Amtrak Seating Discussion: Assigned, First-Come, Reserved, Unreserved, Standees

Have to agree with Mr. Norman here...might as well fill 'em up at this point....those who aren't comfortable aren't buying tickets on Amtrak (or airlines) anyway.

"Fill 'em up" should be easier now with the reduced consists ... although it is nice to see some trains growing in size. Sleepers have been marketed as "private rooms" (a form of first class travel separated from others on the train). Extra coaches ran to allow for physical distancing but now - "fill 'em up".

Back to the topic of the thread reserving seats .. Travel on Amtrak would be better with reservations. Knowing where one would sit. Knowing that if traveling with others you would be seated with them. Back to my comment from two years ago, I'd like to have a seat with a pitch - not a level seat. Tip back the base of the seat so the front is a couple of inches above the back. Seat modifications would cost money. So would a per seat reservation system. Added comfort would go a long way.

At this point the best advertisement for Amtrak vs the airlines are the problems with the airlines. Long TSA lines and airport congestion that close the gap between fast air travel and slow trains. Perhaps some of the people who have had to spend a day or two sleeping in an airport can move over to trains. The tricky part is making the experience better than going through the airport. At least with the mask mandates lifted on planes there is less to fight about.

Since the future seems to be 50% fixed backwards-facing seats, they better provide a way to select a reserved seat.

Agree, Mr. Trainguy.

Brightline offers a seat map that shows the direction of travel. Airlines offer seat maps showing the wings, but lack showing other obstructions. However seatguru shows other obstructions that would be of interest to flightseers - of which I am one of such.

However overseas, you get a seat number - and that's all. Likely Amtrak would be of thought "that's how they do it in Europe; why sh I understand we do more?

While I don't think Amtrak has any train that change direction midway through the trip (instead Amtrak backs trains to a wye), I have been on ICE and other trains in Europe where trains reverse midway through the trip such that a seat that is forward facing from (for example) Munich to Stuttgart, that seat is then rear facing from Stuttgart to Frankfort. This is common wherever an intermediate station does not contain through tracks, but also means that no seat is forward facing through the whole of the trip.

The 600 series Keystone Corridor trains reverse direction at Philadelphia 30th St., and the 700 series Pacific Surfliners do so at Los Angeles. There is a significant exodus and influx of passengers at both stations; has anyone noticed whether through passengers tend to change seats during the station stop rather than stay in the same seat and just ride backwards? (Of course some don't know about the reversal until the train starts moving again.)

There are plans to make LAUS a through station by extending some tracks (compass) southward from the bumping blocks to a junction somewhere south of First Street with the present ex-ATSF line, eliminating the reversal and noticeably reducing transit time. Is that a pipe dream, or a nice-to-have-someday, or does it look like it might happen?

ExCon90 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 12, 2022 9:16 pm The 600 series Keystone Corridor trains reverse direction at Philadelphia 30th St., and the 700
series Pacific Surfliners do so at Los Angeles.

The Star does so in Tampa and the Vermonter also had a reverse move until the recent alignment (2015).

The Pennsylvanian does the same reverse move because of engine swapping at 30th street.

That said, there are some people who have trouble with the backwards-facing seats. I've had many of a folk board at Baltimore wanting to face south so they could handle the ride to DC better on MARC, and I had to say "Yeah, you'll want to face that way" pointing compass North-East. "It goes north and curves south."

No, they don't catch the signs that say "WASHINGTON THIS WAY" on the platform.