Annoying Conductor Annoucements on San Joaquins

[jmbgeg]

I traveled Northbound on train 717 San Joaquins from Bakersfield to Martinez earlier this month to connect with with the Coast Starlight and found the 717 conductor's station announcements highly annoying. Maybe that is petty, but I like to rest, e-mail and read when I travel and the conductor went through a big production with long and cute names for each stop (there were many stops) in an elevated voice. I have never heard anything like it (though some Southwest Airlines annoucements are over the top). Anyone had a similar Amtrak experience (annoying annoucements)?

 

[AlanB]

Yes, those of us on the Gathering who took the later Surfliner back from Diego to LAX were treated to the "four seater" conductor. At every stop he made the same announcements practically yelling into the PA system. But the best was him repeating "four seaters" over and over and over again, as he explained that four seaters are for groups.

 

[cpamtfan]

Well at least they're making announcments, sometimes they don't even make announcments.

cpamtfan-Peter

 

[AlanB]

Well at least they're making announcments, sometimes they don't even make announcments.
cpamtfan-Peter

True, but I'm not sure that a lack of announcement is all that much worse than an announcement that's overly loud and insulting to one's general intelligence.

 

[the_traveler]

Well at least they're making announcments, sometimes they don't even make announcments.
cpamtfan-Peter

The announcement we heard over and over and over and ... included the conductor yelling

... four seats, four seats, four seats ... are for groups of 4 ... if you are a group of 2 or 3 - either make friends or do not sit there ...

And this was after most EVERY stop!

 

[jmbgeg]

Well at least they're making announcments, sometimes they don't even make announcments.
cpamtfan-Peter

Point taken. Better an announcement of any tenor than missing a stop.

 

[sky12065]

I traveled Northbound on train 717 San Joaquins from Bakersfield to Martinez earlier this month to connect with with the Coast Starlight and found the 717 conductor's station announcements highly annoying. Maybe that is petty, but I like to rest, e-mail and read when I travel and the conductor went through a big production with long and cute names for each stop (there were many stops) in an elevated voice. I have never heard anything like it (though some Southwest Airlines annoucements are over the top). Anyone had a similar Amtrak experience (annoying annoucements)?

Not having experienced what you did, I can't say if it would bother me or not! What I can tell you is that during one leg (don't remember which one) of my LD round trip aboard the LSL & SWC, a woman got on the air numerous times to call for xx:xx reservations to come to the diner - including last call, and I'd have to say that she doubled the volume over other announcements. Not only that, but the PA system was also cranked up! <_<

 

[sechs]

Well at least they're making announcments, sometimes they don't even make announcments.
cpamtfan-Peter

True, but I'm not sure that a lack of announcement is all that much worse than an announcement that's overly loud and insulting to one's general intelligence.

I think that you overestimate the intelligence of some Californians'. Or, perhaps, that they'd actually use whatever they may have.

I actually had point out the sign above the seats and threaten to get a conductor in order to convince a couple valley girls that, yes, my group of four had priority for those seats.

 

[sky12065]

Well at least they're making announcments, sometimes they don't even make announcments.
cpamtfan-Peter

True, but I'm not sure that a lack of announcement is all that much worse than an announcement that's overly loud and insulting to one's general intelligence.

I actually had point out the sign above the seats and threaten to get a conductor in order to convince a couple valley girls that, yes, my group of four had priority for those seats.

Did they say... "Like, what-ever!" as they vacated with their little schnozolas pointed up in the air?

 

[AlanB]

Well at least they're making announcments, sometimes they don't even make announcments.
cpamtfan-Peter

True, but I'm not sure that a lack of announcement is all that much worse than an announcement that's overly loud and insulting to one's general intelligence.

I think that you overestimate the intelligence of some Californians'. Or, perhaps, that they'd actually use whatever they may have.

I actually had point out the sign above the seats and threaten to get a conductor in order to convince a couple valley girls that, yes, my group of four had priority for those seats.

Not being from California I'm not in a position to argue that, however we've also got some people like that here in NY too. But the bottom line is that those who are going to get the message, understand it, and obey it, will get it on the first go round. Those who don't get the first time, aren't going to get it the second, third, fourth, fifth and on and on time. Only the conductor showing up to threaten them with removal is going to have any impact on them.

So why bother everyone else who is capable of obeying the rules by repeating the same thing multiple times at high volume, when it's not going to help those who don't think that the rules apply to them?

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

Well at least they're making announcments, sometimes they don't even make announcments.
cpamtfan-Peter

True, but I'm not sure that a lack of announcement is all that much worse than an announcement that's overly loud and insulting to one's general intelligence.

I think that you overestimate the intelligence of some Californians'. Or, perhaps, that they'd actually use whatever they may have.

I actually had point out the sign above the seats and threaten to get a conductor in order to convince a couple valley girls that, yes, my group of four had priority for those seats.

Not being from California I'm not in a position to argue that, however we've also got some people like that here in NY too. But the bottom line is that those who are going to get the message, understand it, and obey it, will get it on the first go round. Those who don't get the first time, aren't going to get it the second, third, fourth, fifth and on and on time. Only the conductor showing up to threaten them with removal is going to have any impact on them.

So why bother everyone else who is capable of obeying the rules by repeating the same thing multiple times at high volume, when it's not going to help those who don't think that the rules apply to them?

Actually, it would be safer to say it is not always a fact of whether "some are getting the point or not," is as most of the time folks "who don't get the point" after the first or second time were never really listening to the announcements anyway (or only heard what they wanted to hear)! When I was at Amtrak, I tried to keep all my announcements under a minute or so as after two minutes folks are done listening to what you have to say. I also believe that holds true after the fourth or fifth time the same announcemment is made, too.

OBS gone freight...

 

[tp49]

I find the chime that plays before they make an announcement on the 6000 series CA cars incredibly irritating. Sounds like nails scratching on a chalk board.

 

[Rumpled]

Last year on a Sunday after T-Day run on the PacSurf from LAX south we had a real battleaxe on the PA. Seh was constantly yelling and badgering on the PA about not standing in most every place on the train. Of course, it was so oversold (reserved train) that there was no choice, people had to stand absoulutely everywhere.

ON my normal PacSurf runs, there is often one making silly PA's about town names; they get old in a hurry. I do appreciate the change from the super dry that could be done by a computer - finding the happy medium is tough.

 

[the_traveler]

Take the bus if you don't like it. People don't listen that's what the PA system is for. Get a life....

That response doesn't rate a reply, but I'll just say one thing about "taking the bus".

I took the bus from LA to Bakersfield a few weeks ago. There were 2 buses to Bakersfield listed on the board (1:05 and 1:15) About 1:10, the 1:05 bus disappeared from the board! They didn't even announce it in the waiting room!

I barely made the 1:15 BUS!

 

[p&sr]

About 1:10, the 1:05 bus disappeared from the board! They didn't even announce it in the waiting room!
I barely made the 1:15BUS!

I've NEVER heard an announcement for ANY departure at LA-Union Station, Train OR Bus. You're just expected to be where you need to be, sometime prior to departure.

 

[sechs]

But the bottom line is that those who are going to get the message, understand it, and obey it, will get it on the first go round.

Every stop that people get on the train, it's the first time around for them....