As for buying 2 tickets to have both seats, I have done that several times on long distance trips, and have only had a problem with it once, and that time it was with a car attendant, not a conductor. What happened was I got on #5 in Chicago to come back to Reno. It was a full train, and I was one of the first ones on. I found 2 seats at the back of the car, and sat in one and put my bag in another. When the conductor came by to get my ticket, I gave him both of them. He smiled and say, "Well, that's one way to do it" and placed my seat check card (with a number 2 on it), and went on his way. The car attendant came by and frowned at me and said "You will need to move that bag. We have a full train and someone will need to sit there". I said I have a ticket for both seats, and the attendant said "It doesn't work that way." I said I paid for the seat and I wont move it. I went and got a conductor, and he came back to my seat where the car attendant was waiting. The conductor looked at the car attendant and said "That seat belongs to Mr. Samsonite! That bag paid for that seat, and it will continue to stay in that seat. I called Customer Service and was told by the manager of the California Zephyr that If I buy a ticket for 2 seats, I am entitled to 2 seats. However, they may not be together. So if you buy 2 tickets, make sure that you are the first on the train.