Yes I am weak and have not been able to kick the habit. How does the smoking work on the trains where a part of the lounge is used for smoking and as the time table says, the crew will announce times when the lounge is all non-smoking? Is it closed to smoking for a substantial part of the day? Is it open at 3AM?
I am aware from experience of the superliner policy but not the viewliner.
Thanks,
Jon
Posted by CoastStarlight99 (Member # 2734) on :
It 100% depends on what route your on....Some have a small smoking area...And others are 100% no smoking..But you can smoke on the platforms at stops. What train are you going on? Superliner/Viewliner does not matter I think..Coaststarlight has NO smoking but SOuthwest cheif does and its a superliner.
Anton
Posted by ShaLeah (Member # 2856) on :
It's also important to know that smoking on the platform is entirely dependant on two things: - That you are on time or early and have to wait for the time to leave. All amtrak schedules include "padding" (extra time allowed that essentially is there for 'just in case scenarios'), if you fall out of that padded time, the likelyhood that you will be allowed to step off and smoke is small.
- That the conductor allows it.
Be aware that there is a very big movement through Amtrak to ban smoking on -all- trains so those smoking lounges may not be available in the next few years.
Posted by rmiller (Member # 341) on :
I think Amtrak discontinued the practice of allowing smoking at certain times in lounge cars NOT equipped with a separate, enclosed smoking area. My own observation is that it never worked very well and people were always dissatisfied. Smokers complained when they couldn't smoke and non-smokers complained when they were in the lounge during or after smoking periods.
Posted by Amtrak207 (Member # 1307) on :
This applies to single-level trains of the east. Other trains (Superliners, short distance, etc.) follow different policies. Amtrak realized it could not equip every long distance train with an overhauled Amfleet II lounge with an inclusive smoking section. So, instead of equipping half of the trains with lounges half of the time, certain trains became platform-smokers and certain trains got the equipment. The Lakeshore Limited became a platform-smoker-only train. This means you get a lounge with carpet on the walls and no smoking compartment. I do not believe any of these cars are going to be converted in the near future unless Amtrak receives full funding (this is where the cuts are) and another one got knocked out of service (28000) in the May 6 derailment. That one was nicely jacknifed, so don't plan on seeing it soon unless Amtrak receives full funding (sound familiar?) Current federal regulations prohibit smoking in an enclosed space without entirely separate ventilation and the like. As for where these cars have gone, I'll assume it's on the Silver Service trains, which use single level equipment. (Where's that timetable...? there it is.) Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Palmetto: all smoker-friendlier trains. There's your answer. These trains have lounge cars with a separate smoking compartment. From my experience, these compartments work incredibly well, as long as nobodoy is blocking the door open. This also means when they light up the wacky weed on the platform up north, the conductor smells it and their trip on the rails ends there.