# Washington Union Station Priority Boarding



## districtRich (Aug 26, 2016)

They've added priority boarding at WAS now. They took out most of the seats in the gate areas and added some queues with a special priority boarding lane at each gate. Each gate area has a queue for general boarding, and then there is a special lane for priority boarding.

Priority boarding is for Select Plus and higher, sleeping car passengers, Acela first, business on non-Acela trains, uniformed military, families with children, and special assistance. The general boarding line still snakes out of the gate area and down the hall usually, and some of the priority passengers can board from the Acela lounge anyway, but it's nice to see them having a special lane so some people don't have to push to the front of general boarding which was such a mess before.

I don't know where they expect most people to sit now though. They still don't have much seating in the main hall. I guess they want people to wander around and shop or eat before boarding.


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## Thirdrail7 (Aug 26, 2016)

They've had priority boarding for years. It is the boarding queue that is new. As you indicated, I suppose it is necessary due to the heavy loads, but it also robbed the area of much needed seating.

Personally, i think the lack of seating will create more congestion. I hope they do something with the main hall soon.


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## districtRich (Aug 27, 2016)

It was always a crap shoot whether priority boarding was offered consistently so this should definitely help. Hopefully they're buying more seating for the main hall. Seems so empty now.


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## ToniCounter (Aug 27, 2016)

I've always managed to get on the train before boarding starts, just paying a few bucks in tips. Or has that changed at WAS?


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## districtRich (Aug 27, 2016)

ToniCounter said:


> I've always managed to get on the train before boarding starts, just paying a few bucks in tips. Or has that changed at WAS?


That still works too. Red caps are still around.


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## wwchi (Aug 27, 2016)

I still think they should board paid priority passengers (First/business/sleeper/Select Plus) before all other priority passengers that they pre-board as a courtesy. Make 3 lines then. You've gotta take care of the people that are providing the revenue. That's what the airlines do.


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## jis (Aug 27, 2016)

wwchi said:


> I still think they should board paid priority passengers (First/business/sleeper/Select Plus) before all other priority passengers that they pre-board as a courtesy. Make 3 lines then. You've gotta take care of the people that are providing the revenue. That's what the airlines do.


Many airlines seem to board armed services personnel on duty and handicapped, and some families with toddlers, before they board any of the revenue based priority people. But each is slightly different.


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## ToniCounter (Aug 27, 2016)

jis said:


> Many airlines seem to board armed services personnel on duty and handicapped, and some families with toddlers, before they board any of the revenue based priority people. But each is slightly different.



US senators always board first. (don't ask me which state)


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## jis (Aug 27, 2016)

LOL! Specially if he has brought the bacon home for the airline or airport involved


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## wwchi (Aug 27, 2016)

ToniCounter said:


> jis said:
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> 
> > Many airlines seem to board armed services personnel on duty and handicapped, and some families with toddlers, before they board any of the revenue based priority people. But each is slightly different.
> ...


LOL!!!


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## wwchi (Aug 27, 2016)

jis said:


> wwchi said:
> 
> 
> > I still think they should board paid priority passengers (First/business/sleeper/Select Plus) before all other priority passengers that they pre-board as a courtesy. Make 3 lines then. You've gotta take care of the people that are providing the revenue. That's what the airlines do.
> ...


Yes, I suppose that's true. Just to be clear though, I'm not saying that the non paying priority passengers shouldn't get priority boarding!


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## ToniCounter (Aug 27, 2016)

jis said:


> LOL! Specially if he has brought the bacon home for the airline or airport involved


Did I say he? no.. it was a she.


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## jis (Aug 27, 2016)

ToniCounter said:


> jis said:
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> 
> > LOL! Specially if he has brought the bacon home for the airline or airport involved
> ...


Now now ... don;t spill too much of the beans


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## ToniCounter (Aug 27, 2016)

jis said:


> ToniCounter said:
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> > jis said:
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If they can spill the bacon, I can spill the beans, no? 

Back to the red cap at WAS... I usually give them $5 just so I can board the train early, especially if I know the train is packed. Worked 99% time, except the one time a red cap refused because I had no luggage... just a backpack. 

Do other large Amtrak stations have red caps that can get people on the train ahead of time?


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## wwchi (Aug 27, 2016)

ToniCounter said:


> jis said:
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> > ToniCounter said:
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In Chicago I've seen people tell them at the gate they need a redcap and then the gate agents give them a number on a ticket. Then prior to boarding they call the numbers to get on the redcap vehicle and taken down to the train. But you have to get into the priority boarding lounge first (not the metropolitan lounge, the little lounge behind the rope). So no, I've never seen them just take a person from somewhere in the station down to the train.


