Age Limit in Cafe Car

[ReidTYK]

Is it normal for kids to be kicked out of a cafe car if they're not with their parents?

Last year my 11 year old sister and I got kicked out of the lower level cafe on the Pacific Surfliner. Is this normal, or was the cafe car attendant just in a bad mood?

 

[Ryan]

I'm sure that it depends on how well you are behaving.

 

[Guest]

The lower level of the lounge car is generally kept available for people purchasing food and drink items so they have a place to sit and enjoy their purchases. If you were not buying anything from the lounge, you were probably asked to leave the seating area on the lower level.

 

[ReidTYK]

I'm sure that it depends on how well you are behaving.

I don't think so, because he told us that we had to leave the second we got there

 

[Ryan]

Then yeah, I'd go with "bad mood". How old are you?

 

[ReidTYK]

Then yeah, I'd go with "bad mood". How old are you?

13

 

[Acela150]

Then yeah, I'd go with "bad mood". How old are you?

13

I was in a cafe car alone at 14 with no issues at all. I agree with Ryan Bad Mood it is.

 

[ReidTYK]

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that they sell alcohol

 

[JulieRose]

What time was it? During the day they don't seem to have a problem with kids in there as long as they're not getting rowdy. At night, I've seen them turned away at the door.

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

While I don't remember the Age there were frequent announcements about children being accompanied on the train by an adult "not an older child". So in the Cafe car I am not surprised a child was asked to leave. I post said the Child was 13, but they may have looked younger. I as a parent and Grandparent would not let my young ones be unsupervised, not everyone on a train is good with or for children

 

[ReidTYK]

What time was it? During the day they don't seem to have a problem with kids in there as long as they're not getting rowdy. At night, I've seen them turned away at the door.

No, it was during the day.

I was just taking my sister down there so that she could use the restroom.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I have heard Announcements many times on Trains reminding pax that Young Children should be Supervised by an Adult when Walking About the Train, not a Sibbling or even in a Pack of Kids! As we all know Trains can be Dangerous while moving, especially going between cars and while going up and down Stairs on the Surfliners and Superliners!I have seen lots of Adults hand money to kids and send them to the Cafe Car and heard the LSA there tell the kids to go get an Adult to Supervise them while in the Cafe!

Unfortunately, as Eric indicated there are those other than Child Friendly to watch out for also! Most Amtrak OBS and Conductors Generally are Kid Friendly as Long as they are fairly well behaved and Supervised by a Responsible Adult!

 

[JulieRose]

As a 31 year old woman, there were 2 trips in the past few years that I was uncomfortable walking around alone on. As I've personally been unfortunate enough to meet people on Amtrak trains that were not "female friendly," I would probably be concerned about letting a child or teen roam about on their own just based on those 2 experiences. I'm sorry that they told you to leave but really, it's for your own safety. I know you hate "hearing" this but really, you'll understand when you get older and see some of the true horrors in the world.

 

[George Harris]

I remember thinking I was able to do most anything when I was 13. I was wrong then, but fortunately the cost of finding out was not too high. It was also a safer world.

I see the same "of course I will be OK and able to handle it" attitude in my grandchildren. However, they are not going into a public restroom alone unless I can see the door and know they are in it by themselves. (Anybody trying anything better have their life insurance paid up.)

 

[had8ley]

As a 31 year old woman, there were 2 trips in the past few years that I was uncomfortable walking around alone on. As I've personally been unfortunate enough to meet people on Amtrak trains that were not "female friendly," I would probably be concerned about letting a child or teen roam about on their own just based on those 2 experiences. I'm sorry that they told you to leave but really, it's for your own safety. I know you hate "hearing" this but really, you'll understand when you get older and see some of the true horrors in the world.

It is indeed a sad world we live in~ the train is not the only place that unhappy people exist; just go to the grocery store and try and make a slow journey up and down the aisles. Betcha get knocked into more than once and gather some dirty looks. I'm glad I was the one who walked into the first class lavatory on a plane recently instead of my wife. A female had a male in hand cuffs and was ready to perform her duties~ I just wish they had locked the darned door !!! If you travel coach the lower level of the lounge car is usually a busy place with people coming and going and of course the diner is probably the most public area (and safest) on the entire train.

 

[JulieRose]

As a 31 year old woman, there were 2 trips in the past few years that I was uncomfortable walking around alone on. As I've personally been unfortunate enough to meet people on Amtrak trains that were not "female friendly," I would probably be concerned about letting a child or teen roam about on their own just based on those 2 experiences. I'm sorry that they told you to leave but really, it's for your own safety. I know you hate "hearing" this but really, you'll understand when you get older and see some of the true horrors in the world.

It is indeed a sad world we live in~ the train is not the only place that unhappy people exist; just go to the grocery store and try and make a slow journey up and down the aisles. Betcha get knocked into more than once and gather some dirty looks. I'm glad I was the one who walked into the first class lavatory on a plane recently instead of my wife. A female had a male in hand cuffs and was ready to perform her duties~ I just wish they had locked the darned door !!! If you travel coach the lower level of the lounge car is usually a busy place with people coming and going and of course the diner is probably the most public area (and safest) on the entire train.

Well the incidents in question involved an unwelcome grope and someone exposing themself. They were both quite drunk.

