NYT article - The Quiet Car

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Suppose Mr A has a medical incident in the Lounge car and the crew needs to find Mrs A ASAP. Would help if the crew knew which order the cars are lined up to facilitate finding Mrs A in her room(ette). Oh, by the way, using the PA to page her won't help because she's deaf/HoH.
You sure showed me. I guess I should never underestimate the sheer ingeniousness of the Excuses Unlimited forum. :p

So at 2:30 AM or so the conductor walks to the car next to the diner, forgetting that in order to please passengers that want to pick a specific side of the train for their room, that the car next to the dining car for this trip is really the 11 car and he proceeds to wake up the wrong person in an attempt to get them off the train.
That's ok, the conductor's phone will have active maps of the entire train that will lead Mr. Magoo right to the correct seat. The electronic sign above the seat will have the passengers name and destination and there will be a flashing light next to the ejection button that even a half blind conductor could hone in on. There will also be electronic handcuffs that will keep all passengers in their assigned seats so that the conductors can't possibly get it wrong. :rolleyes:

Or less extreme, passenger comes into the diner not remembering what their car number is, now the crew has to remember that the 11 car is next to the diner instead of the normal 10 car. It just creates unnecessary confusion for the crew. The cars are number in order for a reason.
At the moment little if any attention is paid to the actual numbers on the cars. The customers have no idea what they mean and the staff don't even bother to look at them. Basically they serve no purpose. But oh dear god if someone ever changed it all hell would break lose. :ph34r:
 
Whatever happened to the woman who was arrested (for disorderly conduct) after others claimed she had been talking almost non-stop for 16 hours on her cell phone (in the Quiet Car) from Oakland to Salem, OR on the Coast Starlight? From what I understand, the arrest was because she was being abusive towards others who were annoyed that she wouldn't stop.

http://democratheral...1cc4c002e0.html

http://blogs.village...eysha_beard.php

http://www.katu.com/.../121962009.html

Of course the CS arrives in Oakland at about 10 PM, so she was not only in a quiet car but yapping throughout the night when others were trying to sleep.
 
So at 2:30 AM or so the conductor walks to the car next to the diner, forgetting that in order to please passengers that want to pick a specific side of the train for their room, that the car next to the dining car for this trip is really the 11 car and he proceeds to wake up the wrong person in an attempt to get them off the train.
That's ok, the conductor's phone will have active maps of the entire train that will lead Mr. Magoo right to the correct seat. The electronic sign above the seat will have the passengers name and destination and there will be a flashing light next to the ejection button that even a half blind conductor could hone in on. There will also be electronic handcuffs that will keep all passengers in their assigned seats so that the conductors can't possibly get it wrong. :rolleyes:
So now we're spending millions, all so a few passengers can be able to ensure that the sleeper they're buying is on the right side of the car. Great! :rolleyes:

Or less extreme, passenger comes into the diner not remembering what their car number is, now the crew has to remember that the 11 car is next to the diner instead of the normal 10 car. It just creates unnecessary confusion for the crew. The cars are number in order for a reason.
At the moment little if any attention is paid to the actual numbers on the cars. The customers have no idea what they mean and the staff don't even bother to look at them. Basically they serve no purpose. But oh dear god if someone ever changed it all hell would break lose. :ph34r:
Many customers don't know, but most crews do look at the numbers and try to get them right.

All of this is simply a solution looking for a problem.
 
I especially appreciate Dining Car LSAs who make and enforce the policy of no cell phones or texting in the Dining Car. People are there to enjoy good food and face to face conversation.
Of course there actually is no such policy, so any LSA doing that is actually violating Amtrak policy.
Okay. Olympian's comment had me baffled.
To be fair, OlympianHiawatha said the LSA makes and then enforces the policy, as in making up the policy, then enforcing it. Probably accurate.
 
So at 2:30 AM or so the conductor walks to the car next to the diner, forgetting that in order to please passengers that want to pick a specific side of the train for their room, that the car next to the dining car for this trip is really the 11 car and he proceeds to wake up the wrong person in an attempt to get them off the train.
That's ok, the conductor's phone will have active maps of the entire train that will lead Mr. Magoo right to the correct seat. The electronic sign above the seat will have the passengers name and destination and there will be a flashing light next to the ejection button that even a half blind conductor could hone in on. There will also be electronic handcuffs that will keep all passengers in their assigned seats so that the conductors can't possibly get it wrong. :rolleyes:
So now we're spending millions, all so a few passengers can be able to ensure that the sleeper they're buying is on the right side of the car. Great! :rolleyes: ...
Millions??? Amtrak's cost structure is worse than I thought.

No organization is more adept at dreaming up reasons to not do things than Amtrak. They have refined it to an art.
 