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## jis (Aug 27, 2016)

Suffice it to say that there are other ways to get a very special person on the train without going through the standard boarding gate


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## neroden (Aug 27, 2016)

There are sound reasons to preboard handicapped people ahead of everyone else. They typically need particular seats in the train. If you don't preboard them, you end up needing to kick other people out of those seats, which is a pain. On top of that, it typically takes them longer to get to the train and to their seat and it's best done when it's uncrowded.


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## jis (Aug 27, 2016)

neroden said:


> There are sound reasons to preboard handicapped people ahead of everyone else. They typically need particular seats in the train. If you don't preboard them, you end up needing to kick other people out of those seats, which is a pain. On top of that, it typically takes them longer to get to the train and to their seat and it's best done when it's uncrowded.


Exactly!


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## MARC Rider (Aug 27, 2016)

ToniCounter said:


> jis said:
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> > ToniCounter said:
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NYP (New York Penn Sta). Even when I'm in the Club Acela, I also get a redcap, too. They may let you preboard from the lounge, but sometimes you run into gate dragons. Having a redcap with you helps a lot. They have the special keys that reverse escalator direction, etc.


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## MARC Rider (Aug 27, 2016)

districtRich said:


> It was always a crap shoot whether priority boarding was offered consistently so this should definitely help. Hopefully they're buying more seating for the main hall. Seems so empty now.


If you're select plus, first or sleeper, you can use the Club Acela, and can thus bypass the lines. It is sometimes a problem for boarding regional trains on the lower levels, though. Sometimes they let you go out the east doors as slip over to the stairs/escalator to the lower tracks. Sometimes they make you go outside and claim a place in the front of the line, which requires a thick skinned ability to ignore the dirty looks from the people in line. This was a bit of a problem when I traveled business class before I got Select Plus. On the other hand usually the BC car was pretty empty leaving Washington, so I would just sit at the bar, have a other drink, and wait to boars until the line cleared. I never had a problem finding a seat, and I avoided the crowds.


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## Cho Cho Charlie (Aug 28, 2016)

Thirdrail7 said:


> They've had priority boarding for years. It is the boarding queue that is new. As you indicated, I suppose it is necessary due to the heavy loads, but it also robbed the area of much needed seating.


Yes, we've made use of it for years.

There is always a line forming at the gate as the boarding time grew closer, and just before they open the gate, they make a PA announcement that they are boarding BC and Disabled passengers first. Since I have done BC, we simply get up from our seats, walk passed the line, show our BC tickets, and walk thru the gate.

Possibly, all that is new, is the sign.

BTW, as mentioned, sleeper passengers have priority boarding, but they typically go thru the ClubAcela lounge, and not go thru the regular boarding line.


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## jis (Aug 28, 2016)

Even when I was in Club Acela with a Coach ticket and a Select Plus status, specially when boarding on a Regional train from the low level platforms, I have been directed to go to the gate and board through the priority line showing my Select Plus Card and my ticket at the gate, and that has worked fine.


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## PaulM (Aug 29, 2016)

Thirdrail7 said:


> Personally, i think the lack of seating will create more congestion. I hope they do something with the main hall soon.


Having just come back from a 4 country trip in Europe (all travel by bike or train of course), I am reminded that most large stations have no seating in the main hall at all, only on the platform, usually including an enclosed area out of the elements.

Wouldn't that be nice :mellow:


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## jis (Aug 29, 2016)

PaulM said:


> Thirdrail7 said:
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> 
> > Personally, i think the lack of seating will create more congestion. I hope they do something with the main hall soon.
> ...


Sort of like at the Newark International Airport Station on the NEC. That station is very European in its layout IMHO, including having the entire platform area protected by entry gates operated using tickets.

Incidentally it is the same at Newark Penn Station, minus the gates protecting the platforms. You just go to the platform and hang out there.

The Airport station, ironically, is managed by the Port Authority of NY and NJ, while Newark Penn Station is managed by NJ Transit.

Yep. No lines anywhere. No kindergarten walk nothing. When you get to the station, you scan your ticket at the gate and just go to the platform and hang out there until your train arrives.


