New Year's Eve on the CS

[trainfanmom]

Well, my son and I thought that our cross country trip last month (CS->EB->SWC) would satisfy us for a while, but we were wrong. It only made us want to book another trip

So while we are planning our next big cross country adventure, I booked us a quick turn around on the Coast Starlight (LA to Portland and back). This time we will be on the train on New Year's Eve.

Given that 10 pm is usually quiet time, I was wondering what experiences others have had at midnight on NYE before (especially on the Coast Starlight). Do you still tend to have people gathering in the Lounge (or in this case, hopefully, Parlour) Car at midnight?

 

[Bob Dylan]

I've never been on the Starlight on New Years Eve but have been on several other LD Trains. ( Great idea by the way!)

As with anything Amtrak it will depend on the Crew on duty. For sure they will be OFF Duty and getting well deserved rest, but some may stay up to celebrate and may even decorate their car for the Holidays.

Since you're in a Sleeper you can have your personal stash of adult beverages and snacks( and your sons faves) if desired.

As for the PPC, I have been in it many times late at night (sans attendant) and have found it to be much quieter than the Sightseer Lounge due to a different type of passengers.

 

[tommylicious]

I think Amtrak union contract expressly forbids any and all staff sanctioned merriment. However, they are allowed to scowl at you and say "no" as you walk by, even if you didn't request anything.

 

[Rail Freak]

Checking reservations, it looks as though it's a very popular date!!!

 

[zephyr17]

I've been on the Empire Builder a couple of times on New Year's Eve, and nothing much happened.

 

[Lonestar648]

I have been on the train Christmas Eve, nothing much happened, though one year a crew member dressed up like Santa for the kids, handing out candy.

 

[BCL]

Why am I thinking Trading Places?

 

[trainfanmom]

Hopefully it will be somewhere in between the scowling and Trading Places

I guess we will just have to take a quick walk around at 11:30 to see if anyone else is up in the lounge cars. I will be sure to bring a little champagne for me and sparkling cider for my son to enjoy in our room at midnight if no one else is awake. We will definitely leave the noise makers at home, LOL.

 

[Trainmans daughter]

My hubby and I did this a few years ago. There was a really nice group ready to celebrate on the Pacific Parlour Car. It wasn't crowded, so we didn't feel guilty planting ourselves in our seats early in the evening. Our car attendant, the famous and fabulous Debby, served drinks until she went off duty at 11:00. Before she left us to our own devices, she made sure those that were interested had beverages to toast the midnight hour. At the countdown to midnight, we sang Auld Lang Syne and toasted each other. It was a very diverse group -- a young family, several college-age kids, and some retirees. It was very low-key and comfortable. You'll have a great time.

 

[Yumacool]

The only train I have ridden on New Years Eve was long ago on the lamented "Spirit of California" that used to travel overnight between Sacramento, the Bay Area and Los Angeles. There was only a dinette on that train and absolutely nothing special took place that evening. I have been on the Coast Starlight many times during the Christmas season and crew members had the lounge cars (including the Pacific Parlour) decorated with holiday garb. It was nice. Amtrak used to serve a holiday turkey dinner in the diner during the Thanksgiving/Christmas period but that has vanished due to, I assume, budget cuts. I thought it was classy on their part when it was done.

 

[Triley]

I think Amtrak union contract expressly forbids any and all staff sanctioned merriment. However, they are allowed to scowl at you and say "no" as you walk by, even if you didn't request anything.

You really have a bone to pick with some of us, don't you? It's attitudes like that that sour the good ones as the years go on... If only you had an idea of what we deal with I a regular basis. Let's see...conductor was shot recently, one of my fellow OBS was slapped on the face (she was okay), I had someone flipping out on me dropping F bombs days after Christmas because she missed her stop because she sat at a table in the cafe and didn't get up and go to the door despite announcements of our arrival. She then went after the conductor's job after he stepped stepped in to defend me, and the job of the officer who responded at the next stop, claiming harassment and intimidation (which I know is complete b.s. since I was present for the conversation with the conductor). I've also been called racist for refusing to serve someone when we're literally 2 minutes from our terminal and I had been closed for almost 40 minutes. Inventory had been done, cash pulled from the register, etc. As we're pulling in to the station I get called back in to the car by another passenger to find the other guy now behind the counter trying to steal food.

Keep all that that in mind before making blanket statements about -anybody-, please...

Anyway, now that that part is out of the way..is it forbidden to decorate? Yeah. Does it happen still? All the time.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Excellent post from someone who knows the job and is one of the good ones!

Thanks Triley!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I've been on the Empire Builder a couple of times on New Year's Eve, and nothing much happened.

&

I have been on the train Christmas Eve, nothing much happened...

That was my experience as well. Just kind of depends on the crew though. I think most of the time the staff just want to get some rest before the next shift. Although if you ask ahead of time they can leave you with ice in a bucket for champagne and the like. If the passengers want to ring in the new year the lounge is the place to go. Better than partying in a coach or sleeper car where others may be trying to rest.

 

[ehbowen]

...if you ask ahead of time they can leave you with ice in a bucket for champagne and the like. If the passengers want to ring in the new year the lounge is the place to go. Better than partying in a coach or sleeper car where others may be trying to rest.

I hope that for at least one night a year the conductors might be willing to selectively enforce the rules against alcohol in public areas, as long as passengers keep it quiet....

 

[Triley]

...if you ask ahead of time they can leave you with ice in a bucket for champagne and the like. If the passengers want to ring in the new year the lounge is the place to go. Better than partying in a coach or sleeper car where others may be trying to rest.

