Comments on: Museums, Train Territory and Oil in Chicago http://dangerousintersection.org/2007/01/07/museums-train-territory-and-oil-in-chicago/ Human Animals at the Crossroads of Culture, Science, Religion and Media Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:08:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: grumpypilgrim http://dangerousintersection.org/2007/01/07/museums-train-territory-and-oil-in-chicago/comment-page-1/#comment-9421 grumpypilgrim Tue, 09 Jan 2007 03:26:03 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=903#comment-9421 As Erich points out, his experience was an example of selection bias: passengers who initially had the nerve to try to occupy two seats might be expected to not want to give them up. By contacting only such people, Erich was almost assured of having a consistently negative experience. As Erich points out, his experience was an example of selection bias: passengers who initially had the nerve to try to occupy two seats might be expected to not want to give them up. By contacting only such people, Erich was almost assured of having a consistently negative experience.

]]> By: Deb http://dangerousintersection.org/2007/01/07/museums-train-territory-and-oil-in-chicago/comment-page-1/#comment-9420 Deb Mon, 08 Jan 2007 23:53:04 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=903#comment-9420 Please report your problems to Amtrak. I am a frequent Amtrak traveler, I use the train rather than flying whenever I have a real choice (i.e. time and sometimes the additional expense). I have seen exactly what you describe, single people taking up more than one seat, and the conductor needs to know about it so he/she can (hopefully) address the problem. Please report your problems to Amtrak. I am a frequent Amtrak traveler, I use the train rather than flying whenever I have a real choice (i.e. time and sometimes the additional expense). I have seen exactly what you describe, single people taking up more than one seat, and the conductor needs to know about it so he/she can (hopefully) address the problem.

]]> By: Erich Vieth http://dangerousintersection.org/2007/01/07/museums-train-territory-and-oil-in-chicago/comment-page-1/#comment-9413 Erich Vieth Mon, 08 Jan 2007 17:15:19 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=903#comment-9413 Lest I give the wrong impression about Amtrack . . . We would happily use Amtrack again. The ride itself was easy and convenient. The people working on the train were pleasant--there just weren't any of them around when we were trying to find seats. We had no problem finding seats on the trip from StL to Chicago four days earlier. Nor do I want to suggest that most Amtrack passengers are rude. It's just the opposite. Most of the people we met on both legs of our train trip were courteous and pleasant. As I was looking for seats (on the trip back to St. Louis), though, I was picking on people who had tried to occupy two seats--a skewed and narrow subset of all Amtrack passengers. Lest I give the wrong impression about Amtrack . . .

We would happily use Amtrack again. The ride itself was easy and convenient. The people working on the train were pleasant–there just weren’t any of them around when we were trying to find seats.

We had no problem finding seats on the trip from StL to Chicago four days earlier.

Nor do I want to suggest that most Amtrack passengers are rude. It’s just the opposite. Most of the people we met on both legs of our train trip were courteous and pleasant. As I was looking for seats (on the trip back to St. Louis), though, I was picking on people who had tried to occupy two seats–a skewed and narrow subset of all Amtrack passengers.

]]> By: Dan Klarmann http://dangerousintersection.org/2007/01/07/museums-train-territory-and-oil-in-chicago/comment-page-1/#comment-9407 Dan Klarmann Mon, 08 Jan 2007 15:33:53 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=903#comment-9407 Robert A. Heinlein declares in some of his books that the first (and most telling) symptom of a civilization in a death spiral is the erosion of common courtesy. Robert A. Heinlein declares in some of his books that the first (and most telling) symptom of a civilization in a death spiral is the erosion of common courtesy.

]]> By: Phillip S. http://dangerousintersection.org/2007/01/07/museums-train-territory-and-oil-in-chicago/comment-page-1/#comment-9400 Phillip S. Mon, 08 Jan 2007 05:53:57 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=903#comment-9400 Just a note about Amtrak travel: I'm a conductor, and while I'll grant that Chicago-based crews have a reputation for indifference, there are still company policies in regard to seating. If a single passenger will not move to allow a group (especially a family with minor children) to sit together, and particularly if one is occupying two seats, the Conductors are allowed (IF you request it) to force the single occupants to move, or risk removal from the train. Hold that over the head of the next person who challenges your right to sit next to your kids. Just a note about Amtrak travel: I’m a conductor, and while I’ll grant that Chicago-based crews have a reputation for indifference, there are still company policies in regard to seating. If a single passenger will not move to allow a group (especially a family with minor children) to sit together, and particularly if one is occupying two seats, the Conductors are allowed (IF you request it) to force the single occupants to move, or risk removal from the train. Hold that over the head of the next person who challenges your right to sit next to your kids.

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