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## williamn (Aug 29, 2016)

Feels like a good moment to repost this:http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2013/07/10/_.html

The whole system of having to board a train with huge long lines, making the experience akin to air travel, is to my mind, nuts.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 29, 2016)

Yep, Amtraks suits never seem to learn, they just keep re-inventing the wheel, repeating the same old tired mistakes over and over and expecting different results!( One definition for Insanity!)

Chicago and New Yorks Management definitely need to go to Passenger Train 101 School also, but since Amtraks Headquarters is actually located in Union Station, the 60 Mass Pubobs might need some remedial learning before they attend! 

Hope Wick saw this and will take action when he assumes the throttle!


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## williamn (Aug 29, 2016)

I think it's partly related to the fact there are no seat reservations. When you know you have an allocated seat there is no reason to line up. (but then again I also think it's nuts that Amtrak seems to be the only passenger railway in the world that doesn't do any specific seat reservations on long distance trains)

In the UK (where I'm from) the platform for a train gets announced 15-20 mins ahead of departure at a terminal station and people just make their own way there as and when they like. No queues (apart from perhaps at peak travel times like Christmas).


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## wwchi (Aug 29, 2016)

williamn said:


> I think it's partly related to the fact there are no seat reservations. When you know you have an allocated seat there is no reason to line up. (but then again I also think it's nuts that Amtrak seems to be the only passenger railway in the world that doesn't do any specific seat reservations on long distance trains)
> 
> In the UK (where I'm from) the platform for a train gets announced 15-20 mins ahead of departure at a terminal station and people just make their own way there as and when they like. No queues (apart from perhaps at peak travel times like Christmas).


you are exactly right. Part of the problem is they put passengers going to the same/similar destinations in the same car so you can't have those people picking seats all over the place. But that's coach. Earlier in this thread I made a similar comment. Since all of Business Class is in one car it doesn't matter what your destination is. You should be able to click on the train seating map like on airline sites and just pick where you want to sit. It's not hard to put that on the site/in the app! You can pick which room/roomette for sleepers right?


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## jis (Aug 29, 2016)

Actually even when you have specific cars assigned to specific set of destinations it is not hard to do. You just have to get off of the seat of the pants operations approach and do some up front planning to set things up.


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## wwchi (Aug 29, 2016)

jis said:


> Actually even when you have specific cars assigned to specific set of destinations it is not hard to do. You just have to get off of the seat of the pants operations approach and do some up front planning to set things up.


you're right...but they can't even seem to get our accounts sync'd up between the app and the website! LOL! Hard to imagine it could be that hard to get that all to work properly!


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## Tennessee Traveler (Aug 29, 2016)

You cannot reserve a specific room on the sleeper ONLINE. You must call a voice phone number to request a specific room number or letter. If you make the sleeper reservation online you will get a room assigned to you by the computer and not necessarily the one you would like. And now a days, it very difficult if not impossible to call and get your room assignment "modified" or changed without a change in the price.


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## wwchi (Aug 29, 2016)

Tennessee Traveler said:


> You cannot reserve a specific room on the sleeper ONLINE. You must call a voice phone number to request a specific room number or letter. If you make the sleeper reservation online you will get a room assigned to you by the computer and not necessarily the one you would like. And now a days, it very difficult if not impossible to call and get your room assignment "modified" or changed without a change in the price.


see again, so inefficient. If they just focused on technology in a bigger picture view they could get a lot of things running pretty smoothly, easily and consistently! It certainly doesn't encourage rail travel now does it! LOL!


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## SarahZ (Aug 29, 2016)

jis said:


> Actually even when you have specific cars assigned to specific set of destinations it is not hard to do. You just have to get off of the seat of the pants operations approach and do some up front planning to set things up.


I'm not a programmer, but I would imagine this would be possible:

(I'm using the Wolverine as an example, as it's fairly consistent in its boarding process.)

"Pax to Detroit and cities east of Detroit are in Car A, Ann Arbor pax are in Car B, Kalamazoo/Battle Creek pax are in Car C, and everyone west of Kalamazoo is in Car D. Business class pax are in BC."

So then the program has a train consist (lots of hand-waving here because I don't know how you'd code this).

When the program sees a passenger is going to Kalamazoo, it generates an image of Car C (like picking seats on a plane), and the passenger picks their seat in Car C. Same for other cities. Handicap seats are blocked unless you are disabled, just like the airline seat maps. Certain blocks of seats are reserved for groups/families until, say, seven days before the trip.

Is this way more difficult than it needs to be? Too simple? I'm imagining a lot of "if/then" type stuff.


