FRIDAY AUGUST 15th BOSTON.........TAKE YOUR PICK

Our next port of call was four hours up the coast by Amtrak from NYC. The journey was eventful as it turned out. Many Americans we have talked to seem to regard Amtrak as some kind of unnecessary evil, reserved only for people who have either a fear of flying or are poor. The rugby type scrum  which we were by necessity involved in at Penn station, would indicate otherwise. Our silver bullet was sold out.

However, train travel is still a public service and the yanks are good at it. For example, the train had not one, not two or three conductors but four. And they were courteous and informative, making clear announcements regarding the next stop and advice for making sure customers got off the train safely. As I write this I want you to think about the UK rail system as each facet is mentioned. So staffing is great, matched only by the UK when the Olympics were on. At that time, as we made our way to The Olympic Stadium from our home village, I had never seen so many helpful train line officials, guiding the way through London and to The Games. I had to pinch myself to ensure I wasn't dreaming. In the US, this seems to be the norm.

Then there are the trains themselves. The cars are clean, seats comfortable and spacious, the toilets have running water and paper towels and soap for hand washing and the dining car has a great selection of  CHEAP food and drink served by a cheerful bloke behind the counter. And, here is the best thing, Morons are not tolerated. I know this because there was a commotion in the car behind ours. I looked up from my blogging, to see Trish straining to see out of the window. Something was going on. Anxious not to miss anything and in a 'I'm lining up for the toilet' nonchalant kind of way, I made my way to the adjoining car where the door opened up to the platform where a drama was taking place. Someone, a backward baseball cap wearing youth and his luggage had been ejected from the train. He was surrounded by two of the conductors, a burly looking individual who turned out to be a plan clothed train security bloke and, within five minutes, two unamused and armed coppers.

It turned out that he was either pissed or stoned and had had an altercation with a woman passenger. About what I never found out. The conductor, under interrogation from myself, revealed that he had received a complaint from the lady and told the youth to calm down, sit down and chill out. He had responded by threatening the woman upon arrival in Boston, because she had complained about him. Naturally she had complained again. By now, my new mate the conductor had had enough. Apparently in the Old Days they had license to stop the train wherever it was at the time, and chuck anyone who was pissing them off, from the train. He said it has got a bit PC since then and they have to wait for a station. I could tell from his voice he was hankering for the return of those old days.

By this time the youth had gone into naughty schoolboy mode, telling the Old Bill 'I didn't do anything man, I didn't say anything to her'. The police merely responded by telling him it was his word against quite a few people including the conductors, whose chief goal is to get their charge to Boston on time and not delay it, having it stand in some out in the sticks station while they sort out some fool's avoidable stupidity. As the train pulled out of the station the West Kingstown Police were still telling him that. Me, I was still chatting to my new mate and mentally still thinking about British Rail or whatever it is called these days. What would Amtrak do with football hooligans I wondered? I'd pay to see it.