A "conductor" does not have the authority to kick them off the train. This had to be a decision involving more than one employee.
Secondly, the staff in the private dining car in sleeper car service are not "conductors". They are highly trained customer service employees who attend to passengers in sleeper car service - including management of the limited-seating dining car available to sleeper service customers on a reservation-only basis in advance for time slots. Absent a reservation, meals will be provided in your room. Absent dining at a dining table, you must vacate the table during meal times.
Amtrak breakfast service in the traditional dining car runs from 6:30-9:30. This couple were playing cards at a table between 8 and 9.
An attendant asked them to vacate the table and they did not feel they needed to do so, and instead had "questions" for the attendant.
I guess something about that attendant gave them the impression that their social status did not require them to care that they were not dining at a reservation only dining table during the peak breakfast period.
Go ahead to Amtrak.com and price out sleeper service from New Orleans to Rochester.
Garsh, I wonder what happened?