by STrRedWolf
west point wrote: ↑Mon Sep 05, 2022 11:18 pm Always have had a problem with looseAmtrak definitions. An extreme example would be a certain segment of a train almostalwayys sold out. That is not 100% but some trying to book thru will get no seats available. and load meter will show 100%.I can agree, things are very loose with definitions. For instance, my trip to Pittsburgh and back on 42/43. Both times (from Philly to Pittsburgh for Independence Day Thursday and returning the following Tuesday) the conductor said "This is a sold out train!" On 42, every seat was packed... until Harrisburg, when it emptied to 50%. Return trip, conductor said the same thing... but it was empty until Harrisburg, when it filled right up. I never had that in normal operations (2019 was abnormal).
I bet in this case, when you're booking it, Amtrak's system is trying to find a seat for the entire length of the trip you specify. It may be sold out Philly to Pittsburgh, but if you're only going Harrisburg/Pittsburgh, it probably wasn't full!