Seat Hogs in Sightseer Car

[Pere Flyer]

A lot of train passengers are in the group of people 20 to 40 years old that seem to believe they are owed certain rights and benefits without further justification - the Entitlement Generation.

What "entitlements" do Americans aged 20-40 actually enjoy, exactly? Free or low cost higher level learning? Nope. Guaranteed vacation? Nope. Mandatory sick time? Nope. Pensions? Nope. Profit Sharing? Nope. Job Security? Nope. Social Security? Doubtful. The one thing they almost had, namely better access to lower cost healthcare, is about to be taken from them. The real Entitlement Generation seems to be the narcissistic Baby Boomers who happily took more than any generation before them only to vote against leaving anything for anyone else.

Hear, hear!

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

What is the inventory of SSL? You would need four additional just for the CZ.

Four? I thought it was six sets.

It is. In a given night, two are travelling in each direction and one is parked at both EMY and CHI.

 

[Lonestar648]

My mistake, brain failure, yes the CZ has 6 consists in use, so 6 SSL would be needed if Amtrak started a Sleeper only SSL.

 

[tommylicious]

agree should be time limit on the saves...like 15 minutes max.

 

[leacrane]

Amtrak staff cannot monitor and enforce common courtesy. They can at least have a sensible policy and signage to educate the pax. Like, " we do not have enough seats in this car for all passengers so please only remain here while viewing scenery. Seats cannot be reserved for others or while leaving the car, except, for brief breaks.".. I have zero problems with someone heading to the head as one might say and expecting their seat to still be available. Whomever posted that if you need to use the facilities you've been there long enough must be much younger than I.

 

[fillyjonk]

And as a solo traveler - I'd figure my time in a sightseer seat would end when I needed to use the restroom; I'd have no companion to "save" a seat for me. (And I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving stuff on the seat to "save" it - I lived in too many dorms where I saw, if someone failed to remove their laundry from the washing machine in a timely fashion, it just got dumped on the floor).

 

[AmtrakBlue]

And as a solo traveler - I'd figure my time in a sightseer seat would end when I needed to use the restroom; I'd have no companion to "save" a seat for me. (And I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving stuff on the seat to "save" it - I lived in too many dorms where I saw, if someone failed to remove their laundry from the washing machine in a timely fashion, it just got dumped on the floor).

Get or make a "Will return at xx o'clock" sign to put in your seat when you know you'll just be gone 5-10 mins.

 

[Chessie]

This is what always happens when there are too many people and too little resource.

 

[Carolina Special]

The logical solution is to sell access to the seats. Have a debit/credit card device on the back of each seat which provides seating time in 30 minute intervals. That will encourage seat turnover and provide some more needed revenue for Amtrak.

Problem solved.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

The lounge is not just for sightseeing... It is for reading, talking with friends, playing cards, working on a laptop, etc. All passengers should feel free to enjoy it for as long as they want to.

I don't think seats should be saved... But it's pretty reasonable to hear "my wife is downstairs getting some coffee."

The only time I've seen a real problem finding seats is on the Zephyr going through the Rockies...

 

[ehbowen]

The logical solution is to sell access to the seats. Have a debit/credit card device on the back of each seat which provides seating time in 30 minute intervals. That will encourage seat turnover and provide some more needed revenue for Amtrak.

Problem solved.

Be careful what you ask for....

 

[Bob Dylan]

The logical solution is to sell access to the seats. Have a debit/credit card device on the back of each seat which provides seating time in 30 minute intervals. That will encourage seat turnover and provide some more needed revenue for Amtrak.

Problem solved.

Be careful what you ask for....

Ditto!

 

[chakk]

Someone will quickly figure out how to compromise the scanning device and steal your credit card numbers. Or lock up your smart phone and demand bitcoin to unlock it...

 

[Dakota 400]

And as a solo traveler - I'd figure my time in a sightseer seat would end when I needed to use the restroom; I'd have no companion to "save" a seat for me. (And I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving stuff on the seat to "save" it - I lived in too many dorms where I saw, if someone failed to remove their laundry from the washing machine in a timely fashion, it just got dumped on the floor).

Get or make a "Will return at xx o'clock" sign to put in your seat when you know you'll just be gone 5-10 mins.

An excellent idea! I have done such when dining as a solo in the buffet restaurants on cruise ships if I left my place at the table to obtain something. Such a sign discourages staff from clearing my area and hopefully will be honored by fellow guests.

 

[user 12233]

What is the policy for sleeping in the SL overnight? I have heard that it is allowed during the overnight hours but passengers are woken up prior to sunrise. Is this true?

When we embarked on our Loxton family winter amtrak vacation 2017, earlier this year, i spent many nights sleeping in the sightseer lounge in my sleeping bag.

On most trains, the conductor told me that i could sleep in the lounge providing that i slept out of way between the wall and the seats and not in the aisles. Furthermore, the conductor would usually wake me up at around 6 30 AM and tell me to pack up my sleeping bag as we need every seat in the lounge for morning sightseeing and the breakfast rush.

 

[Lonestar648]

The only issue I had at night in the SSL was, when I have a bad night, I used to walk through the sleepers then to the SSL to sit and watch the sites and the stars, but now there is no place to sit comfortably. I will say that one Conductor asked if I was ok, so after I explained to him why I was up, he invited me to sit in the D.C. The Conductor and the Asst Conductor were there doing paper work and drinking coffee. I did take a seat because he was so nice. So I really don't mind some sleeping in the SSL, but also I feel that there should be some place for someone like me to sit. Maybe some Conductors control many seats are taken, but it seems like people are littered everywhere. In the weird ways many were,I had to believe the coach seat would have been more comfortable. I will say many had their feet into the aisles until a Conductor would walk through, loudly telling people to move or return to their seats. I don't know how clean the floor is to be on, but many were on the floor.