Yesterday I took the wife to King St Station in Seattle to board the Empire Builder. After helping carry her belongings on board the train, I lingered on the platform while standing by an Amtrak security guard, to watch the train departure. Shortly before pulling out another Amtrak employee noticed me when locking the the door to the platform. He told me I could not stand outside on the platform at his station. Now that was a nice touch, take ownership and personalize the contact with me, to show he is the one controlling me, not just a rule.
Ah well, he cannot take away the countless memories of days past when one could loiter about the platform all day watching trains. Spending time with the operator in the interlock, being invited in the locomotive cabs or a ride through the washer and down to the wye at Argo to turn the train, all the while blasting the whistle for the grade crossings. Good times for a young teen.
If one got tired of King St, you could amble over to Union station next door, using the planked pedestrian crossing provided for just that purpose. Other times if it suited a stroll down to the waterfront for a self guided tour of freighter ship. Those sort of freedoms are only accommodated for the homeless these days.
Understandably were in a time of lawsuits and awards regardless of fault, which are championed by most. So the only joy for me is observing society wrapping itself in an ever tightened cocoon of control and the young will never get the opportunity I had, to watch exactly what work is all about. The younger generations won't notice, which can be referred to as the "tyranny of the status quo".
The station owner or Amtrak did a good job of controlling me, but is failing to control a more slippery element on the train itself. The wife sent a text that her first class accommodation is soaked with water. Apparently there is a faucet leak, which the on board personnel cannot or are not allowed to alleviate or fix. Since they don't have the keys to open the cabinet and close the valves, my bet is on the latter. So she is making do by keeping her feet off the floor. An Amtrak worker advised she should mention her plight to an agent, adding that the maintenance by the mechanics has not been good.
So other than being addressed to improperly by the station agent and a soaked compartment, everything else is first class.