Guests allowed in bedrooms

[timjimbob]

Friends have never been on the train and were interested into what the sleeper looked like. No hot swapping or partying.

 

[Palmetto]

Is there a stated policy in the timetable about the situation? I don't recall one.

 

[NW cannonball]

By the book, they should not be allowed back in to the sleeper. But ask. Nicely. A couple of years ago Mrs SP&S and I were traveling from LAX to PDX in a bedroom and our daughter had a coach ticket on the same train for EUG - PDX. Our SCA, after a little thought and after being assured that no meals or parlour car access was involved, let her board directly to our car. She also got a good tip. I mention that she boarded directly into our sleeper because the SCA didn't want to explain this to the conductor when our daughter went from coach thru the diner and parlor. The worst they can do is say no.

By the book, no coach passengers in the sleeper.

But, years ago, my wife and infant child in the roomette, me in coach, the SCA allowed me a brief visit to the roomette to consult with family. YMMV

 

[Devil's Advocate]

There is such an obvious alternative location for a mixed-class gathering on board an Amtrak train.

What an odd thing to say about a culture without a caste. So long as they're polite and respectful I honestly don't care what their ticket says. Conversely, if they're acting obnoxious I'm not going to give them a pass just because they have a sleeper ticket.

I'm Shocked! Shocked! to find out that Working Girls are on Amtrak Long Distance Trains! Round up the Usual Suspects!

I'm actually kind of surprised. Most passengers on the trains I ride are college kids, families, and retirees. Must be some raunchy seniors looking for a little extra cash.

I've been in too many trains where I have to deal with loud "partying" coach passengers in the sleeper car. I'm not going to look the other way, anymore.

Never had any problems with obnoxious coach passengers in a sleeper car before. I've only had trouble with actual sleeper passengers making too much noise. I suppose I should have ignored their properly ticketed indiscretions and went on a witch hunt looking for quiet stowaways instead.

I never have been able to figure out these groups that split between Coach and Sleeper, rotating back and forth creating nothing but confusion and mayhem for other pax and crew.

Mayhem? Really? I don't think that word means what you think it means, but even if it did it that would be reason enough to kick someone off the train and into the hands of the local law enforcement, regardless of whatever their ticket had to say about it.

 

[fairviewroad]

There is such an obvious alternative location for a mixed-class gathering on board an Amtrak train.

What an odd thing to say about a culture without a caste. So long as they're polite and respectful I honestly don't care what their ticket says. Conversely, if they're acting obnoxious I'm not going to give them a pass just because they have a sleeper ticket.

I'm sure you are aware that transportation companies, including Amtrak, use the word "class" as a way of designating different types of accommodations. To suggest I'm using the word as a way of assigning values to different types of individuals is pretty offensive, actually.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

There is such an obvious alternative location for a mixed-class gathering on board an Amtrak train.

What an odd thing to say about a culture without a caste. So long as they're polite and respectful I honestly don't care what their ticket says. Conversely, if they're acting obnoxious I'm not going to give them a pass just because they have a sleeper ticket.

I'm sure you are aware that transportation companies, including Amtrak, use the word "class" as a way of designating different types of accommodations. To suggest I'm using the word as a way of assigning values to different types of individuals is pretty offensive, actually.

My view is that such terminology is outdated and jarring to read in 2016. I cannot and do not intend to imply I can read minds. Which is why I remarked that it was an odd thing to say rather than an odd thing to think. I've flown a lot of airlines over the years but I can't recall any of them referring to passengers as "coach class" the way Amtrak does. Personally I think Amtrak should probably just call it coach or economy or whatever the train equivalent of "main cabin" would be.

 

[Walt]

I've been in too many trains where I have to deal with loud "partying" coach passengers in the sleeper car. I'm not going to look the other way, anymore.

Never had any problems with obnoxious coach passengers in a sleeper car before. I've only had trouble with actual sleeper passengers making too much noise. I suppose I should have ignored their properly ticketed indiscretions and went on a witch hunt looking for quiet stowaways instead.

I can mention the obvious, if the coach passengers in the sleeper were quiet and well behaved, I would never have known they were there.

I can venture a guess that these parties are brought upon because sleeper passengers are free to serve their own alcoholic beverages, whereas such can't be done in coach. So, someone in the traveling group springs for a sleeper accommodation, with the expectation that their group will use it. Basically, turning a sleeper accommodation into their "hospitality suite". It doesn't take all that much alcohol to turn a gathering into a loud party.

There are also the sleeper passengers who invite their coach ticketed friends/family to "enjoy" free coffee, juice, bottled water, and to use the shower(s). I am sure they rationalize this, as being its theirs to share as they will.

