Last Night on the Texas Eagle

[the_traveler]

Oddly enough, the problematic passengers I've encountered were all sober. :lol:

I didn't think we met! :lol:

 

[AlanB]

Look at it this way. The drunks on the trains are at least not driving drunk. Possibly because they've already lost their license, but the net effect is the same - they aren't on the road. I imagine some people take the train specicifally to avoid having to drive after drinking.As to why people drink on the train, in my case it is one of the few places where I can drink in "semi-public" when traveling with my handicapped son. I don't need to drive and there are the train attendants to help with other activities. So a beer or 2 in the evening is relaxing.

But as New Mexico is complaining about with the airlines-- they get off the train and drive drunk if they've had the inclination to keep their buzz going during their ride.

However as I said before I believe it to be cost prohibitive.

The problem with New Mexico isn't about the airlines serving drinks IMHO; it's that New Mexico isn't getting the sales tax from the drinks.

The person, who started the brouhaha, caused a fatal accident. Yes, he got off the plane drunk. However, he then drove to a bar where he got served and of course increased his blood alcohol level. Then he got in his car to drive home and caused the fatal accident.

This IMHO isn’t about the big bad airlines; this is politicians trying to come out smelling like a rose, while increasing revenue. If New Mexico wants to fix the problem, then they need to toughen their own laws governing bars in New Mexico and leave the airlines alone!

 

[sunchaser]

A few months ago, someone posted a comment suggesting that the rock-and-rolling of the train, and the effects of alcohol actually cancel each other out enabling the passenger who has had a few drinks to walk straight. If this is true, the next time you see a passenger walking normally in a moving train, you can assume this person is drunk!

I was wondering if that is true-but highly unlikely! If you fall into someone's lap and you've been drinking, whew!

Most people don't realize that you can smell how much they have had to drink, even if they aren't real close!

We did consume some wine in our sleeper on the Coast Starlight & California Zephyr, I don't think we walked any straighter! But we did not get drunk, it was more for relaxation than anything else.

 

[rtabern]

I think the worst train for drunks would either be the Texas Eagle or the Sunset Limited.

Whenever I do #421, the thru train from CHI to LAX via SAS... there almost always seem to be someone who gets kicked off the train. Looking back, I have done #421 all the way from Chicago to Los Angeles 6 times since my re-newed interest in trains hit in 2005. Honestly... 5 out of the 6 times someone got kicked off the train!! 3 times it was for drunk, 1 time it was for an illegal immigrant who snuck on the train, and the other was some guy who was off his meds who locked himself in the bathroom.

The funny this is... almost all of the "kick offs" happened between San Antonio and El Paso. Maybe the lack of scenery or lack of smoke stops drives someone to drink?

On a trip I did in September 2008 on #422 (going eastbound there), a girl actually took off her pants in the lower level of the lounge car. She didn't get kicked off, but got a stern warning from the LSA. There was only me, this girl, the LSA, and a couple of other people down there at the time.

 

[Gord]

I think that train binge drinking on board is brought on as a sign of the times. People are stressed to the max and when they get away all h--- breaks loose. The NOL trains catch quite a few characters getting a head start on Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street. And when they leave they're still in party mode.

Some of the CONL crews must be pretty used to this. On one northbound trip a couple of years ago, they put off two really obnoxious drunks at two different stations, before sundown. IIRC, one guy was smoking in the lounge car and refused to stop. In each case, the cops were already waiting at the stations. The no-nonsense crew took care of the problem quickly, much to the relief of the other passengers.

I've seen some pretty heavy drinking on the Crescent heading for NOLA, too. Usually a few local professional drinkers hogging seats in the lounge for the whole trip geting louder by the mile. Looked like their big bottles of orange soda were laced with JD.

As others have stated, yet another good reason for sleeping accomodation on long runs.

Gord

 

[inspiration100]

Is it legal for passengers to bring on their own alcohol? I had someone do that on our last train trip and was curious, but it didn't bother me.

 

[sunchaser]

Is it legal for passengers to bring on their own alcohol? I had someone do that on our last train trip and was curious, but it didn't bother me.

Only if you are in a sleeper, and it is supposed to be consumed in the sleeper.

 

[Ispolkom]

Is it legal for passengers to bring on their own alcohol? I had someone do that on our last train trip and was curious, but it didn't bother me.

In coach drinking alcohol you brought on board is forbidden. In a sleeper it's not only allowed, the attendant brings you ice.

Me, I dislike loud cellphone users more than drunks. Loud, drunken, foul-mouthed cellphone users take the cake.

 

[Bob Dylan]

On my just completed first ever AGR award trip I ran into two "professional drinkers"! The first was a retired engineer

riding in the coach on #28 EB from PDX-SPK (surprise!no sleeper folks!), he carried a cooler of beer on, set down next to me (assigned seats) and proceeded to consume the entire 12 pack! At first he was belligerent and loud, the SA who was very busy trying to deal with a car full of upset sleeper passengers finally told him twice to hold it down! Finally the

conductor came, told him it was his last warning, he continued and when we arrived in SPK was removed from the train. Where he went is not known, we were hustled aboard the SEA sleeper up front an d rolled out for CHI pretty quickly as we were down oin time.

The other instance was on the Eagle from STL-AUS (night before last), an Aussie guy (they have a reputation for such things!LOL ), was obviously under the influence, was loud and belligerent, kept falling down in the lounge car, finally fell down the stairs to the cafe when going to get "one more". The conductor came and the attendant and he got the guy

up and "helped" him back to his coach seat, when I walked the train later before bed I did not see him although he could have been downstairs??? We did not stop till Popular Bluff so AFAIK he wasnt put off the train?? he was so obviously drunk its a wonder to me how he was still alive???

 

[BlueJeanGirl]

FWIW one of my dearest friends is a C on the TE/SL (out of LAX)...the stories he comes home with, every blessed trip, are incredible, and just about every run he puts someone off for alcohol-related reasons.

Comparatively, the passengers on the CS and SWC are positively members of the sobriety society (though I've put off my fair share of alcohol-related problems from the SWC, don't get me wrong!)

Travel light!

~BJG

I think the worst train for drunks would either be the Texas Eagle or the Sunset Limited.
Whenever I do #421, the thru train from CHI to LAX via SAS... there almost always seem to be someone who gets kicked off the train. Looking back, I have done #421 all the way from Chicago to Los Angeles 6 times since my re-newed interest in trains hit in 2005. Honestly... 5 out of the 6 times someone got kicked off the train!! 3 times it was for drunk, 1 time it was for an illegal immigrant who snuck on the train, and the other was some guy who was off his meds who locked himself in the bathroom.

The funny this is... almost all of the "kick offs" happened between San Antonio and El Paso. Maybe the lack of scenery or lack of smoke stops drives someone to drink?

On a trip I did in September 2008 on #422 (going eastbound there), a girl actually took off her pants in the lower level of the lounge car. She didn't get kicked off, but got a stern warning from the LSA. There was only me, this girl, the LSA, and a couple of other people down there at the time.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

On my just completed first ever AGR award trip I ran into two "professional drinkers"! The first was a retired engineerriding in the coach on #28 EB from PDX-SPK (surprise!no sleeper folks!), he carried a cooler of beer on, set down next to me (assigned seats) and proceeded to consume the entire 12 pack! At first he was belligerent and loud, the SA who was very busy trying to deal with a car full of upset sleeper passengers finally told him twice to hold it down! Finally the

conductor came, told him it was his last warning, he continued and when we arrived in SPK was removed from the train. Where he went is not known, we were hustled aboard the SEA sleeper up front an d rolled out for CHI pretty quickly as we were down oin time.

The other instance was on the Eagle from STL-AUS (night before last), an Aussie guy (they have a reputation for such things!LOL ), was obviously under the influence, was loud and belligerent, kept falling down in the lounge car, finally fell down the stairs to the cafe when going to get "one more". The conductor came and the attendant and he got the guy

up and "helped" him back to his coach seat, when I walked the train later before bed I did not see him although he could have been downstairs??? We did not stop till Popular Bluff so AFAIK he wasnt put off the train?? he was so obviously drunk its a wonder to me how he was still alive???

At least no one can complain Amtrak doesn't provide a rolling floor show, the level of entertainment varying by the mile

 

[amtrakwolverine]

if its not drinking its smoking. last year in the texas eagle coach on the sunset limited 2 people who were friends were put off for smoking in the bathroom. we stopped at some signal mast and there were police waiting for them. i think one of them was smoking weed on the train also as the conductor said " someone is continuing to smoke in the bathroom if your caught you we be kicked off and if you have weed your going to jail".

 

[Everydaymatters]

I guess it's just me, but the smell of alcohol on a drunk person is disgusting.

If the behavior is funny and they are only making a fool of themselves, it doesn't bother me. If they are obnoxious and loud use 4 letter words, it puts a damper on the trip.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

I guess it's just me, but the smell of alcohol on a drunk person is disgusting.
If the behavior is funny and they are only making a fool of themselves, it doesn't bother me. If they are obnoxious and loud use 4 letter words, it puts a damper on the trip.

i agree. they sweat booze.

 

[Shanghai]

I had a bad experience on the Cardinal going from IND to NYP. Somewhere in Kentucky, a man boarded and sat next to me. He was going to Providence, RI.

Shortly after we departed his station, he went to the lounge car and brought back two cans of beer. He drank them then went back for two more. After eight beers,

he was drunk. The lady sitting behind him knew he was drunk and began to complain and harrass the guy. Then a couple other passengers sitting nearby began

giving him some grief. Finally, he got off the train to connect with another train to PVD. We were all happy to see him disembark. He fell flat on his face as he got

off the train in WAS - I don't know if he ever made PVD!! The most disappointing thing was the lounge attendant continued to sell him beer when he was noticably

drunk and the car attendant did nothing about the situation. I was the one to clean up all the beer cans he had stewn about the car!!

 

[Everydaymatters]

I had a bad experience on the Cardinal going from IND to NYP. Somewhere in Kentucky, a man boarded and sat next to me. He was going to Providence, RI. Shortly after we departed his station, he went to the lounge car and brought back two cans of beer. He drank them then went back for two more. After eight beers,

he was drunk. The lady sitting behind him knew he was drunk and began to complain and harrass the guy. Then a couple other passengers sitting nearby began

giving him some grief. Finally, he got off the train to connect with another train to PVD. We were all happy to see him disembark. He fell flat on his face as he got

off the train in WAS - I don't know if he ever made PVD!! The most disappointing thing was the lounge attendant continued to sell him beer when he was noticably

drunk and the car attendant did nothing about the situation. I was the one to clean up all the beer cans he had stewn about the car!!

That's terrible! Aren't there some guideline for the attendants where they have to stop serving? and for the coach attendants to clean up the beer cans? and the conductor to either move the drunk or isolate him (ie at night put him in the lounge)? Why is one passenger allowed to disrupt the enjoyment of the trip for several other passengers around him?

 

[MichigantoTexasbyrail]

Two of my four Texas Eagle rides involved one or more drunk and disorderly passengers.

One was a senior lady who was having a hard time walking and talking, but not really unruley beyond that. Her trip was getting longer by the day due to missed connections and such. That was four years ago. They cut her off (finally) in the diner and helped her to bed. Too much wine.

In the late evening hours on an on time TE trip, a middle aged guy who looked like he could be tough and mean (big guy that would fit in as an outlaw biker gang memeber) and male companion who was younger and thinner had over done it with beer. The cafe attendant had cut them off. I didn't know it, but I suspected it when the older dude asked me to buy them some beers. I told him I was trying to quit. I moved to a different part of the nearly empty lounge car. An hour later, i went down for coffee and a snack. The conductor was reading the riot act to the older guy and a new younger guy. The drunk guy was told he was departing at the next stop if he didn't go to bed. The guy I hadn't saw before was trying to get up and leave and was informed he had better sit down, as he was next. Sure enough. The younger fellow had been talked in to buying for the two guys who had been cut off after somebody complained. The next afternoon in Texas, the two drinkers were awake, sober, and still on board. I wasn't sure there was enough crew on board if Bubba got difficult to handle.

In Michigan, a recruit recently graduated from basic training from one of our nation's military branches was going home before a long departure abroad. He was in uniform. Lots of people bought him drinks. He was showing off for a pretty lady in the cafe at the time the passengers were gathering for departure. After some push-ups and flexing, he let an F-bomb slip from his mouth. I could tell the Amish girls who happened to be standing there were well aware of that word. He did apoligize for the slip.

It is my opinion alcohol might better be left off the train. I don't drink...ever. Therefore, my opinion is not quite fair. Many people don't have a problem with drinking too much alcohol in public. Unfortunately, a fair number do.

Smoking is a different issue. I have found that the persoanl attitude/preferrence of the ranking conductor controls how smokers are dealt with. One conductor anounced all smoke stops and was polite and there were no known issues with smoking on the train. Another replaced him, immediately and repeatedly threatening smokers that they would be kicked off if they lit up anywhere on board and added there would be no departing the train to smoke between Marshall, where she took over and Saint Louis. She sounded like she was a driver talking to brat kids on the school bus. Nice touch.

-Les

 

[had8ley]

I think the worst train for drunks would either be the Texas Eagle or the Sunset Limited.
Whenever I do #421, the thru train from CHI to LAX via SAS... there almost always seem to be someone who gets kicked off the train. Looking back, I have done #421 all the way from Chicago to Los Angeles 6 times since my re-newed interest in trains hit in 2005. Honestly... 5 out of the 6 times someone got kicked off the train!! 3 times it was for drunk, 1 time it was for an illegal immigrant who snuck on the train, and the other was some guy who was off his meds who locked himself in the bathroom.

The funny this is... almost all of the "kick offs" happened between San Antonio and El Paso. Maybe the lack of scenery or lack of smoke stops drives someone to drink?

On a trip I did in September 2008 on #422 (going eastbound there), a girl actually took off her pants in the lower level of the lounge car. She didn't get kicked off, but got a stern warning from the LSA. There was only me, this girl, the LSA, and a couple of other people down there at the time.

Me thinks the City and the Crescent win hands down the week before Mardi Gras.Trouble is the only sober ones on the train are the crew