How Bad Is It To Be In a Packed Train?

[Everydaymatters]

It's been a year and 10 months since I was on an Amtrak train. The train was was crowded, but not packed like they are now with the high gas prices. It was a nice trip.

I've been to CUS a couple of times in the interim and the waiting room has been incredibly packed.

What's it like on the trains now? Are passengers maxed out in patience? Are the train attendants tired and overworked and curt and unhelpful? Bathrooms filthy? Are the coach cars stuffy?

Or <_< ...are the passengers pleasant and happy? Train attendants helpful and smiling? Bathrooms clean? Coach cars fresh smelling?

How do the train conditions today compare with 2 years ago?

I believe my upcoming trip is going to be a whole new experience in this era of out-of-control gas prices and I'm a bit stressed thinking about it.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Two of our trains this summer --SWC and Coast Starlight -- were full-- no sleepers available--there were some coach seats available but not many empty seats. There is a lot more traffic in the hallways, dining staff is taxed, but it really depends on how organized and efficient they are. Our ding car crew on the CSL was excellent and handled the increased traffic very well and with a big smile.

Attitude is really dependent on the individual and whether they are good at what they do.

Biggest problem is the crowded lounge cars. Although on the CSL we had a separate lounge car for sleeping car passengers (no PPC, but the lounge was nice and certainly less crowded than the regular lounge car.

On the return trip on the EB the lounge was full all the time and had to scrounge for a seat. Sometimes the noise is such that it is time to return to the room and enjoy some quiet. Lot more children riding in the summer which is o.k. if well behaved but many were not.

I would say that generally it is still a very pleasant experience. Just be patient and go with the flow and you will have a great time.

Railroad and Mrs. Bill --NexT STop Way down yonder in New Orleans!!

 

[Walt]

It's been a year and 10 months since I was on an Amtrak train.

Welcome to our Amtrak Anonymous meeting. (sorry, I could not resist)

In my latest trip, the only Amtrak person I found grumpy, was the boarding gate attendant (is that even the right title?) at WAS. He felt he needed to blurt out that ridership has increased by 40%, but he still has to handle all the passengers by himself, with no additional help. Why we, as passengers, needed to hear that gripe, is what left me with his attitude being unprofessional. I mean, if he has to open the door to let 100 passengers through, or 140 passengers through, just how much more work is it really for him?

 

[RailFanLNK]

Hi my name is Al and I'm an Amtrakholic! "HEY AL!" :lol: I have been on packed trains all summer and the Lounge car has been kinda tough getting a seat otherwise, I too agree that the dining car is running their rears off and there's not much extra room, but the passengers have all seemed to behave and the crews are doing their best.

Al

 

[rogers55]

In eleven days we will find out for ourselves, VNC, CHI, SDY, CHI, PDX, LAX, VNC.

The high passenger volume sounds like a "be careful what you pray for" or a "quality problem."

People have been hoping for years that ridership would go up.

Now it is and we have a different set of problems.

By the way Al, you can tell if you are a trakaholic if:

When you were a child did you stand by the track and count the freight cars.

Did you memorize the name and logos of all the railroads.

Did you put pennies on the track to get flattened.

Did you wave to all the train crews.

Do you feel discontent when you hear a train whistle.

When you are on a train do you feel free.

Do you talk to people about technical specifications of trains.

Do you ever ride trains alone.

Do you ever plan train trips when you have no place or reason to go.

If you answered yes to more than two of these questions you are a trakholic and a really sick person.

Welcome aboard.

 

[Gingee]

We were just on sold out trains and it wasn't much of a problem. Of course some of the bathrooms did get icky but they were mainly after several hours. One bathroom seemed icky from NYC to Chicago the whole time so I went to the other car when I could.

 

[Acela150]

I traveled on 42 & 43 From PHL to HAR and it was impossible to find seats together. My dad and I sat across from each other. It was very bad! We will never do that again!

 

[the_traveler]

you can tell if you are a trakaholic if:
When you were a child did you stand by the track and count the freight cars.

Did you memorize the name and logos of all the railroads.

Did you put pennies on the track to get flattened.

Did you wave to all the train crews.

Do you feel discontent when you hear a train whistle.

When you are on a train do you feel free.

Do you talk to people about technical specifications of trains.

Do you ever ride trains alone.

Do you ever plan train trips when you have no place or reason to go.

If you answered yes to more than two of these questions you are a trakholic and a really sick person.

I answered yes too all the above!

And THANK YOU! :lol: (I've heard many say that too!)

 

[Neil_M]

When you were a child did you stand by the track and count the freight cars.Did you memorize the name and logos of all the railroads.

Did you put pennies on the track to get flattened.

Did you wave to all the train crews.

Do you feel discontent when you hear a train whistle.

