Amtrak's Quiet Cars

[Superliner Diner]

From the Washington, DC Post, 5/21/03:

Amtrak's Quiet Car -- Heaven on EarthOnce upon a time, the prevailing sound of a train was the pocketa-pocketa of its wheels. Passengers behaved as if they were in church. No one guffawed, shouted or called out to a pal five rows away. And no one yelled into a cell phone about various banalities.

Very interesting, and very true column. You can read the whole thing here.

 

[Amtrak Watcher]

The phenomenon of loud and rude passengers seems confined to the shorter distance day trains: Cascades and Pacific Surfliner in my experience. Except for the occasional drunken jerk, my fellow passengers on the long distance trains out here in the west are polite and quiet. The loudness and rudeness we see is only a symptom of a much greater deterioration in public manners and civil behavior. Road rage, loud talking on the cell phone, foul language, insulting strangers trying to serve us, the bizarre antics on the “The Jerry Springer Show;” all are evidence of a general decrease in civility and a slow death of common sense. I am old enough to remember when people were much better behaved in public, and I am saddened to see people loose their manners.

I, for one, try to be extra courteous on the long distance trains. When I have a sleeper, for example, I’ll dress up for my trip to the dinner, and not show up with in my T-shirt and dirty trousers. Those who “dress down” are demonstrating a profound disrespect for the staff and fellow passengers.

Elsewhere in this forum, the need for privacy and refuge of Amtrak service staff tormented by rude passengers is being discussed. Though there may be a few (only a few) Amtrak employees who need a little training in basic customer service skills, the passengers are usually at fault in confrontations. I’ve seen some pretty awful situations where passengers were unreasonable and cruel. The ability of the Amtrak employee (victim) in all the cases I’ve seen was a marvel of patience.

 

[amtrakadirondack]

I've heard they are nice

 

[Amfleet]

But Amtrak has done well what airlines do so poorly. It has listened to its customers.

That certainly is a breath of fresh air.

 

[battalion51]

Well the quiet car was designed more for the relaxed traveller than anything else. Many (Northeast) trains currently operate as an office away from the office for business people. Cell phones will ring, people will talk, or hold a conference. The quiet car is designed primarily for those who want a quiet place to read, or take a nap.

 

[jccollins]

What happened to the quiet cars on the Capitol Corridor? Have they disappeared?

 

[amtrakadirondack]

No, my friend just returned from a business trip from Orlando, FL to San Jose, CA on Amtrak, he took the Sunset Limited from Orlando to Los Angeles, and the Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to San Jose, during his trip he took a Capitol Corridor train to Sacramento and he rode in a quiet on the end of the train, so, no they are still in service and I think it says Quiet Car available, but I'm not entirely sure.