 

[VentureForth]

As a 31 year old woman, there were 2 trips in the past few years that I was uncomfortable walking around alone on. As I've personally been unfortunate enough to meet people on Amtrak trains that were not "female friendly," I would probably be concerned about letting a child or teen roam about on their own just based on those 2 experiences. I'm sorry that they told you to leave but really, it's for your own safety. I know you hate "hearing" this but really, you'll understand when you get older and see some of the true horrors in the world.

It is indeed a sad world we live in~ the train is not the only place that unhappy people exist; just go to the grocery store and try and make a slow journey up and down the aisles. Betcha get knocked into more than once and gather some dirty looks. I'm glad I was the one who walked into the first class lavatory on a plane recently instead of my wife. A female had a male in hand cuffs and was ready to perform her duties~ I just wish they had locked the darned door !!! If you travel coach the lower level of the lounge car is usually a busy place with people coming and going and of course the diner is probably the most public area (and safest) on the entire train.

Well the incidents in question involved an unwelcome grope and someone exposing themself. They were both quite drunk.

Not quite that bad, but I've seen crew who were not female friendly. IE: Tossing me a diner reservation in my roomette then sitting in the roomette across from me that had a young lady who was desperately trying to be polite and simply read her book.

 

[guest]

As a 31 year old woman, there were 2 trips in the past few years that I was uncomfortable walking around alone on. As I've personally been unfortunate enough to meet people on Amtrak trains that were not "female friendly," I would probably be concerned about letting a child or teen roam about on their own just based on those 2 experiences. I'm sorry that they told you to leave but really, it's for your own safety. I know you hate "hearing" this but really, you'll understand when you get older and see some of the true horrors in the world.

It is indeed a sad world we live in~ the train is not the only place that unhappy people exist; just go to the grocery store and try and make a slow journey up and down the aisles. Betcha get knocked into more than once and gather some dirty looks. I'm glad I was the one who walked into the first class lavatory on a plane recently instead of my wife. A female had a male in hand cuffs and was ready to perform her duties~ I just wish they had locked the darned door !!! If you travel coach the lower level of the lounge car is usually a busy place with people coming and going and of course the diner is probably the most public area (and safest) on the entire train.

I would say it's not so much a sad world as a sad country. I travel to Europe regularly, and "tweens" regularly travel solo in perfect safety for fairly long distances. People watch out for each other in most countries; in the US, people only watch out for their own wallets/tax rates/etc. Yet another reason I'm relocating across the Atlantic later this year...

 

[ReidTYK]

I guess this just seems so strange to me because i live in a small town where everyone is so nice, so I don't usaualy encounter these types of situations

 

[JulieRose]

I guess this just seems so strange to me because i live in a small town where everyone is so nice, so I don't usaualy encounter these types of situations

I agree with the poster before who said that it's a "sad country." I work for a Canadian based company and I can tell you that that most of the Canadians I know who have spent a good amount of time here are horrified by the way that some Americans conduct themselves. I've always found Canadians in America to be a little too trusting. (That's our flaw. Not yours.) Most Americans are not nearly as kind to strangers than your average Canadian.

 

[ReidTYK]

I guess this just seems so strange to me because i live in a small town where everyone is so nice, so I don't usaualy encounter these types of situations

I agree with the poster before who said that it's a "sad country." I work for a Canadian based company and I can tell you that that most of the Canadians I know who have spent a good amount of time here are horrified by the way that some Americans conduct themselves. I've always found Canadians in America to be a little too trusting. (That's our flaw. Not yours.) Most Americans are not nearly as kind to strangers than your average Canadian.

But that doesnt mean that there arn't some Americans who are nicer than the average Canadian

 

[JulieRose]

No. there certainly are, I'm sure, but even as an American touring another American city, I've never felt as welcome as I did in Canada.

 

[Amtrak839]

Definitely no rule against kids being alone in the lounge. Back around 2006 when I was 12-ish, I was riding a nearly empty northbound Auto Train and sat in the lounge sans parents for at least an hour talking with the cafe attendant and 2 sleeper attendants who were on their dinner break.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

It was also a safer world.

Safer in what way exactly? Crime rates have been falling steadily for decades even though there are many more crimes you can be charged with today than there were in the past. If you're talking specifically about white collar crime then I would strongly agree with you, but in the case of blue collar crime your contention isn't supported by the majority of statistics I've seen. Speaking of statistics, while you're busy watching and waiting for strangers in a public restroom to "try anything" the far more likely predator profiles are already known to you and are welcome in your own home. But please don't let messy things like objective statistical analysis stop you from spending as much time and effort as possible worrying about some of the least likely threats to your family.

 

[George Harris]

It was also a safer world.

Safer in what way exactly? Crime rates have been falling steadily for decades even though there are many more crimes you can be charged with today than there were in the past. If you're talking specifically about white collar crime then I would strongly agree with you, but in the case of blue collar crime your contention isn't supported by the majority of statistics I've seen. Speaking of statistics, while you're busy watching and waiting for strangers in a public restroom to "try anything" the far more likely predator profiles are already known to you and are welcome in your own home. But please don't let messy things like objective statistical analysis stop you from spending as much time and effort as possible worrying about some of the least likely threats to your family.

Are there any facts in that rant? If so, I missed them.