When you are on a train do you feel free.

Do you talk to people about technical specifications of trains.

Do you ever ride trains alone.

Do you ever plan train trips when you have no place or reason to go.

If you answered yes to more than two of these questions you are a trakholic and a really sick person.

Welcome aboard.

What happens if you answer 'yes' to all of them? :blink:

 

[FL - Guest]

Florida Rail Pass ends this year but the over one hundred rides I've taken, with the packed trains, the disorganization gets annoying as far as whether I have to be in the lounge or stay in my coach seat. One employee says one thing, one employee says another.

 

[AKA]

Just back from R/T CLE - NPN. Capital Lt. and new Northeast Regionals. CL was full but we were assigned seats four togeather. Crew was fine, in fact great on the CL. Left on a thursday. Sold out CL. Stated the night in Washington D C . Friday out of D C on # 83 south to NPN. This is the 5:50 PM train. Friday that train is always full and always late into NPN, about 1 hr. We went BC found 4 seats again. Front of car facing eachother. No tables, but new seats and car looked good. Crew was good. South of Richmond Va. we lost a lot of pax.

Coming back on #94 to WAS full again. This was the 9:10 AM train, on monday morning. A lot of the seat hogs were put out that they had to give up thier laptop desk seat. Some real heated words. In the end conductor settled things. [ This was in BC. ]

WAS back to CLE was about the same. Full sold out train. Boarding person at WUS was great. He will make you understand that he is in charge. I have no problem with that. Some people just dont get PRIORITY boarding. You will if you board in WUS.

CL was sold out again. Diner opened at 5:00 PM and went till 8:00 PM. Good crew and clean restrooms in coach. The crew on #29 is always great. At least in the past 5 years. ALL in all a good trip.

 

[Everydaymatters]

CL was sold out again. Diner opened at 5:00 PM and went till 8:00 PM. Good crew and clean restrooms in coach. The crew on #29 is always great. At least in the past 5 years. ALL in all a good trip.

From around 2001 to 2004 I was a regular rider on the CL and the crew was always good back then. Apparently that's stayed the same.

 

[inspiration100]

Do you feel discontent when you hear a train whistle.

I can bet that almost everyone on this forum said yes to this one. Yes, my last trip the bathrooms were really not good in the coach. Not looking forward to that on my next trip!

 

[Spokker]

My last trip was a sold out and packed Coast Starlight. I was surprised though, how quiet it was in coach. I guess the stars aligned that day.

 

[VentureForth]

Only time I was disgruntled a wee bit when the train was full was when I had a business class ticket on the Carolinian. Being one of those 'coach' cars with tape over the word coach and "Business Class" scribbled in crayon, the expectation was that it wouldn't be near as full as coach. But it was. And I didn't feel like I got more than $4 worth of coffee for my $8 upgrade.

 

[frj1983]

In eleven days we will find out for ourselves, VNC, CHI, SDY, CHI, PDX, LAX, VNC.The high passenger volume sounds like a "be careful what you pray for" or a "quality problem."

People have been hoping for years that ridership would go up.

Now it is and we have a different set of problems.

By the way Al, you can tell if you are a trakaholic if:

When you were a child did you stand by the track and count the freight cars.

Did you memorize the name and logos of all the railroads.

Did you put pennies on the track to get flattened.

Did you wave to all the train crews.

Do you feel discontent when you hear a train whistle.

When you are on a train do you feel free.

Do you talk to people about technical specifications of trains.

Do you ever ride trains alone.

Do you ever plan train trips when you have no place or reason to go.

If you answered yes to more than two of these questions you are a trakholic and a really sick person.

Welcome aboard.

Count me in as sick, cause I said "yes" to almost every single question! :blink:

 

[jackal]

you can tell if you are a trakaholic if:
When you were a child did you stand by the track and count the freight cars.

Did you memorize the name and logos of all the railroads.

Did you put pennies on the track to get flattened.

Did you wave to all the train crews.

Do you feel discontent when you hear a train whistle.

When you are on a train do you feel free.

Do you talk to people about technical specifications of trains.

Do you ever ride trains alone.

Do you ever plan train trips when you have no place or reason to go.

If you answered yes to more than two of these questions you are a trakholic and a really sick person.

I answered yes too all the above!

And THANK YOU! :lol: (I've heard many say that too!)

Add me to the list of kids-who-never-grew-up who said yes to every single one of your qualifications! :lol:

 

[steveindixon]

I was on the CZ last month. Number 6 then number 5. Both were full. Passengers were very nice. Train personnel were also very nice. I felt bad for them on the way back since we were 10 hours late. It wasn't their fault but they kept apologizing. Only negative remarks were that the dining car ran out of food on both 5 and 6. And all the restrooms in my car were out of service on number 5. Steve