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## Tennessee Traveler (Aug 29, 2016)

Well, it certainly has not discouraged me from traveling on Amtrak. I find the AGR reps to be helpful and excellent in providing this service.


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## SarahZ (Aug 29, 2016)

Tennessee Traveler said:


> Well, it certainly has not discouraged me from traveling on Amtrak. *I find the AGR reps to be helpful and excellent in providing this service. *


Ditto. Perhaps I'm lucky, but I've always had friendly, knowledgeable reps when I've called AGR, even when they're in the middle of a "service disruption" maelstrom and wait times are close to a half-hour or more. They're the only customer service line that doesn't make me cringe when calling them.

I would actually love to work there, if I had any plans to move to Riverside or... what's the other location?... Philly?

(Edit: Apologies for going off-topic. I forgot this is the WAS thread, not an AGR thread from earlier.)


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## wwchi (Aug 29, 2016)

SarahZ said:


> jis said:
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> > Actually even when you have specific cars assigned to specific set of destinations it is not hard to do. You just have to get off of the seat of the pants operations approach and do some up front planning to set things up.
> ...


I think you've pretty much hit it on how it could work. It doesn't have to be difficult and what you describe is totally doable. Now if they could just do it!


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## Ryan (Aug 29, 2016)

The hard part is convincing Congress to give them the money to do it.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 29, 2016)

Ryan said:


> The hard part is convincing Congress to give them the money to do it.


Especially since much of the IT Dept.is now in Atlanta, and wizards like Anthony are gone on to better jobs!


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## Ryan (Aug 29, 2016)

Right.

If only Anthony hadn't left, Congress would have fully funded Amtrak with everything they needed.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 29, 2016)

Ryan said:


> Right.
> 
> If only Anthony hadn't left, Congress would have fully funded Amtrak with everything they needed.


It was a joke with a tip of the hat to Anthony Ryan, guess you missed it!


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## ScouseAndy (Aug 30, 2016)

williamn said:


> I think it's partly related to the fact there are no seat reservations. When you know you have an allocated seat there is no reason to line up. (but then again I also think it's nuts that Amtrak seems to be the only passenger railway in the world that doesn't do any specific seat reservations on long distance trains)
> 
> In the UK (where I'm from) the platform for a train gets announced 15-20 mins ahead of departure at a terminal station and people just make their own way there as and when they like. No queues (apart from perhaps at peak travel times like Christmas).



Clearly you havent travelled with Virgin from Euston, in their infinate wisdom they are now copying Amtraks logic of announcing a gate, then queuing at said gate to have tickets checked (but with no priority boarding for anyone)


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## jis (Aug 30, 2016)

Coming to think of it Euston also resembles an American station more than any other in London that I can think of


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## Cho Cho Charlie (Aug 30, 2016)

SarahZ said:


> When the program sees a passenger is going to Kalamazoo, it generates an image of Car C (like picking seats on a plane), and the passenger picks their seat in Car C. Same for other cities. Handicap seats are blocked unless you are disabled, just like the airline seat maps. Certain blocks of seats are reserved for groups/families until, say, seven days before the trip.
> 
> Is this way more difficult than it needs to be? Too simple? I'm imagining a lot of "if/then" type stuff.


My "if/then"...

So, what happens when Car C is full, and a passenger going to Kalamazoo wants to make a reservation? Do you tell them to "get lost" (who makes up that lost revenue?), or offer them one of the hundred empty seats in Car A and Car B? If you're willing to put the additional Kalamazoo passenger(s) in Car A or Car B, why even attempt to keep them separate in the first place?


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## HP_Lovecraft (Aug 30, 2016)

I think the new "line" is a good idea.

Whenever I've boarded with my kids at WAS, it was total, absolute chaos. Hundreds of people cram into the tiny waiting area. They would make an announcement for priority boarding but its pretty much impossible to control because of the crowd rush. Its really a terrible system.

Usually we would redcap since it was so useless to count on priority boarding. On a related note, the WAS Club Acela has never let me use the side door to board early. I know lots of people hear have been allowed, but I've always been told thats its specifically forbidden.


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## Carolina Special (Aug 30, 2016)

I'm at the WAS Club Acela today and it looks like the LD trains and the Acela passengers are allowed to board out the side doors, but the Regional passengers are sent out to the gate to board in the regular cattle manner.

I'll find out for myself in a couple of hours when 19 boards.


