# Strangest Things You've seen in Coach



## Meat Puppet (Oct 25, 2011)

I am trying to compile a list of the strangest/wackiest things that you have seen happen in Long Distance Coach.

Mine would be the following:

1:Silver Star, a 40 year old man yelling at his stuffed 3ft dolphin named flip because the dolphin didnt help him carry his luggage in the rain.

2ennsylvanian, a 30 year old mother thinking its ok for her 6 year old daughter to sit completely nude in the aisle seat.

3:Capitol Limited, 20 amish women who every hour seemingly on cue each took out individual boxes..the biggest boxes of cereal I have ever seen, and poured it directly onto the fold down tray without a dish, bowl or even napkin.

4:Southwest Chief, 25 year old man trying to open the emergency window "Just a little crack" so he could keep his cigarette lit end out the window.

5:Crescent, 30 year old woman in the lounge car wanting the conductor to check everyones pockets because she couldnt ind her cell phone.

Im sure you have some way better ones.


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## Michael061282 (Oct 25, 2011)

not in coach, but in a sleeper on the Capital Limited, we had a passenger who boarded in South Bend, and told the SCA to not lower his bed, every hour or 2 he'd come out of his room fully dressed, go somewhere for 5 or 10 mins, then come back to his room, sit in his chair clutching his briefcase and closed the door. The man never went to bed, never made up his room, never even turned his light off that we could tell. It was like that all the way into DC. Even the SCA was getting a little freaked out by it (this wasn't too long after 9-11). I have no idea what it was all about or what his story was, but he could have just bought a coach seat and saved high bucket price. I was in the family room (solo)and he was he in one of the downstairs rooms also. The whole thing was very.. very.. strange to be honest.


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## Devil's Advocate (Oct 25, 2011)

Wow, that is odd. Passengers who keep a constant watch on other passengers creep me out. :unsure:


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## Chris J. (Oct 25, 2011)

I was sat next to a guy who mid-journey was talking on his cell phone about how he was just going to LA for a day then would turn himself in to the cops. I've no idea what for, and I sure as hell wasn't going to ask.


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## Cho Cho Charlie (Oct 25, 2011)

Meat Puppet said:


> 3:Capitol Limited, 20 amish women who every hour seemingly on cue each took out individual boxes..the biggest boxes of cereal I have ever seen, and poured it directly onto the fold down tray without a dish, bowl or even napkin.


Did anyone even think of being helpful, and offering this women something to use?


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## VentureForth (Oct 25, 2011)

This is probably more common than not. Due to the ease of train travel, it does tend to be the mode of transit that many who are special needs gravitate towards. On my trip to Orlando a week and a half ago, a man got on the train in Deland to get off in Winter Park. Claimed to anyone who would listen that his family wouldn't let him drive any more. Then, he proceeded to announce VERY loudly every road we passed under, the Auto Train station, and even the elevated right of way we weren't on.

At ABQ several years back, there was a lady who was a self-appointed conductor who absolutely would not let people cross the tracks (even if necessary to get to the loading platform). It got to a point where she eventually got a whistle. Then wondered why no one had an empty seat next to them available for her...


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## Bob Dylan (Oct 25, 2011)

Strangest thing in Coach? Hmmmmmmmmmmm! While riding on the Eagle from AUS to FTW, a guy came through the Coach I was in calling out "Tickets Please!" He was dressed in his Uniform and had his punch in his hand. Since there had only been two stops since the Trains originization in SAS (SMC and AUS where I boarded), and the Conductors pull tickets as you board the Train and the TA issues seat checks,and I knew ALL the Conductors on this Route, something seemed fishy! Come to find out he was an escaped resident from the State Hospitsal in SAS (for the Adult Mentally Challenged)and had done this before! The AC told me that he changed into his "uniform" in the bathroom, and that he would be met at TPL and either returned to SAS or offered a VP job @ 60 Mass! :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## cirdan (Oct 25, 2011)

This happened to me in Spain.

There used to be (maybe it still exists?) a train from Barcelona to Cerbere that connects with the night train there. This train was just a Barcelona commuter train that did all the milk stops along the way, but especially at weekends was crammed full with backpakers going from Barcelona to catch the night train and hardly anybody got on or off at the intermediate stops. There was a more expensive fast train running in parallel at more or less the same time but the budget travellers tended to gravitate towards this stopping train as it was cheaper and quite often there were people sitting on the floor and in the aisles etc.

Well, one day there was a Polish guy on this train and he didn't have a ticket. Also, he had a bicycle with him and didn't have a bicycle ticket either (or maybe bicycles were not allowed on that particular train, I can't remember)

The guy must have been a performing clown of some sort and was stil wearing his clown costume.

Anyway, the ticket inspector didn't like it and told him he should buy a ticket.

The guy said he has no money, and he offered the conductor a big yellow flower instead.

The conductor didn't think it was funny and got angry.

At the next stop he told the guy to get off the train.

The guy refused.

So the inspector said the train is stopping here until he gets off.

The train waited maybe half an hour, and the rest of us were getting worried about missing the connecting train.

So we asked the inspector how much the fare was, and offered to collect money on behalf of this guy.

But the inspector refused, saying the guy had to pay himself or get off.

No amount of pleading would make him change his opionion, and he even threatened to throw everybody else off as well if they kept insisting.

We also tried giving the Polish guy some money for a ticket but he refused. He didn't offer any explanation for his refusal.

Finally the police came and took him off the train and we continued our journey. Fortunately there was a lot of slack in the scehdule and we made up some of the lost time and caught the connecting train.


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## Lazy Z (Oct 25, 2011)

Meat Puppet said:


> I am trying to compile a list of the strangest/wackiest things that you have seen happen in Long Distance Coach.
> 
> Mine would be the following:
> 
> ...


Oh, Boy! I am not s sure anyone can top those!!


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## Nancy (Oct 25, 2011)

Lazy Z said:


> Meat Puppet said:
> 
> 
> > I am trying to compile a list of the strangest/wackiest things that you have seen happen in Long Distance Coach.
> ...


How did you get their ages?


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## bobnabq (Oct 25, 2011)

Nancy said:


> How did you get their ages?


Good question. Inquiring minds want to know. :blink:


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## manderson (Oct 25, 2011)

Texas Sunset said:


> Wow, that is odd. Passengers who keep a constant watch on other passengers creep me out. :unsure:


Good one -- made me snort out my morning coffee.


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## the_traveler (Oct 25, 2011)

What is this "*COACH*"?


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## DET63 (Oct 25, 2011)

Nancy said:


> Lazy Z said:
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> > Meat Puppet said:
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Probably the ages were simply guesses.


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## gswager (Oct 25, 2011)

Wow! Too spooky even though Halloween is few nights away! I've got two of them-

In sightseer lounge on SWC, a mid 30s guy was pretending to shake salts on his hand and throw the salts away behind him. He kept doing it for about half hour interval.

In a sleeper car on LSL route, just after AU Boston Gathering ended, a guy (probably 40s) was wearing 1960s style business suit with hat keep walking down the aisle & looking into rooms even the rooms are occupied.


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## sttsxm (Oct 25, 2011)

Oh my I could go on forever...here are the 2 wackiest..

on a Silver Service train, a guy who was most likely homeless, VERY intoxicated and who sat n the 1st row of coach, with what looked like every piece of mail he'd ever gotten (appeared to be in hit late 40s/early 50s)..

he then went into the lounge, proceeded to consume 3 or 4 little bottles of jack daniel's...eventually spreading out his mail all over a table, then spilling another bottle...

EVERYONE was staring at him and he was getting very loud....about 6 pax told the conductor that either HE got off at the next stop, or we were all going to get off and call the cops.

They tossed him off the train someplace in FLA into the waiting arms of the local police.

On the EB, in coach, another person was WAYYYY intoxicated. He was a very 'fluffy; individual....and in either Rugby or Minot (forget where) it took 2 cops and a couple train crew to muscle him down the steps, into a wheelchair and into the cop car.....I asked what the cops were going to do..they said, let him dry out, and stick him back on the train tomorrow....





there were more..including a 20-30ish guy in military green, who babbled incessantly for hours about nothing (i think this was on an EB too...) he eventually got off...but i swear i saw him again last year...the 1st time was in 2007!


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## Bierboy (Oct 25, 2011)

gswager said:


> ...In a sleeper car on LSL route, just after AU Boston Gathering ended, a guy (probably 40s) was wearing 1960s style business suit with hat keep walking down the aisle & looking into rooms even the rooms are occupied.


I would have reported that guy to the SCA or conductor IMMEDIATELY.


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## Ocala Mike (Oct 25, 2011)

On a Silver Service train, S/B to Florida back in 2007, a group of young Miami thugs tried to take over the cafe car after its scheduled closing. We made an unscheduled stop somewhere in NC in the wee hours, and a bunch of NC's finest got on, made tracks for the cafe car one car ahead of my coach, and returned with a bunch of "prisoners". For all I know, they're all still guests of NC.

Ocala Mike


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## GG-1 (Oct 25, 2011)

Aloha

The strangeist is a bunch of AU'ers riding cross country, just to ride trains.  :giggle: :help: :wub: :lol:


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## gswager (Oct 25, 2011)

Bierboy said:


> gswager said:
> 
> 
> > ...In a sleeper car on LSL route, just after AU Boston Gathering ended, a guy (probably 40s) was wearing 1960s style business suit with hat keep walking down the aisle & looking into rooms even the rooms are occupied.
> ...


It was not serious enough to report to SCA or conductor. In fact, he was well known by one of SCAs.


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## Devil's Advocate (Oct 25, 2011)

gswager said:


> Bierboy said:
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> 
> > gswager said:
> ...


For all we know he's the original author of this thread. :lol:


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## the_traveler (Oct 25, 2011)

GG-1 said:


> Aloha
> 
> The strangeist is a bunch of AU'ers riding cross country, just to ride trains.  :giggle: :help: :wub: :lol:


The name of the thread is "Strangest Things You've seen in *COACH*". True AU'ers ride cross country in sleepers - most likely "paid" with AGR points!


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## Anderson (Oct 25, 2011)

jimhudson said:


> Strangest thing in Coach? Hmmmmmmmmmmm! While riding on the Eagle from AUS to FTW, a guy came through the Coach I was in calling out "Tickets Please!" He was dressed in his Uniform and had his punch in his hand. Since there had only been two stops since the Trains originization in SAS (SMC and AUS where I boarded), and the Conductors pull tickets as you board the Train and the TA issues seat checks,and I knew ALL the Conductors on this Route, something seemed fishy! Come to find out he was an escaped resident from the State Hospitsal in SAS (for the Adult Mentally Challenged)and had done this before! The AC told me that he changed into his "uniform" in the bathroom, and that he would be met at TPL and either returned to SAS or offered a VP job @ 60 Mass! :lol: :lol: :lol:


_That_ just made my day!

Truth be told, he sounds like one of the more amusing, harmless guys that would get out from Eastern State in Williamsburg once in a while...and would end up at the nearby college dorms (the students were given instructions on how to call them in so they could be taken back "home").

I had an odd dinner on the Silver Meteor a few weeks back that belongs on this list...basically, an ex-building contractor from California who more or less settled into riding trains cross-country (I think he claimed somewhere around _twenty _runs of the Sunset Limited from CA to FL) once he made his pile. Anyhow...it was an "interesting" dinner because the gentleman was very disheveled and was constantly talking about a lot of new age things and some very...odd paranormal things he claimed had happened to him (one bit involved a phantom boxcar in the desert in Nevada, I _believe_ on a non-existent rail spur) and so forth. All in all, he was very pleasant, but it was still a bit odd.

Another incident I saw was in the sleeper on the SWC. To put it simply, I do not know what happened, but the train was stopped at Lamy, NM for someone who was inebriated to be taken off, and one of the SCAs commented that "This is a family train, and we're not going to have any of that." He appreciated my joking inquiry "What, it's not the Montrealer?"


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## the_traveler (Oct 25, 2011)

Anderson said:


> All in all, he was very pleasant, but it was still a bit odd.


That sounds like me you're talking about!


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## RRrich (Oct 25, 2011)

Don't you guys know you are NOT to talk about your fellow AU'ers in this thread?? :angry: :angry2: :help:


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## me_little_me (Oct 25, 2011)

the_traveler said:


> What is this "*COACH*"?


C'mon! When you travel coach, you decide which person gets the beer or food and where each one sits so as to gain the most yards to the front of the train. When you forget your ticket, you have someone do an end run around the conductor to grab one from the hands of another traveler. If you do real good, the LSA comes by with a big bucket of Gatorade and dumps it on you. You also earn big bucks but not as much as the college kids who are traveling with you but at least you know how to read.


