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[quote user="Kevin C. Smith"] Oddly enough, every Amtrak coach that I've ever ridden on has all the seats already numbered.      I've often thought that specific seat assignments would make travel more convenient and, for Amtrak, more remunerative. Not just charging more for reservations per se, but with computers today, some yield management stategies:   <ul> <li>Reserving window seats that include scenic segments (e.g., the California Zephyr through the mountains during daylight) could be a premium.</li> <li>A few dollars more for seats away from vestibule doors and (on Superliners) stairways.</li> <li>Amtrak can offer lower fare for single, open seats that are available next to already reserved seats (to keep pairs of seats open for couples/groups).</li> </ul>        These would also allow nice perks of free '"upgrades" (with all the usual disclaimers of "based on availability at boarding") for Guest Rewards members. [/quote] I like your recommendations, but they may be a bit too much for the management of a government railroad to grasp.  There are some interim models, however, that could work. Southwest Airlines issues boarding passes for passengers to board in groups, i.e. A, B, and C.  There may be a D, but I have not seen it.  The passes are issued at check-in, with preferences given to passengers who opt for a business fare or pay the early check-in fee, which is currently $10 per flight.  The key is to check-in as close to 24 hours in advance of your flight as possible to get an A pass, which practically guarantees that you will not be stuck in the dreaded middle seat.  If a passenger is not near a computer to get a boarding pass, she can check in via phone and then print the boarding pass when she gets to the airport.  I did it last week.  It works like a charm.   The Southwest system has reduced the pre-boarding scramble.  Although I prefer assigned seats, the Southwest approach is better than what they had or what Amtrak has at its major stations.  Amtrak could install it at its major stations along the NEC, i.e. Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington.  But they won't. The scheme requires a bit of imagination, which does not appear to be one of Amtrak's long suits. Shoot, even Bolt Bus uses pre-boarding groups to avoid the scramble.  One would think that Amtrak could take a page from a bus company's playbook.  Whoops, I forgot.  Bolt Bus is a private enterprise that is expected to earn a profit for its stakeholders.  Its success depends on its meeting customer's preferences.  If it doesn't, it goes out of business.  Amtrak is a government bureaucracy.  Customer service and market responses are secondary to a political organization.
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