[NFBMI-Talk] Inquiry about Amtrak

[Sanho Steele-Louchart]

Good morning, 

First, thank you so much for asking. It's my preference that we feel safe and supported to ask rather than stress quietly by ourselves, or worse, decide not to go at all because it's easier that way. It's also likely that many others are wondering the same thing. Truly, thank you. 

I buy my tickets online, then make sure to get to the station early enough to be comfortable, then will do one of several things depending on station setup. If there's a staffperson on duty, I might find them and ask if they'd help orient me to which door on the train I should use when it gets there. Staff should be in a position to help if needed. If there's no staffperson, or if I'm comfortable doing it on my own, I will go to the doors leading to the platform so I know where I'm headed. They'll either make announcements over the loudspeakers before your train arrives or you can ask someone once it does to confirm it's the correct train and the correct door. At that point, train staff will exit the train, lay down some steps outside the train door, and help guide you up onto the train itself. They'll tell you (or you can ask) whether your car is to the left or right once you're up the stairs. My experience is that it's usually to the left. Once aboard, you can find seats wherever you'd like. The seats will have windows, outlets, footrests, tray-tables, and wifi, as are standard. The comfort of the seats will vary from train to train, and are often better in business class for a few dollars more. Anyway, you can stow your luggage on you, at your feet, or in the metal racks above your seats. Once everyone's aboard, train staff will come to check everyone's tickets. They'll scan either your paper copy or the image you have on your phone. That's another opportunity to ask about anything you might want to know such as the direction of restrooms, snack car, and so on. Keep in mind that the direction of travel does not indicate forward and backward. That is, you might be facing one direction, but moving the other. You could ask to sit elsewhere if that bothers you. 

If you go somewhere and need to return to your seat, I recommend either marking your space in some way, such as the rail above your seat or the armrest closest to the aisle, or else being comfortable moving your cane in such a way that you can count the seats as you go. Confined spaces like these mean typically the best cane technique is one where you hold the cane nearly vertically and gently move it from side to side like a pendulum. This stops it from getting caught under anything. The same is also true in crowds. And of course you can always ask staff and fellow passengers if you're not quite sure which row is yours. 

Finally, when you hear your stop coming up, they will typically announce which doors to go to and even offer you a hand getting there if needed. This isn't entirely reliable, however, as they often get busy or have a change of staff partway through the journey. You can simply follow the people disembarking or ask around for more information about where to go. The doors in the breezeway will open, the steps will be added, and staff will help you disembark. You can then ask either where the doors to the station are or if someone could guide you to where you need to be for whatever mode of transportation you're taking to the hotel. 

Please let us know if you have any additional questions. I know this can sound like a lot before you're actually doing it. Just keep in mind that it only gets easier with practice. 

Warmth, 
Sanho 

> On Oct 8, 2024, at 6:32 AM, Deborah Wellington via NFBMI-Talk <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> 
> 
> I've never ridden with Amtrak by myself and with my child so can someone
> tell me how they accommodate blind people? I'm really nervous, because it's
> new to me. I'm planning on booking my reservations for state convention
> today or tomorrow.
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> 
> 
> Debbie
> 
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