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## SarahZ (Aug 30, 2016)

Cho Cho Charlie said:


> SarahZ said:
> 
> 
> > When the program sees a passenger is going to Kalamazoo, it generates an image of Car C (like picking seats on a plane), and the passenger picks their seat in Car C. Same for other cities. Handicap seats are blocked unless you are disabled, just like the airline seat maps. Certain blocks of seats are reserved for groups/families until, say, seven days before the trip.
> ...


Valid points. That happens pretty often, and the conductors just tell people to be sure to "walk two cars forward" (or whatever) when they stop in that person's city.

So I suppose an open train diagram would be best, but then the conductors would be spending more time herding cats (so to speak) at each stop.

This would be moot if all of the doors opened at every stop, but we both know that isn't the case.


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## Carolina Special (Aug 30, 2016)

I'm going to amend my comment above because I see an NER to NY boarding out of one of the side gates of the Club Acela lounge right now.


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## jis (Aug 30, 2016)

SarahZ said:


> Cho Cho Charlie said:
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Not necessarily. You give them an open reservation with no assigned seat, seat to be assigned later. Airlines do this all the time. Just because some pre assignment of seats is allowed does not mean everyone gets it.


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## ScouseAndy (Aug 31, 2016)

There is nothing stopping seats being allocated 30 minutes or so before departure and customers being emailed/texted their seat and coach number prior to boarding (and even charge customers extra to be guaranteed to sit next to each other).

One of the main reasons why I hate flying is because passengers are treated like cattle, train travel doesn't and shouldn't be like this


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## MARC Rider (Aug 31, 2016)

Carolina Special said:


> I'm going to amend my comment above because I see an NER to NY boarding out of one of the side gates of the Club Acela lounge right now.


They allow boarding for the Regionals out the side door, but they don't announce the trains. They only announce the Acela and LD trains. Also, if your Regional is boarding from the lower gates, track 21-28, they may not let you go out the side doors and bypass the cattle lines. I think you're allowed to claim priority boarding, but it's a pain to work your way to the front of the line.


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## Eric S (Aug 31, 2016)

SarahZ said:


> This would be moot if all of the doors opened at every stop, but we both know that isn't the case.


That *should* be the case, at least at all but a few minor stations, when bilevels are introduced. Whether Amtrak and the states in question (MI here) adopt that practice, though...


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## Tennessee Traveler (Aug 31, 2016)

I think you guys are overlooking the complexity of making seat assignments via computer reservations since passengers board and de-board at every station along the train's route especially the long distance trains and the northeast corridor trains.


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## enoreeman (Aug 31, 2016)

Planes mostly fly from point A to point B unlike trains which go to point A,B,C,D,E,F etc. Trying to assign seats when many people might occupy it on a given route would be a real headache, the Conductor knows better how to arrange incoming passengers.


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## jis (Aug 31, 2016)

Tennessee Traveler said:


> I think you guys are overlooking the complexity of making seat assignments via computer reservations since passengers board and de-board at every station along the train's route especially the long distance trains and the northeast corridor trains.


India manages to do that fine on routes with literally many dozens of stops on a 1500 mile run. They managed to do this even before computerization, so there is no rocket science involved. And what absolutely amazes is me is that they seldom lose a reservation, and they are able to handle last minute equipment change quite gracefully too.

In most cases they do not allow passengers to choose their seats, other than to try to meet preference for window or aisle seat, upper of lower berth and ensuring that ladies are put together in a compartment and gents are not place in the same compartment, unless they belong to the same group. Usually there is a bit of shuffling with mutual agreement that goes on after boarding the train. But when boarding, you know exactly which car of the train you would board and where it will be located on the platform. The location of each car is indicated on above head signs.

Can you imagine what chaos there will be when a 24 car train pulls in and you have no idea where your car is in the train? Amtrak has it easy. They have nice cute short little trains.


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## wwchi (Aug 31, 2016)

I still think in the case of sleepers or business class this can be done. Business class is typically only one car. And sleepers are limited as well, so in those cases I think it's completely doable.


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## jis (Aug 31, 2016)

Whenever there is will, there is a way. OTOH whenever all the energy is spent in coming up with excuses on why something cannot be done, naturally it cannot get done.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 31, 2016)

jis said:


> Tennessee Traveler said:
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> > I think you guys are overlooking the complexity of making seat assignments via computer reservations since passengers board and de-board at every station along the train's route especially the long distance trains and the northeast corridor trains.
> ...


