Communications Pro Blog

I’m riding on the quiet car on Amtrak, to get to Boston to spend some time with friends, celebrate her Birthday, and tour Salem on Halloween.  At first I thought I was on the quiet car, or the first car, but evidently I was not as someone hops on the train and starts yacking away two seats ahead of me – loudly.  I place a phone call and whisper to Krena that we are going to be a full two hours delayed, and that I wish I knew why, but nobody has said anything over the public address system.  However, I know that the PA system works because the conductor hollers every stop as if it were his last call.

I decide to head back to the quiet car.  A loud New Yorker tries to engage me in conversation about the train delay, but I put my index finger up to my lips to indicate that this is the quiet car.  She persists and finds a taker sitting in the aisle across from her.  They banter back and forth about the delay, and why his computer beeps every time the power goes off.  Finally, the man in the aisle across from me shuffles back to tell them that they are in the quiet car.  I am grateful that he took on the role of quiet car cop and give him a thumbs up.  Then I reach for my water bottle and it crinkles in my hand.  He stares my way but says nothing.  Then my cell phone, which is on vibrate goes off, and makes a bit of a vibrating noise.  Ugh…this is too stressful.  I decide to plug my headsets in and listen to Itunes and try to sleep, and just as I am fading out, I hear his newspaper crinkling, and the guy in front of me trying to open a bag of chips, quietly.  He is not successful, although he truly appears to be trying.

So my question to you is: How quiet must one be on the quiet car?  The sign says “Please refrain from loud talking or using cell phones in this car.” I let that be my guide. You?

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