOT GET ANY RA'S OR TA'S FROM OUR TCASII; SO WE WERE NOT SURE HOW CLOSE WE WERE. BUT JUDGING BY THE CTLR'S TONE OF VOICE; WE THOUGHT THAT THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LOSS OF SEPARATION. LOOKING BACK AT THIS SIT; I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ASSERTIVE WITH THE CAPT WHEN HE SAID IT WOULD ONLY TAKE 4 MINS FOR US TO CLB TO FL330. WE COULD HAVE THEN LET THE CTLR KNOW THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO DO WHAT WAS REQUESTED AND THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.