Hmm, very interesting. I wonder if that's a new rule, as I've seen people and crew eat at those stools. It's also a stupid rule, as I've also seen people bounced right out of the bench seats at the tables. I wonder if they are trying to keep those stools for crew only.
I'm also sorry to hear that you hit a sleeping car attendant with no brain, nor any idea of common courtesy, let alone the requirements of his job.
You were quite right to give the dining car attendant a nice tip.
I hope that you also told the sleeping car attendant where his tip went. :angry: It would serve him right to know what he lost out on, because of his laziness. Frankly though, I don’t get it. I’ve seen attendant’s serve people who did not have mobility problems, so I can only guess that this was one of the few lazy ones left who like to coast through their jobs. You’d think by now that he’d know that people base tips on service, not lack of service. If that ever happens again, I highly recommend seeking out the conductor, since the OBSC has been eliminated, and making a formal complaint. I would also take note of the attendant’s name and write a letter to Amtrak including a copy of your ticket stub.
With regard to a handicapped table, I doubt that you would ever see any of the current cars setup for that. Perhaps if Amtrak ever orders new diners, they may include such a table, but the current cars don’t really have the room for such a table. Besides I’m not sure that Amtrak ever intended to have handicapped moving from one car to the next, due to the dangers involved in passing from one car to the next. That’s precisely why it is the sleeping car attendant’s job to bring meals to anyone in the handicapped room. Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m not trying to say that a handicapped person should be barred from the dining car either, but there is a very serious safety issue here. One good bounce, while walking between cars, can throw anyone off balance.
It should also be noted that a wheel chair could never pass between cars, as the doorways are too small for that. Therefore again Amtrak probably never envisioned the need for a handicapped table. Also consider the fact that all of Amtrak’s dining cars were built before much of the current ADA laws were written. Add to that the constant ongoing fiscal crunch, and that eliminated any hope of provisions for handicapped tables even if it was considered. Now I’m not trying to make excuses for Amtrak, merely trying to explain what I think are some of the reasons for the current setup.
I do think that Amtrak should try to make some accommodation with any future diners for mobility-reduced passengers such as you. At least they could put backs on those stools if they are worried about your falling off.