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## fredevad (Oct 25, 2011)

I think the best one I have is one time riding from Chicago to Milwaukee on the Hiawatha. I was in the quiet car (as I usually do). All the passengers in the quiet car were faithfully observing the quiet car rules... until shortly before Sturtevant where one of the passengers who had fallen asleep started snoring pretty loudly. So much for the "Quiet Car". If I remember correctly, someone eventually woke him up.


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## Meat Puppet (Oct 25, 2011)

> How did you get their ages?


Im just estimating so you can paint the mental picture in your head.


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## SP&S (Oct 26, 2011)

Anderson said:


> one of the SCAs commented that "This is a family train, and we're not going to have any of that."


That reminds me of one time on the northbound Starlight. A couple was put off the train - and handed over to the local sheriff - for having intercourse in their coach seat. I was in a sleeper but heard about it in the Parlor car and was talking about it with some of the crew. Evidently the couple wasn't even trying to be discreet. When the conductor came along it was easy to see he was not the least bit amused. We probably could have made it from K-Falls to Chemult on the steam coming out of his ears. :angry2:


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## Texan Eagle (Oct 26, 2011)

fredevad said:


> I think the best one I have is one time riding from Chicago to Milwaukee on the Hiawatha. I was in the quiet car (as I usually do). All the passengers in the quiet car were faithfully observing the quiet car rules... until shortly before Sturtevant where one of the passengers who had fallen asleep started snoring pretty loudly. So much for the "Quiet Car". If I remember correctly, someone eventually woke him up.


Does it mention anywhere in the Quiet Car rules that snoring is prohibited? If yes, I would like to see that


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## Donctor (Oct 26, 2011)

I was on 30 this past August, and as I was bringing a few bags, a guitar, amplifier, and some recording equipment, I opted for a family bedroom. The people in the room next to mine (roomette 14) had misconnected from the previous day's Zephyr or Chief, and were quite cheery despite having spent the previous night in a roach-infested Kankakee (or Homewood) motel, courtesy of Amtrak. The woman noticed I had a guitar, and asked numerous questions about my music.

"Oh, we're a musical family," she said, referring to herself and the son with whom she occupied the roomette. "I absolutely love to sing. Would you like to hear something?"

Before I had time to respond, she was telling her 11-year-old son to sing with her. He, totally immersed in his Nintendo DS game, issued a whine that suggested he was not interested in singing.

"Do it," the mother said, her words somewhere between a coax and a demand.

"I don't want to, mom," the boy pleaded.

The mother gave her son a stern look and commanded him to sing a Russian hymn with her in two-part harmony, throughout much of which the kid blushed and rolled his eyes. Toward the end, he looked like he was about ready to die of embarassment. (On a side note, I am extremely grateful that my mother never made me sing for strangers.) They sang incredibly well together, but it was a really strange situation. I felt bad for the kid.

The woman told me that she and her son were missionaries for the Russian Orthodox Church, and that they were coming from some conference in Alaska or New Mexico, or something. I now understood why she and her son were singing in Russian, despite the fact that neither seemed to speak it.

Then the train left CHI.

The mother asked (or interrogated) me about my childhood and my life plans, and five minutes out of CHI, I'm sure she knew my life story. She then told me hers, which was quite interesting (though I must admit I hadn't asked, and was perplexed as to why she was telling me at all). She showed me a walking stick she had made, and explained to me the ways in which the stick was connected to God.

When the first dinner seating was called, the pair stood up to go to the diner. The mother insisted (quite seriously) that I had to eat with them, regardless of my reservation time. She was nice and the situation was pretty entertaining, so I decided I'd go with them. We encountered a fantastic diner crew (by far the best I've ever had), so naturally conversation turned to our impressions of Amtrak. We sat in our booth for almost two hours, talking about many things. Over desert, the woman told us about past abusive boyfriends for three or four minutes. Then, for an uplifting change of pace, she told us about the death of her son's father, a member of the armed services, and the best man she's ever known. Her son didn't seem at all comfortable during this part of the conversation.

The fourth person at our table then talked about his ex-wife for what felt like an eternity. He spoke of how she used to throw kitchen appliances at him, and how one day she lost it and stabbed him. He told us he was considering torching her car. He wasn't joking.

After dinner, we returned to our rooms. There was some question as to whether the mother and son would be able to stay in their room all the way to Pittsburgh, and the mother asked me if she and her son would be welcome in my family room. I said yes, assuming she was joking. When the conductor came through to speak with the mother, she (the mother) told the conductor that if things didn't work, it was okay, because she and her son could just stay in my room. She was not joking.

Fortunately, the passenger who booked the woman's roomette CLE-WAS was able to be moved to another roomette.

Throughout the evening, I got to hear about the woman's spirit being set free. She told me she had embraced religion, and was using it to turn her life around. And then she told me everything again.

Every time she left the room—to go to the bathroom, to go to the lounge, etc.—her son would come into my room. It was pretty awkward.

Weird experience, though the people were nice, and I enjoyed the trip more than I've enjoyed any other Amtrak trip.

Nicest lady, but batsh•t crazy.


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## ColdRain&Snow (Oct 26, 2011)

SP&S said:


> Anderson said:
> 
> 
> > one of the SCAs commented that "This is a family train, and we're not going to have any of that."
> ...


Another tawdry tale from the Starlight as passed on by an SCA last year. A "woman of the night" boarded the train late in the evening along with her "manager." Having executed a successful onboard marketing campaign, the woman consummated a few new client relationships in the lavatories. Someone went to the Dining Car and tipped off the conductor, who promptly squelched the party and introduced them to the local sheriff who was dying to learn more about their teeming enterprise. h34r:


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## Chris J. (Oct 26, 2011)

SP&S said:


> Anderson said:
> 
> 
> > one of the SCAs commented that "This is a family train, and we're not going to have any of that."
> ...


"Upgrade to a roomette already!"


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## Chris J. (Oct 26, 2011)

Speaking of intoxicated passengers - when i took the SWC from Flagstaff it was something like 6 hours late out of FLG (both engines failed around ABQ). There was a guy who had evidently spent all 6 hours in a bar and was pretty drunk in the waiting room - enough to make other passengers feel a bit uncomfortable. Either he didn't have a ticket or caused some problem with the conductor as after his 6 hour wait, he was thrown off at Williams Junction into the hands of the cops.


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## Texan Eagle (Oct 26, 2011)

Chris J. said:


> SP&S said:
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> > Anderson said:
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Is lovemaking illegal everywhere onboard Amtrak or just in Coach? Some people spend several nights in Sleepers and my mind always seems inclined to believe at some point many of them would have made themselves a part of the rail-equivalent of the Mile High Club


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## VentureForth (Oct 26, 2011)

I'm sure there is a Steel Snake or Big Iron club out there. So long as you're in private in your own paid for sleeper room, there's no rule against it. Only rule I can think of is if the train is a rockin', don't come a-knockin'. Of course, whole train rocks.....


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## Devil's Advocate (Oct 26, 2011)

So far I've enjoyed Jim's "Wannabe Conductor" and Donctor's "Singing Duet" stories the best. As for the "Meter High Club" stories, um, yeah. I guess now I know why the carpeting is so stained and grimy everywhere. If Amtrak ever receives new cars I hope they replace the carpeting with something that can be cleaned completely.


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## Ocala Mike (Oct 26, 2011)

Texan Eagle said:


> Chris J. said:
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> > SP&S said:
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I have dubbed the rail equivalent of the Mile High Club the "79 Mile Per Hour Club." Hope it catches on.

Ocala Mike


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## oldtimer (Oct 26, 2011)

Ocala Mike

I first heard of and joined the 79 mph club almost 40 years ago on an Amtrak train in the Midwest.

NOTE: names and train numbers have been omitted to protect the innocent! :giggle:  :giggle:


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## George Harris (Oct 26, 2011)

There are people that spend part of their honeymoon traveling in sleeper. Further details and names omitted in order to continue to survive.


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## Greg (Oct 26, 2011)

I heard it referred to as the "Milepost Club"


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## alanh (Oct 26, 2011)

If they do actually "Get a room[ette]!", there's no problem, and as long as they can't be heard over the normal track noise, no one's going to complain. Close the curtains, though, please.

On a short coach hop, I had a seatmate say he liked to pray, and might speak in tongues.

In the diner one, I was seated across from a guy and his daughter. He had flame tattoos all over his face, and looked like a pro wrestler. [He might have been; I don't follow it.] He was actually pretty nice, and he was taking his daughter to Disneyland (this was on the Coast Starlight).


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## Shawn Ryu (Oct 27, 2011)

Michael061282 said:


> not in coach, but in a sleeper on the Capital Limited, we had a passenger who boarded in South Bend, and told the SCA to not lower his bed, every hour or 2 he'd come out of his room fully dressed, go somewhere for 5 or 10 mins, then come back to his room, sit in his chair clutching his briefcase and closed the door. The man never went to bed, never made up his room, never even turned his light off that we could tell. It was like that all the way into DC. Even the SCA was getting a little freaked out by it (this wasn't too long after 9-11). I have no idea what it was all about or what his story was, but he could have just bought a coach seat and saved high bucket price. I was in the family room (solo)and he was he in one of the downstairs rooms also. The whole thing was very.. very.. strange to be honest.


Maybe he was suffering from insomnia. Just a thought.


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## Eric308 (Oct 28, 2011)

I remember walking through a coach car on the way to diner for lunch one day. There were about 25 Amish people all sitting together eating apples. It was almost like in unison! When I came back from lunch they were all brushing their teeth in unison!


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## Lazy Z (Oct 28, 2011)

"batsh•t crazy."

Never in my whole life have I heard this phrase! Funny!


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## transit54 (Oct 28, 2011)

I was on a southbound Acela once and a woman got on with her (grown) daughter in Providence to help her with her bags. After helping her with her bags, she proceeded to stand next to her daughter and hold a several minute conversation, as if there was no rush to get off the train. Sure enough, the doors closed and the train began to roll out of the station. The woman then lost it, yelling at the top of her lungs, "Stop the train! Stop the train! I have to get off the this train!" There was muffled laughter throughout the car and she soon ran through to the next car, screaming as loud as she could, "I have to get off this train!" She must have run forward to the first class car, as a conductor was soon paged there. He brought her back to my car, where she tried to convince him to reverse direction of the train and he tried to explain he couldn't. Eventually, he agreed to provide her a seat in first class and the Acela made an unscheduled stop in either Mystic or New London (the stop near one of the only NEC grade crossings where the train has to slow down) to let her off and made arrangements with a Regional to pick her up and take her back to Providence.


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## bobnabq (Oct 28, 2011)

Eric308 said:


> When I came back from lunch they were all brushing their teeth in unison!


While sitting in coach?


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## bobnabq (Oct 28, 2011)

alanh said:


> On a short coach hop, I had a seatmate say he liked to pray, and might speak in tongues.


Maybe he was just possessed ? :help:


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## bobnabq (Oct 28, 2011)

transit54 said:


> I was on a southbound Acela once and a woman got on with her (grown) daughter in Providence to help her with her bags. After helping her with her bags, she proceeded to stand next to her daughter and hold a several minute conversation, as if there was no rush to get off the train. Sure enough, the doors closed and the train began to roll out of the station. The woman then lost it, yelling at the top of her lungs, "Stop the train! Stop the train! I have to get off the this train!" There was muffled laughter throughout the car and she soon ran through to the next car, screaming as loud as she could, "I have to get off this train!" She must have run forward to the first class car, as a conductor was soon paged there. He brought her back to my car, where she tried to convince him to reverse direction of the train and he tried to explain he couldn't. Eventually, he agreed to provide her a seat in first class and the Acela made an unscheduled stop in either Mystic or New London (the stop near one of the only NEC grade crossings where the train has to slow down) to let her off and made arrangements with a Regional to pick her up and take her back to Providence.


I'm betting they were tempted to just open the door and say "There you go hon."


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## Devil's Advocate (Oct 28, 2011)

Shawn Ryu said:


> Michael061282 said:
> 
> 
> > not in coach, but in a sleeper on the Capital Limited, we had a passenger who boarded in South Bend, and told the SCA to not lower his bed, every hour or 2 he'd come out of his room fully dressed, go somewhere for 5 or 10 mins, then come back to his room, sit in his chair clutching his briefcase and closed the door. The man never went to bed, never made up his room, never even turned his light off that we could tell. It was like that all the way into DC. Even the SCA was getting a little freaked out by it (this wasn't too long after 9-11). I have no idea what it was all about or what his story was, but he could have just bought a coach seat and saved high bucket price. I was in the family room (solo)and he was he in one of the downstairs rooms also. The whole thing was very.. very.. strange to be honest.
> ...


