Life Aboard Amtrak

[fairviewroad]

Nitpicking is always a treacherous slope, especially if you are someone looking for details. I just finished reading a novel that had two characters taking the Meteor to New York - in what was called a Suite. One character neded to get rid of a cell phone, so "he opened the window in the Suite and threw the phone away"! Now do I send the author/publisher a note about the mistake, or do I just let it slide. Letting it slide is easier and the author/publisher probably doesn't really care!

Strictly speaking that could have happened. First of all, Amtrak does market Suites on Viewliners such as those used on the Silver Meteor. And secondly, the Viewliner bedrooms (at least, in this picture.... I've never personally been in one) DO have emergency exit windows.

So....somebody COULD open the window on a Viewliner "Suite" and toss out a cell phone.

Now, it's implied that they did this surreptitiously...presumably by closing the window afterwards....which obviously wouldn't be the case in real life. I'd imagine you'd have a conductor knocking on your door in a New York Minute if you opened the emergency exit window. :giggle:

 

[Manny T]

"A young woman travels on the Southwest Chief to connect to her family in Bakersfield, California."

So I got in touch with the photographer to ask him about the caption. Says the SWC burned through three engines, was massively delayed, and the passengers ended up finishing the trip on a bus, which is where he took the picture of the girl.

If you think about it, the caption is correct in a sense: it is a photo of a girl traveling to see her family on the SWC (although at the time he snapped the photo, she was forced to finish her journey home by bus). Still he is going to try to get the caption changed, because he doesn't want anyone on this forum to be unhappy. Fine gentleman, and fine artist.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Manny T--

I am impressed!

First, that, while I was nitpicking and grumbling about the caption, you did something positive and found the photographer and asked him about it. And, second, that he is so gracious as to try to get the caption changed so we will not be unhappy.

I think I should use him as a good example for those whose work I edit. "Write carefully and try not to make errors, because you don't want your editor to be unhappy!"

Seriously, thanks again to both of you!

 

[Steve4031]

There are Amtrak thruway busses that go to Bakersfield.

 

[west point]

A problem often encountered. In a rush to get any written item whether report, document, article, book etcetera is a rush to publish. Have had arguments with requester or management of certain written items to rush to print without an proof reading. As my syntax is often lacking it often reflects back later very badly.

 

[Deni]

"A young woman travels on the Southwest Chief to connect to her family in Bakersfield, California."

So I got in touch with the photographer to ask him about the caption. Says the SWC burned through three engines, was massively delayed, and the passengers ended up finishing the trip on a bus, which is where he took the picture of the girl.

If you think about it, the caption is correct in a sense: it is a photo of a girl traveling to see her family on the SWC (although at the time he snapped the photo, she was forced to finish her journey home by bus). Still he is going to try to get the caption changed, because he doesn't want anyone on this forum to be unhappy. Fine gentleman, and fine artist.

Looks like your polite effort has paid off, the captioned has been corrected.

 

[Manny T]

Deni, thanks for pointing that out!

I'm going to contact the photographer and thank him for making the change as he said he would.

Really everyone here gets credit because I never would have pursued the matter without the supportive comments here.

 

[andersone]

There is a huge difference between a writer and an editor. I am the former and jealous of the latter