I am still going to ride the train

[Dan O]

Hey,

I rode the Southwest Chief from LA to Chicago last month. Had an interesting person sit next to me. I was sitting in the window seat behind my two older children (age 20 and 16). She appeared to be about age 50 and was able to get up and down the stairs on the train fine. The following occurred in the first evening:

* Before the train started, she asked me to open the CD player she bought. It came in hard, thick plastic but I was able to puncture the plastic with a key and give her the CD player.

* After I handed it to her, she made no move to take the plastic trash and instructions despite me holding them right in front of her for a minute or two. I placed the trash at our feet and one of my kids tossed it in the trash can a few minutes later.

* She treated me and all in the area to a serenade as she sung along to the CDs she was playing. This went on for a few hours. She was not very loud but she was mouthing the words loud enough for many to hear. I assume that was so because she had headphones on and could not hear herself singing aloud.

* She invaded my territory (seat) and used my leg as a table for her to place her purse while she was looking for something. I didn't mind but I thought she might ask before doing so. When she slept, she was pushed up against me.

* While I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom downstairs, she asked my daughter where the snack bar was. My daughter gave her the directions (we were in the last coach car). The woman asked if my daughter could take her to the snack bar. She did. When my daughter took her there, my daughter turned to go back to her seat. The woman said not to leave her as she was not sure she could find her way back to her seat. (Up the stairs and go to the last coach car....oh well.)

* She ate her snacks on the tray and fell asleep with some food on the tray. I had to use the restroom about 11:30 PM. My kids helped me lift her food off of the tray, fold up the tray and I stepped over her. I felt like Mr. Bean and my kids had a hard time not laughing their heads off at what happened. When I returned to my seat, we had to lower the tray and put her food back on it again. She woke up around midnight and offered me some of her food. "No thanks."

* A bit later that evening, she woke my daughter up to ask where the bathrooms were. At least she didn't insist on my daughter taking her to and from the restroom.

The next day--

My kids and I spent almost the entire day in the observation car. I found a seat across the aisle from my kids that was completely empty and slept there.

* When one of my kids went back to the seat to get an item, the woman asked if my kid could bring her a fork from the snack bar. "Okay, but I don't plan on being back here for several hours." The woman said that was okay. (NOTE--she did not appear to have a disability or mobility issue/)

* As I said above, we spent most of the second day in the observation car. We got off at Albuquerque and walked around some. She ran into us near the train and said, "Oh my gosh I am glad you are here. I thought maybe I had missed my stop." NOTE--Her stop was Chicago, same as ours. It was also the last possible stop for the train. I would think even the most geographically challenged person may see that Albuquerque and it's dry, dusty appearance is NOT Chicago.

Anyway, I only had to spend one evening and night next to her. She wasn't horrible but she was quite an experience.

Dan

 

[the_traveler]

She ran into us near the train and said, "Oh my gosh I am glad you are here. I thought maybe I had missed my stop." NOTE--Her stop was Chicago, same as ours. It was also the last possible stop for the train. I would think even the most geographically challenged person may see that Albuquerque and it's dry, dusty appearance is NOT Chicago.

Even if she was geographically challenged, I think it would be very hard to miss the last stop - especially since CUS is a stub end track! :lol:

 

[Navy 118]

She ran into us near the train and said, "Oh my gosh I am glad you are here. I thought maybe I had missed my stop." NOTE--Her stop was Chicago, same as ours. It was also the last possible stop for the train. I would think even the most geographically challenged person may see that Albuquerque and it's dry, dusty appearance is NOT Chicago.

Even if she was geographically challenged, I think it would be very hard to miss the last stop - especially since CUS is a stub end track! :lol:

Yeah... except if you are on trk 28 or 30! Then you could end up in say.... Milwaukee or St Paul!!

 

[msbask]

I will be travelling in coach from NYP to LAX in March/April 2009. The scenario in this post is my biggest fear. The longest trip I've ever taken is from NYP to WAS several times and nothing like this has ever happened to me.

I'm just asking for a general idea here from anyone who has travelled the SWC in the spring (which I imagine is less crowded than summer): Are there generally extra seats available so that I could move if something like this should happen. I understand that noise, children, and movement are to be expected in coach, but we all have our limits.

(FWIW: I prefer coach because the roomette's are too closed in for me and there's no way I'd be able to sleep in one.)

 

[Everydaymatters]

Spring was normally less crowded than summer on most trains. However, with the cost of gas being so high, the jury is still out on how crowded rail travel will be in the future.

Maybe Alan knows if there have been any official ridership projections?

 

[Guest]

Hey,
I rode the Southwest Chief from LA to Chicago last month. Had an interesting person sit next to me. I was sitting in the window seat behind my two older children (age 20 and 16). She appeared to be about age 50 and was able to get up and down the stairs on the train fine. The following occurred in the first evening:

 

* Before the train started, she asked me to open the CD player she bought. It came in hard, thick plastic but I was able to puncture the plastic with a key and give her the CD player.

"No, I'm not able to do that." Perhaps the attendant can help you. Look away.

* After I handed it to her, she made no move to take the plastic trash and instructions despite me holding them right in front of her for a minute or two. I placed the trash at our feet and one of my kids tossed it in the trash can a few minutes later.

"You left these with me. I don't know where you wish to put them but I'm sure the attendant can help you with it."

* She treated me and all in the area to a serenade as she sung along to the CDs she was playing. This went on for a few hours. She was not very loud but she was mouthing the words loud enough for many to hear. I assume that was so because she had headphones on and could not hear herself singing aloud.

tap, tap on her right shoulder, using the remove headphones gesture. "You're a little louder than you may understand and we're missing the conductor's annoucements."

* She invaded my territory (seat) and used my leg as a table for her to place her purse while she was looking for something. I didn't mind but I thought she might ask before doing so. When she slept, she was pushed up against me.

If the genders were reversed, he would be staring at the ceiling with his back to the ground. By this time, your responses should be generating a clue that you're not willing to cozy up for the night so continue pointing out the boundaries. Lift the purse up as though it has cooties, dusting your leg off, hand it to her and point out the overhead bin.

* While I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom downstairs, she asked my daughter where the snack bar was. My daughter gave her the directions (we were in the last coach car). The woman asked if my daughter could take her to the snack bar. She did. When my daughter took her there, my daughter turned to go back to her seat. The woman said not to leave her as she was not sure she could find her way back to her seat. (Up the stairs and go to the last coach car....oh well.)

Call your daughter and inform the woman that you have taught your daughter not to take off with strangers and that you're sure the attendant can help her with this function. Annie Oakley probably looked sweet, too.

* She ate her snacks on the tray and fell asleep with some food on the tray. I had to use the restroom about 11:30 PM. My kids helped me lift her food off of the tray, fold up the tray and I stepped over her. I felt like Mr. Bean and my kids had a hard time not laughing their heads off at what happened. When I returned to my seat, we had to lower the tray and put her food back on it again. She woke up around midnight and offered me some of her food. "No thanks."

tap, tap on the arm again and say loudly "Excuse me. I need to leave the seat. Would you please move your belongings so that I can get by." Do coach seats have call buttons? The loudness of your voice will probably get the attendant's attention so that you are not accused of inappropriately touching this woman.

* A bit later that evening, she woke my daughter up to ask where the bathrooms were. At least she didn't insist on my daughter taking her to and from the restroom.

"Ma'am, please (optional) do not bother my daughter again. She needs her sleep. The attendant can help you with any questions that you may have about amenity locations."

The next day--

My kids and I spent almost the entire day in the observation car. I found a seat across the aisle from my kids that was completely empty and slept there.

* When one of my kids went back to the seat to get an item, the woman asked if my kid could bring her a fork from the snack bar. "Okay, but I don't plan on being back here for several hours." The woman said that was okay. (NOTE--she did not appear to have a disability or mobility issue/)

Answer: "No". By now, it should be pretty clear that you're sending some rewarding cues to this woman by responding to her or she is just a totally clueless individual. Find the attendant, use your pointiest finger and point her out with a grimace on your face and ask for a seat change.

* As I said above, we spent most of the second day in the observation car. We got off at Albuquerque and walked around some. She ran into us near the train and said, "Oh my gosh I am glad you are here. I thought maybe I had missed my stop." NOTE--Her stop was Chicago, same as ours. It was also the last possible stop for the train. I would think even the most geographically challenged person may see that Albuquerque and it's dry, dusty appearance is NOT Chicago.

Answer: "Oh. Really." How nice and go about your business.

Anyway, I only had to spend one evening and night next to her. She wasn't horrible but she was quite an experience.

Dan

She seems to have operated as though you were her husband and this is when you have to call on Miss Manners or her more direct cousin to deal with those who are challenged in that department. The operative word is "NO", delivered with some surprise at being asked to do these things and without explanation. See suggestions above. If you want this level of interaction you can encourage it. If you don't want it, you can appropriately and politely discourage it by your responses.

 

[gswager]

That's an interesting seatmate you had! Despite some inconvenience, glad that you have a wonderful family helping her and you!

 

[greatcats]

The late columnist Ann Landers would have said the lady had a geranium in her cranium. Sounds like the poor dear's elevator doesn't reach the top floor.

 

[ksuguy]

One thing I noticed when looking at the pictures of the coach cars is that there didn't appear to be any arm rests between the seats. Are they all like that? Wouldn't be as big of a deal if I was traveling with someone I knew, but if I go somewhere, it will probably be on my own. I realize that you have to put up with strangers sitting nearby in coach, but I really don't like the thought of some fat dude rubbing up against me for 20 hours.

 

[printman2000]

One thing I noticed when looking at the pictures of the coach cars is that there didn't appear to be any arm rests between the seats. Are they all like that? Wouldn't be as big of a deal if I was traveling with someone I knew, but if I go somewhere, it will probably be on my own. I realize that you have to put up with strangers sitting nearby in coach, but I really don't like the thought of some fat dude rubbing up against me for 20 hours.

I am pretty sure there are armrests between the seats, at least on Superliners.

 

[the_traveler]

Unless they recently changed, the "dividers" between the seats are almost flush with the seats. Many pax sleep using both seats (of course if it's not occupied), and the armrest would not allow this.

I never had a problem with a "fat dude" sitting next to me. Coach seats on trains are much wider than coach seats on planes. (I have had a few beautiful women sit next to me, but I didn't complain! )

 

[PetalumaLoco]

If you have a fast web connection and Quiktime, see this panoramic view of a Superliner coach interior. The seats show up really well.

 

[ksuguy]

You'd think they would use the fold up armrests like they have on airplanes. I'm just one of those people that hates being touched, and it is nice to have the arm rest as a buffer. I agree, sharing the seat with one of those beautiful women you mentioned would be a lot better than a sweaty fat guy!

 

[Guest]

Attitude! Attitude! Attitude!

Any train trip in coach is going to put you in an instant community of strangers. If you judge others by your values you probably will not be happy, if you observe and are willing to laugh (and maybe be laughed about) you will likely have a great time.

Obviously your seatmate was a couple of cards short of a full deck, but you do have a great story!

A couple of things that happened on the Starlight (3-4 years ago). On the down trip my son (9 yo) made friends with a 15 ish teen (and "gothic") girl. She had her 3 pet mice with her (yes I know Amtrak has a no pets policy) and had a great time, especially when the mice got loose in the lounge car. The mice recaptured, she got out at K Falls, and no Amtrak attendent officially "knew" anything about the pets. On the up trip I had a seat mate from San Luis Obisbo to San Jose who started getting nervious then confessed to having an anixity disorder. I kept her in calm conversations most of her trip, she looked OK when she got off. The next day there was a guy who, to me, obviously was high on something. It was a little scarey and I (and others) asked the attendant to keep an eye out... she did. After the guy became agitated because he thought someone had stolen his backpack (he had just sat in the wrong seat) the conductor and attendant controlled the problem by convencing him if he left his seat again it was to get off the train, wherever that might be. He stayed put until his stop! All in all a fun trip.

Far better than the last air plane trip, 3 wide shoulders across and everyone had to sit angled!

 

[AlanB]

Maybe Alan knows if there have been any official ridership projections?

I'm sure that Amtrak either has or is currently working on projections for next spring, but what those are I have no idea. Every year Amtrak budgets the number of people that they expect for each train for each month of the year. Those budget numbers are available in the monthly reports that Amtrak releases. But those reports come out a few months after the actual month.

 

[RailFanLNK]

Man...you've got alot more patience than I got! I would have put up with that for awhile, but lifting the tray table up and putting her food back on it......NO WAY!!!! I think to spite her I would have taken a bite out of the food sitting there and then left it laying on her lap! I'm a truck driver and I would have told her to put the fork I was supposed to get her where the sun ........................ with folks like that I have found out...."where there's no brains, there's no headaches!" :lol:

 

[Amtrak Watcher]

When confronted with a disagreeable neighbor in the coach seats, either plane or by trian, I've found a few minutes of vigorous nose-picking will make them go away.

 

[MrFSS]

Remember - sometimes it takes a village . . . .

 

[Green Maned Lion]

That lady would have had her ears repaired by my discussion on the virtues of getting off her own bloody arse and finding things, and especially on the sound virtues of not singing. I'm friendly when its possible, I really am. I'd tell her how to get there.

If by some chance I was going there, I might even lead the way. I can picture myself, though: "Lady, this is a train. The lounge car is forward, the coach car is aft. There are two possible directions for you to go, you can't get lost!" If she didn't listen? I'd walk up to the lounge, find the conductor, and complain.

You'd think they would use the fold up armrests like they have on airplanes. I'm just one of those people that hates being touched, and it is nice to have the arm rest as a buffer. I agree, sharing the seat with one of those beautiful women you mentioned would be a lot better than a sweaty fat guy!

If you don't like brushing up against people, get a sleeping compartment. Or drive. Those are basically your only two options for avoiding this.

When confronted with a disagreeable neighbor in the coach seats, either plane or by trian, I've found a few minutes of vigorous nose-picking will make them go away.

I go a step farther. I start digging, and when I find one, I hold it up like a grand prize, show it to my seat mate, and say: "Ain't this a big one?" Then I eat it.

Neil_M: In case you were wondering, this is a great way to take advantage of not showering. Another way to remove seat mates is to lean back, with your hands behind your head, armpits exposed.

Normally, I don't mind seatmates. They can even be the pleasure of the trip. But sometimes...

 

[Rail Freak]

If you have a fast web connection and Quiktime, see this panoramic view of a Superliner coach interior. The seats show up really well.

How wide are the coach seats?

 

[printman2000]

One thing I noticed when looking at the pictures of the coach cars is that there didn't appear to be any arm rests between the seats. Are they all like that? Wouldn't be as big of a deal if I was traveling with someone I knew, but if I go somewhere, it will probably be on my own. I realize that you have to put up with strangers sitting nearby in coach, but I really don't like the thought of some fat dude rubbing up against me for 20 hours.

I am pretty sure there are armrests between the seats, at least on Superliners.

Okay, the last time I was in coach, it was pretty late. But I remembered wrong, there is no arm between,

 

[Dan O]

Hey,

She wasn't horrible. I only sat next to her for about 14 hours, half of that sleeping. I was just a bit amazed at the things she said and did. I thought maybe she was traveling alone since she asked us to do her fetching for her but when she got off in Chicago she was with another man who appeared to be her husband/boyfriend. I guess he knew her well enough and sat several seats back so he didn't have to deal with her. Anyway, she was not the worst possible seatmate. I have kids of various ages--toddler to twenty--so I have to be a bit patient at times.

Re seats--no armrest between them. They are fairly wide and very comfy. I had no trouble getting another seat near us the second night so I could sleep w/o having to sit next to her. But, had she been next to me on the way from Chicago to LA I'd have had to suffer through two nights of her as that train was full.

I just thought a few of you might enjoy hearing about her antics.

Dan

 

[The Metropolitan]

It's not necessarily a coach thing either. I remember riding the Capitol Limited in a roomette last spring. We were going through a slow zone in the Alleghenies and through the walls, I could hear one woman comiserating with her roomate "Now this Train Driver KNOWS he can drive faster than this - what the H*** is wrong with him?!?" And on it went...

What I wouldn't have given for a charged ipod to block the ignorance out.

As for lazy helplessness like hers, I've noticed some folks who repeatedly pester the poor Car Attendant for EVERYTHING, even if he's in the middle of converting a room or something.

 

[abqdave]

I just thought a few of you might enjoy hearing about her antics.
Dan

I loved your story. I was reading it on my cell phone on the bus on the way home and I nearly burst out laughing. But I stopped myself, thinking someone on the bus probably writes their own blog and it would be on the internet about this lunatic (me) laughing to himself.

I flew to Wyoming 2 weeks ago and sat next to a little old lady on the first leg (ABQ-DEN). After our greeting and finding out she was going on a return trip to Alaska (my late grandmother's favorite vacation), she had trouble finding her seatbelt. I pointed out where it was and she found it. Glad to help someone who could have been my grandmother. About two minutes later, lost it again and asked help finding it. Oh oh. This time just told her it was on her right side, anchored to the bottom seat cushion where it meets the back of the chair. Lots more fishing, switching to looking on her left side again. Oh oh. Reached over and found it for her again, then she started having trouble buckling the two parts together....After the plane took off, she wanted to open the window shade and was struggling with not being able to do that either. Oh oh. After seeing that, my nose went in my book and I only nodded and grunted when she talked about the trouble with the shade. Thank goodness only a 40 minute flight.

You handled your situation as a kind and patient person...a gentleman. I am sure your daughter noticed and appreciated it.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

One of these days, Amtrak should explain to passengers that their conductors get paid 8 hours to move the train whether they do it in 7 hours and 55 minutes, or 4 hours and thirty. I'm tired of people insisting they run the train slow to increase their pay.