Passenger Trains > In the Lounge....what would you like to see??????

Hello all,
Ya I know dont even say it....I just love seeing everyones opinions.....from the totally outrageous to the most simple....toast, I mean really, so simple, but so essential....hell ya I want toast with breakfast and dinner...oh and I want some soup!
So anyways here goes...
What would you guys/gals like to see in the lounge car? A redesign? This again can be "fantasy" but lets not get to the marlboro "hot tub" type of stuff...
Love seeing your responses and comments!!!
Thanks in advance!!!
TheHammer
Mark

Cleaner windows and wider seats.

Sofas,real lounge chairs,nice carpet.A lounge like in the old days or like anyone would invision a "lounge".
Not the tables and booths that are in them now,as well as diners.Amtrash does not have any "lounge" cars.
While I am at it,bring back chairs in the diner.One size booth is not "one size fits all".

Uncle Joe

Passengers that don't think that they get two seats for the price of one.

Conductors that set up "office' in the cabin that was specifically built for them in the Amfleet Dinette-Lounge, not sprawled out on 4 chairs and a table.

Convert half the car to conventional lounge seats with end tables like the upper level of the Superliner Sightseers.

remove half the tables from the upper level of the lounges get rid of inbev products (bud, bud light) replace with pabst products

I'd like to see slob passengers pick up their trash! As for the attendants actually doing some cleaning....

korotaj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'd like to see slob passengers pick up their
> trash! As for the attendants actually doing some
> cleaning....

I would also agree that it would be nice to get rid of the "slobiness" that often can be found in the Superliner Sightseer Lounge - even in the case of a smell. But a descent Superliner Sightseer Lounge car with comfortable seats (where the padding is not going to wear out quickly) along with not having cardboard trash cans would make one big difference. I am not sure if I would go with single seats or double seats for the lounge. Get ride of anything that has something more than seating for two. If I recall correcty, there are "built in" trash cans that Amtrak has gotten too lazy to use. By using the "built-in" trash can - they'd be more on the "greener" touch.

Amtrak should just take the tables out of the upper level of the lounge. Sorry, but they take up too much window space in the scheme of things (i.e. the tables "hide" the lower part of the window). Want table space -head to your sleeping car room, use the downstairs lounge area, or something else. I find the tables add to the "slobiness" - people not picking up after themselves. These tables can often get disgusting on the upper level - kids climbing on top of them and all. The LSA should also do a cleanup of this car periodically (coming off of breaks etc.). I've encountered this a few times recently and thought it to be a good thing.

I realize Amtrak doesn't have the money - but use or lose the upstairs bar area or convert it into something that can be more versatile, rather than static and is never used for intended purpose. It would be great to have it staffed, but again, that's another position that would have to be filled.

And applying some sort of blue paint over the brown pastic just is not working. I think Amtrak is replacing this with a "white plastic" that fits on and is not "painted on" or put on like contact paper. On many lounges the blue paint is pealing and you are left with remnants of the brown peeking through.

But all this is minor - descent seating is the most important. I did like the new smaller "banquette tables" (as I think they are called) that are inserted in between the single or double lounge seating. That's a nice touch for putting a drink within easy reach etc.

The Superliner Sightseer Lounge is the only descent lounge car Amtrak has. And frankly, that's not saying much. But Amtrak should look to make these cars better and more appealing - at all times. Periodic review etc.

A separate lounge car for sleeping car passengers.

Second that on a sleeping car lounge. It makes such a difference on the Coast Starlight and Canadian. On that train, if you take a walk up to the Skyline (coach lounge) the difference in cleanliness alone is readily apparent. Some of Amtrak's clientele in coach look like they stepped right out of prison and at times act like it too. Also, ban cell phones from the lounge. Go to your room or vestibule instead of bothering everyone else with your endless conversations.

Nix the diner-lounge.

Make them quieter. Just about everything in them is a hard surface and nothing absorbs the sound. When they used to show movies you couldn't hear them for the noise in the car. Some of it was people talking but a lot was road noise.

John

Lobster Rolls in the Downeaster,

Straub beer in the Pennsylvanian,

Oregon & Washington wines in the Cascades, and

if service is ever restored to Las Vegas, Frank Sinatra music piped into the lounge.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/09 20:42 by RuleG.

I don't smoke, but .... should we bring back a separate lounge for smokers?

No, not worth the tonnage, they ruin the HVAC systems, and contaminate all Amtrak employees who work there.