joelkfla
Engineer
Anyone know the height off the ground of the top of the lower window on a Viewliner sleeper? Would a 5-foot pole reach?
Cleaning windows
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VentureForth
Engineer
Probably a minimum 10'. From ground or platform? Maybe 5' would work from an elevated platform.
joelkfla
Engineer
From low-level platform, so essentially from ground level.
Law638
Train Attendant
I cleaned mine & my neighbors window when my sleeper was downstairs on the Coast Starlight in March! Then, started handing windex sheets to those around me! The room attendant laughed!
The proverbial ten-foot pole?
Wow, I had not heard of these. My last trip on the LSL, the windows were absolutely filthy, you could not see out at all if there was any sun on them at all. I was planning to bring a small bottle of windex and some paper towels to clean them this year if my roomette is on the platform side at Penn Station (last year it was, I have an even numbered roomette again this year).
I'll pick up some of these instead!
I'll pick up some of these instead!
joelkfla
Engineer
I have a 3' pole which collapses to 2' and fits in my bag; I think I can reach to about 9' with it if I stretch. If I have to go higher, I'll have to take the 5' pole (which collapses to 3'), and either find some way to strap in onto my scooter or leave the zipper on my bag open enough to let it stick out a foot (but that might interfere with towing the bag behind the scooter.)
No high platforms heading north from FL, but Amtrak says PHL has high platforms on the return trip, if I'm on the proper side and there's enough time after boarding.
No high platforms heading north from FL, but Amtrak says PHL has high platforms on the return trip, if I'm on the proper side and there's enough time after boarding.
bratkinson
Conductor
This past July, when boarding the Cardinal in WAS for a trip to CHI, my window was filthy. Thankfully, it was on the platform side, so I grabbed some paper towels from the bathroom (VII bag/slpr) and wet some of them down, and did the window from the platform. At 6'0" tall, I had to stand on my tip toes and 'stretch' to get the top edge of the window. I didn't have much time to 'dry' the window as the attendant was telling me to board immediately.
I recalled my experience as a gas jockey in the '60s and we cleaned every window on every car, even for $1.00 worth of gas ($0.259-0.299/gallon back then! We kept a big suppy of clean cloth 'rags' (12x12 piece of edged flannel, professionally cleaned by some company) folded in quarters, 1 side for 'wet' and the other side for dry. Flip it over when either side gets too dirty/wet and use the former 'inside' half to keep on going. On snowy/sloppy days, we'd get 4-5 cars per rag before getting a clean one. On the train, I simply used 2 paper towels for wet and 3 for dry.
Window cleaning is reason #2 why I ask for a lower level roomette on Superliners. #1 reason is proximity to toilets and shower!
I recalled my experience as a gas jockey in the '60s and we cleaned every window on every car, even for $1.00 worth of gas ($0.259-0.299/gallon back then! We kept a big suppy of clean cloth 'rags' (12x12 piece of edged flannel, professionally cleaned by some company) folded in quarters, 1 side for 'wet' and the other side for dry. Flip it over when either side gets too dirty/wet and use the former 'inside' half to keep on going. On snowy/sloppy days, we'd get 4-5 cars per rag before getting a clean one. On the train, I simply used 2 paper towels for wet and 3 for dry.
Window cleaning is reason #2 why I ask for a lower level roomette on Superliners. #1 reason is proximity to toilets and shower!
jis
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Essential equipment for Amtrak travel - Squeegee with and extension pole and a bottle of Windex? 
bratkinson
Conductor
If there's room in your luggage...Essential equipment for Amtrak travel - Squeegee with and extension pole and a bottle of Windex?
I intentially travel as minimally as possible, and between the 'overhead' airline size 4-wheel roll-on and a gym bag I put on top, I don't have room for any window cleaning items. I can put 5-6 days summer clothing in just those...shirts, pants, underwear, socks, scanner, laptop, chargers, candy, bathroom items, 3-4 inflatable pillows, 3 soft travel blankets 30x60, give or take, and a compressed pillow as well! Can't forget wood shims and gaffers tape. Oh, and an old pair of mocassins that I used to wear around home...got to be comfortable! There's simply no space for anything else.
I think they would need more prep than Windex, such as white vinegar and Dawn detergent. For a 2 night trip, buff in some Rainx after the Windex.
Maybe these products should be added to the cafe car offerings.
Maybe these products should be added to the cafe car offerings.
On my recent trip on 28, I was so disappointed that the railfan's window in the last car was so dirty it was almost opaque. Unfortunately, there was no reasonable way to clean that no matter what.
Ok I am glad I am not the only one considering bringing something just in case my windows need to be cleaned as well for the late October trip.
I cleaned my Viewliner bedroom window on the Crescent during its station stop in WAS. I just reached as high as I could with the washcloth!
I once used my Hurry Cane and apparently shamed the SCA into talking someone into using a mop and the potable water hose in St. Louis.
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Did you get any tips?
Law638
Train Attendant
Maglev
Conductor
As a former hotel housekeeping manager, and from my experience on Amtrak, the greasy (diesel exhaust) dirt on a train window will ruin a washcloth. I bring my own rags to use to clean my windows if I have a downstairs room.
I have used soapy water from the bathroom and a wad of paper towels or antimaccasars I snatched to clean them.
piedpiper
Train Attendant
I purchased these two items for cleaning even the upper level of superliners - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07812V46F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and Amazon.com: Additional Extension Pole Sections for Modern Domus Neverending Reach Squeegee Window Cleaner Kit | Set of 2 : Everything Else - very easy to pack and use from the platforms.
Attachments
I love this! What are you bringing for cleaning fluid? Do you have some kind of bucket? What's the reaction of your SCA likely to be? If I see this on our upcoming trip I'm going to ask to borrow. Heck, I'll do your window if I can use it to do mine!
Just don't mess around too much with water if at NYPS. There is 3rd rail around, usually on the opposite sde of the platform, but even so.
Devil's Advocate
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Can you get my windows next? I'll be happy to double whatever Amtrak is paying you.
joelkfla
Engineer
I'm trying to minimize the amount of baggage, so I'll just bring a single device that has a scrubber on one side and a squeegee on the other, and the 2-3' pole. Hopefully that will get me at least halfway up the Viewliner window.
And I think I'll try just water, maybe poured on from a bottle grabbed from the coffee station. I've read that water actually works pretty well with a good scrubber. I probably won't get the window perfectly clean, but perhaps enough to see out. It's a learning experience.
And I'll bring a Ziploc bag so I can take off the scrubber cover and stuff it in before stashing it in my bag.
ETA: just thought of something: if the lounge is open 5 minutes before the station, maybe a cup of hot water allowed to cool a bit would work better than room temp from a bottle,
