Passenger Trains > Difficulty boarding Amtrak coach

Any other old guys out there have difficulty climbing into an Amtrak coach car?  The conductor did not put out of "step" even though one was just inside the door. There are hand rails on only one side of the entrance.

Superliner Coach, Amfleet/Horizon/Viewliner Coach????   Can you be a bit more specific please?

When I messed up my knee I had the devil's own time getting into the bi level sleeper on the Chief. You're correct: grab handles only on one side. Someone wasn't thinking. An easily rectified blunder, I would think. d

The trainman saw you were having trouble getting on and still couldn't bother to put down the stepbox? Nice.

Don't they have a ramp inside they can toss out ? 

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> Don't they have a ramp inside they can toss out
> ? 

Superliners - yes. It's in by the luggage rack. If one car doesn't have it, another would. All Superliners were, or are, equipped with portable foldable metal ramps (or always have been). The Viewliners, Amfleets, and Horizons - low level platform boarding can be difficult at some stations!!!

It's awful that after all of the money Amtrak has spent to make stations and equipment ADA compliant, accessibility can be thwarted by a careless employee not putting out a simple step box.

Dave

Here's what you do:  As you approach the door you say, "I'm going to need a step box".
Pretty sure that'll do the trick.
SR

#14 was nine minutes late; the conductor clearly wanted to get out of town.  He told everyone else to "hurry up".  I'll be online tomorrow trying to get my refund; it was a round trip ticket.

Nine minutes late is ahead of schedule by Amtrak standards.

Graybeard1942 Wrote:
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> #14 was nine minutes late; the conductor clearly
> wanted to get out of town.  He told everyone else
> to "hurry up".  I'll be online tomorrow trying to
> get my refund; it was a round trip ticket.


“Eyeroll”

Posted from iPhone

BoilingMan Wrote:
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> Here's what you do:  As you approach the door you
> say, "I'm going to need a step box".
> Pretty sure that'll do the trick.
> SR

That's ingenious. I wonder if anyone else has thought of that?

Posted from Android

P Wrote:
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> BoilingMan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Here's what you do:  As you approach the door
> you
> > say, "I'm going to need a step box".
> > Pretty sure that'll do the trick.
> > SR
>
> That's ingenious. I wonder if anyone else has
> thought of that?
>
> Posted from Android


Apparently not the OP who now wants a refund

Posted from iPhone

Spoony81 Wrote:

> > That's ingenious. I wonder if anyone else has
> > thought of that?
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
>
> Apparently not the OP who now wants a refund
>

This is an ADA issue. With the right lawyer he will be riding on Amtrak in a private car with a dozen attendants.

Graybeard1942 Wrote:
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> #14 was nine minutes late; the conductor clearly
> wanted to get out of town.  He told everyone else
> to "hurry up".  I'll be online tomorrow trying to
> get my refund; it was a round trip ticket.

Refund for what?

Posted from Android

TomG Wrote:
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> Spoony81 Wrote:
>
> > > That's ingenious. I wonder if anyone else has
> > > thought of that?
> > >
> > > Posted from Android
> >
> >
> > Apparently not the OP who now wants a refund
> >
>
> This is an ADA issue. With the right lawyer he
> will be riding on Amtrak in a private car with a
> dozen attendants.


And that is why we hate lawyers... did he ask for help? Did the conductor say no? If neither of those happened he has no case.

My issue is with the absence of grab bars on both sides of the door. The car attendant was most helpful, and a great guy throughout, but even with the stool I needed a kick in the rear end. Better now. d

TomG Wrote: (IN PART)
> This is an ADA issue. With the right lawyer he
> will be riding on Amtrak in a private car with a
> dozen attendants.

No, it is not an ADA issue - if the OP had alerted AMTRAK to the need for assistance in boarding, accommodation would have been made - in a form appropriate to the equipment, the platform, etc.:  the aforementioned ramp for superliner cars, a gap plate for single level cars at high level platforms, the special handcranked  "elevator" for single level cars when not at a high level platform.

The same way, if someone does not tell AMTRAK about special needs but finds that there are stairs to the upstairs roomettes which one cannot navigate, that is not an ADA issue.  Adequate accommodation is available if the carrier is notified.

 

Graybeard1942 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> #14 was nine minutes late; the conductor clearly
> wanted to get out of town.  He told everyone else
> to "hurry up".  I'll be online tomorrow trying to
> get my refund; it was a round trip ticket.


¿????????

Posted from Android

dpudave Wrote:
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> My issue is with the absence of grab bars on both
> sides of the door.

These?  Granted it takes a decent wingspan to reach both at once, but they are there.  Plus vertical and horizontal immediately inside the door.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/22 08:59 by MaryMcPherson.

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