playing cards in the dining car after hours?

[Kelley]

Just wondering about something...My husband and another couple are joining us on the Southwest Chief soon. We are staying in roomettes.

My question is :will we be allowed to go to the dining car (after closing for dinner, of course) and use one of the booths to play board games or cards together? Is that allowed?

I know that our train is completely sold out and (from experience) I know the Boy Scouts take up the snack bar/ observation car area totally.

What do you think? Any advise is appreciated...thanks!

 

[JeffW]

I doubt this would be a problem. In the past, I have sat in the dining car in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep, and there wasn't any problem. I would guess that you are fine.

Besides, the tables in the diner probably work better for cards than the lounge would...

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

The Conductor(s) usually hangs out in the Diner after hours and I would imagine in most cases wouldn't mind, especially considering you are simply seeking sanctuary from the Boy Scouts. When I was on the Chief last July and quickly fled the Lounge first night to escape the Boy Scouts, the Conductor flagged me down as I passed through the Diner and we visited for about half hour.

 

[TVRM610]

I've never seen the dining car open for passengers to "lounge" in. I'm sure this is mainly due to the fact that there is hardly any real downtime in the diner. In between meals there is still plenty of work that has to be done, and things are most likely "pre-set" to some extent for the following serving.

That being said.. if you were really determined, ask the LSA and/or Conductor, maybe they will let you.

 

[TVRM610]

Besides, the tables in the diner probably work better for cards than the lounge would...

Umm.. the tables are the same are they not?

 

[Pat Harper]

I know that our train is completely sold out and (from experience) I know the Boy Scouts take up the snack bar/ observation car area totally.

What do you think? Any advise is appreciated...thanks!

How do you know there will be Boy Scouts aboard until you're there? If you plan your trip after school starts and go during the week, they won't be on the train.

 

[AlanB]

Most dining car staffs leave the tables at night set for breakfast in the morning and therefore would not be too appreciative of passengers taking over a table and undoing that work.

Also keep in mind that "after dinner" on a full train probably means that the crew doesn't get finished cleaning up after the last diners until close to 11 PM.

 

[cirdan]

I doubt this would be a problem. In the past, I have sat in the dining car in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep, and there wasn't any problem. I would guess that you are fine.

Besides, the tables in the diner probably work better for cards than the lounge would...

An alternative would be the bar car, which is in the lower part of the lounge. There are also tables there and after hours nobody tends to go there so you'll be pretty undisturbed.

Staff often remain in the dining car after hours to do their accounts and paperwork and also to discuss work-related stuff and they may not be happy about eavesdroppers.

 

[had8ley]

Most dining car staffs leave the tables at night set for breakfast in the morning and therefore would not be too appreciative of passengers taking over a table and undoing that work.

Also keep in mind that "after dinner" on a full train probably means that the crew doesn't get finished cleaning up after the last diners until close to 11 PM.

Correctomundo...and IIRC the LSA can, and will, invite you to leave his/her car at their disgression. The diner is just that; a place to eat.I've seen it both ways but when the tables are set up for breakfast, with table cloths, I doubt you'll be welcome with open arms.

 

[user 1215]

I was actually quite upset on the Texas Eagle last month when I was told to leave the lower level of the lounge car because it was closed. I have never been kicked out of there before. He then proceeded to block the stairwell with a trash box.

I am sure he didnt want to deal with folks sleeping in there, but give me a break. Folks sleep upstairs, too. There are posted cafe hours, but I cant believe restricting access any more than the lounge itself is useful.

OP makes a valid point. If you are on a train with a lounge car that has no tables (full sightseeing setup) why not be allowed access to a table?

They may have quiet hours, but its a 24 hour train. They can't make you sleep.

 

[nferr]

I've never seen them allow the dining car to be utilized as a lounge. Like somebody said the tables are usually somewhat set up for breakfast after dinner is done. There's uaually tables available in the sightseer lounge car.

 

[had8ley]

I was actually quite upset on the Texas Eagle last month when I was told to leave the lower level of the lounge car because it was closed. I have never been kicked out of there before. He then proceeded to block the stairwell with a trash box.

I am sure he didnt want to deal with folks sleeping in there, but give me a break. Folks sleep upstairs, too. There are posted cafe hours, but I cant believe restricting access any more than the lounge itself is useful.

OP makes a valid point. If you are on a train with a lounge car that has no tables (full sightseeing setup) why not be allowed access to a table?

They may have quiet hours, but its a 24 hour train. They can't make you sleep.

You make a valid point from a pax view but...there are thieves in the world and sometimes an LSA will check his inventory and can't watch all that is going on behind his/her back.It's not a slap in the face to you personally. The LSA has to make up for any short falls in inventory on pay day...and there are intermediate points (not many) where inventory can be ordered ahead of time. In order to get an accurate count, and not have boxes and boxes left over, the LSA has to check just what he/she needs to re-supply.

 

[Ryan]

I know that our train is completely sold out and (from experience) I know the Boy Scouts take up the snack bar/ observation car area totally.

What do you think? Any advise is appreciated...thanks!

