Strategy for smokers.

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I no longer smoke and respect the choice of those that do, however when I step off the train for a "fresh air" break I really don't want to inhale your smoke, so please move far enough away from the door (staying in sight of car attendant/conductor so you can hear and see when it is time to re-board) and judge the wind direction so your smoke doesn't blow on those entering or exiting the train.
Yeah, this is one of the things that bothers me most about traveling on Amtrak. After breathing cooped up air for a day or two, I'd like to get off the train and get some fresh air. You get far enough away from the train to get away from the diesel fumes... and end up with the smokers. It would be nice if Amtrak designated a smoking spot for every train and stop, so everybody knew where to go. For example, smokers are always at the front of the train, nonsmokers near the back, or something like that.
Add me to the list of folks who would enjoy a nice fresh air break instead of the outdoor smoker's den that we currently have. OTOH these long forsaken drug addicts may be the only thing keeping Amtrak afloat these days. :lol:
 
Last fall when returning to Spokane from Seattle on the EB, while on a smoke stop in Wenatchee, Amtrak personnel enforced th3 25 foot rule. I had never seen this enforced before. As a non-smoker, I must say that it didn't exactly bother me to be able to enjoy fresh air on this particular smoke stop.
Last time I was on Builder in the spring, they were also strictly enforcing 25' from nearest door rule, too. Do you think the State of Washington has gotten after them?
 
It was awful when they had the smoking lounges. Even when they had the enclosed smoking lounges the entire car would reek after a while. And I'm a former 3 pack a day guy myself. I don't care about people smoking outside the train though. Complaining about that is going a little too far. Just walk down the platform a bit.
 
It was awful when they had the smoking lounges. Even when they had the enclosed smoking lounges the entire car would reek after a while. And I'm a former 3 pack a day guy myself. I don't care about people smoking outside the train though. Complaining about that is going a little too far. Just walk down the platform a bit.
You've got to get off the train and walk through a cloud of smoke before you can walk down the platform a bit. All I'm saying is ,it would be nice if smokers stood downwind of the door and gave us enough room to get off the train without having to help them smoke their cigs with them. Smoking should be a choice after all.
 
I may be a smoker. But I think Amtrak has the right (and responsibility) to enforce state laws insofar as the distance smokers must be from the door of a place of business (like a train). I also think it's only fair to have a clearly marked smoking area at the far end of a platform (and downwind, if possible, from an area where nonsmokers would congregate to stretch their legs). There are some smokers who don't care about offending nonsmokers with second-hand smoke. I'm not one of them.
 
Smokers should ask the_traveler about the penthouse suite on Amtrak cars, where you can go up on top and smoke to your heart's content. (I don't know if the_traveler himself goes up there to puff, though—or even if he smokes at all.) Another advantage to the penthouse suite for smokers is that, if the train is running under electric catenary, you can use the hot wire to light your cigarette.

Er, what do you mean, "That sounds like it might be dangerous to your health!"?

:D
 
Smokers should ask the_traveler about the penthouse suite on Amtrak cars, where you can go up on top and smoke to your heart's content.
Hehe, I've heard that the penthouse suite is very popular with rail travelers - in India. :giggle: Not sure how popular it would be in the USA, though.

Er, what do you mean, "That sounds like it might be dangerous to your health!"?
I once saw a cartoon in a magazine. The first frame shows two executives looking a graph. One executive says, "See, this proves it. Smokers use more sick leave at work than nonsmokers." The next frame shows a group of smokers, huddling together in a small kiosk outside with a "smoking area" sign above it - in the middle of a snowstorm.

Regards,

J. Alec West
 
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Last fall when returning to Spokane from Seattle on the EB, while on a smoke stop in Wenatchee, Amtrak personnel enforced th3 25 foot rule. I had never seen this enforced before. As a non-smoker, I must say that it didn't exactly bother me to be able to enjoy fresh air on this particular smoke stop.
Last time I was on Builder in the spring, they were also strictly enforcing 25' from nearest door rule, too. Do you think the State of Washington has gotten after them?

That could be. I may be dreaming this (it's happened before and will likely happen again :lol: ) but I think when the announcement was made regarding the 25 ft rule, whomever made the announcement stated that it was the policy of the State of Washington to stay 25 feet from any doors while smoking.
 
Out of curiosity, would the entire train count as a food-serving establishment or just the diner/cafe cars? as Michigan has laws stating how far one must be from the entrance to a restaurant or other food-serving establishment. Not that we get many dining cars up here however...

peter
 
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