Lounge/ Sightseer

[Rail Freak]

Was reading a thread concerning the popularity of the lounge car. Some of what I read was surprizing when mentioning all day sitters, sleeping on floors. Trust me , been there, done that, BUT, I'd like to go to the lounge car maybe, 5 am, without tripping over people or not observing the same pax in the lounge everytime I went to check out if there was a seat for my OLD BUTT!

 

[sjstarkey]

Was reading a thread concerning the popularity of the lounge car. Some of what I read was surprizing when mentioning all day sitters, sleeping on floors. Trust me , been there, done that, BUT, I'd like to go to the lounge car maybe, 5 am, without tripping over people or not observing the same pax in the lounge everytime I went to check out if there was a seat for my OLD BUTT!

We just got home from our train trip and spent considerable amounts of time in the lounge cars on the different trains. There were no problems getting seats or even using the tables in the lounge cars, even during what should be peak hours. Trains were filled, but not many people using the lounge cars.

 

[yarrow]

we have never had a problem finding a spot in the lounge, especally in the morning. maybe not the exact seat we wanted but have always found a spot.

 

[the_traveler]

I admit I am one of those "all day sitters", but 90% (or more) of the time, there is a seat empty. I find many people do not go to the "lounge" car because (according to them) "lounge means I'll have to buy something, so I'll just sit here"!

 

[Ed]

Why would anyone want to sit in the lounge/sightseer? The seats are the most uncomfortable I have ever sat in. (Recent EB traveler). They're OK for a short time, but all day - not me. I'll go back to my bedroom and be comfortable.

 

[Walt]

I'll go back to my bedroom and be comfortable.

I think the point was that these "all day sitters" don't have a bedroom or a roomette. They are coach, but find coach too cramped or restrictive.

Actually, I don't use the lounge myself because of the people trying to sleep or nap in there. And yes, some of them even have a newspaper over their heads to block out the light. Kind of reminds me of a bus terminal in the "bad" side of town. I would not go to the bus terminal either just to sit and relax even if there was a dozen empty seats.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

On my last train with a Sightseer, there were several times during the day when I was the only one in there, except for the lonely attendant downstairs playing solitaire or working crosswords, and yet Coach was reasonably full. It was fun to see and hear the expressions on some of the pax when they wandered in and suddenly realized here's a neat place to hang out.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

My only gripe with the Sightseers, which I tend to call observation cars, is the passengers. PIGS. Walk away and leave all their detritus: newspapers, cans, food wrappers, carrying boxes from the cafe, dirty napkins, plastic cups, etc.

As if they assume Amtrak is their damn maid. How arrogant can you get? No respect whatsoever for their fellow passengers' right to a clean and litter-free environment.

In all candor, I don't put up with it anymore, and nobody else should, either. See somebody walking away from a mess? "HEY!! CLEAN IT UP. NOBODY HERE IS YOUR JANITOR."

Maybe a bit aggressive, but not nearly as rude as leaving garbage in the first place.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

On the other hand, if you go to the kind of restaurant where you sit down and the server comes by to take your order, isn't it expected that when you're done, you'll leave your dirty dishes on the table, and aren't you likely to annoy people if you, as the customer, don't let your server do their job? And don't Amtrak dining cars work this way?

And what happens if you leave your rubbish on the table at a McDonald's? It's litterally been years since I've eaten in one, but I think they have staff who will come by reasonably quickly to clean up.

I don't disagree that litter-free environments are great, but I'm also not sure I can think of any non-rolling eatery that thinks they don't have to clean up after at least some of their customers.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I clean up after myself at self-serve restaurants.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I know it doesn't take 2 seconds to pick up your trash and drop it in one of the trash boxes in the car. For that matter, if everyone took a moment to wipe down the lavatory and if necessary, the seat and floor, the toilets would be much more tolerable during the final hours of the long hauls.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

I clean up after myself at self-serve restaurants.

That wasn't really my question. My question was more along the lines of whether the management at self-serve restaurants acts like they have any desire to no longer get the business of those customers who don't.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I'd imagine many would rather not have such people.

 

[the_traveler]

On the other hand, if you go to the kind of restaurant where you sit down and the server comes by to take your order, isn't it expected that when you're done, you'll leave your dirty dishes on the table, and aren't you likely to annoy people if you, as the customer, don't let your server do their job? And don't Amtrak dining cars work this way?
And what happens if you leave your rubbish on the table at a McDonald's? It's litterally been years since I've eaten in one, but I think they have staff who will come by reasonably quickly to clean up.

I don't disagree that litter-free environments are great, but I'm also not sure I can think of any non-rolling eatery that thinks they don't have to clean up after at least some of their customers.

Yes, if it is a restaurant with sit-down service, you might expect them to pick up the dishes. (Yes, this would include an Amtrak diner.) But I have yet to see a server in a Sightseer Lounge come and take your order and bring your food. So who should you expect to come and pick up the dishes? :huh:

 

[Rob_C]

Hey all, I have a question about the sightseers.

We've lost the sightseer on the City of New Orleans.

And for a while there they were running two sightseers on the Coast Starlight. One for lounge, and one in place of the Parlor Cars while they were being refurbed.

Also I remember they were running sightseers on the Cascades while the Talgo consists were out of service.

So my question is: where the heck have all these sightseer lounges gone?

The Cascade Talgo's are back.

The Parlor cars are back, and the City runs without one. Any idea where these sightseers have gone, or were re-assigned?

Cheers,

Rob

 

[Walt]

And what happens if you leave your rubbish on the table at a McDonald's? It's litterally been years since I've eaten in one, but I think they have staff who will come by reasonably quickly to clean up.

Its been many years since I was in a McD's that had a dedicated "dining room attendant". So, if some jerk leaves their trash behind, it usually stays for long, long time. Well, until there are no customers at the counter, and the counter folk go into the dinning room to titty things up.

 

[Larry H.]

My only gripe with the Sightseers, which I tend to call observation cars, is the passengers. PIGS. Walk away and leave all their detritus: newspapers, cans, food wrappers, carrying boxes from the cafe, dirty napkins, plastic cups, etc.
As if they assume Amtrak is their damn maid. How arrogant can you get? No respect whatsoever for their fellow passengers' right to a clean and litter-free environment.

In all candor, I don't put up with it anymore, and nobody else should, either. See somebody walking away from a mess? "HEY!! CLEAN IT UP. NOBODY HERE IS YOUR JANITOR."

Maybe a bit aggressive, but not nearly as rude as leaving garbage in the first place.

On the Zephyr this spring the crew made a point of telling a group of young men who were partying in the lounge for most of the trip, well the whole trip, to clean up behind them selves. This happened as one of the crew observed them all getting up and leaving about 20 bottles and wrappers all around where they had been sitting. He told them to leave the car as they found it! I was impressed.

For myself taking my trash to the receptacle in a self service restaurant is just plain respect of what others have to endure. If I am at a full service restaurant then of course part of the price is having service including cleaning up. But fast food was based on cheap and quick and so the public by default accepts a bit of a responsibility for holding the price down, and leaving a table others can use after them.