Aloha
I don't mean to be contrary here, but disabled people can become pilots. Just like cars, conventional aircraft can be modified to be flown without the use of the feet. There are some aircraft flying today like the Ercoupe that by design, do not have rudder petals and therefore do not require use of the legs to operate.
Swiveling the seats are how they 'turn' the cars (rather than physically turning the car around) to change the cars orientation from one direction to the other. Only locomotives (on a turntable) are actually turned for a particular run. Coaches have their seats swiveled, while sleepers, lounges, diners, etc. aren't really dependent on front-rear orientation.
Sorry....I replied to the previous comment and failed to notice that I was not logged in...thus replied as a 'guest'.
Actually it depends on just where the train is terminated as to what method of "turning" the train is used. For example the Auto Train is turned using the seat method. But many other trains are turned by wying the train, rather than using the more man power intensive method of turning the seats. For example the Capitol Limited is almost always turned via the wye as it arrives into Chicago. This way it's already setup to run out as the SW Chief later that afternoon. All the station crews have to do now is clean, water, and reprovision the train.
izza $3.50
I was intrigued by your #5 comment - regarding people sneeking onto the train and stealing from the sleeper compartments. I have actually never heard of this and would find it a bit hard to beleive, since so many stops are just 2-3 minutes in duration and at the major stations there is generally some sort of security to stop non-ticket holders from mingling on the platform. Also, if it is a quick stop, there is only one coach and one sleeper door opened and the attendants are there checking tickets. Do you recall what train was involved in this theft and what station? Just curious.
It was aboard the Capitol Limited, around Thanksgiving time, in either 2004 or 2005. I have no idea what stations would have been involved. I know it was around one of the mealtimes because I asked the girl if she needed help as I was on my way to the dining car. She said the conductor was coming to help her. I walked up the hallway on the deluxe side (Rooms A, B, C, D, etc) of the car and came around the corner where the coffee urn is kept, with the water and juice, and ran into the conductor and told him that she was waiting for him. He was really surprised, and he asked me to come with him. I did, and she was gone. He told me that people do this, get on board the train at station stops to steal, and he was going to go find her. That's all I know.
It has happened, but it is rare - though these days, for those who find themselves in the "40 car" (transition sleeper/crew dorm which is 1/2 sold to the public), since it is right next to the coaches in the reverse consist format, people do wander in, either intentionally or accidentally. To prevent mishaps, please note that this car's doors come pre-equipped for padlocks. If you bring a very small padlock with you, as crew members do, this is almost always enough to deter anyone from entering your room uninvited.
I would strongly recommend that this is one of those "don't try this at home" suggestions. I can't imagine that Amtrak would allow passengers to lock their own rooms. In fact I strongly suspect that most of those hasps for locking the doors are not Amtrak approved and were put there by crew members.
I was thinking the lock was for when you werent in your room, IO am wondering what kind of medical emergency you maybe thinking of
Yes, it would be rather hard to pad lock your door on the outside, if one is inside the room. Even harder to unlock it from the inside. :lol:
