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Note especially the final sentence. I will grant that the attire of my former trade has grown ever more casual over the years, but this will make William Randolph Hearst spin in his grave.
MEDIA ADVISORY SENATOR TOM CARPER AND AMTRAK HOST EVENT TO UNVEIL FIRST COACH CAR RETURNED TO SERVICE USING ARRA FUNDS
WASHINGTON, D.C. & WILMINGTON, Del. – On Monday, July 13, at 11:30am at the Amtrak Maintenance Facility in Bear, Del., Senator Tom Carper, Amtrak President & CEO Joseph Boardman and other Delaware elected officials will unveil the first completed passenger rail coach car to be restored and returned to service using funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Amtrak has hired 55 new employees and is spending $58.5 million at the Bear facility to remove from storage and return to service a total of 60 passenger rail cars by February 2011. The repair and rehabilitation work on this first car cost approximately $687,000. It is scheduled to re-join the Amtrak fleet next week. WHO: Senator Tom Carper Joseph Boardman, Amtrak President & CEO Governor Jack Markell Congressman Mike Castle WHAT: News Conference and Tour of Amtrak Maintenance Facility WHERE: Amtrak Bear Maintenance Facility 258 East Scotland Drive Bear, DE WHEN: Monday, July 13, 2009 – 11:30 a.m. Media are invited to tour the completed car and tour the maintenance facility where several other cars are in various stages of repair. Media interested in attending should contact Amtrak Media Relations at (202) 906-3860. Those attending must wear shoes appropriate for a shop environment. Shoes must fully cover feet and have a heel. No flip flops, sandals or athletic shoes permitted.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Possibly Amtrak is concerned about safety (and of course liability) in a shop environment, but when one considers that how President Bush invited the Northwestern University championship women's La Crosse team to a reception at the White House and several members showed up wearing flip flops, that was simply "too much".
Sorry that it even need be addressed - safety concerns notwithstanding, but Amtrak is wise to do so.
disclaimer; author feels "naked' without a sport jacket in a full-service restaurant at Dinner, even be it an Amtrak Diner or Applebees. RRRICH, you have said or inferred here in the past that you hold different views, but I appreciate you (and Jan) "dressed up for me" this past March.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Male reporters with poor fashion judgment might show up in sandals or flip-flops, but I think that unlikely. However, female reporters might be inclined to show up in very attractive shoes with open toes, thin straps, pointy heels, etc.
Posts: 2649 | From: California's Monterey Peninsula | Registered: Dec 2000
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Since my uniform of the day is sandals, shorts and hawaiian shirts guess I wont be getting in.
Posts: 229 | From: Long Beach CA | Registered: Jan 2007
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Nor I, Cubzo. I own two pairs of shoes: a dirty set of New Balances and a clean one. (I don't think GBN would care for me as a table partner in the diner of the Zephyr.)
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Good for you Mr. Norman! Last month I attended a Memorial Service for an elderly aunt that passed away. I wore a dark jacket and blue shirt and fashionable slim tie, trying to strike a balance of respect for a woman who in life had a very upbeat personality, and always dressed perfectly. Some of the other men also wore jackets, or ties, or both on that warm SoCal day.
But wouldn't you know it several men showed up in jeans and untucked golf shirts, some of the women were in capri pants and sandals and t-shirts. They looked and acted like they were just stopping in on their way to Target and Home Depot that weekend afternoon. I was one of the younger guys there, but I just had to stare at these guys and think "Is there anything, ANYTHING, that might get you to take just three extra minutes to prepare for???"
When I die, I'm going to have a dress code for my funeral. If you don't wear a jacket, there's no place in the will. And no flip-flops. I'm only half joking.
And getting back OT, I always bring a sport coat with me on the Coast Starlight. It makes dinner more fun. And when I'm seated with older folks from Australia or Britain or Boise who are also dressed up a bit, we always hit it off and have a wonderful time.
Posts: 56 | From: Orange County, CA | Registered: Jun 2007
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Let's face it, everybody -- life is becoming more and more "casual" all the time. Look at my office -- no one wears a suit and tie to work any more, unless they are going to one of our Board meetings at our HQ, or if they are going to interview for a job with someone else!. My wife and I also went to a funeral a couple weeks ago for an aunt of mine, and I wore a jacket, but was one of the very few guys who were "dressed up." (and this includes all the family members).
At our wedding in 2005, my wife and I were the only ones who were "dressed up." Most of our wedding guests came very very casual - regular pants/skirts, Hawaiian shirts, etc. At another wedding we attended a couple years ago, the bridge & groom got married on the beach, and everyone was told to come CASUAL, so most of us wore shorts and T-shirts.
GBN -- I hope we didn't "offend" you when we met for dinner a couple months ago and I did not have a jacket and tie. To us, anything more than shorts and a T-shirt is "dressed up!"
On trains, I know in the "olden days," gentlemen wore jackets and ties, and ladies wore fancy dresses and hats. But our world is becoming more and more casual all the time.
Look at it this way -- compare the service on the railroads of the 1930's and 1940's as compared to today on AMTRAK -- 1st class service and amenities in the 1930's and 1940's was "luxurious" and called for fancy dress. Service today on AMTRAK is not "luxurious," and therefore does not require fancy dress. In fact, people nowadays no longer even "dress up" on airplanes, cruise ships, or even in Church.
Just be comfortable, Folks!!!
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Up until recently I would always wear a jacket and tie to the diner. Nowadays on Amtrak I still wear a jacket but don't bother with a tie given the ambience of the Amtrak dining experience (i.e. very downmarket.) On the Canadian I wear a jacket and tie for dinner but don't bother for the other meals. When I travel Via 1 during the business day I always wear a jacket and tie, but if it is a non-business day I now remove the tie. My standards certainly have slipped in recent years on trains, but I wouldn't dream of wearing to work anything other then a proper business suit. I notice on the subway to work that I am now very much in the minority when it comes to the traditional "business attire." I agree with Mr. Norman about dining. I always wear a jacket and tie, whether it is my pin-striped suit or just a sports jacket, particularly if the restaurant has linen and silver on the table. The same standard would apply in a private club. If it is just a fast food place, then I guess blue jeans, T-shirt and flip-flops would do.
Posts: 524 | From: Toronto Ont. Canada | Registered: Mar 2001
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quote:Originally posted by RRRICH: GBN -- I hope we didn't "offend" you when we met for dinner a couple months ago and I did not have a jacket and tie. To us, anything more than shorts and a T-shirt is "dressed up!"
quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: RRRICH, you have said or inferred here in the past that you hold different views, but I appreciate you (and Jan) "dressed up for me" this past March.
Hopefully addressed to satisfaction of all.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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I'm in the same school as GBN, feeling more comfortable in coat and tie, but that's not the issue. My problem is do I wear a four-in-hand or bow tie? I prefer the latter, but I'm told it's not serious enough. However, it has its advantages: I was to meet SBALAX, Frank, at King St. Station several years ago. We had not met previously, so I told him I'd be the guy wearing the bow tie; easy to spot! Also, one time I was sitting in the dining car for dinner when a mother and her 10 year old son sat down across the table. The boy asked me if it was a real bow tie, whereupon I untied it and tied it again to his amazement; a great entertainment device!
Posts: 518 | From: Maynard, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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I hope that some social historian is observing this exchange. I am getting the sense that most people who like traveling by rail subscribe to, ah, traditional mores of attire.
At least in the sleepers. The wife-beater undershirts are found more often in coach.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Maybe OT, maybe not. I have a cousin who just posted a picture of himself and his grand-daughter riding Dumbo at Disneyland. He also posted a picture from 1958 of himself and his grandfather riding Dumbo in Disneyland. In the background of the '58 picture, all the men are wearing suits and ties! I hate ties, and am happy that I can dress casual when traveling, but then again that still means pants, shirt and shoes for me. On my last San Joaquin trip, I saw pajamas, slippers, shorts, "bra" tops and more tattoos than I could count. I would gladly dress up a bit more if social rules were to tighten.
Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
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As a geologist, I always get a kick out of "old" (late 19th century-early 20th century) pictures of field geologists out west in the hot dusty desert or the mountains, riding on horseback (or mules)to the outcrops, camping out under the stars, and they are dressed in suits and ties!!!!!!
OK, enough about proper dress codes for rail travel -- let's get back to the trains themselves!!!!
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Related to this is the new equipment we have been waiting for Amtrak to order. Saw this in the NARP July newsletter:
"Amtrak told NARP that it issued an RFI (Request for Interest) to manufacturers.......for single -level overnight trains: 25 Viewliner sleepers to increase capacity, plus 25 diners and 75 baggage/dormitory and baggage cars to replace the 'ancient' cars currently in service."......
"Beyond that, amtrak says it will have a definitive fleet plan by year's end."
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Viewliner style coaches ? ? ? ? so we have something other than the amtubes that were never meant for long distance service? Maybe we could once again have a train in the east that looked coherent from end to end rather that the mix we have now.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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I agree George. It would be nice if food service improved in cafe cars on intercity service that has longer runs with just coaches. A service that is similar to what is now on the City of New Orleans.
Posts: 498 | From: New Hope, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2003
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quote:Originally posted by RR4me: I have a cousin who just posted a picture of himself and his grand-daughter riding Dumbo at Disneyland. He also posted a picture from 1958 of himself and his grandfather riding Dumbo in Disneyland. In the background of the '58 picture, all the men are wearing suits and ties!
I recently got back from a trip to Disney World in Florida. My mother flew out to join me for part of the trip, so I made Mother's Day dinner reservations for the two of us at the replica "Hollywood Brown Derby" at Disney's Hollywood Studios—probably the single nicest and most upscale in-park (not at a resort hotel) restaurant on their property. I encouraged her to dress for the occasion, so she wore a dressy white blouse and skirt. I wore a sport coat, slacks, silk pullover shirt (no tie), and dress shoes. When we got to the restaurant, however, we were (as far as I could see) the only two customers not attired in T-shirts and cutoff jeans. Looking around at the clientele, my mother commented, "Have you ever felt like a pair of brown shoes in a room full of tuxedos?"
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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