Strangest Things You've seen in Coach

[Devil's Advocate]

She kept going on how this was some big Amtrak conspiracy and how the employees were doing such a horrible job. The conductors were out on the ground behind the train and beside the BNSF engine. I was taking picture of everything too, as the sunset was opposite and made for some great shots of the orange BNSF locomotive. Since obviously it was a conspiracy, the lady asked me to take pictures of what was going on...the conductors standing around, the number of the BNSF locomotive, etc. I was happy to oblige. She told me to make sure and report and send these picture to her and other "officials." I said I would. They eventually found the problem with our original engine, and we were on our way to Austin. As I got off the train in Austin, I saw the police waiting to take her away in handcuffs. I guess they would be part of the conspiracy too??

People who can't handle living on their own used to spend their lives in institutions that provided a place for them to be crazy without risking harm to others or to themselves. Now we just put them in jail with our most prolific killers, tortures, and rapists. Who needs a conspiracy in a land so completely devoid of compassion?

 

[George Harris]

People who can't handle living on their own used to spend their lives in institutions that provided a place for them to be crazy without risking harm to others or to themselves. Now we just put them in jail with our most prolific killers, tortures, and rapists. Who needs a conspiracy in a land so completely devoid of compassion?

There is a saying that, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." People were turned out of these "institutions that provided a place for them" on the grounds that keeping them in the institutions was wrong, cruel, etc., etc. Therefore we have gotten exactly what we have: Quite a few people out and about that are not dangerous to others, but incapable of living on their own, and where shelters and such are available, unwilling for reasons both good and bad to voluntarily stay there.

Apologies for the divergence from topic.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

WARNING: The following post contains philosophical commentary on a controversial topic. Read at your own risk!

There is a saying that, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." People were turned out of these "institutions that provided a place for them" on the grounds that keeping them in the institutions was wrong, cruel, etc., etc.

Much of the crude and abusive treatment we attribute to mental institutions of the past was perfectly legal and even accepted while in effect. Eventually those practices that were seriously harmful to patients were modified over time or simply banned altogether. This was due to growing evidence of intentional abuse, lack of a measurable benefit to the patient, and to changing social views. Over time mental health issues became more of a mainstream concern and substantial improvements were being made as new drugs and therapies were being added to traditional treatment options. In other words, things were starting to look up for institutionalized patients. Unfortunately much of this progress was occurring during yet another low point in our endless boom-bust style of laissez faire economics.

In an effort to balance quickly deteriorating budgets without raising revenues, wave after wave of cuts were applied to public health funding across the country and people who were benefiting from the some of the early benefits of the modern mental health care movement were suddenly being tossed out onto the street. Some managed to climb their way into the lower reaches of productive society and eventually found a small niche to call their own. Those who lived out the rest of their lives in relative obscurity were the lucky ones. Others found living on the street extremely difficult or even impossible to escape. As their options for continuing therapy evaporated former patients were forced to fend for themselves however they could and often resorted to crime. Sometimes this was an intentional decision on their part and sometimes it was simply due to their inherent inability to fully comprehend adult rules through a mind of a child.

As the criteria for admittance to public health programs became ever more restrictive and the funding for such services continued to dry up another solution was on the horizon. Funds were plentiful and the barrier to entry was surprisingly easy to meet and being lowered all the time. Fanning the flames of fear and resentment we migrated from the carrot to the stick and constructed the legislative and judicial foundations of what would eventually become the largest private prison population the world had ever known. Among its millions of residents you could find virtually every mental health ailment you've ever heard of or read about. Every phobia, every paranoia, every syndrome, and every warped desire you could ever imagine. From the insanely vicious to the barely detectable. All intermingling in a therapy-free environment for years or even decades at a time. I am still not sure how that could be considered a responsible solution to any social ill, just as I am sure there are those who cannot imagine seeing it any other way. What is no longer debatable is that when it comes to the confused and enfeebled, slowly but surely we are abandoning any pretense of the carrot and resorting almost exclusively to the stick, and the bigger the better. I suppose time will tell if this was a productive decision or a disastrous one.

 

[cirdan]

Didnt happen in Coach, but in the Diner. While on my way from CHI - PIT on the Capitol Limited, I was sitting at a table with two Hasidic Jew's. The waitress came up to one of them, put her hand on his shoulder, and said "Good Evening! What can I get you tonight darlin?". The guy pushed her hand off of him and said "You should NEVER touch another man! You must ask for forgiveness!" She looked at him, and with a look on her face, said "WELL EXCUUUUUUUUUUUSE ME!! What would you like for dinner?". (The guys left the diner)

Something similar happened to me on a plane. The Jews refused to eat the food as a woman had served it to them so a guy had to come and serve it again.

 

[cirdan]

There is a homeless guy in Houston who keeps all his money in a thermos flask.

 

[VentureForth]

Didnt happen in Coach, but in the Diner. While on my way from CHI - PIT on the Capitol Limited, I was sitting at a table with two Hasidic Jew's. The waitress came up to one of them, put her hand on his shoulder, and said "Good Evening! What can I get you tonight darlin?". The guy pushed her hand off of him and said "You should NEVER touch another man! You must ask for forgiveness!" She looked at him, and with a look on her face, said "WELL EXCUUUUUUUUUUUSE ME!! What would you like for dinner?". (The guys left the diner)

I think that this is something that ALL OBS crew members should be made aware of. It is generally taboo for ANYONE to touch ANYONE except when shaking hands, or helping up and down steps, etc. The reasons are a myriad, from religious as shown here, to hygienic, to personal space, to jealous wife, to whatever.

The baseline approach should always be hands off except in offering aid.

That being said, the passengers who choose to not live OF this world still choose, by obviously riding Amtrak, to live IN this world. They need to be a bit less, well, touchy.

 

[lthanlon]

Didnt happen in Coach, but in the Diner. While on my way from CHI - PIT on the Capitol Limited, I was sitting at a table with two Hasidic Jew's. The waitress came up to one of them, put her hand on his shoulder, and said "Good Evening! What can I get you tonight darlin?". The guy pushed her hand off of him and said "You should NEVER touch another man! You must ask for forgiveness!" She looked at him, and with a look on her face, said "WELL EXCUUUUUUUUUUUSE ME!! What would you like for dinner?". (The guys left the diner)

I think that this is something that ALL OBS crew members should be made aware of. It is generally taboo for ANYONE to touch ANYONE except when shaking hands, or helping up and down steps, etc. The reasons are a myriad, from religious as shown here, to hygienic, to personal space, to jealous wife, to whatever.

The baseline approach should always be hands off except in offering aid.

That being said, the passengers who choose to not live OF this world still choose, by obviously riding Amtrak, to live IN this world. They need to be a bit less, well, touchy.

Had these guys pre-ordered kosher meals? And if they had, how are observant diners able to keep kosher in an Amtrak dining car in the first place? Even if the food arrives sealed from a kosher kitchen, doesn't it need to be heated or defrosted in a non-kosher appliance? Or if the food product remains sealed and doesn't touch the non-kosher appliance, is it OK?

 

[sitzplatz17]

I heard it referred to as the "Milepost Club"

I have some friends who worked up on the Alaska RR, in their down time they joined the "Clickity-Clack-Club".

All I can say it's a great club to join!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I have some friends who worked up on the Alaska RR, in their down time they joined the "Clickity-Clack-Club".

I love it!

I could never really get behind terms like the "Meter High Club" or fully embrace the "Mile Post Club", but the "Clickety Clack Club" really nails it.

[/puns]

 

[Texan Eagle]

I have some friends who worked up on the Alaska RR, in their down time they joined the "Clickity-Clack-Club".

I love it!

I could never really get behind terms like the "Meter High Club" or fully embrace the "Mile Post Club", but the "Clickety Clack Club" really nails it.

[/puns]

Like that thread where we discussed several Am-things, can't this be called AmSe....never mind.

 

[rtabern]

Hmmm... what else?

Wasn't there also the DEA bust or something in the room next to you?

Yep, was waiting for the "Strangest Things You've seen in a Sleeper" thread... but yep, guy with a loaded gun busted before train took off in Chicago in the roomette next to me a couple of years ago. The plain clothes cops were not very happy I was peaking out of my roomette at what they were doing.

 

[rtabern]

Hmmm... what else? Oh yeah, on the #28 section of the Empire Builder once... I had two 12 year old girls who were traveling alone try and get me to buy them some booze from the SSL. Not happening. They did meet some other guy who did it for them though an then headed back to his sleeper.

This is definitely go find the conductor time, and fast. That pervert needed to be thrown under the nearest jail or set of wheels, whichever.

Agreed. Even if the remark can be interpreted that they were not accompanying him (the phrasing in the sentence is a bit vague and could imply either something very dastardly or something a hair more benign), buying alcohol for preteens...no, no, no.

