Conductor Problems

[Wendy Merseth]

My husband and I took his " first" train ride this weekend between Modesto and LA. We had a wonderful time except the Conductor who continued to bully travelers into moving their belongings or body parts off the seat adjacent or risk having to purchase another ticket. There were at least a 100 available seats while she continued her rant. Definitely a feeling of being second class citizens on this trip.

 

[Ryan]

What did Amtrak say when you called to complain?

 

[Wendy merseth]

And- forgot to mention how the "Conductor" stated over the loudspeaker that she would hate it if people were held " personally responsible" financially for injuries sustained from older people who tripped over backpack straps in the aisle! What????

 

[Ryan]

What did Amtrak say when you called to complain?

 

[tonys96]

Some attendants are pretty strict. Others, not so much.

 

[SarahZ]

To be fair, suitcase edges and backpack straps in the aisle are a tripping hazard, especially on a bumpy ride.

As for the rest of it, it sounds like you had someone on a power trip. Did you call Amtrak to complain? We aren't affiliated with Amtrak, so there's nothing we can do, other than recommending you call them.

Good luck!

 

[amtkstn]

That is one of many things that the conductor must do as part of their job. It insures both all passengers get a seat and also the overall safety of the train.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

I have heard many conductors making similar announcements. It has never sounded fascist to me, especially since they explain WHY they're doing it (to keep seats open and prevent tripping) and not just "because I said so."

I have also noticed that my traveling companion & I often have a hard time finding 2 seats together, even when the train is half empty. So, the car can be less than half full, but there's 1 person in each "pair" of seats - and all of those singletons are spreading their stuff across both seats, hoping that no one takes the seat next to them. Sure, there may be 100 open seats, but SOMEBODY has to move their stuff.

 

[VentureForth]

You know how hard it was for me to get a seat on the Pacific Surfliner? DOZENS of open seats - all with window hogs' posessions in them. I was tired, didn't feel confrontational and didn't ask for someone to move, not to mention everyone seems to be "asleep" when you want to talk to to them.

Next time I'm on the Surfliner, I hope that conductor is on board and you aren't.

 

[tomfuller]

On National Train Day 5/10/14 I was assigned a seat # when I boarded the CS at 9:30AM . I had to awaken the guy sprawled across both seats. After I sat in my assigned seat he took off for the SSL. He did come back shortly before I was ready to get off in Eugene.

 

[Henry Kisor]

California Amtrak riders tend to be terrible seat hogs, and quite a few conductors don't enforce the seat-hogging rules. More than once my wife and I (both gimpy senior citizens) have had to stand in a car with lots of empty aisle seats because the seat hogs refused to give up the seats they didn't pay for—and the conductor just shrugged. I am glad to see that some conductors are enforcing the rules against the self-entitled. 'Bout time.

 

[SarahZ]

Whoa. I responded to the OP's original story, which has been heavily edited and censored by mods since then.

Had I read this version, my response would not have been "call Amtrak". In the original, the conductor came off much, much worse, as in barking orders to passengers and being rude in general.

My apologies for the "strange" reply that goes against what everyone else is saying, but I was basing my response off the original story.

 

[Ryan]

There's a fine line between enforcing the rules, and being rude about it.

I agree that the rules should be enforced.

If our intrepid guest feels that it crossed the line, I welcome her calling Amtrak to see what they have to say about it.

 

[Acela150]

If our intrepid guest feels that it crossed the line, I welcome her calling Amtrak to see what they have to say about it.

For the third time non the less!!

 

[SarahZ]

There's a fine line between enforcing the rules, and being rude about it.

I agree that the rules should be enforced.

If our intrepid guest feels that it crossed the line, I welcome her calling Amtrak to see what they have to say about it.

Agreed on all counts.

 

[City of Miami]

I hadn't realized our posts are subject to censorship. Good to know :-|

 

[SarahZ]

I hadn't realized our posts are subject to censorship. Good to know :-|

Definitely. Part of mine was removed around the same time the OP's was edited.

I usually don't mind, but sometimes it makes things confusing, like when (for example) someone responds to GML but GML's post is gone. Or sometimes it makes my reply look stupid since I'm replying to text that isn't even there anymore and the entire meaning changes (such as this time).

I like when the mods put in a little note that says "Edited by mod for clarity" or "Edited by mod to fix train dates". It doesn't show up as "edited" when the mods do it, which adds to the confusion, so it's nice when they pop a note in, like a proofreader's mark/comment.

 

[HAL]

You know how hard it was for me to get a seat on the Pacific Surfliner? DOZENS of open seats - all with window hogs' posessions in them. I was tired, didn't feel confrontational and didn't ask for someone to move, not to mention everyone seems to be "asleep" when you want to talk to to them.

Next time I'm on the Surfliner, I hope that conductor is on board and you aren't.

That happens a lot. And many passengers are like you.....they don't want to feel or be confrontational and ask someone to move. And you shouldn't have to ask them to move. I have seen passengers have to go thru several cars to find a seat when there are plenty available but being hogged. And the seat hogs won't move their stuff on their own even when they see people looking for seats. So the Conductor at times has to be persuasive. They should be persuisive politely though.