Reminds me of boarding the Canadian in the Summer when there are 20+ Car consists. You basically are on your own when it comes to finding your Car (Sleeper,the 2 Coaches are always on the Front behind the Bag Car) unless you use a Redcap.(Toronto only, Pacific Central in Vancouver doesn't have them)

VIA can learn from India too when it comes to loading it's trains.


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## brianpmcdonnell17 (Aug 31, 2016)

Bob Dylan said:


> jis said:
> 
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> > Tennessee Traveler said:
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What is the longest Amtrak has ever had (except the AT)? I think now it is the CS with 12 seasonally (including the baggage). The EB had 12 when they dropped a coach at MSP. The NER may also have 12 or more during holiday weekends.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 31, 2016)

The Lake Shore Limited #49/#449/#48/#448 when running it's regular consist out of Albany can have up to 15 Cars on the Combined Train between CHI and ALB. ( currently the Boston Section is a stub Train due to track work in ALB).


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## AlanB (Aug 31, 2016)

Tennessee Traveler said:


> I think you guys are overlooking the complexity of making seat assignments via computer reservations since passengers board and de-board at every station along the train's route especially the long distance trains and the northeast corridor trains.


Amtrak already has the program to deal with it. They wrote it for Acela, and tested it on the First Class car. They discontinued the use of the seat assignments before ever rolling it out to the Business Class section of the Acela's. However, the dropping of seat assignments wasn't because of some failure within the program. There were several other unrelated factors that led to Amtrak turning off seat assignments.


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## Eric S (Aug 31, 2016)

Bob Dylan said:


> VIA can learn from India too when it comes to loading it's trains.


I might expand that to say that North American passenger railroads could stand to learn a lot from Asian and European passenger railroads generally.


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## jis (Aug 31, 2016)

Eric S said:


> Bob Dylan said:
> 
> 
> > VIA can learn from India too when it comes to loading it's trains.
> ...


Indeed. But American exceptionalism tends to prevent that. There is always the perennial excuse: "But we are America and we are different. That won;t work here"


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## ScouseAndy (Aug 31, 2016)

jis said:


> Indeed. But American exceptionalism tends to prevent that. There is always the perennial excuse: "But we are America and we are different. That won;t work here"


I'm still waiting for the day one of your politicians announces they have reinvented the wheel and produce a square wheel and give the proud announcement that the introduction of a square wheel will generate 10 Billion Trillion Gazillion American jobs and improve profitability of tyre manufactures 1000 fold.


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## williamn (Aug 31, 2016)

I just find the current (lack of) system creates a stressful and unpleasant experience. First you have to turn up way ahead of time to secure a spot in line (and surely one advantage of train travel is that unlike taking the plane you shouldn't have to turn up very early). Then there is the stress of finding a seat on board, especially if you're in a group. When I took the Maple Leaf I had to struggle with my luggage, and then was herded by the staff into a specific very busy car, where I was lucky to get the last window seat. Other cars were half empty yet lots of people were very upset as they ended up with no window and were told they had to sit in a specific car.

Sure, if I was a reader of this forum I would know I could get a red cap to take my luggage and secure my seat, but how would I know this as a member of Joe public taking the train for the first time?

In a few months I'm traveling with my parents from Toronto to Montreal and Montreal to NYC. Toronto to Montreal is reserved seating. We know we have a bay of 4, and we can turn up just before the train. I'm already dreading Montreal to NYC. Will we get 4 seats together? How early do we have to turn up? Will my parents, in their 70's, be ok with standing in line for 45 minutes or more? The main reason for taking the train over the plane is to see the scenery and relax but Amtrak makes it anything but relaxing.

Introducing seat reservations is quite possible, so many other railways manage it, often reserving the same seat several times during one journey and often even allowing you to pick your seat online.


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## Tennessee Traveler (Aug 31, 2016)

Way off the original topic, but don't be so comfortable with Via seat policy from Toronto to Montreal. Just this past June, Via Rail without any notification to passengers, replaced the business class car I was schedule to travel on twice replacing a LRC with a steel Budd car and completely reassigning seats with no regard to the original reservation. It was not a pleasant experience and when I found out the second trip had been similarly changed(only after I inquired), I cancelled the second trip Toronto to Montreal and booked a business class seat on the Maple Leaf for my trip back into the USA. So, for now, I'm not a fan of Via Rail.


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## Eric S (Aug 31, 2016)

jis said:


> Eric S said:
> 
> 
> > Bob Dylan said:
> ...


Good old NIH syndrome - Not Invented Here.


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