Maybe letting your two pre-teen daughter travel cross-country together without any parental supervision is NOT a good idea. Just sayin'...

 

[Donctor]

Didnt happen in Coach, but in the Diner. While on my way from CHI - PIT on the Capitol Limited, I was sitting at a table with two Hasidic Jew's. The waitress came up to one of them, put her hand on his shoulder, and said "Good Evening! What can I get you tonight darlin?". The guy pushed her hand off of him and said "You should NEVER touch another man! You must ask for forgiveness!" She looked at him, and with a look on her face, said "WELL EXCUUUUUUUUUUUSE ME!! What would you like for dinner?". (The guys left the diner)

Something similar happened to me on a plane. The Jews refused to eat the food as a woman had served it to them so a guy had to come and serve it again.

Something similar happened to me on a bus in Brooklyn.

 

[SarahZ]

This very goth young lady in her early 20's got on in Palm Springs with her equally goth boyfriend. They apparently were going all the way to Bloomington, IL on #422 where they were planning to move (it's amazing what you can overhear in the lounge car sometimes). Anyway, somewhere on the first night of the trip they "broke up" on the train -- and the boyfriend took away all of her money and belongings -- and got off in El Paso. She was all alone on the train with nothing. Her "meals" consisted of ketchup packets and the free crackers on the bottom level of the SSL car. Some guys then decided to buy her a bunch of alcohol... and she got drunk and took off her pants and underwear and ran through the SSL. I was a witness to this. I thought she would be kicked off the train, but the conductors let her stay on if she remained in her seat the rest of the trip... which she did to BNL.

This is really sad to me. If I had seen that happen, I would have bought her some food to last her the rest of the trip. Those guys are pigs. They could have done the chivalrous thing and chose not to.

 

[JayPea]

I really haven't seen too many odd happenings while traveling coach. One time on the Lincoln Service between Bloomington and Chicago, a young, obviously intoxicated woman tried to disable the lit No Smoking sign on the coach, as if she would be allowed to smoke with the sign turned off. This was very early in the morning (8AM or earlier) so it was a tad early to be drunk. She was on her way to see a Cubs game, however, so that was understandable. It's rough trying to watch the Flubs Cubs while sober. :lol:

And last year, while on the SWC between Chicago and Los Angeles, the guy in front of me was constantly yapping (even in the wee hours of the morning :angry2: ) on his cell phone. He was expecting his "old lady" to accompany him from Chicago. When she didn't show, he kept trying to get ahold of her. Once he did, he offered to send her $100 towards a ticket if she'd join him in Los Angeles. Somewhere in the midst of the trip, the offer went up to $150. By the end of the trip, it was up to $200. I'm not sure how much longer the trip would have been by the time he finally got her to agree to a good price. :lol: In the midst of all this, he loudly announced that he was going to break up with his OTHER "old lady" while in Los Angeles and start a new life. Mind you trying to ignore him and his conversation was trying to ignore a bee in your shorts. :blink: He and his phone's ringtone was so loud I'm sure the engineer could hear him. I'd try to go to the SSL to avoid him and here he and his blasted phone would show up. :angry2: The last I saw of him he'd gotten his luggage out to the curb, waiting for a cab, and wandered off somewhere, leaving his luggage unattended on the curb in front of Union Station in Los Angeles. :help:

 

[Donctor]

This was very early in the morning (8AM or earlier) so it was a tad early to be drunk. She was on her way to see a Cubs game, however, so that was understandable. It's rough trying to watch the Flubs Cubs while sober. :lol:

Sometimes when we go to a drinking party at Wrigley, we see some baseball.

 

[oldtimer]

This was very early in the morning (8AM or earlier) so it was a tad early to be drunk. She was on her way to see a Cubs game, however, so that was understandable. It's rough trying to watch the Flubs Cubs while sober. :lol:

Sometimes when we go to a drinking party at Wrigley, we see some baseball.

Is there baseball at Wrigley Field?

No, the cubs play there!

Any team can have a bad century or two!

 

[goduckies]

Well, for me is two. One I was a kid going from LA to Vegas. We had a Drunk Indian guy with a gun who getting taking it out threatening to kill himself. He would go back form our coach to the lounge. Luckily he had some girls looking after him that calmed him down. Very scary, even as a kid though.

