The Acela Express: Amtrak’s fastest train is often not the quietest.

PEACE IS OFTEN AT STAKE
FOR A TRANQUIL TRAIN RIDE

For rude passengers
who refuse to chill out,
silence is not golden

GONG SOUND MANDATES QUIET
 
By David Maril
 
The sign in the front identifies this section of the Acela Express, near the end of the train, as the “quiet car.”

Passengers in the quiet car are prohibited from using cellphones or noisy headphones.

Those sitting in the quiet car are warned to talk as little as possible and, when they do speak, to keep their voices down.

For many who choose train travel to Washington or New York because of a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere, the concept of the “quiet car” is a welcome addition to the Amtrak travel menu.

Often when 50-60 people are crammed into a train car, the sound of voices babbling back and forth and hollering into cellphones becomes annoying.

Mix in the irritating jingles of cellphone rings every couple of minutes and it’s impossible to take a nap, read or let your mind wander while watching the shoreline and countryside fly by.

The “quiet car” concept was instituted several years ago.

However, a recent trip on a train headed for New York reveals it will always remain a work in progress.

Seconds before this particular train pulled out of Penn Station in Baltimore, the quiet car was filled with relaxed, satisfied looking passengers.

Some, just settling into their well padded and comfortable Acela Express seats, were unpacking books to read. Others were pulling documents and folders out of briefcases to get work done as the train headed north.

THE OCCASIONAL CLANKING OF A TRAY-TABLE

The only noise was the occasional clanking of a tray-table being pulled out and adjusted.

Just as the train began moving forward, a well-dressed couple, in their middle sixties, entered and found a seat in the middle of the car.

A loud gong noise, which sounds like the scene-changer on “Law and Order,” rang over the public address system and the conductor’s voice boomed out the message: “This is the ‘quiet car’ and there are to be no loud noises or loud talking.”

That message seemed to be a signal for the couple in the middle of the car, who had just found their seats, to begin an animated conversation in loud tones.

The gentleman was plotting out all sorts of business strategy and the woman expressed opinions on everything he said in a voice that echoed through the car.

Their dialogue seemed to accelerate with the speed of the train as it approached Wilmington.

Other passengers began looking over and glaring at the two talking heads.

Finally, a person seated in front of the talkers stood up, turned around and said, “Excuse me, do you realize you are sitting in the quiet car and you are being anything but quiet?”

The man seemed surprised and then embarrassed.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t realize all of this. We’ll keep it down.”

Their silence lasted little longer than a minute.

The woman whispered something to the man and then he answered back in a low but clearly audible voice. As the train drew within 10 miles of Philadelphia, they had resumed the intensity of their dialogue.

PONTIFICATING IN STAGE WHISPERS

She was pontificating in stage whispers that could have been heard in the back row of the world’s largest theater.

Passengers several rows up were shaking their heads and grimacing.

This time a man across the aisle spoke up.

“Hey, are you going to keep this up all the way to New York?” he shouted.

“What do you mean?” the whispering woman asked.

“Everyone can hear you and this has been going on nonstop. You should be sitting in one of the regular cars instead of driving everyone here crazy.”

The gentleman talker got up and said he’d see if there were any other seats in the other cars.

A few minutes later, he came back and led his whispering partner to another car, muttering something about people being pretty rude and selfish.

After the two bigmouths left, several passengers congratulated the man who had pressured them into leaving.

A few passengers dozed off and slept until a few minutes later when the gong sound-effect reverberated through the car with another booming announcement about this being the “quiet car.”
 
davidmaril@voiceofbaltimore.org
 
“Inside Pitch” is a weekly opinion column written for Voice of Baltimore by David Maril.
 
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