New York Times Quiet Car Report

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Long Train Runnin'

Long Train Runnin'

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Joined
Jun 13, 2008
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3,249
Location
Central Jersey
But I’ve found that the Quiet Car has become something of a misnomer — because so many passengers who choose to ride in it do not know how to be quiet.
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I WAS a full five years into my train routine when I had an epiphany: Maybe I actually didn’t have to continue riding in the Quiet Car. I could simply move to the sure-to-be-less-dramatic regular cars.
So I tried it, feeling like a straight-A high-school student suddenly joining the stoners’ table in the cafeteria as I slid into my blue upholstered window seat.

For a while I thought I was in the wrong car — it was so quiet! — but then, slowly, a mellow din began to rise. It was respectful, though, a low and collective hum. And, best of all, it was allowed. It was expected. It was — dare I say it — peaceful.

Sometimes the best rules are no rules at all.
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Shhh Finish the rest quietly

I've never sat in a quiet car, but I feel I had a similar experince when I rode 2150 up to BOS it was pretty empy and quiet and I felt that by me making any noise I was subject to some kind look. I recall buying a pepsi and cringing as I poped it open since it was the loudest sound the enitre ride. Even on a full Acela car I never recall the volume being out of control.
 
Count me as one of those who prefers the quiet car on the NEC between NYP-WAS. I must have bad luck, because when I don't sit in the quiet car, I end up surrounded by business people yapping loudly on their cell phones talking about whatever deals they are working on or the like. First Class on Acela can be very loud as well.

The quiet car tends to "break down" when the train is full and people that don't necessarily want to sit there *have* to sit there.

I've recently started taking some trips on the bus (BoltBus) and have found the volume of passengers there actually more peaceful!

I think it varies, depending on the segment and time of day. Friday afternoons are pretty loud, whereas Monday mornings are much more subdued.
 
I have sat in the quiet car, and I see the signs. So I knew to turn my cell phone off or put it on vibrate. One time this lady came in and sat down across from me, and then took a cell phone call. The conductor came by and loudly scolded her. She reacted by jumping up and finishing her call in vestibule, leaving her partially open purse on the table.

I stayed out of it. But I did watch her purse until she go back, and moved to another car.

On my other trips, it has been quiet.
 
Steve4031 said:
I have sat in the quiet car, and I see the signs. So I knew to turn my cell phone off or put it on vibrate. One time this lady came in and sat down across from me, and then took a cell phone call. The conductor came by and loudly scolded her. She reacted by jumping up and finishing her call in vestibule, leaving her partially open purse on the table.
I stayed out of it. But I did watch her purse until she go back, and moved to another car.

On my other trips, it has been quiet.
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Over here, if the conductor doesn't start scolding, one of the other passengers in the quiet car will.
 
Hmm, got a question about the quiet car. Especially on Regionals, does opening the door to the vestibule create more noise than perhaps whispering into a cellphone (that didn't ring)? I'm just thinking that if you had to take a call, going out into the vestibule (or beyond) would create more disturbance than whispering.
 
MattW said:
Hmm, got a question about the quiet car. Especially on Regionals, does opening the door to the vestibule create more noise than perhaps whispering into a cellphone (that didn't ring)? I'm just thinking that if you had to take a call, going out into the vestibule (or beyond) would create more disturbance than whispering.
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Its not to loud to slid the door open and people confuse quiet doesn't mean silent so even if thats the sound your guilty of your still okay.
 
MattW said:
Hmm, got a question about the quiet car. Especially on Regionals, does opening the door to the vestibule create more noise than perhaps whispering into a cellphone (that didn't ring)? I'm just thinking that if you had to take a call, going out into the vestibule (or beyond) would create more disturbance than whispering.
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If you're taking a call that involves less than five seconds of you talking, maybe not opening the vestibule door would be better. However, I'm not sure that matches the typical call pattern terribly well.

The other factor to consider is that I find that people talking tend to distract the word processing part of my brain to a vastly greater extent than mechanical noises.
 
printman2000 said:
Steve4031 said:
Meat Puppet said:
get one of these and every car is a quiet car. link
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I understand the aggravation with cell phones, but the use of this device in the US is probably illegal.
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No probably about it, it is.
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Still I have to admit there's times where I would *love* to use something like that.

I remember one time one time on the NEC where the train was as loud as a chainsaw going into NYP-- we hit the Hudson tunnels and BAM there started a chant of "Hello? Hello... Hello?" and finally silence.

The most relaxing ten minutes I ever spent on a train South of NYP.
 
ALC_Rail_Writer said:
printman2000 said:
Steve4031 said:
Meat Puppet said:
get one of these and every car is a quiet car. link
Click to expand...
I understand the aggravation with cell phones, but the use of this device in the US is probably illegal.
Click to expand...
No probably about it, it is.
Click to expand...
Still I have to admit there's times where I would *love* to use something like that.

I remember one time one time on the NEC where the train was as loud as a chainsaw going into NYP-- we hit the Hudson tunnels and BAM there started a chant of "Hello? Hello... Hello?" and finally silence.

The most relaxing ten minutes I ever spent on a train South of NYP.
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Well they have fixed that as i have made a call and stayed connected all while going through the tunnels south of NYP sorry to burst your bubble :lol:
 
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