 

[MikefromCrete]

I hadn't realized our posts are subject to censorship. Good to know :-|

At least one of my recent posts was edited, removing a pretty good joke that had been commented on by other posters. Another post was removed probably because of a political rant.

 

[iggy]

I've seen the paid for one seat but going to take up both scenario many times. Business Class riders in Illinois are bad about not sitting in a single seat that is open taking a 2 seater and making it hard for those who bought those seats to sit there. Placing all their items in 2nd seat.

I've seen the sprawled out sleepers. The college kids and other passengers that put all their belongings in a seat like it is their territory. When asked to be a bit more respectful many passengers give the conductor attitude. When announcements do cover the topic - which is rare - majority ignore what is said.

Then again I have also seen conductor behavior many times of ignoring issues not wanting to enforce rules etc etc.

 

[tricia]

I hadn't realized our posts are subject to censorship. Good to know :-|

Definitely. Part of mine was removed around the same time the OP's was edited.

I usually don't mind, but sometimes it makes things confusing, like when (for example) someone responds to GML but GML's post is gone. Or sometimes it makes my reply look stupid since I'm replying to text that isn't even there anymore and the entire meaning changes (such as this time).

I like when the mods put in a little note that says "Edited by mod for clarity" or "Edited by mod to fix train dates". It doesn't show up as "edited" when the mods do it, which adds to the confusion, so it's nice when they pop a note in, like a proofreader's mark/comment.

For sure mods should note when they've made edits. There will inevitably be differences of opinion about whether edits should have been made, but as long as this is a forum on which posts are attributed to the individual who posts them, the simple fact that a post has been changed by mods really needs to be noted. Thanks in advance. If that's not going to be the routine practice, I for one will be reluctant to post in the future.

 

[MrFSS]

I hadn't realized our posts are subject to censorship. Good to know :-|

Definitely. Part of mine was removed around the same time the OP's was edited.

I usually don't mind, but sometimes it makes things confusing, like when (for example) someone responds to GML but GML's post is gone. Or sometimes it makes my reply look stupid since I'm replying to text that isn't even there anymore and the entire meaning changes (such as this time).

I like when the mods put in a little note that says "Edited by mod for clarity" or "Edited by mod to fix train dates". It doesn't show up as "edited" when the mods do it, which adds to the confusion, so it's nice when they pop a note in, like a proofreader's mark/comment.

For sure mods should note when they've made edits. There will inevitably be differences of opinion about whether edits should have been made, but as long as this is a forum on which posts are attributed to the individual who posts them, the simple fact that a post has been changed by mods really needs to be noted. Thanks in advance. If that's not going to be the routine practice, I for one will be reluctant to post in the future.

A review of this shows that the original post, and a follow up post by the original poster had ONE word removed. That word was an attempt to bypass the bad word filter the software uses. Several other posts were then edited as they didn't make sense in light of the one word being removed.

 

[comductor]

Well, I agree that the seats need to be available, and I can almost garuntee that if the OP calls in the conductor will be talked to. I encoruage the OP to call in, as there is a way to ask and being condescending over the PA is not the way to handle the situation.

I may fall into the catigory of a conductor who doesnt act on seat and baggae issues, and the reason is amtrak management. As a conductor (well really any position of authority now days that requires being the bad guy, police, security, etc) I am constantly scrutinized by the public, and there ia just no possible way to please everybody. No matter how you ask, or what the reason ia some bystander will have somthing nefitive to say about it. I have been called in the offixe for announcing that we were involves in a tresspasser incident as sombody felt that the victims rights were being oppressed as they "wernt a tresspasser until convicted in court", and for putting off a paasenfer in the middle od nowhere (modesto station) because she was amoking on board the train next to sombosy with oxygen, and thw lady on oxygen files thw complaint because we ahiuld have given her a warning. Amtrak managment does NOT support thw crews when we enforce the rules they set fourth. So if I just turn a blind eye, make no issue about it, and do nothing, therebis no complaints and if by the off chance there is...i never saw it.

Its unfortunate but thats the way scociety works, and if that means that the passenger has to walk a car or two for a seat so be it. If It truly is a full train, I have no problem asking people nicely to move their belongings but there had better be no other open seats if I ask, as I need to justify it to management when the offendes peraon who had to accomidate somebody else calls in.

 

[SarahZ]

It wasn't a swear word or bad word. I don't use those on AU. I was simply referencing the OP and responding to her rant. It was a political party during WWII, hence my confusion about it being "forbidden". I've seen much worse things said on here.

I'm not trying to be a pain. I was just confused and thought the filter was buggy since that's not a swear word. No harm, no foul. /shrug I won't use the word from now on.

 

[MrFSS]

It wasn't a swear word or bad word. I don't use those on AU. I was simply referencing the OP and responding to her rant. It was a political party during WWII, hence my confusion about it being "forbidden". I've seen much worse things said on here.

I'm not trying to be a pain. I was just confused and thought the filter was buggy since that's not a swear word. No harm, no foul. /shrug I won't use the word from now on.

You didn't use the word, if I remember correctly, only the OP did.