PA volume and quiet hours

[Chuckles]

I'm taking my first sleeper trip soon (Zephyr). I understand that the PA system is used constantly even for such trivia as calling individuals who have meal reservations, but it is not used during the night. Two questions: Can I control the volume in the room? What are the quiet hours? Many thanks!

 

[TVRM610]

First of all... Zephyr is awesome, you will love it. Best scenery you will find.

Yes some of the announcent are really out of hand. The Conductors make fine announcements, station stops and inform about delays. But the food cars make long, detailed, and many times unnecessary announcements. One time I heard the lounge car attendant explain how gambling is not permitted in the lounge and anyone playing cards is not allowed to have any money or items of value on the table. Really? The whole train needs to hear this and all of the other opinions of the lounge car attendant?

Also... Morning announcements do come early.. Expect the lounge and diner to announce when they are open, when they have tables available, when they don't have tables available, when the lounge car is closing so he can have breakfast, etc, etc.

The newest refurbished Superliner sleepers do not have volume control. However most of the sleepers still do. And you can even turn it off! Makes sleeping in much easier.

 

[ozbuc]

Gee on most of the LD trains my wife and I have traveled on we struggle to hear the announcements.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

I just had the same problem as ozbuc on the Coast Starlight #14 August 24-25 in car 1432. First the speakers do not work in the rooms--only in the hallway. For the first day we got NO conductor announcement and only the dining car announcement. Our SCA Antonio said it could not be fixed but when I asked a conductor she seemed concerned and within a hour or two we began to hear the announcements. I as disappointed that only the hallway speakers worked. When I closed my door due to the air conditioning blowing forcefully from the hall vent, I could not hear the announcement well enough to understand.

Another complaint I have is that althought Antonio was friendly, did set up my bed for nighttime, he did not set up anyone's beds the next morning and actually was asleep in his room across the hall from me until after 10am. And he never offered any assistance with luggage. In the past, SCA's have assisted us in making sure the luggage was all down stairs ready for exiting at our station stop--mine was Portland almost 3.5 hours late since we first struck a person near Simi Valley, CA, and was delayed 2 hours and then was put on a side setting between Salem and Portland while officials removed a truck or something that was blocking a crossing. After the crossing was cleared we had to wait for a freight that had been held up also to pass before we could continue on in to Portland arriving at 7:15pm.

 

[berkyo]

Yes, only been on the CZ and SWC in a roomette but we never heard any announcements. We could hear them in the hall by the stairs to go up. Maybe it's quieter in the basement?

 

[fillyjonk]

Yes some of the announcent are really out of hand. The Conductors make fine announcements, station stops and inform about delays. But the food cars make long, detailed, and many times unnecessary announcements. One time I heard the lounge car attendant explain how gambling is not permitted in the lounge and anyone playing cards is not allowed to have any money or items of value on the table. Really? The whole train needs to hear this and all of the other opinions of the lounge car attendant?

On the TE, there are very very often announcements about "don't walk barefoot" (yuck, like I would in the train cars) and about watching over your children and such. I remember once I was eating dinner with a man and his tween daughter, and the announcement about not walking barefoot came across, and she rolled her eyes and said, "They keep saying those things! Don't people LISTEN?!" and I kind of chuckled and said, "No, I don't think they do." (And both she and her father laughed).

But I do think there's a segment of the public that think "Da Rulez" don't apply to them, or that there's not a good reason for them, or perhaps they just don't listen. Also, I think sometimes now people are afraid of confronting people, so it's "easier" and perhaps safer to make a blanket "no gambling in the diner" announcement than it is to go up to the group of people breaking the rule and telling them to knock it off.

I see this as a larger and more general problem in society; at my place of work we regularly get e-mails "reminding" us to do things that 95% of us already do and would never think of NOT doing - it's because TPTB are either afraid of, or don't want to take the time to, confront that 5% directly, so instead, they nag at ALL of us. (It's not great for morale, I think). Or maybe they want a "paper trail" in case they have to initiate some kind of disciplinary procedure, I don't know.

But I agree - a lot of the "here are the rules" announcements seem to be made really often. I suppose that's because "common sense" is increasingly uncommon. (A lot of the rules - like not letting your kids run in the aisles and not walking barefoot, especially between cars - are just common sense)

 

[the_traveler]

Most of the speaker in the individual rooms have been shut off, since they discontinued the TV and in room music. Now the only announcements are in the hallways. There are no announcements made over the PA between 11 pm and 7 am. (These are the quiet hours. If your stop is between these hours, it is important to be in your seat so the conductor can wake you for your stop.)

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Another possible reason for repeated announcement could be because "new" people have boarded since the last announcement.

 

[the_traveler]

They may make "announcements over and over", but don't forget that passengers get on and off the train all the Time. The announcement said in Chicago was not heard by the passenger who boarded in Little Rock, the announcement made in Ft Worth was not heard by the passenger who boarded in Taylor, the announcement made in El Paso was not heard by the passengers who boarded in Deming, etc...

 

[Chuckles]

Hmmm...so either there are too many announcements and the volume is loud and non-adjustable, or there is no sound in the rooms and the announcements in the corridor are hard to hear. I guess I will find out which of these applies to us.

 

[ATXEagle]

I have always been able to hear announcements in Superliner roomettes. In Viewliner roomettes I've never heard any announcement through the in-room speaker. I figured the Viewliner room speakers must have been shut off when they removed the video screens. I have had dining car staff get on my case for missing an announcement on the Silver Meteor, but I just couldn't hear it from my roomette.

I personally enjoy hearing all the announcements, it somehow adds to the excitement of the trip for me. Riding on the Texas Eagle in June, the cafe attendant kept encouraging us to come on down and purchase "screwdrivers, bloody marys, gin and tonics, rum and coke, and whatever else will make you bright eyed and bushy tailed this fine Texas morning." I must say that I was persuaded to purchase about three cocktails over the two days aboard the train that I didn't realize I wanted until he made his announcements!

 

[fairviewroad]

Hmmm...so either there are too many announcements and the volume is loud and non-adjustable, or there is no sound in the rooms and the announcements in the corridor are hard to hear. I guess I will find out which of these applies to us.

Additionally, your sleeping car attendant will either be the paragon of helpfulness, or a shiftless lazy bum. And, your dining car meals will either be marked

by great service and tasty entrees, or useless servers and disgusting warmed-over food. Your train will either be on time or hours and hours late. Etc.

Yes, there are SO many things on Amtrak where you can use the phrase "I guess I will find out which of these applies to us". :giggle: :wacko:

 

[lthanlon]

My favorite announcements were by a dutiful SCA who took great pains to explain how to use the toilets. Lay down some toilet paper in the bowl first, have your bowel movement, flush -- and then, please, do a "courtesy flush" before leaving the lavatory. He also managed to pronounce "bowel" with three syllables when he spoke about "bah-ow-el movements."

 

[tonys96]

My favorite announcements were by a dutiful SCA who took great pains to explain how to use the toilets. Lay down some toilet paper in the bowl first, have your bowel movement, flush -- and then, please, do a "courtesy flush" before leaving the lavatory. He also managed to pronounce "bowel" with three syllables when he spoke about "bah-ow-el movements."

:giggle: