AMTRAK

[Stinger4me]

We rode AMTRAK this weekend to Chicago, The Blue Water. What is it with the seats not being turned? Many of the seats were positioned in such a manner that you say where you were NOT where you were going. Some of the cars were 50/50. I wonder if it takes that much time to accomplish this task. Thanks for the help with this inquiry.

[BL2-1843]

Seats have been that way out of Pontiac/Detroit for years too. Ride it out of Ann Arbor to Chicago and back at least once a year, and its a mad dash to find one facing forward. I can NOT ride backwarks, and would stand up all the way to or back from Chicago before I rode backwards, Makes me ill and dizzy.

[railohio]

The Hiawatha sets are configured like that, too, with half the seats facing in each direction.

[Ypsi]

From what I have head it is part safety issue part Union issue. Obviously if you have people turning the seats all the time someone is bound to get hurt and it will lead to lawsuits and blah blah blah.. The ither part (which I can't 100% confirm) may be a union issue, where conductors are not allowed to swing the seats around, and that the mechanics must do that when the train is at PNT or CHI. I prefer to get a drink or snack and ride in the cafe car myself.

[OwlCaboose2853]

From what I have head it is part safety issue part Union issue. Obviously if you have people turning the seats all the time someone is bound to get hurt and it will lead to lawsuits and blah blah blah.. The ither part (which I can't 100% confirm) may be a union issue, where conductors are not allowed to swing the seats around, and that the mechanics must do that when the train is at PNT or CHI. I prefer to get a drink or snack and ride in the cafe car myself.

Airport coaches have a seat belts...
Amtrak coaches don't have any seat belts!
An adult proof seats like as a childproof seat backward!

[OwlCaboose2853]

From what I have head it is part safety issue part Union issue. Obviously if you have people turning the seats all the time someone is bound to get hurt and it will lead to lawsuits and blah blah blah.. The ither part (which I can't 100% confirm) may be a union issue, where conductors are not allowed to swing the seats around, and that the mechanics must do that when the train is at PNT or CHI. I prefer to get a drink or snack and ride in the cafe car myself.

Airport coaches have a seat belts...
Amtrak coaches don't have any seat belts!
An adult proof seats like as a childproof seat backward!

That's seat backward

[Stinger4me]

Well I have traveled on AMTRAK and VIA rail in Canada. There is no comparison in the quality of the train crews. Perhaps one of two seats are turned and facing each other mostly for a group of four riding together. It does not appear much thought is given to the quality of life for those riding AMTRAK. Last May there were children running up and down the aisles and the crew on that train were endangered species, NEVER SEEN. Parents of those running rivaled boxes of rocks in intelligence. Just my $.02.

[NYCMan]

The simple fact is that Amtrak is run by the Government. No attention to details. A surprising number of people become ill (kind of like seasickness) if they ride backwards. Rather than having to turn every seat on a train, the trainset can be wyed. Amtrak has a wye available at Pontiac, and at Chicago, but apparently does not use them. Which begs the question, then why remove the empty train from the station and run it out to the coach yard, if you do not intend to wye the train or otherwise service it. I know from my periodic experiences riding Amtrak to/from Chicago that the Wolverine equipment does not get cleaned in Chicago, as the lavatories are FILTHY (overflowing trash containers, etc.) when the train departs Chicago. One would THINK that Amtrak would service the train at Chicago because Chicago is a very central terminal point.

Joe Boardman will be leaving Amtrak right around election time. Maybe our new US President will have some business sense and appoint someone with some business sense to be the next Amtrak President, to fix the mess that exists at Amtrak. Amtrak could be so much better than what it is. America deserves better!

[Saturnalia]

How do you expect Amtrak to wye every train in Chicago? It's already a big enough mess for them to deal with.

Gov't run yes, but this isn't exactly the IRS in terms of service.

[hoborich]

Last May there were children running up and down the aisles and the crew on that train were endangered species, NEVER SEEN. Parents of those running rivaled boxes of rocks in intelligence. Just my $.02.

Aaaaarrrggghhhhh!!! I'm having flashbacks and nightmares! I rode Amtrak from Florida to Detroit, many years ago. A bunch of geeked up kids and families got on at Orlando, all overdosed on Mouseland! Kids running around and making noise all the way to DC. Temps below zero. Frozen water lines. Overflowing toilets! No coffee due to frozen water lines. Frozen switches. Severely hypothermic on arrival in Toledo, 6 hours late. Bussed to Detroit. Still having PTSD from it. Help me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GP30M4216]

Most single-level corridor trains in the Midwest and elsewhere run with half the seats facing one way and half the other, since the consists are generally not turned at the end points. I believe Conductors are generally not permitted to rotate seats unless there is a safety reason for doing so - that work is to be done by car crews at each end in case there is a mechanical problem. Long Distance trains, those which run with Superliners, and trains on the Northeast Corridor typically run with all seats facing forward. Interestingly, some seats on Aecla trainsets do not spin.

Most commuter equipment also comes with half facing one way and half the other. I also strongly prefer to be riding facing forward for sea-sick-like reasons, so hopefully everyone with an iphone, laptop or newspaper will face backward and leave a seat or two facing forward for those of us who like to look out the windows.

[railohio]

Plenty of equipment operating outside North America has fixed seating with half facing forward and half facing backward, too.

[trainnut]

If enough people complain to the rail office of MDOT maybe we can get all the seats facing in the direction of travel. Try cody@michigan,gov.

[James Sofonia]

Last time I rode Amtrak from Chicago to Quincy all the seats face forward, and from my hotel room I could see them wye the train for the return in the morning.