A
Amtrak customer
Guest
I've taken a few longer day trips recently, and it seems that I've encountered rank smells emanating from the bathrooms a bit more frequently than I remember in the past. I travel quite a bit along the NEC, and I rarely seem to encounter this problem, but last summer, my family and I took the Vermonter from Essex Junction to Baltimore, and by Hartford, it was getting pretty aromatic. This was a Sunday, and the train was pretty full, in fact I think they oversold tickets, as there was standing room only at Hartford. I've taken the Vermonter many times before, and I've never encountered this. I'm wondering whether it might be possible on a 12-hour run like this to have a cleaning crew come in and swab the heads down/clear out the trash bins halfway through the run. (I'm thinking a logical place might be New Haven, where the train has a long stop due to the locomotive switch.)
I also recently took the Carolinian from Baltimore to Raleigh, and while I opted for Business class and had no problem, a couple of the crowded coaches I walked through were also pretty aromatic. I also noticed this once while passing through a coach on the Empire builder.
I'm amazed at how well-patronized these non NEC trains are, which I suppose shows there's a market for train travel, but if word gets out that Amtrak trains stink like some third-world rail experience, ridership could fall off.
I also recently took the Carolinian from Baltimore to Raleigh, and while I opted for Business class and had no problem, a couple of the crowded coaches I walked through were also pretty aromatic. I also noticed this once while passing through a coach on the Empire builder.
I'm amazed at how well-patronized these non NEC trains are, which I suppose shows there's a market for train travel, but if word gets out that Amtrak trains stink like some third-world rail experience, ridership could fall off.