sandals?

[Bob Dylan]

When I travel I take Three kinds of Footware: Rebok Sneakers and Sport Sandals and Flip Flops for the Shower! I usually mostly wear the Sport Sandals on the Train and where the Weather is Warm! Works for me!

 

[Tom]

For onboard employees, there are strict definitions for suitable shoe. They must be leather (I.E., not fabric); they must have a solid, enclosed toe; they must have something that secures them on the foot (laces, straps & buckles; Velcro; etc.), and they must have a definite heel, rather than having a flat bottom surface. However, in my 20+ years with Amtrak, I have never heard a definition of passengers' shoes. It has always been understood that bare feet or socks alone are not shoes, and we have always told passengers gently but firmly that they would have to wear shoes whenever they are away from their seats or sleeper accommodations. We wince when we see sandals, flip-flops, or soft shoes, but we can't really tell the passenger that he or she is violating a rule. I would try to gently suggest they be careful & hope they get the message.

 

[roomette]

For onboard employees, there are strict definitions for suitable shoe. They must be leather (I.E., not fabric); they must have a solid, enclosed toe; they must have something that secures them on the foot (laces, straps & buckles; Velcro; etc.), and they must have a definite heel, rather than having a flat bottom surface. However, in my 20+ years with Amtrak, I have never heard a definition of passengers' shoes. It has always been understood that bare feet or socks alone are not shoes, and we have always told passengers gently but firmly that they would have to wear shoes whenever they are away from their seats or sleeper accommodations. We wince when we see sandals, flip-flops, or soft shoes, but we can't really tell the passenger that he or she is violating a rule. I would try to gently suggest they be careful & hope they get the message.

Hey, Twenty Years with Amtrak Tom!

In all those 20 years ever see anyone loose a toe between cars as a result of unsuitable footwear?

Thanks!

 

[Alexandria Nick]

The Asiana crash was an extreme outlier. Of all the hull loss incidents I can think of in the last 15 years in the US (12), I can think of three that had survivors (Comair in Lexington, US Airways in NYC, and Asiana in SFO) and two that had more than one or two survivors (one survivor in the Comair one).

That's hull loss incidents in the United States. There are other incidents that involve evacuations that didn't result in hull losses, or involve flights that start here and crash elsewhere, for which I'd like to be

wearing proper shoes.

Examples: Continental Flight 1404, American Airlines 331, those Southwest flights that lost cabin pressure, etc.

Well...yeah that's US because I don't (can't) keep track of the rest of the world in my head. I'[d wager "crash" in most people's minds means "airliner destroyed." That's why I went with hull loss.

Also, I'm pretty sure that SWA one that lost some of its floor out the hole is still in service!

I don't worry too much about evacuating in flip flops or whatever. I mean, I'm not even wearing socks now and ten seconds from now I might have to run out of a burning apartment building. Who knows what the neighbors are up to!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Well, crash seems to be anything that is not a normal landing. It bothers me that they referred to the plane "landing" on the Hudson as a crash. I think of it as a perfect landing on an unusual surface & one that pilots are trained for, not a crash.

 

[FormerOBS]

Have I ever seen anybody lose a toe? No, but I've seen close calls and I will GUARANTEE you that it is possible. The worst offenders are children. No, strike that. The worst offenders are their parents who allow them to go barefoot or, in many cases, wander about the train without supervision. Would anybody in his/her right mind take their little kid to Chicago and let him wander? Small feet with little toes would be highly vulnerable. A couple years ago a family of 3 entered our dining car. They paused at the door to be directed to a table, and their cute little daughter (maybe 3 years old) proceeded to bend down and move her hand towards the area where the buffer plates come together. I saw it and shouted to stop her. It upset decorum in the diner, but the little girl eventually got off the train with her hand intact.

 

[FormerOBS]

My first post was under the name "Tom", in case there's confusion. As I said, I'm new at this

 

[Phil S]

Wow. I said what I had to say last August. A lot of water under the bridge since then.

Unfortunately I can't wear street shoes. Something to do with sural nerve. I do have a pair of climbing boots that I can still wear. Maybe I'll bring them along next trip. Then again maybe not.

I was impressed walking one day behind a conductor (wearing, presumably, steel toed shoes) as he concienciously grabbed the hand bar on the next car before stepping across. Takes NO extra time and can't possibly hurt. Seems like a much more effective precaution than worrying about what kind of shoes you wear.

But that's just MHO. .