I hope that for at least one night a year the conductors might be willing to selectively enforce the rules against alcohol in public areas, as long as passengers keep it quiet....

I've always thought it has more to do with Amtrak's liquor license than anything, and I don't think that's something we want to mess around with, is it? Would you bring liquor to a restaurant that has a bar, no matter what day of the year?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

...if you ask ahead of time they can leave you with ice in a bucket for champagne and the like. If the passengers want to ring in the new year the lounge is the place to go. Better than partying in a coach or sleeper car where others may be trying to rest.

I hope that for at least one night a year the conductors might be willing to selectively enforce the rules against alcohol in public areas, as long as passengers keep it quiet....

I've always thought it has more to do with Amtrak's liquor license than anything, and I don't think that's something we want to mess around with, is it? Would you bring liquor to a restaurant that has a bar, no matter what day of the year?

Where I live you can bring you own personal wine or champagne to a restaurant with a full bar for the cost of a corkage fee. You can also bring your own hard liquor into a beer bar without issue.

 

[ehbowen]

I've always thought it has more to do with Amtrak's liquor license than anything, and I don't think that's something we want to mess around with, is it? Would you bring liquor to a restaurant that has a bar, no matter what day of the year?

True story: I had my first drink (glass of wine) at age 50. So I'm hardly a lush. But I have seen that selective enforcement in action. The statute of limitations has long expired, but on one trip from Houston to New Orleans early in this decade a quartet of college-age girls boarded along with us carrying a large cooler and intending to make a party of the trip. The conductor just told them to take it downstairs to the lower level and keep it quiet.

I'm not suggesting that other Amtrak employees follow suit, and if things had started to get out of hand I would expect things to be shut down pronto. But the girls did behave themselves, and I think that at some times "no harm, no foul" is a valid judgment call.

 

[BCL]

...if you ask ahead of time they can leave you with ice in a bucket for champagne and the like. If the passengers want to ring in the new year the lounge is the place to go. Better than partying in a coach or sleeper car where others may be trying to rest.

I hope that for at least one night a year the conductors might be willing to selectively enforce the rules against alcohol in public areas, as long as passengers keep it quiet....

I've always thought it has more to do with Amtrak's liquor license than anything, and I don't think that's something we want to mess around with, is it? Would you bring liquor to a restaurant that has a bar, no matter what day of the year?

Where I live you can bring you own personal wine or champagne to a restaurant with a full bar for the cost of a corkage fee. You can also bring your own hard liquor into a beer bar without issue.

Caltrain expressly allows consumption of personal alcohol most of the time. The exceptions are event days (Giants or Sharks) after 9 PM or special events like last weekend's Bay to Breakers. I've seen cases of craft beers, and conductors have talked about groups slamming down shots. Apparently the stainless steel in the vestibules is easier to clean.

I've taken my own alcohol on board. There's a specialty beer store near the Mountain View station. I've also had a couple of beers stashed in my kid's stroller's cup holder.

 

[trainfanmom]

I think Amtrak union contract expressly forbids any and all staff sanctioned merriment. However, they are allowed to scowl at you and say "no" as you walk by, even if you didn't request anything.

You really have a bone to pick with some of us, don't you? It's attitudes like that that sour the good ones as the years go on... If only you had an idea of what we deal with I a regular basis. Let's see...conductor was shot recently, one of my fellow OBS was slapped on the face (she was okay), I had someone flipping out on me dropping F bombs days after Christmas because she missed her stop because she sat at a table in the cafe and didn't get up and go to the door despite announcements of our arrival. She then went after the conductor's job after he stepped stepped in to defend me, and the job of the officer who responded at the next stop, claiming harassment and intimidation (which I know is complete b.s. since I was present for the conversation with the conductor). I've also been called racist for refusing to serve someone when we're literally 2 minutes from our terminal and I had been closed for almost 40 minutes. Inventory had been done, cash pulled from the register, etc. As we're pulling in to the station I get called back in to the car by another passenger to find the other guy now behind the counter trying to steal food.

Keep all that that in mind before making blanket statements about -anybody-, please...

Anyway, now that that part is out of the way..is it forbidden to decorate? Yeah. Does it happen still? All the time.

I have only had positive encounters with Amtrak employees myself. From the employees that booked my trips over the phone for me (I always call since we need multiple rooms near one another, etc), to the people working the lounges at the station to the employees on the train. Some have been less outgoing but still did their job fine. But most have been very friendly and we enjoy the time that we get to spending chatting with them, etc. The three car attendants we had on our last trip were all awesome And we made a point of going to see the Cafe Car attendant on the SWC to say Hi when we heard her voice since we recognized her from a previous trip on a different route.

 

[Dakota 400]

For a comment on topic, the pleasant experiences of those who have celebrated New Year's Eve on a train have interested me in putting this experience on my bucket list. I have enjoyed (or not) the changing of the year in a few places, but never, ever thought about doing this on a train.

Thanks for the idea!

 

[trainfanmom]

For a comment on topic, the pleasant experiences of those who have celebrated New Year's Eve on a train have interested me in putting this experience on my bucket list. I have enjoyed (or not) the changing of the year in a few places, but never, ever thought about doing this on a train.

Thanks for the idea!

I'm really looking forward to it. My mother is also joining us now so it will be a 3-generation trip to ring in the New Year We got the 1430 and 1130 car for both directions so that will be nice if we have a Parlour Car or even a substitute.

We will be the same train up and back (we are getting off in Portland and then catching the same train on its way back from Seattle) so that is good and bad. If we have a great crew, we will get to see them again the next day. But if we are missing the Parlour Car then we know we won't have it on the way back either.