 

[dart330]

I was on the sunset limited in a roomette across from a grandmother whos daughter and 2 grandchildren were travelling in coach. They kept coming back to visit in the room and were very loud. I'm not sure why this was allowed, but they all 4 ate a couple meals in the roomette, constantly asking the SCA to go get them condiments and drink refills. She said she didn't want to have to tip "those people" in the dining car. We even had the train managers on board from LA who perfectly happy to accomadate all of this.

I think things can get out of hand much too quickly allowing coach passengers into sleepers and it should be kept seperated as the airlines do so the rest of the people in the car can enjoy the trip they paid for.

 

[Manny T]

Two factors in my view support the rule about no coach PAX permitted in sleepers: first, there is the security of personal property. Amtrak has decided NOT to make it possible to lock sleeper compartments when a passenger leaves one; hence Amtrak must make other arrangements for the security of personal effects. It makes perfect sense to me to exclude non-sleeper PAX since there is no way to know if their purpose in visiting the sleeper is innocent or nefarious.

Second, it seems to me there is a legitimate interest in reducing traffic between cars as well as traffic in the narrow aisles e.g. in the dining car. By definition visitors from coach will have to pass through the dining car to get to the sleepers. Shall this be permitted while people are eating in the dining car and servers are in the aisle with trays of food? Shall it be permitted when staff are cleaning or setting up the dining car? I don't think so.

The reason for minimizing traffic between cars is obvious--since every passage between cars in a moving train involves an incremental amount of risk.

As others have said, passengers from both sections can meet in the public areas like the lounge or cafe car. There are fringe benefits of keeping non-sleeper PAX out, like reduced noise and so forth, which I think the higher prices paid for sleeping accommodations warrant.

On another point raised, apart from whether the US has classes or castes and whether that terminology should ever used, undeniably the US has people with more money and people with less. People with more money are known to spend it among other on things on exclusivity. Private clubs, exclusive restaurants, dress circle at the opera, sky boxes in ball parks, first class airline accommodations, and yes, sleeping compartments on Amtrak. By definition exclusivity means keeping others out--otherwise, what am I paying my premium for?

 

[seat38a]

I was on the sunset limited in a roomette across from a grandmother whos daughter and 2 grandchildren were travelling in coach. They kept coming back to visit in the room and were very loud. I'm not sure why this was allowed, but they all 4 ate a couple meals in the roomette, constantly asking the SCA to go get them condiments and drink refills. She said she didn't want to have to tip "those people" in the dining car. We even had the train managers on board from LA who perfectly happy to accomadate all of this.

I think things can get out of hand much too quickly allowing coach passengers into sleepers and it should be kept seperated as the airlines do so the rest of the people in the car can enjoy the trip they paid for.

I really don't get this half the family traveling in coach and the others traveling in sleeper thing going on. Say for a moment this grandma's age prevented her from traveling in coach and their's was a special situation. I'm reading questions on this forum regarding putting kids in coach and parents in sleeper, or some combination of splitting people up. Am I the only one who thinks this is F&*$$# Up? Growing up, my parents never put my brother and I in coach or something cheaper while they pampered themselves in the front of the plane, nor did they get themselves a balcony room on a cruise ship while putting everyone else on a different cheaper deck where the sun don't shine. We all traveled together in the same class. We all suffer through coach or we all go premium.

 

[PVD]

If only things were as simple as they should be. I got 2 upgrade coupons for space available upgrades to F/C on an airline. I was bringing my parents back from Florida, and being they were elderly, and never enjoyed much "luxury" in their time, I gave them the upgrades and sat in the back. The flight attendants were aware, and had no problem with me coming up and checking on them from time to time. I didn't try and scam free drinks or a better meal. About 2/3 of the way home, they asked me to stay and sit in an empty seat, they knew I would drag off their carry ons and help them off the plane. Plenty of times flying someone visits someone in another cabin, if they aren't using the bathroom, trying to stay in a seat, or blocking an aisle during cabin service, I've rarely heard a word. I have definetly seen people chased who try and stay, even in premium seats in the same cabin.

 

[Palmetto]

Airlines don't seem to care about coach passengers using the first-class bathroom, though. This after an announcement on some of them.

But we digress.

 

[jis]

Depends on the airline, the route and the aircraft type ....

 

[PVD]

I think JIS is right, I'll go one step further and say it also varies by crew. The same type of plane can have different numbers of bathrooms in different locations also. The airlines control that A 757 200 with 215 economy seats and no recline 2 bathrooms, same plane for a different airline 4 bathrooms 190 seats mixed config (one dedicated to F/C) none are in the traditional far back.

 

[me_little_me]

I just trademarked the name "TrainBnB". Someone reserves a room then on my web site, offers beds or seats for sublease for part or all of the way. :giggle: