Lower Level Coach

[comfortableshoe]

There is an option on the Southwest Chief for Lower Level Coach. The description of it and a standard Reserved Coach seat don't make the difference very clear. It's been a long time since I rode this train and I can't recall the details.

Can someone tell me if the lower level is preferred and/or what the difference is? I seem to recall the lower level was a little quieter than the upper, but as I say, it's a little fuzzy.

Thanks.

 

[Everydaymatters]

Lower level isn't quieter because it's by the stairs which are used all day and all night by people using the washrooms and people getting off the train. At one time, it was used exclusively by handicapped people who have difficulty with stairs. Now they've opened it up for anyone, but it's mostly used by the elderly and disabled.

 

[MrFSS]

The views are better on the upprer level and there is less noise on the upper, too.

 

[AlanB]

Lower level isn't quieter because it's by the stairs which are used all day and all night by people using the washrooms and people getting off the train. At one time, it was used exclusively by handicapped people who have difficulty with stairs. Now they've opened it up for anyone, but it's mostly used by the elderly and disabled.

There are some lower level seats that are only available to the handicapped, while other seats are open to the general public.

 

[rtabern]

Lower level isn't quieter because it's by the stairs which are used all day and all night by people using the washrooms and people getting off the train. At one time, it was used exclusively by handicapped people who have difficulty with stairs. Now they've opened it up for anyone, but it's mostly used by the elderly and disabled.

There are some lower level seats that are only available to the handicapped, while other seats are open to the general public.

I was wondering about that!! I took #22 from Springfield to Chicago the other day and the coach attendant put a hand-written sign on the door that said only the elderly and handicapped were allowed down in the lower level. I was baffled because I thought ANYONE could buy a lower level ticket... I've never done it in coach because I like the upper level of the Superliners. Do you know the percentage of seats reserved for the handicapped and how many can anyone buy?

 

[RRrich]

We got on the train at KWD and the Conductor herded wveryone up to the upper level. Wifey managed the stairs, and she went down to the restroom and back up - but she commented on the fact that all the seats down there were empty.

I spoke to the Conductor and he said that if we had trouble with the stairs then we should have said something when boarding and there would have been no problem. NEXT TIME

 

[Guest]

...so buying a lower level coach seat does not mean you'll be allowed to sit in the lower level? That makes no sense at all!

 

[AlanB]

...so buying a lower level coach seat does not mean you'll be allowed to sit in the lower level? That makes no sense at all!

No, if you brought a ticket for the lower level, you are entitled to sit on the lower level.

 

[PaulM]

...so buying a lower level coach seat does not mean you'll be allowed to sit in the lower level? That makes no sense at all!

I'm not sure whether you are responding to Rrich or rtabern. Boarding in KWD, Rrichs must have been on a KC-STL train which normally carrys single level cars (superliners are used temporarily in the winter) and thus does not sell lower level tickets. The conductor probably thought passengers would ask for the lower lever if they wanted it, or he simply forgot.

On the other hand, Rtabern's case involved the TE which does sell lower level seats. I'm sure his was a case of the employee making up the rules as he went along, a situation reported here in many threads.

 

[Dan O]

Lower level coach cars have much bigger bathrooms. Heck, you can even turn around in them. Once I discovered that fact, I rarely used my own coach car restroom other than for brushing my teeth.

Dan

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Lower level coach cars have much bigger bathrooms. Heck, you can even turn around in them. Once I discovered that fact, I rarely used my own coach car restroom other than for brushing my teeth.
Dan

Huh?

 

[Dan O]

Lower level coach cars have much bigger bathrooms. Heck, you can even turn around in them. Once I discovered that fact, I rarely used my own coach car restroom other than for brushing my teeth.
Dan

Huh?

Just a bit more room in the handicap accessible bathrooms than the regular coach ones.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

...so buying a lower level coach seat does not mean you'll be allowed to sit in the lower level? That makes no sense at all!

I'm not sure whether you are responding to Rrich or rtabern. Boarding in KWD, Rrichs must have been on a KC-STL train which normally carrys single level cars (superliners are used temporarily in the winter) and thus does not sell lower level tickets. The conductor probably thought passengers would ask for the lower lever if they wanted it, or he simply forgot.