That could explain the actions of the passenger from South Bend. The hard part is trying to explain the constant surveillance and concern between the OP and the SCA. Even though nothing bad actually happened that doesn't seem to have changed the OP's opinion about the experience in the slightest. It's almost like he still thinks he just barely made it out of there alive or something. I also don't understand the criticism of the stranger's supposed extravagance of purchasing a roomette and leaving it in day mode when the OP himself is a single passenger taking up a whole family room. I agree that there are a lot of strange things about this story but most of them seem to have little or nothing to do with the passenger from South Bend. Situational awareness is a good thing, but it can get the better of you if you let it. When I close my curtains it's not the briefcase toting insomniac that I'm trying to avoid. It's the self-appointed hall monitor with nothing better to do than watch what everyone else is up to.


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## Anderson (Oct 28, 2011)

Texas Sunset said:


> Shawn Ryu said:
> 
> 
> > Michael061282 said:
> ...


Insomnia makes sense...and one problem with being on the train is that if you get insomnia, there's not a good way to "exercise it off". Also, it's quite possible that he was able to snag a lower-bucket roomette. Finally, there _are_ times I can see myself grabbing a low-bucket roomette on a run even during the day...particularly if a sleeper is in low bucket mode, coach is in high bucket mode, and there are meals to be had. Note that, in theory, the net cost of a sleeper (roomette cost less the base ticket cost cramdown) on the Cap might be as low as $70 even now. At that cost, I'd seriously look at grabbing a roomette for a very long daylight run.

My guess with the OP is that he knew the SCA from a number of previous runs. Believe me, this can (and does) happen when you regularly travel a route.


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## AlanB (Oct 28, 2011)

bobnabq said:


> transit54 said:
> 
> 
> > I was on a southbound Acela once and a woman got on with her (grown) daughter in Providence to help her with her bags. After helping her with her bags, she proceeded to stand next to her daughter and hold a several minute conversation, as if there was no rush to get off the train. Sure enough, the doors closed and the train began to roll out of the station. The woman then lost it, yelling at the top of her lungs, "Stop the train! Stop the train! I have to get off the this train!" There was muffled laughter throughout the car and she soon ran through to the next car, screaming as loud as she could, "I have to get off this train!" She must have run forward to the first class car, as a conductor was soon paged there. He brought her back to my car, where she tried to convince him to reverse direction of the train and he tried to explain he couldn't. Eventually, he agreed to provide her a seat in first class and the Acela made an unscheduled stop in either Mystic or New London (the stop near one of the only NEC grade crossings where the train has to slow down) to let her off and made arrangements with a Regional to pick her up and take her back to Providence.
> ...


Only problem is that there is no trap & steps on the Acelas, so it's a 4 foot drop to the tracks.


----------



## Eric308 (Oct 28, 2011)

bobnabq said:


> Eric308 said:
> 
> 
> > When I came back from lunch they were all brushing their teeth in unison!
> ...


Of course....and all right handed with Crest Total.


----------



## Anderson (Oct 28, 2011)

AlanB said:


> bobnabq said:
> 
> 
> > transit54 said:
> ...


That would prevent them from doing so. I'm guessing it wouldn't have completely eliminated the temptation, though.


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## Henry Kisor (May 6, 2012)

Or we could all shuck duds and keep him company. But the car heat would have to be turned up to at least 78 degrees.


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## Henry Kisor (May 6, 2012)

Come to think of it, I suspect the OP is a freelance journalist doing a bit of "crowdsourcing" in order to produce a lively article for, say, the National Enquirer. He better hurry up and do so before I get there first. This is funny stuff.


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## JayPea (May 6, 2012)

Henry Kisor said:


> Or we could all shuck duds and keep him company. But the car heat would have to be turned up to at least 78 degrees.



I don't know about that. I've had enough people point and laugh at me in my lifetime. :lol:


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## Just-Thinking-51 (May 6, 2012)

So wrong in so many ways.


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## Devil's Advocate (May 6, 2012)

I thought you'd be telling us that clothes are overrated and way too expensive, even if they came with free food.


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## keyman1202 (May 6, 2012)

Texas Sunset said:


> I thought you'd be telling us that clothes are overrated and way too expensive, even if they came with free food.


That's true....thanks to tv...ug

Visit aanr for a straight view on naturism..


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## MiRider (May 6, 2012)

Texas Sunset said:


> I thought you'd be telling us that clothes are overrated and way too expensive, even if they came with free food.


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## white rabbitt (May 7, 2012)

JoanieB said:


> Texas Sunset said:
> 
> 
> > I thought you'd be telling us that clothes are overrated and way too expensive, even if they came with free food.
> ...


joanieB when i was on the eagle last weekend

i did not see anyone go to the diner au natural :lol:


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## fillyjonk (May 7, 2012)

1. A young woman who had been "overserved" sitting in the Lounge car, cursing at the Lounge attendant for not selling her any more alcohol. She became increasingly loud and belligerent and when the conductor and a couple car attendants came to tell her to shut up or they'd put her off the train, she claimed her uncle owned Conrail and that she'd get him to shut down Amtrak if they put her off. At that point I got up and went back to my seat so I don't know if she shut up or not but we did not make any unplanned stops.

2. A guy sitting next to me in coach who like my long hair. Really really liked me long hair. Kept trying to give me his address so I could mail him my ponytail if I ever cut it off. Asking him to leave me alone didn't work. I got up and sat in the Lounge for the rest of the ride and explained to the attendant (and the conductor, when he came through) just why I was sitting there instead of in my seat. (It was after that trip I decided to pony up for a sleeper).


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## white rabbitt (May 7, 2012)

fillyjonk said:


> 1. A young woman who had been "overserved" sitting in the Lounge car, cursing at the Lounge attendant for not selling her any more alcohol. She became increasingly loud and belligerent and when the conductor and a couple car attendants came to tell her to shut up or they'd put her off the train, she claimed her uncle owned Conrail and that she'd get him to shut down Amtrak if they put her off. At that point I got up and went back to my seat so I don't know if she shut up or not but we did not make any unplanned stops.
> 
> 2. A guy sitting next to me in coach who like my long hair. Really really liked me long hair. Kept trying to give me his address so I could mail him my ponytail if I ever cut it off. Asking him to leave me alone didn't work. I got up and sat in the Lounge for the rest of the ride and explained to the attendant (and the conductor, when he came through) just why I was sitting there instead of in my seat. (It was after that trip I decided to pony up for a sleeper).


see if a guy walked in to the diner au natural with just a cowboy hat on his head people would say something on the other hand if a women walked into the diner au natural u could hear a pin drop it would be vary quiet :lol: :lol:


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## amtrakwolverine (May 7, 2012)

Should have told her Conrail no longer exists. It was bought out by NS and CSX :giggle:


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## AlanB (May 7, 2012)

amtrakwolverine said:


> Should have told her Conrail no longer exists. It was bought out by NS and CSX :giggle:


Technically, that's not entirely correct. The main Conrail is long gone, but certain shared assets as they're called, still exist under the Conrail name with both CSX & NS owning things equally. One such area is the Port Elizabeth area in New Jersey.


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## Reno89502 (May 7, 2012)

Didnt happen in Coach, but in the Diner. While on my way from CHI - PIT on the Capitol Limited, I was sitting at a table with two Hasidic Jew's. The waitress came up to one of them, put her hand on his shoulder, and said "Good Evening! What can I get you tonight darlin?". The guy pushed her hand off of him and said "You should NEVER touch another man! You must ask for forgiveness!" She looked at him, and with a look on her face, said "WELL EXCUUUUUUUUUUUSE ME!! What would you like for dinner?". (The guys left the diner)


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## lthanlon (May 7, 2012)

I once hit the daily double while riding coach from Emeryville to Chicago on the California Zephyr.

THE X-FILES FAMILY

Elderly mother and middle-aged son on their way to a UFO convention explained to me in graphical detail about their abduction experiences. Did I want to hear everything? Sure, I said, and learned how the little gray fellows had probed all orifices.

BATTERY BOY

The next day, I bought a drink downstairs in the Sightseer Lounge. It was just before dark and just about all seats upstairs and down were occupied by passengers enjoying a fiery sunset. I suddenly spied open seats in a downstairs booth -- and recognized the lone occupant as a skinny, unkempt twentysomething guy from my coach car. I sat down across from him and noticed he had a whole bunch of batteries on the table. Without prompting, he explained that he enjoyed sticking batteries in his mouth. C and D cells he inserted sideways and then pushed in on his cheeks to make electrical contact. AA and AAA cells are a bit awkward because you have to push your cheeks in too far, he said. However, his favorite battery was the 9-volt because all he needed to do was stick out his tongue and touch the tip to both terminals. When I got up to get another drink, the guy at the counter apologized. "Sorry, I figured you were going back to your car or else I would have warned you about Mr. Electrico."


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## Trogdor (May 7, 2012)

AlanB said:


> amtrakwolverine said:
> 
> 
> > Should have told her Conrail no longer exists. It was bought out by NS and CSX :giggle:
> ...


Another such area is between CP Townline (east of Dearborn, MI) and CP Vinewood (west of Detroit), which hosts none other than the Amtrak Wolverine Service.


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## rtabern (May 7, 2012)

Good stories.

The most bizarre thing I have seen on a train ride in coach was on the northbound Illini... this had to be back in 2006 when I started riding again a lot. I did a roundtrip run down to Gilman, IL and back for fun. Anyway, we were coming over the St Charles Airline between McCormick Place and where the tracks run into the BNSF -- and some guy about 7 rows in front of me yelled something about drugs, threw a bunch of $20 bills into the aisle, and pulled the emergency handle on the window, pulled the stripping out, and sat on the edge of the window and jumped out. Did I mention the train was running with Superliner instead of Horizon equipment that day? Somehow he was fine after the jump -- brushed himself off -- and ran down S Michigan Ave. We stopped for about an hour as the police came, but never found him from what I heard.

Hmmm... what else? There was "Trixie the Texas Eagle Hooker"... she got a room in the sleeper from Cleburne to Austin... and was brining coach passengers back to he room for some fun.

I was also propositioned by a hooker at Bakersfield on the only time I took the San Joquain. The lady wanted to know if I was staying in Bakersfield... where I was staying in Bakersfield... or if I was going into Los Angeles on the bus.

Hmmm... ok, and another bizarre story. This very goth young lady in her early 20's got on in Palm Springs with her equally goth boyfriend. They apparently were going all the way to Bloomington, IL on #422 where they were planning to move (it's amazing what you can overhear in the lounge car sometimes). Anyway, somewhere on the first night of the trip they "broke up" on the train -- and the boyfriend took away all of her money and belongings -- and got off in El Paso. She was all alone on the train with nothing. Her "meals" consisted of ketchup packets and the free crackers on the bottom level of the SSL car. Some guys then decided to buy her a bunch of alcohol... and she got drunk and took off her pants and underwear and ran through the SSL. I was a witness to this. I thought she would be kicked off the train, but the conductors let her stay on if she remained in her seat the rest of the trip... which she did to BNL.

Hmmm... what else? Oh yeah, on the #28 section of the Empire Builder once... I had two 12 year old girls who were traveling alone try and get me to buy them some booze from the SSL. Not happening. They did meet some other guy who did it for them though an then headed back to his sleeper.


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## George Harris (May 7, 2012)

rtabern said:


> Hmmm... what else? Oh yeah, on the #28 section of the Empire Builder once... I had two 12 year old girls who were traveling alone try and get me to buy them some booze from the SSL. Not happening. They did meet some other guy who did it for them though an then headed back to his sleeper.


This is definitely go find the conductor time, and fast. That pervert needed to be thrown under the nearest jail or set of wheels, whichever.


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## Devil's Advocate (May 7, 2012)

George Harris said:


> rtabern said:
> 
> 
> > Hmmm... what else? Oh yeah, on the #28 section of the Empire Builder once... I had two 12 year old girls who were traveling alone try and get me to buy them some booze from the SSL. Not happening. They did meet some other guy who did it for them though an then headed back to his sleeper.
> ...


I'm sure he was just offering some O'Douls before taking back for some wholesome bedtime bible study.


----------



## Anderson (May 7, 2012)

George Harris said:


> rtabern said:
> 
> 
> > Hmmm... what else? Oh yeah, on the #28 section of the Empire Builder once... I had two 12 year old girls who were traveling alone try and get me to buy them some booze from the SSL. Not happening. They did meet some other guy who did it for them though an then headed back to his sleeper.
> ...


Agreed. Even if the remark can be interpreted that they were not accompanying him (the phrasing in the sentence is a bit vague and could imply either something very dastardly or something a hair more benign), buying alcohol for preteens...no, no, no.


----------



## Trogdor (May 7, 2012)

rtabern said:


> Hmmm... what else?


Wasn't there also the DEA bust or something in the room next to you?


----------



## saxman (May 7, 2012)

I may have mentioned this before on this same thread, but since we're bringing this topic back from the dead, I'll say it again.

On my USA Rail Tour 2009, I had just gotten on the Texas in Cleburne to begin my long journey. Soon after CBR we came to a stop, because the engine broke and lost HEP so we were stopped for a couple hours. Later a BNSF train came up behind us, and I think they were going to tow us somewhere. I was in the last coach and watching all the action out the back window as they uncoupled the engine and all. There were a few other passengers with me, as well as this crazy lady. She kept going on how this was some big Amtrak conspiracy and how the employees were doing such a horrible job. The conductors were out on the ground behind the train and beside the BNSF engine. I was taking picture of everything too, as the sunset was opposite and made for some great shots of the orange BNSF locomotive. Since obviously it was a conspiracy, the lady asked me to take pictures of what was going on...the conductors standing around, the number of the BNSF locomotive, etc. I was happy to oblige. She told me to make sure and report and send these picture to her and other "officials." I said I would.

They eventually found the problem with our original engine, and we were on our way to Austin. As I got off the train in Austin, I saw the police waiting to take her away in handcuffs.  I guess they would be part of the conspiracy too??


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## Devil's Advocate (May 7, 2012)

saxman said:


> She kept going on how this was some big Amtrak conspiracy and how the employees were doing such a horrible job. The conductors were out on the ground behind the train and beside the BNSF engine. I was taking picture of everything too, as the sunset was opposite and made for some great shots of the orange BNSF locomotive. Since obviously it was a conspiracy, the lady asked me to take pictures of what was going on...the conductors standing around, the number of the BNSF locomotive, etc. I was happy to oblige. She told me to make sure and report and send these picture to her and other "officials." I said I would. They eventually found the problem with our original engine, and we were on our way to Austin. As I got off the train in Austin, I saw the police waiting to take her away in handcuffs.  I guess they would be part of the conspiracy too??


People who can't handle living on their own used to spend their lives in institutions that provided a place for them to be crazy without risking harm to others or to themselves. Now we just put them in jail with our most prolific killers, tortures, and rapists. Who needs a conspiracy in a land so completely devoid of compassion?


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## George Harris (May 8, 2012)

Texas Sunset said:


> People who can't handle living on their own used to spend their lives in institutions that provided a place for them to be crazy without risking harm to others or to themselves. Now we just put them in jail with our most prolific killers, tortures, and rapists. Who needs a conspiracy in a land so completely devoid of compassion?


There is a saying that, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." People were turned out of these "institutions that provided a place for them" on the grounds that keeping them in the institutions was wrong, cruel, etc., etc. Therefore we have gotten exactly what we have: Quite a few people out and about that are not dangerous to others, but incapable of living on their own, and where shelters and such are available, unwilling for reasons both good and bad to voluntarily stay there.

Apologies for the divergence from topic.


----------



## Devil's Advocate (May 8, 2012)

WARNING: The following post contains philosophical commentary on a controversial topic. Read at your own risk! 



George Harris said:


> There is a saying that, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." People were turned out of these "institutions that provided a place for them" on the grounds that keeping them in the institutions was wrong, cruel, etc., etc.


Much of the crude and abusive treatment we attribute to mental institutions of the past was perfectly legal _and_ even accepted while in effect. Eventually those practices that were seriously harmful to patients were modified over time or simply banned altogether. This was due to growing evidence of intentional abuse, lack of a measurable benefit to the patient, and to changing social views. Over time mental health issues became more of a mainstream concern and substantial improvements were being made as new drugs and therapies were being added to traditional treatment options. In other words, things were starting to look up for institutionalized patients. Unfortunately much of this progress was occurring during yet another low point in our endless boom-bust style of _laissez faire_ economics.

In an effort to balance quickly deteriorating budgets without raising revenues, wave after wave of cuts were applied to public health funding across the country and people who were benefiting from the some of the early benefits of the modern mental health care movement were suddenly being tossed out onto the street. Some managed to climb their way into the lower reaches of productive society and eventually found a small niche to call their own. Those who lived out the rest of their lives in relative obscurity were the lucky ones. Others found living on the street extremely difficult or even impossible to escape. As their options for continuing therapy evaporated former patients were forced to fend for themselves however they could and often resorted to crime. Sometimes this was an intentional decision on their part and sometimes it was simply due to their inherent inability to fully comprehend adult rules through a mind of a child.

As the criteria for admittance to public health programs became ever more restrictive and the funding for such services continued to dry up another solution was on the horizon. Funds were plentiful and the barrier to entry was surprisingly easy to meet and being lowered all the time. Fanning the flames of fear and resentment we migrated from the carrot to the stick and constructed the legislative and judicial foundations of what would eventually become the largest private prison population the world had ever known. Among its millions of residents you could find virtually every mental health ailment you've ever heard of or read about. Every phobia, every paranoia, every syndrome, and every warped desire you could ever imagine. From the insanely vicious to the barely detectable. All intermingling in a therapy-free environment for years or even decades at a time. I am still not sure how that could be considered a responsible solution to any social ill, just as I am sure there are those who cannot imagine seeing it any other way. What is no longer debatable is that when it comes to the confused and enfeebled, slowly but surely we are abandoning any pretense of the carrot and resorting almost exclusively to the stick, and the bigger the better. I suppose time will tell if this was a productive decision or a disastrous one.


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## cirdan (May 8, 2012)

Reno89502 said:


> Didnt happen in Coach, but in the Diner. While on my way from CHI - PIT on the Capitol Limited, I was sitting at a table with two Hasidic Jew's. The waitress came up to one of them, put her hand on his shoulder, and said "Good Evening! What can I get you tonight darlin?". The guy pushed her hand off of him and said "You should NEVER touch another man! You must ask for forgiveness!" She looked at him, and with a look on her face, said "WELL EXCUUUUUUUUUUUSE ME!! What would you like for dinner?". (The guys left the diner)


Something similar happened to me on a plane. The Jews refused to eat the food as a woman had served it to them so a guy had to come and serve it again.


----------



## cirdan (May 8, 2012)

There is a homeless guy in Houston who keeps all his money in a thermos flask.


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## VentureForth (May 8, 2012)

Reno89502 said:


> Didnt happen in Coach, but in the Diner. While on my way from CHI - PIT on the Capitol Limited, I was sitting at a table with two Hasidic Jew's. The waitress came up to one of them, put her hand on his shoulder, and said "Good Evening! What can I get you tonight darlin?". The guy pushed her hand off of him and said "You should NEVER touch another man! You must ask for forgiveness!" She looked at him, and with a look on her face, said "WELL EXCUUUUUUUUUUUSE ME!! What would you like for dinner?". (The guys left the diner)


I think that this is something that ALL OBS crew members should be made aware of. It is generally taboo for ANYONE to touch ANYONE except when shaking hands, or helping up and down steps, etc. The reasons are a myriad, from religious as shown here, to hygienic, to personal space, to jealous wife, to whatever.

The baseline approach should always be hands off except in offering aid.

That being said, the passengers who choose to not live OF this world still choose, by obviously riding Amtrak, to live IN this world. They need to be a bit less, well, touchy.


----------



## lthanlon (May 8, 2012)

VentureForth said:


> Reno89502 said:
> 
> 
> > Didnt happen in Coach, but in the Diner. While on my way from CHI - PIT on the Capitol Limited, I was sitting at a table with two Hasidic Jew's. The waitress came up to one of them, put her hand on his shoulder, and said "Good Evening! What can I get you tonight darlin?". The guy pushed her hand off of him and said "You should NEVER touch another man! You must ask for forgiveness!" She looked at him, and with a look on her face, said "WELL EXCUUUUUUUUUUUSE ME!! What would you like for dinner?". (The guys left the diner)
> ...


Had these guys pre-ordered kosher meals? And if they had, how are observant diners able to keep kosher in an Amtrak dining car in the first place? Even if the food arrives sealed from a kosher kitchen, doesn't it need to be heated or defrosted in a non-kosher appliance? Or if the food product remains sealed and doesn't touch the non-kosher appliance, is it OK?


----------



## sitzplatz17 (May 8, 2012)

Greg said:


> I heard it referred to as the "Milepost Club"


I have some friends who worked up on the Alaska RR, in their down time they joined the "Clickity-Clack-Club".

All I can say it's a great club to join!


----------



## Devil's Advocate (May 8, 2012)

sitzplatz17 said:


> I have some friends who worked up on the Alaska RR, in their down time they joined the "Clickity-Clack-Club".


I love it!

I could never really get behind terms like the "Meter High Club" or fully embrace the "Mile Post Club", but the "Clickety Clack Club" really nails it.

[/puns]


----------



## Texan Eagle (May 8, 2012)

Texas Sunset said:


> sitzplatz17 said:
> 
> 
> > I have some friends who worked up on the Alaska RR, in their down time they joined the "Clickity-Clack-Club".
> ...


Like that thread where we discussed several Am-things, can't this be called AmSe....never mind.


----------



## rtabern (May 8, 2012)

Trogdor said:


> rtabern said:
> 
> 
> > Hmmm... what else?
> ...


Yep, was waiting for the "Strangest Things You've seen in a Sleeper" thread... but yep, guy with a loaded gun busted before train took off in Chicago in the roomette next to me a couple of years ago. The plain clothes cops were not very happy I was peaking out of my roomette at what they were doing.


----------



## rtabern (May 8, 2012)

Anderson said:


> George Harris said:
> 
> 
> > rtabern said:
> ...


Maybe letting your two pre-teen daughter travel cross-country together without any parental supervision is NOT a good idea.  Just sayin'...


----------



## Donctor (May 8, 2012)

cirdan said:


> Reno89502 said:
> 
> 
> > Didnt happen in Coach, but in the Diner. While on my way from CHI - PIT on the Capitol Limited, I was sitting at a table with two Hasidic Jew's. The waitress came up to one of them, put her hand on his shoulder, and said "Good Evening! What can I get you tonight darlin?". The guy pushed her hand off of him and said "You should NEVER touch another man! You must ask for forgiveness!" She looked at him, and with a look on her face, said "WELL EXCUUUUUUUUUUUSE ME!! What would you like for dinner?". (The guys left the diner)
> ...


Something similar happened to me on a bus in Brooklyn.


----------



## SarahZ (May 8, 2012)

rtabern said:


> This very goth young lady in her early 20's got on in Palm Springs with her equally goth boyfriend. They apparently were going all the way to Bloomington, IL on #422 where they were planning to move (it's amazing what you can overhear in the lounge car sometimes). Anyway, somewhere on the first night of the trip they "broke up" on the train -- and the boyfriend took away all of her money and belongings -- and got off in El Paso. *She was all alone on the train with nothing. Her "meals" consisted of ketchup packets and the free crackers on the bottom level of the SSL car.* Some guys then decided to buy her a bunch of alcohol... and she got drunk and took off her pants and underwear and ran through the SSL. I was a witness to this. I thought she would be kicked off the train, but the conductors let her stay on if she remained in her seat the rest of the trip... which she did to BNL.


This is really sad to me.  If I had seen that happen, I would have bought her some food to last her the rest of the trip. Those guys are pigs. They could have done the chivalrous thing and chose not to.


----------



## JayPea (May 8, 2012)

I really haven't seen too many odd happenings while traveling coach. One time on the Lincoln Service between Bloomington and Chicago, a young, obviously intoxicated woman tried to disable the lit No Smoking sign on the coach, as if she would be allowed to smoke with the sign turned off. This was very early in the morning (8AM or earlier) so it was a tad early to be drunk. She was on her way to see a Cubs game, however, so that was understandable. It's rough trying to watch the Flubs Cubs while sober. :lol:

And last year, while on the SWC between Chicago and Los Angeles, the guy in front of me was constantly yapping (even in the wee hours of the morning :angry2: ) on his cell phone. He was expecting his "old lady" to accompany him from Chicago. When she didn't show, he kept trying to get ahold of her. Once he did, he offered to send her $100 towards a ticket if she'd join him in Los Angeles. Somewhere in the midst of the trip, the offer went up to $150. By the end of the trip, it was up to $200. I'm not sure how much longer the trip would have been by the time he finally got her to agree to a good price. :lol: In the midst of all this, he loudly announced that he was going to break up with his OTHER "old lady" while in Los Angeles and start a new life. Mind you trying to ignore him and his conversation was trying to ignore a bee in your shorts. :blink: He and his phone's ringtone was so loud I'm sure the engineer could hear him.  I'd try to go to the SSL to avoid him and here he and his blasted phone would show up. :angry2: The last I saw of him he'd gotten his luggage out to the curb, waiting for a cab, and wandered off somewhere, leaving his luggage unattended on the curb in front of Union Station in Los Angeles. :help:


----------



## Donctor (May 8, 2012)

JayPea said:


> This was very early in the morning (8AM or earlier) so it was a tad early to be drunk. She was on her way to see a Cubs game, however, so that was understandable. It's rough trying to watch the Flubs Cubs while sober. :lol:


Sometimes when we go to a drinking party at Wrigley, we see some baseball.


----------



## oldtimer (May 9, 2012)

Donctor said:


> JayPea said:
> 
> 
> > This was very early in the morning (8AM or earlier) so it was a tad early to be drunk. She was on her way to see a Cubs game, however, so that was understandable. It's rough trying to watch the Flubs Cubs while sober. :lol:
> ...


Is there baseball at Wrigley Field?

No, the cubs play there!

Any team can have a bad century or two!


----------



## goduckies (May 9, 2012)

Well, for me is two. One I was a kid going from LA to Vegas. We had a Drunk Indian guy with a gun who getting taking it out threatening to kill himself. He would go back form our coach to the lounge. Luckily he had some girls looking after him that calmed him down. Very scary, even as a kid though.

And 2nd was last year on the Starlight, this JA kept talking and talking and talking about his life in North Dakota, and what not. Just would not stop talking. Best part though was when we went in the mountains, though a tunnel, and he couldn't figure out why he lost his connection!! I was very glad we hit the mountains!!


----------



## OlympianHiawatha (May 9, 2012)

oldtimer said:


> Donctor said:
> 
> 
> > JayPea said:
> ...


CUBS = *C*oming *U*ndone *B*efore *S*eptember


----------



## Caryn (May 9, 2012)

On a recent Empire Service trip there was a couple sitting across from me, and while the man spoke loudly on his cell phone to people at his job (even giving step by step info on accessing their computer files) the woman got out her hairbrush, gel, and a flat iron, plugged the iron in, and styled her hair for most of the trip to Rhinecliff, where they waited until the train had pulled into the station before packing up their computer, appliance, etc., and de-boarding the train. After that the car was quiet most of the way, except for the guy in front of me who decided to play a 90-minute DVD of a foul-mouthed comedian on his laptop with no headphones.


----------



## guest employee (May 9, 2012)

Caryn said:


> On a recent Empire Service trip there was a couple sitting across from me, and while the man spoke loudly on his cell phone to people at his job (even giving step by step info on accessing their computer files) the woman got out her hairbrush, gel, and a flat iron, plugged the iron in, and styled her hair for most of the trip to Rhinecliff, where they waited until the train had pulled into the station before packing up their computer, appliance, etc., and de-boarding the train. After that the car was quiet most of the way, except for the guy in front of me who decided to play a 90-minute DVD of a foul-mouthed comedian on his laptop with no headphones.


I would've gone downstairs and tripped the GFI on her curling iron. C'mon, people, don't do personal grooming at your seat!! (Especially doing nails...that stuff can be explosive!)


----------



## George Harris (May 9, 2012)

Sorcha said:


> rtabern said:
> 
> 
> > This very goth young lady in her early 20's got on in Palm Springs with her equally goth boyfriend. They apparently were going all the way to Bloomington, IL on #422 where they were planning to move (it's amazing what you can overhear in the lounge car sometimes). Anyway, somewhere on the first night of the trip they "broke up" on the train -- and the boyfriend took away all of her money and belongings -- and got off in El Paso. *She was all alone on the train with nothing. Her "meals" consisted of ketchup packets and the free crackers on the bottom level of the SSL car.* Some guys then decided to buy her a bunch of alcohol... and she got drunk and took off her pants and underwear and ran through the SSL. I was a witness to this. I thought she would be kicked off the train, but the conductors let her stay on if she remained in her seat the rest of the trip... which she did to BNL.
> ...


Unfortunately, Chilvalry is either dead or very sick in many people. The characters that got her drunk are the ones who should have been kicked off, preferably while the train was moving.


----------



## SarahZ (May 9, 2012)

Donctor said:


> Sometimes when we go to a drinking party at Wrigley, we see some baseball.


Haha. 

When the Red Wings-Avs rivalry was alive and well back in the McCarty vs. Lemieux days (1997), my dad used to joke, "I went to see the fights, and a hockey game broke out."


----------



## Shawn Ryu (May 9, 2012)

rtabern said:


> Hmmm... what else? Oh yeah, on the #28 section of the Empire Builder once... I had two 12 year old girls who were traveling alone try and get me to buy them some booze from the SSL. Not happening. They did meet some other guy who did it for them though an then headed back to his sleeper.



Haha, reminds me of the time when i asked a man to buy me a beer, He thought I was 21 and he did! On the Empire Builder.

This was few years ago.


----------



## AlanB (May 9, 2012)

guest employee said:


> Caryn said:
> 
> 
> > On a recent Empire Service trip there was a couple sitting across from me, and while the man spoke loudly on his cell phone to people at his job (even giving step by step info on accessing their computer files) the woman got out her hairbrush, gel, and a flat iron, plugged the iron in, and styled her hair for most of the trip to Rhinecliff, where they waited until the train had pulled into the station before packing up their computer, appliance, etc., and de-boarding the train. After that the car was quiet most of the way, except for the guy in front of me who decided to play a 90-minute DVD of a foul-mouthed comedian on his laptop with no headphones.
> ...


Downstairs on an Empire Service train would be the track. On an Amfleet the breakers would be found at the end of the car.


----------



## Dan O (May 9, 2012)

> Is there baseball at Wrigley Field?
> 
> No, the cubs play there!
> 
> Any team can have a bad century or two!


I heard they were in their second century of rebuilding.



> CUBS = *C*oming *U*ndone *B*efore *S*eptember


September? I'd say more like six weeks.


----------



## saxman (May 9, 2012)

lthanlon said:


> .
> 
> BATTERY BOY
> 
> The next day, I bought a drink downstairs in the Sightseer Lounge. It was just before dark and just about all seats upstairs and down were occupied by passengers enjoying a fiery sunset. I suddenly spied open seats in a downstairs booth -- and recognized the lone occupant as a skinny, unkempt twentysomething guy from my coach car. I sat down across from him and noticed he had a whole bunch of batteries on the table. Without prompting, he explained that he enjoyed sticking batteries in his mouth. C and D cells he inserted sideways and then pushed in on his cheeks to make electrical contact. AA and AAA cells are a bit awkward because you have to push your cheeks in too far, he said. However, his favorite battery was the 9-volt because all he needed to do was stick out his tongue and touch the tip to both terminals. When I got up to get another drink, the guy at the counter apologized. "Sorry, I figured you were going back to your car or else I would have warned you about Mr. Electrico."


If we were voting on funniest story on an Amtrak train this would be it!! I still can't stop smiling about Mr. Electrico.


----------



## Ozark Southern (May 10, 2012)

AlanB said:


> guest employee said:
> 
> 
> > Caryn said:
> ...


You just haven't been on the super-secret basement cars. It's what happens when the penthouse car flips over.


----------



## Caryn (May 10, 2012)

AlanB said:


> guest employee said:
> 
> 
> > Caryn said:
> ...


I was tempted to do something like that...one of the Amtrak staff (don't remember if it was the conductor or car attendant) walked by and asked her if she knew there was a bathroom behind her with a mirror. He was very polite about it, but she just shrugged and said she was fine. That was only a few minutes before they departed.


----------



## WICT106 (May 11, 2012)

George Harris said:


> Sorcha said:
> 
> 
> > rtabern said:
> ...


Mr. Harris is right here -- but not for the reasons he thinks. Chivalry is dead -- Why should a guy be responsible if a young woman chooses to get drunk and make a fool of herself ? I sympathize with her breaking up with the boyfriend, but her drinking herself silly is her problem, her responsibility.


----------



## Just-Thinking-51 (May 11, 2012)

WICT106 said:


> Mr. Harris is right here -- but not for the reasons he thinks. Chivalry is dead -- Why should a guy be responsible if a young woman chooses to get drunk and make a fool of herself ? I sympathize with her breaking up with the boyfriend, but her drinking herself silly is her problem, her responsibility.


Wow nice. "Her responsibilty".

Your profile show you to be 42 years of age. It does not show with your posting.


----------



## MiRider (May 11, 2012)

Sorcha said:


> rtabern said:
> 
> 
> > This very goth young lady in her early 20's got on in Palm Springs with her equally goth boyfriend. They apparently were going all the way to Bloomington, IL on #422 where they were planning to move (it's amazing what you can overhear in the lounge car sometimes). Anyway, somewhere on the first night of the trip they "broke up" on the train -- and the boyfriend took away all of her money and belongings -- and got off in El Paso. *She was all alone on the train with nothing. Her "meals" consisted of ketchup packets and the free crackers on the bottom level of the SSL car.* Some guys then decided to buy her a bunch of alcohol... and she got drunk and took off her pants and underwear and ran through the SSL. I was a witness to this. I thought she would be kicked off the train, but the conductors let her stay on if she remained in her seat the rest of the trip... which she did to BNL.
> ...


I couldn't have said it better, Sorcha.

Unfortunately, predators of all stripes are always on the look out for any kind of opportunity.


----------



## MiRider (May 11, 2012)

I've only been on 12 LD trips, 11 in coach, in the past year and I've seen nothing so weird that it's even worth mentioning here.

Unless you count a drunk here and there but the Conductors always do a good job of taking care of those problems as discretely as possible so that the pax aren't disturbed.

There's always an *atmosphere* created by the passengers...

The worst being my trip on the CZ last week which I expected to be the best, then again, my trip was during the Super Moon.









The best being the train I expected the least from based on the snarky 'Chicken Bone Express' nickname I've seen here - both trips on the CONO were wonderful, crew and passengers.


----------



## pennyk (May 11, 2012)

JoanieB said:


> Sorcha said:
> 
> 
> > rtabern said:
> ...


Ditto for me too.


----------



## Devil's Advocate (May 11, 2012)

George Harris said:


> Unfortunately, *Chilvalry is either dead or very sick* in many people. The characters that got her drunk are the ones who should have been kicked off, preferably while the train was moving.


&


pennyk said:


> JoanieB said:
> 
> 
> > Sorcha said:
> ...


Let's not forget that the glorious age of chivalry was also full of socially accepted violence toward both women and children alike behind closed doors. I am not aware of any age in the history of humankind where women were anywhere near as protected from the abuse of others as they are now. Wish for whatever you want, but when it comes to the safety of women it certainly won't get better by going *backward* in time toward some revisionist dreamland that never existed.


----------



## frj1983 (May 11, 2012)

I also have to say that this happened in Sleeper as well.

About 10 years ago I took the CNO from Chicago to New Orleans for Company Business. The morning after leaving Chicago, I got up early (about 5:00am) and took a shower, when finished with that, I had breakfast in the Diner and then came back to my room. At about 8:00am, the door to the sleeper across from me opened up, and a young, blonde, rather statuesque women walked into the hallway completely "buck naked" and proceeded to walk down the hall to the shower. Within seconds the Sleeper Attendant, who was a Woman stopped in front of my door and asked: "did I see what I just saw?" I said: "yup" and she hustled down the hall after this young woman saying: "I have to have a talk with her!"

About 10 minutes later the young woman returned to her room with a bedsheet wrapped around her and the Attendant in tow. Turns out she was from Sweden and while her english was good, she seemed to not understand what all the fuss was about.


----------



## George Harris (May 11, 2012)

Texas Sunset said:


> Let's not forget that the glorious age of chivalry was also full of socially accepted violence toward both women and children alike behind closed doors. I am not aware of any age in the history of humankind where women were anywhere near as protected from the abuse of others as they are now. Wish for whatever you want, but when it comes to the safety of women it certainly won't get better by going *backward* in time toward some revisionist dreamland that never existed.


Removed my ersponse. Arguing with a fence post comes to mind.)


----------



## Henry Kisor (May 11, 2012)

What Texas Sunset said.


----------



## white rabbitt (May 11, 2012)

frj1983 said:


> I also have to say that this happened in Sleeper as well.
> 
> About 10 years ago I took the CNO from Chicago to New Orleans for Company Business. The morning after leaving Chicago, I got up early (about 5:00am) and took a shower, when finished with that, I had breakfast in the Diner and then came back to my room. At about 8:00am, the door to the sleeper across from me opened up, and a young, blonde, rather statuesque women walked into the hallway completely "buck naked" and proceeded to walk down the hall to the shower. Within seconds the Sleeper Attendant, who was a Woman stopped in front of my door and asked: "did I see what I just saw?" I said: "yup" and she hustled down the hall after this young woman saying: "I have to have a talk with her!"
> 
> About 10 minutes later the young woman returned to her room with a bedsheet wrapped around her and the Attendant in tow. Turns out she was from Sweden and while her english was good, she seemed to not understand what all the fuss was about.


 in sweden nude is no big deal only in the usa do the prudes freak out over being naked


----------



## Gratt (May 11, 2012)

lthanlon said:


> VentureForth said:
> 
> 
> > Reno89502 said:
> ...



I should have answered this question sooner but I have been busy the past few days. Amtrak orders its kosher meals (at least on the east coast) from some restaurant/caterer in Miami. The meals come sealed and are designed to be reheated in a non-kosher appliance. The food will remain kosher as long as the seal and/or the wrapping is not broken.

As for the touching thing I agree with everything said. In general cross-gender touching is a big no no for Orthodox Jews (many make exceptions to non-sexual contact like handshakes) but that does not give you license to be rude. If the gentleman in question would have simply shifted his shoulder and looked and the woman uncomfortably I imagine the hand would be gone in seconds.

Sadly their is little correlation between piety and manners.


----------



## Devil's Advocate (May 12, 2012)

George Harris said:


> Texas Sunset said:
> 
> 
> > Let's not forget that the glorious age of chivalry was also full of socially accepted violence toward both women and children alike behind closed doors. I am not aware of any age in the history of humankind where women were anywhere near as protected from the abuse of others as they are now. Wish for whatever you want, but when it comes to the safety of women it certainly won't get better by going *backward* in time toward some revisionist dreamland that never existed.
> ...


You didn't just remove your response. You also replaced it with yet another random personal attack. Bravo Mr. Chivalry.

Here's your original response for those who missed it...



George Harris said:


> I do not know what sort of society you are thinking about or know about, but is was certainly not the one in my background, but then what do I know? It was mostly rural and small town deep south until early 20th century when some moved to the (still in Deep South) city. It was one of my Great Grandmothers that had the saying carried through the family, and it may have started before her: "Beat me once, shame on you. Beat me twice, shame on me." (For not leaving, if you cannot grasp her meaning.)


Leaving a truly abusive husband and suddenly being forced to cobble together a life on your own is not as easy as just walking out the door. Back when women didn't have many options in the labor market and weren't given much if any protection from their own husbands it was quite an ordeal with no clear path toward productive freedom. Not to mention that anyone sadistic enough to seriously abuse you in the first place is probably sick enough to come after you (or your friends and family) when you leave. Which is why we now have anti-stalking laws, minimum separation, state-initiated prosecutions, and witness protection. The term "chivalry" comes from the middle ages, back when women were treated more like chattel than anything else. Be careful what you wish for folks.


----------



## oregon pioneer (May 12, 2012)

On the EB, eastbound, a young woman with a stuffed animal who spent the whole trip asleep on one of the seats in the lounge (with her blanket pulled over her head). The conductors looked sideways at her every time they walked by, but never woke her up or asked for her ticket (that I saw). We theorized that she was a stowaway, and thus avoided being caught, or that she stayed on long past the stop she had bought a ticket for.


----------



## TimePeace (May 12, 2012)

Well, chivalry is an old word that evokes distant eras.

But simple Good Manners, on the other hand, is much more current. That is what is seriously lacking nowadays, and not just in the younger folks. Lots of people are just plain mean-spirited and rude everywhere I go. Doesn't mean i have to be.

I was raised in the South (most of my family on both sides is from North Carolina) and we were taught to behave - and I still try my best - to be polite and respectful to one another (including strangers) whenever possible. I still hold doors open for women and older folks, kids, any anyone who looks like it might help (if they have arms full of luggage for example).

And I am always ready to help a smaller, less capable person hoist a heavy suitcase up to the overhead rack. Why not? It's easy for me. It is not so difficult nor inconvenient to be nice. It makes life a lot easier, less stressful, to just be nice, just be friendly (unless given reasons not to be).

So yeah. I would have been nice to that "goth" girl, same as to anyone else. And if she rejected basic niceness, I'd leave her alone. I mean this is all a no-brainer. Right?


----------



## leemell (May 12, 2012)

wabbitt said:


> frj1983 said:
> 
> 
> > I also have to say that this happened in Sleeper as well.
> ...


If that is true, what do yo think would happen if the young lady did this on a train in the UK? Germany? Japan? Australasia? or anywhere in the Mid-East?


----------



## SarahZ (May 12, 2012)

Texas Sunset said:


> Let's not forget that the glorious age of chivalry was also full of socially accepted violence toward both women and children alike behind closed doors. I am not aware of any age in the history of humankind where women were anywhere near as protected from the abuse of others as they are now. Wish for whatever you want, but when it comes to the safety of women it certainly won't get better by going *backward* in time toward some revisionist dreamland that never existed.


Semantics. *Obviously*, I wasn't talking about chivalry in the sense of fiefdoms and chattel. Come on... I'm sure you could have figured that out.

Check the first definition. THAT'S what I meant. Everyone else got my meaning.

*chiv·al·**rous*

Adjective:


*(of a man or his behavior) Courteous and gallant, esp. toward women.*
Of or relating to the historical notion of chivalry.


----------



## MiRider (May 12, 2012)

Sorcha said:


> 1336866704[/url]' post='367024']
> 
> 
> Texas Sunset said:
> ...


Absolutely, Sorcha... That's what I meant too.In fact, I'm always especially chivalrous towards old men. 

Ack! I thought it was the same for women, chivalry, that is. ))


----------



## Trainmans daughter (May 12, 2012)

Maine Rider said:


> Well, chivalry is an old word that evokes distant eras.
> 
> But simple Good Manners, on the other hand, is much more current. That is what is seriously lacking nowadays, and not just in the younger folks. Lots of people are just plain mean-spirited and rude everywhere I go. Doesn't mean i have to be.
> 
> ...


^What he said!

It is sad when anyone--male or female--takes advantage of a weaker person--male or female. Every day, we have opportunities to help people or hurt people. I believe that most people, thank God, are like Sorcha, Joanie, and Maine Rider and will come to the aid of people in trouble. Unfortunately, there are some who are opportunists and have no problem using other people's weak moments to their advantage.


----------



## WICT106 (May 12, 2012)

Maine Rider said:


> Well, chivalry is an old word that evokes distant eras.
> 
> But simple Good Manners, on the other hand, is much more current. That is what is seriously lacking nowadays, and not just in the younger folks. Lots of people are just plain mean-spirited and rude everywhere I go. Doesn't mean i have to be.
> 
> ...





> It is sad when anyone--male or female--takes advantage of a weaker person--male or female. Every day, we have opportunities to help people or hurt people. I believe that most people, thank God, are like Sorcha, Joanie, and Maine Rider and will come to the aid of people in trouble. Unfortunately, there are some who are opportunists and have no problem using other people's weak moments to their advantage.


Now, these statements I agree with. My earlier statement was a reaction based upon a lifetime of living in an area with individuals who demanded chivalry when it was convenient, and "Equality" when that was convenient. I was also raised to treat others with respect, unless the individual did something inconsiderate to me. Then, that's different.


----------



## Devil's Advocate (May 12, 2012)

Maine Rider said:


> Well, chivalry is an old word that evokes distant eras. But simple Good Manners, on the other hand, is much more current. That is what is seriously lacking nowadays, and not just in the younger folks. Lots of people are just plain mean-spirited and rude everywhere I go. Doesn't mean i have to be.


Agree. Well said.



Sorcha said:


> Semantics. *Obviously*, I wasn't talking about chivalry in the sense of fiefdoms and chattel. Come on... I'm sure you could have figured that out.


Chivalry sounds completely disconnected and out of place in 2012. Maybe it's time to drop these tired old cliches based on outdated concepts of innocence and strength. Today we have something even better than chivalry. Today we have a solution generations in the making. Today we have equal rights. The only problem with equal rights is that it also requires _equal effort_ and _equal responsibility_ to work correctly.


----------



## TimePeace (May 13, 2012)

Texas Sunset said:


> Maine Rider said:
> 
> 
> > Well, chivalry is an old word that evokes distant eras. But simple Good Manners, on the other hand, is much more current. That is what is seriously lacking nowadays, and not just in the younger folks. Lots of people are just plain mean-spirited and rude everywhere I go. Doesn't mean i have to be.
> ...


T.S., it's a pleasure to agree with you!


----------



## white rabbitt (May 13, 2012)

sorcha and joanie b in


----------



## TimePeace (May 13, 2012)

wabbitt said:


> sorcha and joanie b in this day and age do u think
> 
> girls grow up thinking they will meet prince charming or a knight in shinning armor
> 
> who will sweep them off there feet and merry them or is that outdated


My favorite fairy tale is where today's people learn something about spelling, grammar, and punctuation in this day and age. Nobody's perfect but it is nice to see an effort made.


----------



## OlympianHiawatha (May 13, 2012)

Enough of the cat fighting! It's time to kill this topic and close the thread.


----------



## MiRider (May 13, 2012)

OlympianHiawatha said:


> Enough of the cat fighting! It's time to kill this topic and close the thread.


NO!

I'm a fan of cat fighting especially when it's mostly men doing it and, I might add, a damn good job of it too.






Seriously, I like the evolving/devolving threads the best.

I always learn something of some kind about something or someone


----------



## Shortline (May 13, 2012)

Maine Rider said:


> 1336927199[/url]' post='367103']
> 
> 
> wabbitt said:
> ...


Wish I had been there to see you get your award! Seriously, give it a rest.


----------



## Ctim2 (May 13, 2012)

This one happened to me in the dining car on Via Rail's Ocean. I was having breakfast with another gentleman discussing trains; the sights etc. then he noticed that I had only taken to slices from my pancakes (some kind of whole grain thing) which I totally didn't like. Noticing that I hadn’t really eaten pancake he ask if I didn't like them, As I answered him that I didn't really like of want them he reached into my plate and took them! Yes, took them! (background on me I am an individual who in past years has had to work on his temper etc).

My first response was to reach back into his plate take them back and knock the Sh%# out of him. I think as he noticed the sharping angle of my eye brows, he said that he was sorry and asked if I did really want them? He followed that with and explanation that where he was from food was special and was not to denied, refused or wasted. OK, so to avoid any further issue I excused myself and considered that moment a lesion while convincing myself not to teach him a less about where I am from and personal space.

Tim


----------



## TimePeace (May 13, 2012)

Shortline said:


> Maine Rider said:
> 
> 
> > 1336927199[/url]' post='367103']
> ...



Like I said, no one is perfect. You might try considering how posting a link to "douchebag of the year" is more constructive and/or less critical than anything else in this thread. Pretty lame attempt from a guy saying "give it a rest." Take your own advice.


----------



## AlanB (May 13, 2012)

Gentlemen, please!


----------



## MiRider (May 13, 2012)

Maine Rider said:


> 1336932481[/url]' post='367124']
> 
> 
> Shortline said:
> ...



Not really wanting to jump into the fray here but I can't resist, besides , it's Mothers Day and I'm a mother in many ways - lol.I agree with Maine Rider throughout this thread.

Weird, sexually wrought , imo, posts made with poor grammar and spelling are that much creepier to my female brain.Posts that are made with blatantly poor grammar and spelling generally just hurt my brain and raise my judgemental hackles, that's just the way it is.


----------



## leemell (May 13, 2012)

JoanieB said:


> Maine Rider said:
> 
> 
> > Shortline said:
> ...



Me either. At least learn the correct word, drop the SMS/Tweet acronyms and capitalize. Some times these posts verge on unreadable and sometimes just lead to misunderstandings.

Thanks.


----------



## NorthCoastHiawatha (May 13, 2012)

Well this derailed pretty quick. I haven't really seen anything super strange in coach. I do remember one trip on the Empire Builder where two passengers hung blankets around there seat. One from the luggage rack and the other two im not sure exactly but I wanna say velcro strips.


----------



## MiRider (May 13, 2012)

NorthCoastHiawatha said:


> Well this derailed pretty quick. I haven't really seen anything super strange in coach. I do remember one trip on the Empire Builder where two passengers hung blankets around there seat. One from the luggage rack and the other two im not sure exactly but I wanna say velcro strips.


Not that I don't believe some of these stories but I've traveled quite a bit - all in coach - this past year and I haven't seen anything remotely like any of this stuff.

I can't imagine any of the CAs or Conductors on any of the trains I've been on allowing some of this stuff to happen.

The CAs and Conductors on all of my trains last month were pretty strict, which is a good thing.

The E/B CZ during the Super Moon this month was the craziest.

Young drunk guy who locked himself in a bathroom under the watchful eyes of 2 Conductors - I happened to go down there while they were waiting for him to exit - escorted off.

Drunk woman who ordered the steak dinner (what else?) and then said she didn't have any money to pay for it - I'm so glad she wasn't seated with me



- escorted off.

Drunk idiot that was harrassing people in the lower level (that's what my CA said) - through the window, I saw him get arrested, cuffed, and picked up by four officers because he refused to walk.

All of these situations were handled quietly and I wouldn't have known anything if I hadn't been paying attention so they had no effect on my trip or comfort level at all.


----------



## Henry Kisor (May 13, 2012)

One evening last fall on the SW Chief westbound, we were startled when the LSA in the lounge car announced that if anyone made any hostile remarks about race, gender, religion, national origin or sexual orientation, that person would be put off the train at the next stop. (At the next stop a man indeed was ejected into the arms of the cops.) Turned out that that man was hurling exceptionally ugly anti-Semitic epithets at a fellow passenger in the lounge car. He was not drunk, the crewperson said, just hateful. Amtrak really does not tolerate that kind of crap, and I am glad.


----------



## Donctor (May 13, 2012)

Maine Rider said:


> My favorite fairy tale is where today's people learn something about spelling, grammar, and punctuation in this day and age. Nobody's perfect but it is nice to see an effort made.


This actually made me laugh out loud.


----------



## dlagrua (May 14, 2012)

On a trip on the Autotrain a few years back we slept in the sleeper car that attached to the coach car. Just before bed I walked to the end of the sleeper to look in and see how my fellow travelers were doing and saw two blanket "tents" that were hung up around the seats. I can only assume that some coach passengers take blankets onboard and use them to make a "poor mans" roomette. While there is nothing wrong with this it is a bit out of the norm. I also believe that with blankets surrounding every side of your seat, the oyxgen level in the resulting space may be reduced.


----------



## white rabbitt (May 14, 2012)

Maine Rider said:


> wabbitt said:
> 
> 
> > sorcha and joanie b in this day and age do u think
> ...


maine rider 'if u want to make jokes about my spelling

go ahead i am getting real tired of being the butt of peoples jokes

just becouse i did not graduate hs, if u are the spelling police, then u fix it

if'in u still want to mock me, just grow up this board is about amtrak not about spelling mistakes


----------



## MiRider (May 14, 2012)

dlagrua said:


> On a trip on the Autotrain a few years back we slept in the sleeper car that attached to the coach car. Just before bed I walked to the end of the sleeper to look in and see how my fellow travelers were doing and saw two blanket "tents" that were hung up around the seats. I can only assume that some coach passengers take blankets onboard and use them to make a "poor mans" roomette. While there is nothing wrong with this it is a bit out of the norm. I also believe that with blankets surrounding every side of your seat, the oyxgen level in the resulting space may be reduced.


No kidding.... crazy!

I see people sleep with blankets over their heads all of the time, I'd freak out covered like that.

On the CONO last month, the guy across the aisle spent the entire trip NOL-CHI with a giant beach towel over his head and body.

I don't understand how people can sleep all day and there are usually a lot of them - that's just me though, seem like such a waste.

How about a fan-like device that clips on the back and bottom of the seat where the hard divider is - that way no one's booty can encroach.

Or maybe a pop-up cube-like thingy - like those pop-up laundry hampers - that fits on your seat and gives you some real estate.

Maybe just get a roomette, huh?


----------



## Anderson (May 14, 2012)

wabbitt said:


> Maine Rider said:
> 
> 
> > wabbitt said:
> ...


Maine Rider, if you want to make jokes about my spelling, then go ahead. I am getting really thred of being the butt of people's jokes. Just because I did not graduate HS. [incomplete sentence, doesn't work with the parts after the comma] If you are the spelling police, then you fix it. If'in you still want to mock me, then just grow up. This board is about Amtrak, not about spelling mistakes.

Note: Be careful what you wish for.


----------



## VentureForth (May 14, 2012)

Ctim2 said:


> This one happened to me in the dining car on Via Rail's Ocean. I was having breakfast with another gentleman discussing trains; the sights etc. then he noticed that I had only taken to slices from my pancakes (some kind of whole grain thing) which I totally didn't like. Noticing that I hadnt really eaten pancake he ask if I didn't like them, As I answered him that I didn't really like of want them he reached into my plate and took them! Yes, took them! (background on me I am an individual who in past years has had to work on his temper etc).
> 
> My first response was to reach back into his plate take them back and knock the Sh%# out of him. I think as he noticed the sharping angle of my eye brows, he said that he was sorry and asked if I did really want them? He followed that with and explanation that where he was from food was special and was not to denied, refused or wasted. OK, so to avoid any further issue I excused myself and considered that moment a lesion while convincing myself not to teach him a less about where I am from and personal space.
> 
> Tim


...Which is considerably understandable. Was he a foreigner? I have read (and jis & Texas back me up or correct me here) that on India Rail, if you sit in a "community" class, ie: Sleeper Tier 3 (AC or not), you might find your seat mates sharing your Coke & cookies if you set it down. They would expect the same from you. On a very large tangent, I found it ironic that in Japan in the late 80's, it was a gentleman from India who was very offended that we (Tokyo Disneyland) didn't offer bottled water for sale. Back to my original response to Ctim2: As the old adage goes, "When in Rome..." Unfortunately, this almost exclusively means that Americans need to act like their host country when travelling abroad, but doesn't seem to apply when folks visit our country. Part of the problem there is that since our country is made up of folks from so many other cultures, it's real easy to step on other cultures within our own country without realizing it.

That ALL being said, I'm sure the situation would have diffused quite rapidly had the gentleman simply asked for your pancakes.



Anderson said:


> Maine Rider, if you want to make jokes about my spelling, then go ahead. I am getting really *thred* of being the butt of people's jokes. Just because I did not graduate HS. [incomplete sentence, doesn't work with the parts after the comma] If you are the spelling police, then you fix it. If'in you still want to mock me, then just grow up. This board is about Amtrak, not about spelling mistakes.
> 
> Note: Be careful what you wish for.


Anderson - you inadvertently incorrectly corrected the bolded word above. 

Wabbit - I appreciate your interest in this forum. I would highly encourage you to NOT be the _brunt_ of anyone's jokes by obtaining your GED or finishing high school. It will serve you extremely well in life. Please bear in mind that probably the majority of users of this forum are seasoned citizens who are very proud our their heritage and their education. It is very difficult to read and understand someone who doesn't seem to even care to make an attempt at making proper communication a priority.


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## Ryan (May 14, 2012)

Everyone spells a word or two wrong from time to time.

Let's start with baby steps, like using the shift key.

It's hard to take someone seriously that doesn't put any effort into making their posts readable.


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## Steve4031 (May 14, 2012)

Some of this is pretty mean spirited and not necessary. Wabbit, it is sometimes hard to read your posts. However, I do not think people should be picking on you. That is classless. Suggesting somebody go get a GED or take classes is insulting IMHO in this context. You don't know anything about the person you are talking to. This could be very hurtful.

The moderators have asked you all to stop. Please do. Stick to trains and related topics. Not manners, not spelling, not chivalry, and not the battle of the sexes or any other mess. And treat others with respect regardless of education or background.


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## AmtrakBlue (May 14, 2012)

Steve4031 said:


> Some of this is pretty mean spirited and not necessary. Wabbit, it is sometimes hard to read your posts. However, I do not think people should be picking on you. That is classless. Suggesting somebody go get a GED or take classes is insulting IMHO in this context. You don't know anything about the person you are talking to. This could be very hurtful.
> 
> The moderators have asked you all to stop. Please do. Stick to trains and related topics. Not manners, not spelling, not chivalry, and not the battle of the sexes or any other mess. And treat others with respect regardless of education or background.


**LIKE**


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## Tumbleweed (May 14, 2012)

Steve4031 said:


> Some of this is pretty mean spirited and not necessary. Wabbit, it is sometimes hard to read your posts. However, I do not think people should be picking on you. That is classless. Suggesting somebody go get a GED or take classes is insulting IMHO in this context. You don't know anything about the person you are talking to. This could be very hurtful.
> 
> The moderators have asked you all to stop. Please do. Stick to trains and related topics. Not manners, not spelling, not chivalry, and not the battle of the sexes or any other mess. And treat others with respect regardless of education or background.


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## cirdan (May 14, 2012)

leemell said:


> If that is true, what do yo think would happen if the young lady did this on a train in the UK? Germany? Japan? Australasia? or anywhere in the Mid-East?


Do they have sleeper trains in the Mid-East?


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## Steve4031 (May 14, 2012)

Some of those counties are exploring hsr. Egypt has sleeper trains. Iran use to have sleeper trains bit I don't know about now.


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## VentureForth (May 14, 2012)

Steve4031 said:


> Some of this is pretty mean spirited and not necessary. Wabbit, it is sometimes hard to read your posts. However, I do not think people should be picking on you. That is classless. Suggesting somebody go get a GED or take classes is insulting IMHO in this context. You don't know anything about the person you are talking to. This could be very hurtful.
> 
> The moderators have asked you all to stop. Please do. Stick to trains and related topics. Not manners, not spelling, not chivalry, and not the battle of the sexes or any other mess. And treat others with respect regardless of education or background.


With all due respect, I am trying my hardest NOT to pick on Wabbit. I appreciate his comments and said so. The reference to the GED was based on HIS remarks:



wabbitt said:


> maine rider 'if u want to make jokes about my spelling
> 
> go ahead i am getting real tired of being the butt of peoples jokes
> 
> ...


Would you, sir, not encourage one to better themselves? That is all that was suggested.

With regards to the rest of your comment, manners and chivalry are most relavent to this thread and to society in general. Some of the "Strangest things we've seen in Coach" are merely from our perspective from being outside certain cultural awarenesses. Not all, but some. The coolest thing about Amtrak is that it plies across the country and is a tossed salad of cultures. It's isn't a melting pot, as there is generally not enough time to embrace, understand, and perhaps even accept different cultures.

Take for example any of the long distance trains. The culture in Chicago is very different than in LA. When you start in Chicago, the majority of the passengers may act a certain way, or express a certain behavior. As the train crosses the continent, it picks up cultures from the Midwest farms, the front range of the Rockies, the high deserts of New Mexico and as it approaches California, well, it ain't Chicago any more.

Manners and chivalry in NY are not the same as in San Antonio. It just isn't. Not to judge and say one is better than another, but it's different. Anyone travelling across the country should be quite keenly aware of that fact and either be willing to embrace it or avoid it.

So, yes. When someone states that they haven't graduated from high school, I don't think it's picking on them to encourage them to finish. We are well into the 21st century and education is a must to be a productive member of society - perhaps even to be be an accepted member of society. I highly encourage that, and find that it is heartless not to.

Wabbit, I hope you understand I'm not picking on you. I am encouraging you. I want the best for you because you deserve it.


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## VentureForth (May 14, 2012)

Sleepers in Japan are all but extinct. The cost to ride them is so high that I don't believe anyone could go bonkers on one. Of course, you wouldn't expect that from an airline pilot either...

Stuff happens.


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## Devil's Advocate (May 14, 2012)

If anyone notices me repeatedly using improper spelling and/or grammar and/or otherwise butchering my English (or any other language) I would welcome such mistakes being brought to my attention. I thought the whole point of written language was to _communicate_. I have no idea what the point of gibberish is. Can someone help me to understand it? When you can't be bothered to expend even the most minimal amount of effort to communicate in a clear and understandable manner then what is the point? It makes no sense to me.


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## jb64 (May 14, 2012)

leemell said:


> drop the SMS/Tweet acronyms and capitalize.



This. It has nothing to do with one's education, it is about using the English language and not the bastardized version currently flagrant in social media. In my opinion, it takes just as much effort to use the SMS/Tweet acronyms and phrases as it would to use proper English. We all make mistakes and occasionally mis-spell words. Most of the time the reader will simply over look that; however when a post is mangled to the point where words are no longer recognizable or distinguishable, it fails to communicate.


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## AlanB (May 14, 2012)

I think that we've had more than enough on the topic of spelling & grammar! Please give it a rest. If one is that bothered by it, please simply don't read the post.


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## Texan Eagle (May 14, 2012)

VentureForth said:


> ...Which is considerably understandable. Was he a foreigner? I have read (and jis & Texas back me up or correct me here) that on India Rail, if you sit in a "community" class, ie: Sleeper Tier 3 (AC or not), you might find your seat mates sharing your Coke & cookies if you set it down. They would expect the same from you.