So at 2:30 AM or so the conductor walks to the car next to the diner, forgetting that in order to please passengers that want to pick a specific side of the train for their room, that the car next to the dining car for this trip is really the 11 car and he proceeds to wake up the wrong person in an attempt to get them off the train.
That's ok, the conductor's phone will have active maps of the entire train that will lead Mr. Magoo right to the correct seat. The electronic sign above the seat will have the passengers name and destination and there will be a flashing light next to the ejection button that even a half blind conductor could hone in on. There will also be electronic handcuffs that will keep all passengers in their assigned seats so that the conductors can't possibly get it wrong. :rolleyes:
So now we're spending millions, all so a few passengers can be able to ensure that the sleeper they're buying is on the right side of the car. Great! :rolleyes: ...
Millions??? Amtrak's cost structure is worse than I thought.
Well if we're putting electronic signs at every seat/room, ejection systems for passengers, flashing lights, and so on, I strongly suspect that the price tag will be hefty.

No organization is more adept at dreaming up reasons to not do things than Amtrak. They have refined it to an art.
Yes, they are rather good at that. But this isn't one of those times IMHO.
 
Letters in response to the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/21/opinion/when-the-quiet-car-on-amtrak-is-less-than-quiet.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&_r=0

Best one, in my opinion:

To the Editor:

Recently on an Amtrak train, a fellow passenger across the aisle from me in the Quiet Car was involved in an animated cellphone conversation about a real estate transaction. The conductor came through and said: “Sir, I must ask that you refrain from using your cellphone. You are in the Quiet Car.”

Annoyed, he looked up and said: “I can’t hear you. I’m on the phone.”

TRICIA BARDENWERPER

New Castle, N.H., Nov. 18, 2012
 
The Quiet Car has the civilized attitude to it, though. I think many people want it to be the "silent car" and instead of having the icon of a person shushing (fingers to their lips), they want a slash through a person talking. With headphones and earplugs you can create your own silence. It is odd why Amtrak doesn't sell earplugs in the cafe car. They could make a killing selling those for $5.
 
I especially appreciate Dining Car LSAs who make and enforce the policy of no cell phones or texting in the Dining Car. People are there to enjoy good food and face to face conversation.
Of course there actually is no such policy, so any LSA doing that is actually violating Amtrak policy.
Okay. Olympian's comment had me baffled.
Me too. Contrary to his apparent belief, many of us primarily go to the Dining Car to eat, and if a good conversation happens to take place that is an added bonus, but by no means is such guaranteed. And when you get Mr. Grump and Ms. Grouch as your table-mate I don't see any reason why an LSA should have the liberty to interfere in whatever I want to do as long as I am not disturbing anyone or getting in anyone's way. The LSA's job description does not include being the "Social Director" of the Diners.

I would go so far as to file a complaint against such behavior on part of an LSA if it becomes too intrusive.
 
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Suppose Mr A has a medical incident in the Lounge car and the crew needs to find Mrs A ASAP. Would help if the crew knew which order the cars are lined up to facilitate finding Mrs A in her room(ette). Oh, by the way, using the PA to page her won't help because she's deaf/HoH.
You sure showed me. I guess I should never underestimate the sheer ingeniousness of the Excuses Unlimited forum. :p
Perhaps I didn't show you. I was stating a real possibility that could have easily happened to my husband & i if we had been fortunate enough to take a LD trip before his passing. You need to think outside of your little world.
 
Suppose Mr A has a medical incident in the Lounge car and the crew needs to find Mrs A ASAP. Would help if the crew knew which order the cars are lined up to facilitate finding Mrs A in her room(ette). Oh, by the way, using the PA to page her won't help because she's deaf/HoH.
You sure showed me. I guess I should never underestimate the sheer ingeniousness of the Excuses Unlimited forum. :p
Perhaps I didn't show you. I was stating a real possibility that could have easily happened to my husband & i if we had been fortunate enough to take a LD trip before his passing. You need to think outside of your little world.
Says the person who thinks their own personal circumstances trump any potential benefit to thousands of others? :mellow:

You sure showed me. I guess I should never underestimate the sheer ingeniousness of the Excuses Unlimited forum. :p
Nor should we underestimate the stubbornness of the Whiners Unlimited Forum
If you don't like my ideas for improving the Amtrak experience that's fine with me. I'll continue to come up with more of them and you're free to attack them to your heart's content. ^_^
 
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Suppose Mr A has a medical incident in the Lounge car and the crew needs to find Mrs A ASAP. Would help if the crew knew which order the cars are lined up to facilitate finding Mrs A in her room(ette). Oh, by the way, using the PA to page her won't help because she's deaf/HoH.
You sure showed me. I guess I should never underestimate the sheer ingeniousness of the Excuses Unlimited forum. :p
Perhaps I didn't show you. I was stating a real possibility that could have easily happened to my husband & i if we had been fortunate enough to take a LD trip before his passing. You need to think outside of your little world.
Says the person who thinks their own personal circumstances trump any potential benefit to thousands of others? :mellow:
Have you done a survey to see if your idea(s) would benefit thousands of others? That is just your opinion as my statement is also just my opinion. I did not put down your opinion, but just gave you an scenerio where what you were proposing MIGHT be a problem.
 
Suppose Mr A has a medical incident in the Lounge car and the crew needs to find Mrs A ASAP. Would help if the crew knew which order the cars are lined up to facilitate finding Mrs A in her room(ette). Oh, by the way, using the PA to page her won't help because she's deaf/HoH.
You sure showed me. I guess I should never underestimate the sheer ingeniousness of the Excuses Unlimited forum. :p
Perhaps I didn't show you. I was stating a real possibility that could have easily happened to my husband & i if we had been fortunate enough to take a LD trip before his passing. You need to think outside of your little world.
Says the person who thinks their own personal circumstances trump any potential benefit to thousands of others? :mellow:
Have you done a survey to see if your idea(s) would benefit thousands of others? That is just your opinion as my statement is also just my opinion. I did not put down your opinion, but just gave you an scenerio where what you were proposing MIGHT be a problem.
No, I have not done any surveys, which is precisely why I added a rather obvious qualifier, which is highlighted in red above. It's true, in your scenario my suggestion may actually make things harder for people in that situation. I just happen to see your scenario as the outlier rather than the consensus or the exception rather than the rule. Where you're wrong is that this is not about my personal travels. I've seen my various routes every possible which way. I've already been on both sides of the train. I've been in coach seats, roomettes, bedrooms, family rooms, and observations cars. This isn't about me personally. This is about people who don't travel on Amtrak as much as those of us on this forum do. Those who may only have the time or money to travel once in a blue moon and would like to pick the seat and the view they get. Maybe being able to choose your seat or your view is something only a very small number of people would want, but my guess is that it would actually be a big plus for many who are already familiar with picking their seats elsewhere and don't realize that the only thing preventing them from doing that now are some technical changes.
 
This is about people who don't travel on Amtrak as much as those of us on this forum do. Those who may only have the time or money to travel once in a blue moon and would like to pick the seat and the view they get. Maybe being able to choose your seat or your view is something only a very small number of people would want, but my guess is that it would actually be a big plus for many who are already familiar with picking their seats elsewhere and don't realize that the only thing preventing them from doing that now are some technical changes.
Most people would have no idea which seat/room to pick for the best scenery, unless they were to visit a forum like this before booking. And that's why this is a solution looking for a problem.

The ability to choose a seat period is something that has consideration, even though there are both pluses and minuses to doing so or keeping the status quo.
 
Suppose Mr A has a medical incident in the Lounge car and the crew needs to find Mrs A ASAP. Would help if the crew knew which order the cars are lined up to facilitate finding Mrs A in her room(ette). Oh, by the way, using the PA to page her won't help because she's deaf/HoH.
You sure showed me. I guess I should never underestimate the sheer ingeniousness of the Excuses Unlimited forum. :p
Perhaps I didn't show you. I was stating a real possibility that could have easily happened to my husband & i if we had been fortunate enough to take a LD trip before his passing. You need to think outside of your little world.
Says the person who thinks their own personal circumstances trump any potential benefit to thousands of others? :mellow:

You sure showed me. I guess I should never underestimate the sheer ingeniousness of the Excuses Unlimited forum. :p
Nor should we underestimate the stubbornness of the Whiners Unlimited Forum
If you don't like my ideas for improving the Amtrak experience that's fine with me. I'll continue to come up with more of them and you're free to attack them to your heart's content. ^_^
Texas:

I don't mean to disagree with constructive criticisms... nor do I mean to put you down.

What I do like to do is make fun in some of the same ways you do. Many of your comments are not expressing ideas to improve Amtrak, and I consider them fair game for wisecracks. I do not consider my remarks to be "attacks" any more than yours are.

If you don't see any humor or irony, then, as you suggest to others, block my posts. But I kinda like the back and forth, certainly not intended to be malicious or even unfriendly.

Have a good Thanksgiving!
 
The Quiet Car has the civilized attitude to it, though. I think many people want it to be the "silent car" and instead of having the icon of a person shushing (fingers to their lips), they want a slash through a person talking. With headphones and earplugs you can create your own silence. It is odd why Amtrak doesn't sell earplugs in the cafe car. They could make a killing selling those for $5.
This is one of the things I love about the Q-cars is that the passengers themselves police the cars the best. Every now and then we get some tourist on the MARC Brunswick Line whop gets "loud" on a cellphone, and the passengers put the guy out of the car in less time than it takes to find one of the two conductors. Usually the obnoxious bloke on the phone will get even louder, but when you have three of four dozen tired, irritable federal workers whop have been up sicne 3am stand up to one talker, that talker tends to move to another car real quirk.
 
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