I Just Want Trains to be the Best Version of Themselves so Everyone Will Love Them as Much as I Do
Is the Idea of the Train Nicer than the Train?
Yes… why yes it is
I am devastated to say but the idea of the train is nicer than the train itself (at least in the United States).
But in my head, taking the train is so unbelievably spectacular and swoony and scenic and dreamy that even though the reality of the train as I’m on it is ALWAYS disappointing, it’s still pretty fantastic.
There is no WAY any train in the United States will ever be able to be able to match my expectations and hopes.
And I’m not JUST trying some of those psy ops tricks to get them to try to impress me.
I certainly wouldn’t mind being impressed and surprised.
What’s with All the Sporadic Seating Enforcement?
One thing I don’t get on Amtrak is the ridiculous RULES that they don’t have — or enforce — across the board or across all trains.
It seems like some crew member just had a bad review or a bad date or something and so decides that they’re going to be rude to everyone on the train and make the experience as unpleasant and kindergarten-feeling as possible. But just sometimes, on some routes.
Step Back, I’m Taking a HARD STAND
You should be able to sit wherever you want in the coach section.
You just should. They have this system where they ask you your destination when you board and you have to sit with people departing at the same time.
Okay, I get that. Helps prevent stowawayism (bet you haven’t seen THAT word around much of your other reading today!). And to make sure people don’t miss their stops.
But some of the conductors (not sure of their role /rank, etc) seem to relish having some position of authority. And as though they need to wield as much power as possible before they get off the train and into a part of their lives where they don’t have the same control.
Presumptive? Of course.
I Just Want to Sit by the Window!
So I get on the train at Philly, for the second part of my trip.
They ask where I’m going and I tell them “Greenville, South Carolina” so they write a number on a piece of paper and tell me to look for that seat.
The seat I’m randomly assigned at the station before getting on to the train is not tied to my name — just my location.
Poets and Artists, I Got an Aisle Seat!
Yeah, it’s an aisle seat.
I keep getting thrown into these shitty aisle seats lately. I want to look out the window and take pictures and write.
But now they won’t let you move. Well sometimes they will but it’s impossible to know in advance if you’re going to be on a train directed by someone in a good mood who wants people to enjoy the ride or like today’s charmer who was giddy about demanding that everyone stay in these randomly assigned seats — even if there are empty seats that are in the same destination area.
If they’re going to make assigned seats a thing on Amtrak, I’d like to choose my seat before I’m thrown into some seat that I can’t move from for 15 hours.
Either they have assigned seats or they don’t. As it says on the Amtrak website, “Unless specific seats are assigned, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis”
I Just Want Trains to be the Best Version of Themselves so Everyone Will Love Them as Much as I Do
No more arbitrary mood-based seating!
If I buy a ticket to spend a significant time on Amtrak, I would like to know if it’s going to be the kind of ride where there’s going to be some grump making up and rudely enforcing their own seating policy, or if that’s something to expect.
I want trains to be phenomenal. I love them so much and know they could be so marvelous and life-changing and world-changing. I’m always trying to woo friends to use the train instead of other modes, whene’er possible but I don’t want to woo friends into an experience that leaves them displeased and thinking about it — or regretting their decision to take the train — for the entire extremely long ride.
I have loved Amtrak my whole life and I just want it to be the best and to keep getting better and better and better.
Do Take the Train?
What do you think? Do you take the train? Would you take the train if smoothing were different?