How do you know there will be Boy Scouts aboard until you're there? If you plan your trip after school starts and go during the week, they won't be on the train.

Because they travel to and from Philmont on a constant basis during the summertime?

 

[user 1215]

I was actually quite upset on the Texas Eagle last month when I was told to leave the lower level of the lounge car because it was closed. I have never been kicked out of there before. He then proceeded to block the stairwell with a trash box.

I am sure he didnt want to deal with folks sleeping in there, but give me a break. Folks sleep upstairs, too. There are posted cafe hours, but I cant believe restricting access any more than the lounge itself is useful.

OP makes a valid point. If you are on a train with a lounge car that has no tables (full sightseeing setup) why not be allowed access to a table?

They may have quiet hours, but its a 24 hour train. They can't make you sleep.

You make a valid point from a pax view but...there are thieves in the world and sometimes an LSA will check his inventory and can't watch all that is going on behind his/her back.It's not a slap in the face to you personally. The LSA has to make up for any short falls in inventory on pay day...and there are intermediate points (not many) where inventory can be ordered ahead of time. In order to get an accurate count, and not have boxes and boxes left over, the LSA has to check just what he/she needs to re-supply.

But it wasn't the LSA who kicked people out, it was the conductor (perhaps on LSA's request). There seem to be plenty of padlocks on the door and storage compartments. I'm sure that a periodic check from the conductor and vigilant passengers [playing cards?] would mitigate against hoodlums. On the other hand, a paper trash box won't deter said hoodlums.

 

[ehbowen]

It never hurts to ask. My sister's kids love playing cards and dominoes, as do their parents. When we took our big trip from Houston to L.A. and back in 2006, there was no sightseer lounge on the train...just a diner and a snack coach. We asked the diner steward if there was a place where we could sit down and play. He said that they weren't planning to seat people in the last couple of booths (due to short staffing), and we were welcome to sit there as long as we didn't disturb the diners during meal hours.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Personally I wish they would turn the lights out at night in the top level of the SSL for folks who want to sleep and for folks who want to see the night roll by without staring at a reflection of themselves. In that case they could keep the bottom level open and well lit for folks who want to stay up and play cards or whatever. Wouldn't cost Amtrak a penny and would make me much happier during coach trips.

 

[fairviewroad]

Personally I wish they would turn the lights out at night in the top level of the SSL for folks who want to sleep and for folks who want to see the night roll by without staring at a reflection of themselves. In that case they could keep the bottom level open and well lit for folks who want to stay up and play cards or whatever. Wouldn't cost Amtrak a penny and would make me much happier during coach trips.

Uh.....no. If you want to sleep, get a sleeper compartment or take your chances in coach. The SSL is NOT a hotel room (and indeed most conductors will hassle people who try

to make it one). It is obnoxious to come into the SSL and be greeted by people with their stinky feet on the seats, or to have to step over their legs as they sprawl out into the aisle.

Personally, if someone wants to stay up late playing cards or whatever, the SSL is the perfect place for them to be....not back in coach making a racket.

 

[had8ley]

I was actually quite upset on the Texas Eagle last month when I was told to leave the lower level of the lounge car because it was closed. I have never been kicked out of there before. He then proceeded to block the stairwell with a trash box.

I am sure he didnt want to deal with folks sleeping in there, but give me a break. Folks sleep upstairs, too. There are posted cafe hours, but I cant believe restricting access any more than the lounge itself is useful.

OP makes a valid point. If you are on a train with a lounge car that has no tables (full sightseeing setup) why not be allowed access to a table?

They may have quiet hours, but its a 24 hour train. They can't make you sleep.

You make a valid point from a pax view but...there are thieves in the world and sometimes an LSA will check his inventory and can't watch all that is going on behind his/her back.It's not a slap in the face to you personally. The LSA has to make up for any short falls in inventory on pay day...and there are intermediate points (not many) where inventory can be ordered ahead of time. In order to get an accurate count, and not have boxes and boxes left over, the LSA has to check just what he/she needs to re-supply.

But it wasn't the LSA who kicked people out, it was the conductor (perhaps on LSA's request). There seem to be plenty of padlocks on the door and storage compartments. I'm sure that a periodic check from the conductor and vigilant passengers [playing cards?] would mitigate against hoodlums. On the other hand, a paper trash box won't deter said hoodlums.

Let me tell you a story that might make a difference. We were on the Crescent (# 19) just south of Tuscaloosa and the train line broke on the baggage car. The sleepers were on the head end and the conductor asked the lounge car LSA if he could help unload 168 pieces of luggage from the baggage car to the sleepers. Being a good Amtrak employee he agreed and left his post. Within 5 minutes people were helping themselves to whatever they wanted; and that included his tip jar. I stood behind the counter and told everyone it was off limits to EVERYONE. Sure, I got booed and hissed but the LSA went home with a pay check on pay day. I can't pay for anything every time I catch him but I try to re-fill his tip jar that disappeared while he was working to get our train moving again. (The conductor and A/C drug the baggage car to a feed mill down line and set it out.)

