Cardinal Oops!!!

[Viewliner]

For anyone who checks the timetables, I was looking at the Cardinal/Kentucky Cardinal Timetable and either somebody forgot the Cardinal uses Amfleet II's, or Amfleet II's have a second level that I don't know about.

Smoking:  Smoking is permitted only in a designated smoking area on the lower level of one of the coaches.  No smoking in all other areas of the coaches, nor in sleepers, lounges, or dining cars

The Timetable can be found in pdf format here

 

[Amfleet]

Yes, that is a mistake, but I believe smoking is being allowed in one part of the Lounge Car at certain times of the day.

 

[Superliner Diner]

With the Amfleet II coaches in use, what is supposed to happen is similar to the smoking routine on the Silver Service and Crescent. A sign in the lounge car designates certain hours for smoking, and when those times are in effect, only half of the lounge car can be used for this purpose.

However, when I took my trip on #50 in June, here is what did happen. The lounge attendant was pretty much allowing smoking anytime anywhere in that car even though the same sign was posted, much to my chagrin (since we were in the coach directly adjacent to the lounge car with the door opening a lot). This may be a case of the attendant feeling sorry for those who used to be able to smoke anytime they wanted to when the train ran with Superliners, since there had been a designated smoking area in the lower level of one of the coaches. The train had only recently been converted to single-level equipment. My feeling -- rules are rules, and they should have been enforced regardless of the fact the train had different equipment.

 

[EmpireBuilderFan]

either somebody forgot the Cardinal uses Amfleet II's, or Amfleet II's have a second level that I don't know about.

Viewliner,

You haven't heard about the new Amfleet II Coach/Smokers? It looks just like a regular Amfleet II, but underneath the coach seating is a custom-made platform that rides just above the ties. There's a little trap door in one corner of the floor to allow smokers to drop down to the platform, then they lay down on the platform and smoke. Sure, it's not comfortable, but at least they can smoke any time they want.

 

[Viewliner]

Oh yeah, you go right through the door of the last door, except they forgot how to get people back on the train. :unsure:

 

[battalion51]

The lounge attendant was pretty much allowing smoking anytime anywhere in that car even though the same sign was posted, much to my chagrin (since we were in the coach directly adjacent to the lounge car with the door opening a lot). This may be a case of the attendant feeling sorry for those who used to be able to smoke anytime they wanted to when the train ran with Superliners, since there had been a designated smoking area in the lower level of one of the coaches. The train had only recently been converted to single-level equipment. My feeling -- rules are rules, and they should have been enforced regardless of the fact the train had different equipment.

That's pretty much a load of BS right there. I can't say for sure, but if management recieved a complaint about the smoking in a refurbed lounge, I'm sure that attendant would get an earful from management. One of the saving graces for us down here on Silver Service is A) we usually have a refurbed lounge and B) the attendants are generally kind to us non smokers, as most of them are non smoker also. I personally get the hell out of the lounge when its smoking time, I gag every time I smell it. Usually I know one of the TA's working the sleepers, or the lead Conductor, so that helps me out a lot.

 

[Amfleet]

I beleive that the Cardinal had been using an Amfleet I or Horizon Dinette without an enclosed smoking lounge so the attendent definetly should have been more strict about the rules or he was a smoker and was getting a free fix all day long. Like I said before I can tolerate second hand smoke, but still it is a downfall for non-smokers who want to take a break in the Lounge.