Quiet train car - babies ok?

[wanderingback]

On Amtrak (both on Acela where you pick your seat ahead of time and the regular regional trains with no seat assignments) there is a car that is designated as the "quiet car" and it’s supposed to be a library like atmosphere. Most people usually follow that rule and it’s pretty quiet and the conductors will remind people that it’s the quiet car and if they need to have a conversation to go to another car.

So with all that being said, is it ok to sit in that car with babies/toddlers or is that rude?

[heygrey]

I would not.

Because it is designated as a quiet car I assume all passengers should have the ability to regulate their volume independently. A baby/toddler cannot do that and even the best parents cannot guarantee their child will be quiet.

I traveled early and often with DS and am very good at keeping him entertained and anticipating his needs. Now that he's 10 I would consider signing up for a quiet zone because I trust him to entertain himself independently.

[Vespasia]

An infant that will sleep most of the time? Maybe, but only if the parent is willing to get up and walk to another car if they start fussing.

A toddler that is going to normal toddler noises? Definitely not.

[Jalapeñomel]

I would not, but my child talks and blabs nonstop. lol

[noodleoo]

I would say absolutely not unless there are literally no other seats on the entire train.

[konapoppy]

I would be so annoyed if I booked the quiet car and there was a toddler. Unless they have a medical condition that makes them essentially mute, they simply cannot be as quiet as I would expect.

[orangello]

I would 💯 complain if I booked this and there were children. Don’t.

[UMaineTeach]

My kid had no chill from day one. She didn’t snuggle in and sleep as an infant. And it got worse from there. We couldn’t go to summer concerts in the park for at least a year.

But, if you have the ability to get out of the quiet car if the kid wakes up, then kids could go in.

Basically, everyone who follows the rules can stay, regardless of age.

[circa1978]

Nope. Way too unpredictable. That would be the day my kid, no matter how well behaved, was suddenly not and I'd die a thousand deaths from feeling awkward/being the person ruining the peace.

[mala]

No. BUT I did sit there once with Big Kid as a toddler because she was capable of being quiet at that age. 3/4 maybe. And it was a short trip. I think on an individual basis if a toddler can be quiet for the duration it's fine, but most toddlers wouldn't handle that. Babies absolutely not.

[wanderingback]

Ok seems to be a unity horse lol.

Recently my partner accidentally booked us on the quiet car because there weren’t 2 seats not at a table together in the other cars. So I said absolutely not! So he switched our seats to a table (shared with other people) and it was fine. It came up a few times when our daughter was a baby but still then I was like hell no, you can’t book us on the quiet car.

Today I’m on a train that you don’t pick your seat ahead of time and in the quiet car. There were plenty of seats in other cars but there was a crying baby here on the quiet car for about 30 minutes. I of course didn’t say anything but it reminded me to create a poll to make sure I was correct

[mrsslocombe]

I take Amtrak a lot. The quiet car is a sacred place to me. Please don’t bring your kid(s) until they are old enough to just want to put on their headphones and ignore everyone.

We were in the quiet car tonight and had a couple in front of us who wouldn’t shut the fuck up. If I’m ever arrested it will be for a confrontation on the quiet car.

[beerlover]

I wouldn't, but I'm hyperaware of not annoying others and also my kid has never had any chill.

[whattheheck]

I would not care if there was a quiet baby. I would care a great deal if there was a not quiet baby.

Much the same way I wouldn’t care if there was a quiet adult but I would care a great deal if there was a not quiet adult.

[sadlebred]

Nope....coming from the person with no kids. I would book the quiet car for a reason-it's quiet.

[underwaterrhymes]

My kids are 9 and 11 and I still wouldn’t book the quiet car.

[sillygoosegirl]

I've never ridden an Amtrak train with a quiet car, but I recall them being a godsend in Europe traveling with a 10 month old toddler who still took 2 naps per day and would be easily startled awake by noise. But we didn't have assigned seats, so I was able to just go there for the nap if she needed to nap. I wasn't stuck there with a child who wasn't willing/able to sleep. Little kids need quiet just as much as anybody else (moreso really, because their ability to use earplugs is less), even though they're not so good at being quiet on command...

[livinitup]

ML, looks like we found a Unity Horse ! (@ 127 votes & counting)

[honeydew1894]

I have NO experience, but I considered bring noise-canceling headphones to the beach because it was too noisy so I would say...you are right.

[wanderingback]

Aug 25, 2024 19:34:28 GMT -5 livinitup said:

ML, looks like we found a Unity Horse ! (@ 127 votes & counting)

I think there was another unity horse poll recently. These are def not the days of the old ML lol. Fight, fight, fight!

[stemmie]

In utero? Sure.

Otherwise please don't.

[basilosaurus]

Phew I'm glad you hadn't taken leave of your senses because at first I thought you were trying to justify bringing your toddler into the quiet car which seemed entirely out of character.

In theory I wouldn't mind if someone brought in an otherwise quiet baby as long as they immediately remove themselves to another car if it begins to fuss. Just like I don't mind a (low volume) ringing phone and a quick "hold on, let me move so I can talk."

But I trust absolutely no one to do either.

[sent]

I just survived two six hour train rides with my kids. On one of the rides, a staff member came over and told us in another language if DS could please keep it down. We didn’t understand his words but his body language was clear. And it wasn’t even a quiet car! We had been shushing DS the entire time but he has almost no volume filter.

[stemmie]

sent, My kid was also born without a volume control. He's in his 20s now and still loud. I drove him to pick up his car at the garage and he set off my Apple Watch's Noise Notification which is set for 95 decibels just telling me a story about a class he's taking.

[rupertpenny]

Aug 24, 2024 23:30:17 GMT -5 mrsslocombe said:

If I’m ever arrested it will be for a confrontation on the quiet car.

President Biden would definitely pardon you if you did.