I think it is only fair to post this as I have read tons of posts about children and the parents not controlling the kids: I completely understand and relate to these being people's pet peeves but I want to tell you my story.
I was raised on Amtrak practically. We were not (still arn't
) a wealthy family by any means but my mother had a love for traveling which has been passed down for sure. Being raised in Seattle, we have the two main long distant routes, EB and CS. My mother was raised in Minnesota so she would frequent the Empire Builder to go see family and friends on that train. Me being a toddler, I was lucky enough to get to go such a long distance on the train. I was never a big fan of Thomas The Tank Engine since I was lucky enough to actually get to
RIDE the REAL train. No fictional stuff for me, I got to live it. I remember telling my friends just what the train was like and they were amazed. 2 floors? No WAY! We always road coach and I had never done Sleeper until a couple years ago and of course I'm hooked on that, too.
I guess why I am typing this is to try and explain to those who don't want to deal with kids scremaing and running and what not. What I am trying to say is that the impressions that kids get on a train lasts a lifetime. I am probably a train fanatic because
I was brought up with it and loved every minute of it. I know in the early 1990's people had to put up with me screaming, crying, crawling and running around the train too. I was not A.D.D. or anything, but all kids need to move around and LOVE attention. Because people were willing to put up with me when I was young, I am now a lifelong train rider. Remember that these kids you have to "deal with" right now very well might be the next generation conductor or head of Amtrak. I kid you not.
I would encourage everyone to be greatful for the young people who get the chance to experience the train at such an early age. They will be addicted just like the rest of us since it will be ingrained as a childhood memory just like mine. Some day, they might get the chance to serve you on an L.D. train. I know it is hard to put up with, but seriously, they are the next generation of train "gurus".