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Personally I wish they would turn the lights out at night in the top level of the SSL for folks who want to sleep and for folks who want to see the night roll by without staring at a reflection of themselves. In that case they could keep the bottom level open and well lit for folks who want to stay up and play cards or whatever. Wouldn't cost Amtrak a penny and would make me much happier during coach trips.

Uh.....no. If you want to sleep, get a sleeper compartment or take your chances in coach. The SSL is NOT a hotel room (and indeed most conductors will hassle people who try

to make it one). It is obnoxious to come into the SSL and be greeted by people with their stinky feet on the seats, or to have to step over their legs as they sprawl out into the aisle. Personally, if someone wants to stay up late playing cards or whatever, the SSL is the perfect place for them to be....not back in coach making a racket.

I'm curious about something. How does your stated view account for trains that have no sleeper compartments left weeks before departure? Is everyone supposed to just know their future schedule months in advance so they can snag the last available bedroom? How does your view account for suddenly getting bumped from a sleeper booked months out to a coach seat mid-trip with no shower and not even so much as an armrest between you and the enormous gluttonous slob in the next seat? Let's say a coach passenger doesn't want to offend your senses with his or her stinky feet. How exactly do you envision them cleaning said feet? Dozens if not hundreds of posts on AU have referred to Amtrak as a hotel replacement when it comes to pricing. The SSL may be the only place a single coach passenger who originally purchased a private sleeper compartment can avoid sleeping with a complete stranger. Yes, it would be ideal for Amtrak to include enough sleepers so that everyone who wants one gets one. It would also be ideal for Amtrak to provide single travelers with some way of sleeping alone instead of cuddling up to their stinky neighbor. It would also be ideal for everyone to have the opportunity to remain clean and healthy. But Amtrak simply doesn't work that way and probably never will. As such we make do with what we have available to us.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

If you are a coach ticketed passenger, then the only seat you paid to use, is a seat in the coach car. For your lower fare (lower than a sleeper accommodation fare), you do indeed have to share the coach car with other coach ticketed passengers, and that certainly may include the seat right next to yours.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

If you are a coach ticketed passenger, then the only seat you paid to use, is a seat in the coach car. For your lower fare (lower than a sleeper accommodation fare), you do indeed have to share the coach car with other coach ticketed passengers, and that certainly may include the seat right next to yours.

I wonder if you realize that a higher bucket coach seat can cost as much as a lower bucket roomette on the segments I ride. Or if you realize that you can be ticketed in a sleeper and end up in a coach seat anyway through no fault of your own. Or why you think it's no big deal for Amtrak to provide absolutely nothing to separate single travelers from the stranger sleeping next to them. Maybe people who never sleep in coach have no concept of what it's like. *shrug*

 

[fairviewroad]

Personally I wish they would turn the lights out at night in the top level of the SSL for folks who want to sleep and for folks who want to see the night roll by without staring at a reflection of themselves. In that case they could keep the bottom level open and well lit for folks who want to stay up and play cards or whatever. Wouldn't cost Amtrak a penny and would make me much happier during coach trips.

Uh.....no. If you want to sleep, get a sleeper compartment or take your chances in coach. The SSL is NOT a hotel room (and indeed most conductors will hassle people who try

to make it one). It is obnoxious to come into the SSL and be greeted by people with their stinky feet on the seats, or to have to step over their legs as they sprawl out into the aisle. Personally, if someone wants to stay up late playing cards or whatever, the SSL is the perfect place for them to be....not back in coach making a racket.

I'm curious about something. How does your stated view account for trains that have no sleeper compartments left weeks before departure? Is everyone supposed to just know their future schedule months in advance so they can snag the last available bedroom? How does your view account for suddenly getting bumped from a sleeper booked months out to a coach seat mid-trip with no shower and not even so much as an armrest between you and the enormous gluttonous slob in the next seat? Let's say a coach passenger doesn't want to offend your senses with his or her stinky feet. How exactly do you envision them cleaning said feet? Dozens if not hundreds of posts on AU have referred to Amtrak as a hotel replacement when it comes to pricing. The SSL may be the only place a single coach passenger who originally purchased a private sleeper compartment can avoid sleeping with a complete stranger. Yes, it would be ideal for Amtrak to include enough sleepers so that everyone who wants one gets one. It would also be ideal for Amtrak to provide single travelers with some way of sleeping alone instead of cuddling up to their stinky neighbor. It would also be ideal for everyone to have the opportunity to remain clean and healthy. But Amtrak simply doesn't work that way and probably never will. As such we make do with what we have available to us.

First of all...it's not specifically "my view" that sleeping is not appropriate in the SSL. It is apparently Amtrak policy...leastways I've seen it enforced many, many times by conductors. I've seen a conductor threaten to kick someone off the EB for continuing to sleep in the SSL despite repeated warnings. As for your other questions, it sounds as though you had a specific bad experience on Amtrak and thus want some sort of personal exception to Amtrak's policy against using the SSL as a hotel room. I don't envy you that bad experience, and I'm sure you approached Amtrak about appropriate compensation for the downgrade (and hopefully received it). But that's not a typical situation. Generally I'd wager that people sprawled out in the SSL are coach pax who simply wanted more room to stretch out.