Not really. It is more of a myth created by certain western tourists. I have traveled over 30,000 miles on Sleeper 3 Tier (AC and non-AC) on Indian Railways and never once encountered a situation where someone simply grabs my food or drink and starts consuming it. Heck, I would be very annoyed if they did that- whether in India or on Amtrak. However, what *is* the norm on trains in India is sharing your food with co-passengers. When you are sitting in a sectional sleeper with five other passengers sharing the section, if anyone takes out any food they brought from home to eat, they will first offer it to their "neighbors". Some accept it, some decline, but it is a custom to always ask co-passengers if they would like to have some of what you are just going to eat. If a passenger fishes out a snack from his/her bag and starts eating it all by himself/herself, it is likely to get a look suggesting "_Ugh! What a selfish person!"_ (All those planning to travel by trains in India in the future, you have been warned




)


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## VentureForth (May 14, 2012)

Thank you for correcting me on this urban myth. My Coke is safe. 

So, in context, can I presume that if you buy food from the pantry car, it would then NOT be rude to selfishly consume it?


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## cirdan (May 14, 2012)

Texan Eagle said:


> VentureForth said:
> 
> 
> > ...Which is considerably understandable. Was he a foreigner? I have read (and jis & Texas back me up or correct me here) that on India Rail, if you sit in a "community" class, ie: Sleeper Tier 3 (AC or not), you might find your seat mates sharing your Coke & cookies if you set it down. They would expect the same from you.
> ...


In old times it was like that in Spain too, only I never ever saw anybody accepting the food so I guess it was a courtesy gesture.


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## MiRider (May 14, 2012)

Texan Eagle said:


> VentureForth said:
> 
> 
> > ...Which is considerably understandable. Was he a foreigner? I have read (and jis & Texas back me up or correct me here) that on India Rail, if you sit in a "community" class, ie: Sleeper Tier 3 (AC or not), you might find your seat mates sharing your Coke & cookies if you set it down. They would expect the same from you.
> ...


Heck, that's been the norm on almost all of my train trips (coach).

Not once has someone had a snack that they brought with them and not offered to share and vice-versa.

In fact, every person I've had for a seat mate has also offered to bring something back from the cafe when they go, mind you, not always treat but that's the way it's been for me.

I also do the same thing, I also treat and have been treated too.

Life is so much more fun when you're open to being around people different than you.

Really, had I been the person not wanting or liking my food I would have asked if anyone else wanted it - why not?

Then I would have asked the Waitperson if I could have something else - if they comped it, so much the better.

Is it so much more important to guard your unwanted whatever, raise your blood pressure, and think about acting negatively?

Then again, the guy that snatched those pancakes probably used a RedCap to get on the train before all of the old, feeble people


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## AmtrakBlue (May 14, 2012)

JoanieB said:


> Texan Eagle said:
> 
> 
> > VentureForth said:
> ...


Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!


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## Anderson (May 14, 2012)

VentureForth said:


> Ctim2 said:
> 
> 
> > This one happened to me in the dining car on Via Rail's Ocean. I was having breakfast with another gentleman discussing trains; the sights etc. then he noticed that I had only taken to slices from my pancakes (some kind of whole grain thing) which I totally didn't like. Noticing that I hadn’t really eaten pancake he ask if I didn't like them, As I answered him that I didn't really like of want them he reached into my plate and took them! Yes, took them! (background on me I am an individual who in past years has had to work on his temper etc).
> ...


*chuckes*

Point taken.

Wabbit: I would echo what VentureForth has said. To be fair, though, basic spelling and grammar should have been taught much earlier on, and I've seen people with dyslexia manage quite passable spelling and grammar. There will be typos and errors from time to time (I've made my share; sometimes my keyboard sticks and I don't notice it, for example), and of course there are points of disagreement on how to handle one case or another. But a bit of effort to use something resembling standard English is always appreciated.

If I am being honest, blaming not having graduated high school is an excuse for not putting in baseline effort on trying to be readable. Like I said, I've known severely dyslexic people whose typing is more legible. There are typos and there are incorrect capitalizations, but at least they _try_.


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## amtrakwolverine (May 15, 2012)

Not strangest but on the way up to NTD we were 40 minutes late and this woman in the seat in front of me was not happy. She was going on how reservations should have told her that amtrak does not own the tracks and every time another train comes they must stop. Shes going on about if reservations had told her trains were late she would never have taken amtrak. And if this women she was traveling with misses her connection will they put her in a hotel. She also went on to say it was the worst experience of her life and she was never taking the train again and that its a union thing and the union is doing it on purpose to milk the hours.


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## white rabbitt (May 15, 2012)

...



Anderson said:


> Wabbit: I would echo what VentureForth has said. To be fair, though, basic spelling and grammar should have been taught much earlier on, and I've seen people with dyslexia manage quite passable spelling and grammar. There will be typos and errors from time to time (I've made my share; sometimes my keyboard sticks and I don't notice it, for example), and of course there are points of disagreement on how to handle one case or another. But a bit of effort to use something resembling standard English is always appreciated.
> 
> If I am being honest, blaming not having graduated high school is an excuse for not putting in baseline effort on trying to be readable. Like I said, I've known severely dyslexic people whose typing is more legible. There are typos and there are incorrect capitalizations, but at least they _try_.


anderson

i will try to make better sentences, and make it easyer to read


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## VentureForth (May 15, 2012)

My biggest gripe is that most of my train rides have been incident-free (except, of course, running 3 hours late or something like that). Worst part is that I put my kid on a train and she gets to see a drunk get tossed.

Sigh.


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## white rabbitt (May 15, 2012)

VentureForth said:


> My biggest gripe is that most of my train rides have been incident-free (except, of course, running 3 hours late or something like that). Worst part is that I put my kid on a train and she gets to see a drunk get tossed.
> 
> Sigh.


sad there is so much joy rideing a amtrak train,

i hope i never see any thing unpleasent aboard

a train


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## Texan Eagle (May 15, 2012)

wabbitt said:


> anderson
> 
> i will try to make better sentences, and make it easyer to read


Wabbit, you take help of the Spell-checker. It will help you with spellings, punctuation and correct grammar. When you write something in your reply box that is not grammatically correct, you will see a squiggly red line under the word. If you right-click your mouse on that word, you will see options suggested by Spell-checker to correct your mistake. It is easy and does not take much time.


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## A.J. (May 15, 2012)

in comparison to some of the other stories, this isn't incredibly strange, but it was still pretty odd. I was on the CZ in february of 2011 in a sleeper, but I spent a lot of time in the SSL. there was a woman probably in her mid- to late-30s who was decked out in a big, poofy (cheap) wedding dress, complete with veil, a bouquet of artificial roses and white sneakers. she wore the whole outfit all the way from chicago to emeryville. she even ate with the veil on. i was doing a rail vacation, so i was doing a roundtrip on the CZ. i spent the night in EMY and in the morning headed over to the station to board the eastbound CZ. the moment I walked into the station i saw the "bride", and sure enough she was headed all the way to chicago as well. on board, the lounge car attendant, who didn't seem to have a high opinion of train nerds ("you actually do this for vacation?") asked me if she and I were traveling together. i saw her leaving the station in chicago but I've always wondered about who she was and why she was dressed that way.


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## Tumbleweed (May 15, 2012)

A little over a year ago, I was on the Northbound Meteor. A young man came aboard and his pants were hung quite low....after we departed the Conductor noticed it and asked him to pull his pants up....he didn't do it....the Conductor then gave him 3 choices...

1. Pull your pants up so I can not see the crack of your a**

2. Pull your shirt down so I can not see the crack of your a**

3. Get off my train!

We made an unscheduled stop and he ended up with option 3....


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## lthanlon (May 15, 2012)

Maine Rider said:


> imple good manners, on the other hand, are much more current. That is what is seriously lacking nowadays, and not just in the younger folks.


Look no further than the 7:30 weeknight Chicago outbound of Metra's Union Pacific Railroad Northwest line. I only ride to the third stop and the long-suffering conductors are obliged to tell grown adults multiple times to take their bags off the seat next to them so another passenger can sit down, and to get their feet off the seats. Once the conductors are out of sight, many of these adults enjoy making a grand display of putting their bags and feet back on the seats.


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## white rabbitt (May 15, 2012)

Texan Eagle said:


> wabbitt said:
> 
> 
> > anderson
> ...


thank u Texas eagle i never new what those squiggly lines were for


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## VentureForth (May 15, 2012)

lthanlon said:


> Maine Rider said:
> 
> 
> > imple good manners, on the other hand, are much more current. That is what is seriously lacking nowadays, and not just in the younger folks.
> ...


I've seen this on the Pacific Surfliner. Very discouraging how flat out rude some folks WANT to be.


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## Porter20 (May 15, 2012)

After hearing all these cool stories, I am trying to convince my wife to allow us to cancel our Bedroom on our next trip so I might have something worth posting on this thread. Needless to say, I am not making much progress with my request to her.


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## Anderson (May 15, 2012)

Tumbleweed said:


> A little over a year ago, I was on the Northbound Meteor. A young man came aboard and his pants were hung quite low....after we departed the Conductor noticed it and asked him to pull his pants up....he didn't do it....the Conductor then gave him 3 choices...
> 
> 1. Pull your pants up so I can not see the crack of your a**
> 
> ...


Stories that end in someone getting booted from the train somehow almost never fail to be amusing with the benefit of distance.


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## VentureForth (May 15, 2012)

Anyone on this forum on the train with the 16-hour phone conversationalist that got booted conveniently in her destination town?


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## trainman74 (May 16, 2012)

Porter20 said:


> After hearing all these cool stories, I am trying to convince my wife to allow us to cancel our Bedroom on our next trip so I might have something worth posting on this thread. Needless to say, I am not making much progress with my request to her.


Perhaps instead you can be part of someone else's story by going into a coach and doing something wacky.


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## Shawn Ryu (May 16, 2012)

^For me that usually means being kicked out of the train. Not that I have ever been. :giggle:


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## Shawn Ryu (May 16, 2012)

lthanlon said:


> Maine Rider said:
> 
> 
> > imple good manners, on the other hand, are much more current. That is what is seriously lacking nowadays, and not just in the younger folks.
> ...


Never happened to me on Milwaukee North line to glenview.

Put my foot on the seat and conductor didnt tell me anything.


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## Devil's Advocate (May 16, 2012)

trainman74 said:


> Porter20 said:
> 
> 
> > After hearing all these cool stories, I am trying to convince my wife to allow us to cancel our Bedroom on our next trip so I might have something worth posting on this thread. Needless to say, I am not making much progress with my request to her.
> ...


Touche!



Shawn Ryu said:


> lthanlon said:
> 
> 
> > Maine Rider said:
> ...


Oh look, another rebel without a clue.


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## lthanlon (May 16, 2012)

My favorite UPRR Northwest Line conductor often will stop and stare at a passenger with his or her feet on the seat. When the passenger finally looks up and asks, "What?" the conductor will say: "What is wrong with this picture?" :giggle:


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## MiRider (May 16, 2012)

lthanlon said:


> My favorite UPRR Northwest Line conductor often will stop and stare at a passenger with his or her feet on the seat. When the passenger finally looks up and asks, "What?" the conductor will say: "What is wrong with this picture?" :giggle:


That reminds me of the BIG mistake I made when I was leaning back on a table in the Cafe Car on the TE while I waiting my turn in line.









He refused to make eye contact with the passengers but he sure managed to see that


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## MARC Rider (May 16, 2012)

lthanlon said:


> Maine Rider said:
> 
> 
> > imple good manners, on the other hand, are much more current. That is what is seriously lacking nowadays, and not just in the younger folks.
> ...


What's wrong with putting your bag on the seat, as long as you're not preventing another passenger from sitting there? On my MARC commute, I'll leave my bag on the seat until I get to Odenton, where the train fills up. Then, I'll take it off so that people can use the seat, but if no one takes the seat, I'll put the bag back there.

Putting feet on the seat is something else, though. I don't think I've ever seen that in MARC land.


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## Ryan (May 16, 2012)

Not everyone takes their bags off of the seat.

Since the conductors can't check at that exact moment, most agencies (including MARC) have a no-bags-on-seats policy.

(and as a rider that boards at Odenton, I wish that it was enforced more often - I shouldn't have to ask people to move their crap so I can sit when there are a crowd of people standing around)


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## sitzplatz17 (May 16, 2012)

Regarding the feet-on-seat discussion:

I believe I might be one of the culprits y'all give an evil eye to (though I haven't noticed so far!)

That said, if I do put my feet up on a seat I make sure of three things:

1. the train is empty enough that I'm not preventing anyone from being seated.

2. I find an old newspaper or napkin or something so that my feet aren't directly dirtying the seat.

3. I'm not in a dining/lounge/cafe car of some sort


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