Nice shots, thanks for posting them!
Curious about "the rules"...
Is there a time limit for occupancy? If they have, why not enforced?
On the Saturday trip we sadly had a group of rail fans that were just plain rude.
The "rules" are that the dome is not your regular seat, and everyone is invited to use it, and then allow other passengers time to enjoy it.
There was a group of about 8 people from our coach who simply refused to leave the dome and it made the conductor look bad.
My favorite was the guy with a book no less, who claimed he was keeping his seat to show Amtrak there was a high demand for the dome, needless to say
what a jerk.
A solution for next year if we are lucky enough to get it back for the summer, is for the Northern New England Rail Authority (the organization that funds, and sets
the schedule for the Downeaster) to take charge of the dome, and sell specific premium class seats for it.
Ken
Since it's come up for more discussion... the behavior and lack of social skills of some railfans on Saturday morning's trip (9/16/2016) were down right rude and embarrassing. If I were the conductor, I would have been so pissed they way some people were acting I would have kept the darn thing locked up and never opened it. We have rode probably 20 to 30 Amtrak trips with the Great Dome on it since June 2007... and this was by far the worst experience we had when it came to people being obnoxious. Not sure if it's because it was the last weekend? Or if because it was traveling through a popular area? Or if because the weather was so nice and a ton of events were going on up in Portland, ME? If it wasn't for the more subdued night ride back that evening (most people seemed to take the earlier train back without the Dome and others didn't seem as interested as being in the Dome because most of the ride was in the dark)... I would have almost regretted going out to Boston to do this trip.
I was riding with my wife and my friend who lives in the Boston area. Luckily, he rode a previous trip on the Downeaster a couple of weeks ago with the Great Dome and kinda gave us the scoop on what the "rules" were going to be. Everyone was not going to be let in the dome until everyone's ticket was taken... Period. So, we knew going in that to get the best seats... you needed to sit down and wait your turn for the announcement... and that this would be strictly enforced by the Saturday AM crew. The best seats for being among the first to get in the dome would be the first coach behind the dome... in the front... but don't sit in the 4 disabled seating seats. So that is what we did... and by gosh... following the conductor's rules... we were among the first to get in and get the best seats. Follow the rules, wait your turn, and you will be rewarded!
But, there was a group of maybe 10+ on this trip who felt the rules didn't apply to them. At first, the door to the dome was unlocked, but the gate arm was down and unlocked. Despite the conductor mentioning that everyone must have a seat first and he would announce when the dome would be opened (probably after the first intermediate station stop)... a group of about 4 railfans had the nerve to go up and lift up the gate and head up into the dome car anyway. They were quickly escorted out. By then, almost all seats in the first coach were full and they were pissed they would have to go back to the second or third coach and wait. The conductor then seemed to put a padlock or some type of lock on the gate arm... didn't get a good look at this. Not more than 30 seconds later a group of 2 younger railfan guys decked out in their favorite Chessie pins and patches kept rattling the now locked gate. Conductor told them to beat it and finally locked the sliding door between the Amfleet coach and the dome. This still didn't stop about 20 able-bodied railfans from attempting to sit in the 4 seats at the front of the coach who was reserved for the handicapped with wheelchairs (there were clear overhead signs saying this) --- with the expressed intent of being the first in the dome car (overheard by us from the row behind them). Conductor has to keep coming back and shooing people out from these seats... finally we even had to help him out a bit too. Just rude folks --- don't take the disabled seats!!! They are for folks who need them... not because you want to be the first in the dome car, okay?
Anyway, yes, it ended up being a mad rush when the announcement was made. But again, we knew where to sit and to follow the conductor's rules... so we were among the first folks in and got pick seats.
The conductor did make the announcement that IF the dome became full, folks would have to go back to their seats so everyone could rotate in and out.... but even though the dome was almost full... it never reached capacity... so this never really came into play. We were watching the whole time and would have abided if there were no more seats left and new people came into the Dome wanting to sit down... but even at its worst moment... there were still three seats available.
So, no one needed to get out unless they wanted to.
For a period of time (no, not the whole ride to Brunswick!), I occupied one of the "railfan seats"... and boy... did I hear snotty comments and the sorts from some railfans. Anyone who asked nice I had no problems moving and letting them in for a few minutes to get their photos or whatever out the window there. Most folks were cordial... but there were about 2 who were just downright rude and really should have been thrown off the train or out of the dome car. Standing 8" from me and giving me a dirty look while huffing and puffing but not saying anything isn't going to make me move for you -- use your big words and tell me what you want. Be polite -- say -- "Hey, can I PLEASE get in there for 2 minutes and get some shots?"... Yes, I'll move for you. I had one railfan with a body odor problem actually tell me it was "his right" to stand for as long as he wanted between my seat and the window. Um, no, sir. There is no real room between my seat and the window for one to stand for long periods of time... and I guess it's your right to block my nice view for the entire trip?? Try getting on a Sightseer Lounge and standing between someone sitting in a seat and the window and see how long before said sitting person puts their foot up your rump. Payback can be fun... The train lurched and this jerk almost ended up on my lap a couple of times. His girlfriend or whatever who was standing by the trash can almost fell into my wife's lap who was in the seat next to me at the 2-seater table end. They finally went away calling me names as they went back to their seats. Real adult.
I love the idea of selling assigned seats in the dome (atleast on weekends). Do it was a fundraiser for the state or the non-profit rail authority who got the train started in 2001. I'd do this trip again... just probably take a vacation day or something and do it not on the weekend... or especially on the last weekend of its run.
They must have done some good advertising for the dome up in Boston. Whenever it runs out of Chicago (I have rode it to Grand Rapids, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Carbondale, Quincy, etc.) it's never more than 1/3 full and maybe only has 5-6 railfans per trip who generally know how to behave.
This isn't the first time I have seen something like this. We car host on a lot of private excursions every year -- and I am always catching railfans who are in coach trying to sneak into the dome or other premium class cars. You know? If you just ask me -- Hey, I'd like to see what the cars look like and get some photos -- I or another car manager will take you back there and let you sit for maybe 5 minutes or so. Sneaking back and being a jerk when you're caught is not cool.
The rudeness, pushiness, and lack of social skills amongst many railfans is why we avoid a lot of special rail events, gatherings, meet-ups, etc. recently.
