Quiet cars...

[F40CFan]

A friend at work rides the Rock. He says the quiet cars work out quite well and rarely does anyone violate the noise ban. He says some people have quiet conversations, and its not a problem. Hopefully it works out like that on the other lines. I for one cannot wait to have a car free of tourists and their screaming brats running up and down the aisle. Also, if the cars are popular, it will be more difficult for ignorant slobs to hog seats and stick their dirty shoes all over them.

[Passenger]

... ignorant slobs ...

... are loud, anyway.

[F40CFan]

... ignorant slobs ...

... are loud, anyway.

Good point, I guess that was redundant.

[byte]

Lately I've been riding the locomotive-end quiet car on the way to work, and the cab-car end quiet car on the way home. The one thing to remember is that Metra has designated these things as being "peer pressure enforced," so how quiet the car is really depends on who is riding it, and which other riders are willing to say something to an offending passenger. Only once have a heard one passenger tell another (on the phone, in this case) that they were riding in the quet car. The official wording says something along the lines of that there will be "conductor intervention if necessary" and to that extent, I've only once seen a conductor remind a specific passenger of the quiet car policy.

I've also noticed that the QCs tend to get "louder" as they get less crowded. On my usual outbound train, after the usual plethora of passengers are let off at 103rd/Beverly (probably 1/3rd of the people in the whole car), people start to get kind of chatty (although not obnoxious, like with cell phones or anything).

[F40CFan]

When they first started the QCs, did they make an announcement with the rules for a few days?

[byte]

Yes, and they still do, every day (at least on outbound runs, when pulling out of La Salle).

[lstone19]

From my own experience riding the Milwaukee West for the last four months, quiet cars seem to be a solution in search of a problem. Rarely is there a noise problem on the trains I ride. I tend to ride towards the middle of the train as the cars seem to be less crowded there (lots of people want to be close to the end to. I assume, minimize their walk). If people flock to the quiet cars, it will just leave the cars I'm in less crowded.

[justalurker66]

If people flock to the quiet cars, it will just leave the cars I'm in less crowded.

Or perhaps the addition of more quiet cars.

I've also noticed that the QCs tend to get "louder" as they get less crowded. On my usual outbound train, after the usual plethora of passengers are let off at 103rd/Beverly (probably 1/3rd of the people in the whole car), people start to get kind of chatty (although not obnoxious, like with cell phones or anything).

That is pretty typical of "quiet" areas ... when there are less people to offend (less peers to apply pressure) the behavior relaxes. The noise level remains low and the chatty don't have to talk over others to be heard so it works out fine for everyone.

[F40CFan]

Rode the QC on 222z tonight, it was great! I was able to read my book in peace. Did they move the QCs on the Rock to conform with the other lines?

[metraRI]

Did they move the QCs on the Rock to conform with the other lines?

Sure did. Some were actually moved when it was announced, but moved back to the original placement until today.

[lstone19]

Rode the QC on 222z tonight, it was great!

Rode non-QCs on 2212 and 2235 today. It's hard to imagine a car being any quieter. While there are occasional problems with a loud group (particularly in the afternoon), QCs still strike me as mostly a solution in search of a problem.

[F40CFan]

I have to disagree, at least on 2227, we frequently have noisy cell phone users and people who let their screaming brats run up and down the aisles. The QCs are a blessing. Thank you, Metra.

[metraRI]

The use of removable (sometimes not so removable) decals for QC designation seems to becoming to an end. All cars on some RI sets have had sign holders installed to replace the use of decals. Will be interesting to see if more interior signage will also be added.

[F40CFan]

That's good. They do need more signs, especially on the doors leading into the seating areas at both ends. Still, there are so many oblivious people that you could hit them over the head with with a sign and they'd not notice.

[Passenger]

Update. Just my own observation riding a quiet car almost every week day almost since it started.

It's working out just fine.