seat assignment

[denisesdy]

Normally love train rides, even with delays & sleeping with strangers but not happy at all with current seat. Last seat last car on SWCHIEF really bumpy&throws u all over-no sleep-no other seats or upgrade avail-but I see unassigned in other cars-worst Amtrak ride ever-is it absolutely necessary to be in the same car with only people going to Chicago?

 

[zephyr17]

They generally put the "shorts" in the same coach and always have (and that was the common practice even before Amtrak. It simplifies boarding and detraining at short stops. They typically do not open all doors at most stops, they only open the whole train at the major stops.

Depending on how full the train is, the solution is to grab your seat check and move. The worst that can happen is one of the crew members asks you to move back.

 

[denisesdy]

I politely asked to be reassigned immediately when I realized seat assignment while they were still boarding and was told they would check after everyone was aboard and they had full list of seat assignments. No one got bac to me so I asked again and was then told it was not possible. So much for trying to do it the right way! :>{

 

[caravanman]

You might find that it is the track, rather than your seat, which is causing problems? On some sections the track is very bumpy and this affects the whole train. If this is so, you might have a smoother ride further along the route.

Ed

 

[dmclement]

Depending on how full the train is, the solution is to grab your seat check and move. The worst that can happen is one of the crew members asks you to move back.

This all day long, as long as you make sure you're in the right place to get off. Done it plenty of times before and have rarely, if ever, been challenged.

 

[SarahZ]

You might find that it is the track, rather than your seat, which is causing problems? On some sections the track is very bumpy and this affects the whole train. If this is so, you might have a smoother ride further along the route.

Ed

Truth. The track through Kansas is pretty rough, even up front in the sleepers. I always have to leave my blankets tucked in and sleep on my stomach; otherwise, I get tossed around like clothes in a dryer.

 

[dmclement]

You might find that it is the track, rather than your seat, which is causing problems? On some sections the track is very bumpy and this affects the whole train. If this is so, you might have a smoother ride further along the route.

Ed

Truth. The track through Kansas is pretty rough, even up front in the sleepers. I always have to leave my blankets tucked in and sleep on my stomach; otherwise, I get tossed around like clothes in a dryer.

You want to try travelling by train in Burma/Myanmar. You physically leave your seat after every joint in the track.

 

[zephyr17]

I politely asked to be reassigned immediately when I realized seat assignment while they were still boarding and was told they would check after everyone was aboard and they had full list of seat assignments. No one got bac to me so I asked again and was then told it was not possible. So much for trying to do it the right way! :>{

It is usually better to ask for forgiveness rather than permission. As long as the seat you are moving to doesn't have a seat check above it and isn't in a part of the car that isn't reserved for families and larger parties it is worth a try.

I assume you are going eastbound because of your Chicago reference. The operating crew (conductor and assistant conductor(s)) will change at La Junta, so you could try it after that if you are afraid of making the conductor that already refused you mad.

 

[denisesdy]

Yes I am eastbound & dreading the night. I'm not sure la junta will work, I heard 45 Boy Scouts are boarding two stops before at Raton NM. There are 3 in my party, so not easy to get 3 seats together. I see some people sleeping in the lounge car, is that allowed?

 

[zephyr17]

Okay, 3 seats are going to be a problem doing an al fresco move. They usually have part of the cars designated for families and large groups, there will be signs up if there are. Your option there would be to scout the car to see if there are that many seats open together in that section of the car you want just after La Junta, but it sounds like that would be really iffy given the passenger load.

As to crashing in the lounge, that happens enough that it has aquired a name here on AU: "Lounge Lizards". It depends on the crew, most do allow, but some don't. Those that do allow it will usually roust the Lounge Lizards out about the time the downstairs cafe opens in the morning (6 or 6:30).

Amtrak is very much YMMV and much, much less rule bound than air travel is now. Try it, again the worst that can happen is they will send you back to your seat. However, as a courtesy to other passengers who want to enjoy the lounge, you probably should shouldn't spread out over multiple seats/the floor in front of multiple seats until after 10 pm.

 

[caravanman]

I rode the train in Burma back in 1983, from Rangoon to Mandalay, following in the author Paul Theroux's tracks. I seem to recall it was quite a resonable ride... mind you, it may well have changed in the last 31 years!

Ed

 

[denisesdy]

Thanks for the advice & feedback, I will b scouting the seats and talking to conductor and hopefully find relief

 

[zephyr17]

Be aware that the track is pretty bad again starting about 20 miles or so east of La Junta, and will be for most of the night until around Newton. The speed is fairly fast, too, although they've slowed it down over the last couple of years due to the deteriorating track conditions. So changing cars may not make much of a difference.

 

[amtkstn]

Back before 2003 that section of track had sections of 90 MPH running.

 

[ehbowen]

Back before 2003 that section of track had sections of 90 MPH running.

And in the 1950s it had sections posted for up to 117 MPH. Unfortunately, the track hasn't received a lot of major maintenance since then. Deferred maintenance has a way of catching up with you after 45 years or so....

 

[denisesdy]

Bumpy night! After Boy Scouts got on, there were no seats left. They were spread through out 3 cars! And I have to say they were a bit pungent after however many days camping in the wild! So I suffered the night and will be home in Chicago. However I appreciate the feedback and new strategies as I will likely be riding the Texas eagle in the next 45 days to the Dallas Ft Worth area.

 

[dragonlady]

Yeah, walked back to check out the rear window view of the last car Tuesday morning, and I have to agree that the rear (last) car was an aromatic enclosure. Notice also that after Kansas City when a number of your boys had transferred off the train that your car was not as pungent!