And 2nd was last year on the Starlight, this JA kept talking and talking and talking about his life in North Dakota, and what not. Just would not stop talking. Best part though was when we went in the mountains, though a tunnel, and he couldn't figure out why he lost his connection!! I was very glad we hit the mountains!!

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

This was very early in the morning (8AM or earlier) so it was a tad early to be drunk. She was on her way to see a Cubs game, however, so that was understandable. It's rough trying to watch the Flubs Cubs while sober. :lol:

Sometimes when we go to a drinking party at Wrigley, we see some baseball.

Is there baseball at Wrigley Field?

No, the cubs play there!

Any team can have a bad century or two!

CUBS = Coming Undone Before September

 

[Caryn]

On a recent Empire Service trip there was a couple sitting across from me, and while the man spoke loudly on his cell phone to people at his job (even giving step by step info on accessing their computer files) the woman got out her hairbrush, gel, and a flat iron, plugged the iron in, and styled her hair for most of the trip to Rhinecliff, where they waited until the train had pulled into the station before packing up their computer, appliance, etc., and de-boarding the train. After that the car was quiet most of the way, except for the guy in front of me who decided to play a 90-minute DVD of a foul-mouthed comedian on his laptop with no headphones.

 

[guest employee]

On a recent Empire Service trip there was a couple sitting across from me, and while the man spoke loudly on his cell phone to people at his job (even giving step by step info on accessing their computer files) the woman got out her hairbrush, gel, and a flat iron, plugged the iron in, and styled her hair for most of the trip to Rhinecliff, where they waited until the train had pulled into the station before packing up their computer, appliance, etc., and de-boarding the train. After that the car was quiet most of the way, except for the guy in front of me who decided to play a 90-minute DVD of a foul-mouthed comedian on his laptop with no headphones.

I would've gone downstairs and tripped the GFI on her curling iron. C'mon, people, don't do personal grooming at your seat!! (Especially doing nails...that stuff can be explosive!)

 

[George Harris]

This very goth young lady in her early 20's got on in Palm Springs with her equally goth boyfriend. They apparently were going all the way to Bloomington, IL on #422 where they were planning to move (it's amazing what you can overhear in the lounge car sometimes). Anyway, somewhere on the first night of the trip they "broke up" on the train -- and the boyfriend took away all of her money and belongings -- and got off in El Paso. She was all alone on the train with nothing. Her "meals" consisted of ketchup packets and the free crackers on the bottom level of the SSL car. Some guys then decided to buy her a bunch of alcohol... and she got drunk and took off her pants and underwear and ran through the SSL. I was a witness to this. I thought she would be kicked off the train, but the conductors let her stay on if she remained in her seat the rest of the trip... which she did to BNL.

This is really sad to me. If I had seen that happen, I would have bought her some food to last her the rest of the trip. Those guys are pigs. They could have done the chivalrous thing and chose not to.

Unfortunately, Chilvalry is either dead or very sick in many people. The characters that got her drunk are the ones who should have been kicked off, preferably while the train was moving.

 

[SarahZ]

Sometimes when we go to a drinking party at Wrigley, we see some baseball.

Haha.

When the Red Wings-Avs rivalry was alive and well back in the McCarty vs. Lemieux days (1997), my dad used to joke, "I went to see the fights, and a hockey game broke out."

 

[Shawn Ryu]

Hmmm... what else? Oh yeah, on the #28 section of the Empire Builder once... I had two 12 year old girls who were traveling alone try and get me to buy them some booze from the SSL. Not happening. They did meet some other guy who did it for them though an then headed back to his sleeper.

Haha, reminds me of the time when i asked a man to buy me a beer, He thought I was 21 and he did! On the Empire Builder.

This was few years ago.

 

[AlanB]

On a recent Empire Service trip there was a couple sitting across from me, and while the man spoke loudly on his cell phone to people at his job (even giving step by step info on accessing their computer files) the woman got out her hairbrush, gel, and a flat iron, plugged the iron in, and styled her hair for most of the trip to Rhinecliff, where they waited until the train had pulled into the station before packing up their computer, appliance, etc., and de-boarding the train. After that the car was quiet most of the way, except for the guy in front of me who decided to play a 90-minute DVD of a foul-mouthed comedian on his laptop with no headphones.

I would've gone downstairs and tripped the GFI on her curling iron. C'mon, people, don't do personal grooming at your seat!! (Especially doing nails...that stuff can be explosive!)

Downstairs on an Empire Service train would be the track. On an Amfleet the breakers would be found at the end of the car.