No access to Acela first class car via the entrance with the kitchen?
 

I was in a rush to board the Acela at NY Penn Station, and I saw the first class car at the end of the train. I tried to board through the door marked "Quiet Car" and then walk through the interior walkway inside the train into the first class car (at the end with the "kitchen" in it), but an Amtrak employee stopped me, said, "This is the kitchen!", and told me that I had to exit the train, walk to the other end of the first class car, and board.

Huh? Was this just a power trip by an employee?

The first class car has an interior walkway from the quiet car, with a door that passengers can use, and there is even a sign on the door saying, "First Class/Proper Ticket Required", so nothing seems to bean official prohibition on walking between cars to get to the first class car.

Minor, but curious.

Thanks.

Perhaps the attendant could have explained their concerns in a more pleasant way, but it is the kitchen/food prep area of the First Class car, and the staff doesn't want passengers passing through. Towards the end of the trip, after everyone has been served and the staff is taking their break, usually one may pass through without issue.

Mike

I've seen people pass through both in the station and while underway. Both cases were people who unknowingly boarded in the wrong place. Attendant didn't seem to have any issue with it.

Completing my first Acela FC trip, I headed towards the exit at the "kitchen" end.The attendant pulled a cart out from the side too block me and then rudely educated me too use the rear exit. I complied and found the other attendant at the rear exit with his hand stuffed with $5 and $10 bills as if people had been tipping him on exiting. However, I was the only passenger exiting at Stamford that trip. I learned about "power tripping" and "power tipping" that day.

Yikes, so rude... as if that leads to him getting more tips. It would incline me not to tip.

Many crews do try to discourage people from doing that, especially at NYP where they're loading food & drinks onto the train. And many crews also frown upon it when they're trying to prep meals. But that said, if the train is not at the platform, they have no choice but to allow passage through that area.

And yes, upon exiting at your destination, they all try to get you to exit to the rear in the hope that you'll tip the attendant at the door.