On the other hand, Rtabern's case involved the TE which does sell lower level seats. I'm sure his was a case of the employee making up the rules as he went along, a situation reported here in many threads.

so if you have a lower level ticket and the conductor refuses to let you site there even though you have a ticket for that seat what do you do ask for the conductors name and report him/her? what if you can't climb stairs and you got a ticket for the lower level but the conductor doesn't give a rats you know what and FORCES you to go upstairs. then what?

 

[RRrich]

so if you have a lower level ticket and the conductor refuses to let you site there even though you have a ticket for that seat what do you do ask for the conductors name and report him/her? what if you can't climb stairs and you got a ticket for the lower level but the conductor doesn't give a rats you know what and FORCES you to go upstairs. then what?

This is all HYPOTHETICAL - none of this has happened and I doubt that any of it ever will. If we have lower level tickets and the conductor refuses to honor them (seat us on the lower level) I would certainly get his name and number so I could report him to Amtrak. I would then request that he assist my wife (who DOES have physical problems) up the stairs. Although she and I have never discussed this, I am sure she would be dead weight with an out-sized sense of modesty (Don't touch me there!) But that would never happen on Amtrak!!!

 

[Guest]

(same as Guest * above)

RRrich, that is how I thought it works too. It makes no sense to deny lower level seating to people who specifically asked for it...and I'd bet on a long distance train the Lower Level coach seats get full before the upper level! It must be nice to have a 'mini-cabin' with 14 other people!

 

[RRrich]

When I spoke to the conductor who "herded" everyone up the stair he said that if we had asked to stay below we could have. I thought that he was most accommodation and perhaps even a bit embarrassed that wifey had to climb the stairs.

My observation is that most Amtrak personnel are willing to do what they need to do to insure that the pax have a good trip.

 

[Everydaymatters]

Lower level coach cars have much bigger bathrooms. Heck, you can even turn around in them. Once I discovered that fact, I rarely used my own coach car restroom other than for brushing my teeth.
Dan

Huh?

Once again - Huh?

Were you on a train that had both single level anddouble level cars? In the Superliner all passengers use the same bathrooms, which are on the lower level.

 

[Everydaymatters]

so if you have a lower level ticket and the conductor refuses to let you site there even though you have a ticket for that seat what do you do ask for the conductors name and report him/her? what if you can't climb stairs and you got a ticket for the lower level but the conductor doesn't give a rats you know what and FORCES you to go upstairs. then what?

That happened to me! Had lower level tickets. I have ILD, which is a lung disease wherein I can make it up the stairs once or twice but any more than that and I literally can't breath. I always book the lower level because trips downstairs to the bathroom are more frequent than trips upstairs to the diner.

I look healthier than all heck, so you wouldn't know there was a problem by looking at me. While I was in the lounge, the car attendant gave my seat to an "elderly couple". I had to go up from the lounge, down to get my belongings, then back up to my new seat, and couldn't breath. Also, with motion problems, I had vertigo on the upper level and was sicker than heck all of the rest of the trip - which included a cruise to Alaska after the train ride.

 

[Walt]

I was wondering about that!! I took #22 from Springfield to Chicago the other day and the coach attendant put a hand-written sign on the door that said only the elderly and handicapped were allowed down in the lower level. I was baffled because I thought ANYONE could buy a lower level ticket... I've never done it in coach because I like the upper level of the Superliners. Do you know the percentage of seats reserved for the handicapped and how many can anyone buy?

Possibly, that attendant knew that they were going to have several handicapped/elderly passengers on that trip, and was just being pro-active? I mean, it might be easier to just start off seating regular passengers upstairs, rather than having to ask them to move after they get already got settled. The attendant might also be aware that they had no "lower level only" ticketed regular passengers.

 

[Alice]

so if you have a lower level ticket and the conductor refuses to let you site there even though you have a ticket for that seat what do you do ask for the conductors name and report him/her? what if you can't climb stairs and you got a ticket for the lower level but the conductor doesn't give a rats you know what and FORCES you to go upstairs. then what?

That happened to me! Had lower level tickets. I have ILD, which is a lung disease wherein I can make it up the stairs once or twice but any more than that and I literally can't breath. I always book the lower level because trips downstairs to the bathroom are more frequent than trips upstairs to the diner.

I look healthier than all heck, so you wouldn't know there was a problem by looking at me. While I was in the lounge, the car attendant gave my seat to an "elderly couple". I had to go up from the lounge, down to get my belongings, then back up to my new seat, and couldn't breath. Also, with motion problems, I had vertigo on the upper level and was sicker than heck all of the rest of the trip - which included a cruise to Alaska after the train ride.

This is just wrong. Invisible disabilities are just as real as visible ones. Hope you complained to customer service.

 

[Upstate]

so if you have a lower level ticket and the conductor refuses to let you site there even though you have a ticket for that seat what do you do ask for the conductors name and report him/her? what if you can't climb stairs and you got a ticket for the lower level but the conductor doesn't give a rats you know what and FORCES you to go upstairs. then what?

That happened to me! Had lower level tickets. I have ILD, which is a lung disease wherein I can make it up the stairs once or twice but any more than that and I literally can't breath. I always book the lower level because trips downstairs to the bathroom are more frequent than trips upstairs to the diner.

I look healthier than all heck, so you wouldn't know there was a problem by looking at me. While I was in the lounge, the car attendant gave my seat to an "elderly couple". I had to go up from the lounge, down to get my belongings, then back up to my new seat, and couldn't breath. Also, with motion problems, I had vertigo on the upper level and was sicker than heck all of the rest of the trip - which included a cruise to Alaska after the train ride.

And the conductor, whose job it is to make sure everyone is in the part of the train that they are ticketed for, let this happen? I can see a car attendant doing something like this, but a quick conversation with the conductor should have straightened it out. To me this is no different than them giving away a sleeper compartment while you are in the lounge.

 

[Dan O]

Once again - Huh?
Were you on a train that had both single level anddouble level cars? In the Superliner all passengers use the same bathrooms, which are on the lower level.

The bathrooms in the coach car I was riding in were tiny, narrow. The ones in the coach car w/ the lower level coach seats were much larger. One was a wheelchair accesible one. Another one was double the width of the ones in my car. I thought they were much more comfortable to do one's business in.

I was on a train w/ all superliner cars.

Does that make sense?

 

[printman2000]

Once again - Huh?
Were you on a train that had both single level anddouble level cars? In the Superliner all passengers use the same bathrooms, which are on the lower level.

The bathrooms in the coach car I was riding in were tiny, narrow. The ones in the coach car w/ the lower level coach seats were much larger. One was a wheelchair accesible one. Another one was double the width of the ones in my car. I thought they were much more comfortable to do one's business in.

I was on a train w/ all superliner cars.

Does that make sense?

If your coach did not have lower level seats, it was probably a coach/baggage car. However, I thought all of the coaches had the same setup downstairs as far as the restrooms go.

 

[Dan O]

Once again - Huh?
Were you on a train that had both single level anddouble level cars? In the Superliner all passengers use the same bathrooms, which are on the lower level.

The bathrooms in the coach car I was riding in were tiny, narrow. The ones in the coach car w/ the lower level coach seats were much larger. One was a wheelchair accesible one. Another one was double the width of the ones in my car. I thought they were much more comfortable to do one's business in.

I was on a train w/ all superliner cars.

Does that make sense?

If your coach did not have lower level seats, it was probably a coach/baggage car. However, I thought all of the coaches had the same setup downstairs as far as the restrooms go.

They all did have bathrooms. It's just the ones in the lower level coach car had BIGGER bathrooms. I don't know what kind of car I was in. Other than the bathrooms downstairs, there was a large room that looked like it used to serve snacks. There were benches around the edges that a few people used to sleep on. There weren't any tables or chairs in the room.

Dan

 

[printman2000]

Once again - Huh?
Were you on a train that had both single level anddouble level cars? In the Superliner all passengers use the same bathrooms, which are on the lower level.

The bathrooms in the coach car I was riding in were tiny, narrow. The ones in the coach car w/ the lower level coach seats were much larger. One was a wheelchair accesible one. Another one was double the width of the ones in my car. I thought they were much more comfortable to do one's business in.

I was on a train w/ all superliner cars.

Does that make sense?

If your coach did not have lower level seats, it was probably a coach/baggage car. However, I thought all of the coaches had the same setup downstairs as far as the restrooms go.

They all did have bathrooms. It's just the ones in the lower level coach car had BIGGER bathrooms. I don't know what kind of car I was in. Other than the bathrooms downstairs, there was a large room that looked like it used to serve snacks. There were benches around the edges that a few people used to sleep on. There weren't any tables or chairs in the room.

Dan

AHH, you were on a coach/cafe car. Yeah, I could see if having a lot different restroom setup than a standard coach.