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Viewliner

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I know that the Coach Smokers are ex-coach baggage cars, but do they still utilize the baggage part as they still have the doors, or did they just never get around to changing them?

picAMT31545.jpg
 
Actually, the baggage area is now where passengers go to blacken their lungs. I guess Beech Grove figured it wouldn't be worth it to remove the large door so they left it. The smoking just has about 10-12 uncomfortable seats on each wall facing inward with a couple ashtrays sattered about. It's very disgusting and very smelling and I would not want to spend my trip in there.
 
Amfleet said:
Actually, the baggage area is now where passengers go to blacken their lungs. I guess Beech Grove figured it wouldn't be worth it to remove the large door so they left it. The smoking just has about 10-12 uncomfortable seats on each wall facing inward with a couple ashtrays sattered about. It's very disgusting and very smelling and I would not want to spend my trip in there.
I looked into the smoker on my train, blah! the seats are those hard plastic transit bus seats...I could slightly smell the smoke even when the door was closed. I think that room was on the old coach we had, it had that southwesty look on the seat covers.
 
All California trains are "No Smoking".

This includes the Coast Starlight, the Pacific Surfliners, the San Joaquins, and the Capitols.

Which trains in other regions of the country have similar prohibitions, and which trains still have "smoking dungeons?"
 
Allen Dee said:
Which trains in other regions of the country have similar prohibitions, and which trains still have "smoking dungeons?"
Allen,

Actually it's easier to answer your question the other way. The only trains that permit smoking are the overnight long distance trains. There are three exceptions to the above rule. The Coast Startlight, the Twilight Shoreliner, and the Sunset Limited are also non-smoking trains. The Texas Eagle does permit smoking from Chicago to San Antonio. However, once it joins with the Sunset, it too goes non-smoking.

All non-overnight trains are non-smoking thru out the entire system.
 
Look at the good side: you can usually recognize which car has the smoking room merely by walking through the train on the upper level, and it's smoky enough that you do not have to bring your own smokes.

Is the large baggage door retained so that the bodies of the smokers who over-do it can be easily removed from the smoking room?
 
The upper level did not seem that bad to me, except the lower level had a slight smoky smell, but not unbarable. The smoking room is on a totally different air system so all the smoky air is pulled out and new air is pumped in. However, the stale residue sticks to the walls and seats of the room.
 
Actually, all this left-wing political correctness about smoking repulses me more than the smoke ever did, and I don't smoke. Actually, provision of the smoking lounges is an excellent business move for Amtrak with airlines and "Hounds" not allowing it on board any longer. They are now the only public interstate system that grants this privilege to this segment of the traveling public. Hopefully, this is recognized by this group of free Americans et al. and will encourage their much needed (and appreciated by Amtrak employees) business. The Sunset Limited is very much a smoking train.
 
I agree with Steve. No I don't smoke and I think it is rather sick, but Amtrak probably gets revenue from smoking passegers who can't smoke on a plane or bus. However, I don't like a smoking room taking up half of an Amfleet II Lounge.
 
Amfleet said:
I agree with Steve. No I don't smoke and I think it is rather sick, but Amtrak probably gets revenue from smoking passegers who can't smoke on a plane or bus. However, I don't like a smoking room taking up half of an Amfleet II Lounge.
I agree, but its better than actually smelling the smoke in the Amfleet II Lounge. B)
 
Viewliner said:
I know that the Coach Smokers are ex-coach baggage cars, but do they still utilize the baggage part as they still have the doors, or did they just never get around to changing them?
It's been a while since I looked into the smoking section of a Coach Smoker, but if I remeber right, the room is set up so that the door is blocked on the inside. Again, I'm not positive, but I think I've seen some where the baggage door was removed and replaced with a welded-on panel. I guess it probably depended on when the conversion was done.

As a non-smoker, I tend to avoid these cars, because I really notice the "cigarette smell" that hangs on people's clothes as they go through the coach to get back to their seats or rooms.
 
Putting the jokes about smokers aside, I too find segregating smokers out of normal society a bit disturbing, and have met a few (only a few) travelers who take Amtrak because of the freedom to do so while traveling. Even as I don't smoke myself, I'm annoyed with the non-smoking restaurant rules. I can't understand why society would make a legal activity almost impossible. Those who prefer a smoke free environment can go elsewhere, or bring normal market pressure onto local per-establishment change. This place-by-place mechansim will eventually sort itself out into adequate choices for everyone. I think Amtrak has found a good compromise between attending to the desires of smokers with due regard for the confined nature of a rail trip with its lack of choice for non-smokers. I find it interesting that it is easier to find a place to smoke on some trains than in some towns.
 
although most 315xx series coach-smokers were converted coach/baggage cars, the 31590-91-92 smokers were converted from regular coaches and do not have baggage doors. Those 3 are "ADA" compatable. There are 29 of 33 ex coach/bag smokers in service.
 
Allen Dee said:
Which trains in other regions of the country have similar prohibitions, and which trains still have "smoking dungeons?"
Well, I know the Sunset Limited has a smoking dungeon. During a service stop, I reboarded on the stinky car which was one of the older Super 1 I figure; it was not nice like my Super II car.

I looked in the room, it's icky. Look like old city transit coach seats. and it was very BARREN. Smoking Dungeon is an accurate description! haha! (it should discourage smokers if anything!)
 
The Empire Builder usually carries one of these on the Seattle section immediately forward of the lounge car. The Portland section is non-smoking from the split at Spokane to Portland.
 
Last week on our westbound Empire Builder there was no smoking lounge due to mechanical problems. The smokers were going crazy. They opened the doors at all stops and let the smokers out. They were very perturbed since they weren't told before the train depaeted. Five hours between puffs was too long. One guy at lunch counted 39 smokers at one stop and said if they wanted they could take over the train if they wanted. an announcement was made that anyone caught smoking would face a police escort at the next stop. There was a smoking lounge on our eastbound.
 
I have nothing against smokers and it's their choice to do so, but those who can't last 5 hours should really think about quitting or cut back. It must have been crazy. :blink:
 
That sucks for the smokers that there wasn't a smoker coach available for them. Boy, if they think five hours between smokes is bad, I wonder how smokers handle 8-10 hour flights across the ocean? :blink:
 
I wonder how smokers handle 8-10 hour flights across the ocean?
Virgin Atlantic does allow smoking in a certain section of the plane, but that rule could have changed in the past 5 years. If smokers got desprate I'm sure the conductor could of led groups of 5 to the baggage car for a smoke. Also, isn't there a Coach Baggage on the Builder that could of been used during certain times of the day and the large doors could have then been opened at stops to let in fresh air. B)
 
Amfleet said:
If smokers got desprate I'm sure the conductor could of led groups of 5 to the baggage car for a smoke. Also, isn't there a Coach Baggage on the Builder that could of been used during certain times of the day and the large doors could have then been opened at stops to let in fresh air. B)
Amtrak would loose any and all insurance if they had conductors bringing people to the baggage car to smoke. So that won't be happening anytime soon, even if the conductor wanted to be that nice.
 
I was also thinking, if the crew didn't mind, that at certain passengers could smoke in the Transition Sleeper lounge on the lower-level. Though, this means coach passengers walking through the sleepers. <_< B)
 
HAHA! You a funny funny man Amfleet. Now way any Amtrak Conductor is going to let smokers smoke in his Trans Dorm. The only time I've heard a desperate situation similar to this is on the Sunset. As you may know this train is completely non smoking. One passenger went completely bizerk without a cigarette. The Conductor placed the passenger under arrest (which any of them have the power to do), put him in plastic cuffs, and took him to the rear of the last coach, popped open the rear door and let him have a smoke. Weird and wild stuff.
 
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