Description of Shower/How Does It Work?/Curious About Details

[wintersummer]

We booked a bedroom on the Empire Builder. I know it has a small bathroom, with shower. Key word here seems to be small, right? I'm attempting to get visual image in my mind how this thing works. Is it possible to explain in words? I understand that the shower is above the toilet. Is that correct? Do you just somehow work around the toilet? Does everything in restroom compartment get soaked when you shower? Does the restroom compartment door keep water from going in your cabin? Is it hand-held shower device or fixed device? Do they have limit on amount of shower time? Should I bring my own soap or is this supplied (like hotels)? Where does the water come from? (I'm just curious here...does train stop across country to refill it's water supply?) Are there times when there's limited water pressure and/or supply because everyone is showering? Do they give you shower times? I guess you get the picture....I have no idea how this thing works!

 

[AlanB]

So many questions, I don't know where to start. :lol: Just kidding.

For the size of the shower/toilet in the bedroom, think Superman sized telephone booth, and then go smaller. I'm just shy of 6' tall and weigh about 165 and I can't take a shower in the booth without banging my elbows on the walls. In fact, after trying just once, I've never used the shower in the room since. I always walk downstairs to the public shower, since it is a bit roomier. I also find that the water pressure is a bit better too.

Now, back to the in-room shower. The shower head is not fixed, kind of like a water-pik shower, you can lift it off the hook and the flexible hose allows you to move it around as needed. The same is also true of the public shower. There is a plastic curtain that you snap down around the door to keep the water from splashing/running into the room. And there is a 2 to 3 inch door sill that prevents the water from running out of the shower at the floor level. However, when you open the door, it is not uncommon to have some water drip off the door and onto the floor.

Amtrak recommends, and most people that I've heard from do so, putting the toilet seat and cover down and simply sitting on it while taking your shower. And yes, everything in the stall gets wet. There is actually a plastic cover over the toilet paper to keep it from getting soaked. Amtrak does provide soap and towels, although you may prefer your own, assuming that you want to carry it. The towels aren't thick and luxurious by anyone's standards. Amtrak does not supply shampoo and conditioner though, or at least it's not out for you to grab. It is possible that the attendant might have a small supply for someone who forgets it, but I wouldn't bet on it.

As for the water, each car is equiped with a water tank, a waste water tank, as well as a hot water heater. The supply of water isn't unlimited though, and therefore Amtrak recommends taking short showers. And during the morning hours when most people seem to take showers, you may find that the hot water runs out if you take too long of a shower and too many other's are also showering. The train does get rewatered during its journey.

 

[MrFSS]

We booked a bedroom on the Empire Builder. I know it has a small bathroom, with shower. Key word here seems to be small, right? I'm attempting to get visual image in my mind how this thing works. Is it possible to explain in words? I understand that the shower is above the toilet. Is that correct? Do you just somehow work around the toilet? Does everything in restroom compartment get soaked when you shower? Does the restroom compartment door keep water from going in your cabin? Is it hand-held shower device or fixed device? Do they have limit on amount of shower time? Should I bring my own soap or is this supplied (like hotels)? Where does the water come from? (I'm just curious here...does train stop across country to refill it's water supply?) Are there times when there's limited water pressure and/or supply because everyone is showering? Do they give you shower times? I guess you get the picture....I have no idea how this thing works!

Let me say up front, if you can, it is best to use the big shower downstairs. Just because you are a bedroom passenger with a shower doesn't mean you can't use the big one. It is much easier to use than the one in the bedroom.
With that said, the little bathroom in your bedroom is a self contained shower stall that just happens to have a commode in it. The first time I was in a bedroom and used that shower I decided never again. I would always go downstairs and use the big one.

You have to almost sit on the commode seat in the little room (which is theoretically watertight) and there is very little room to move to be able to access all parts of your body to wash.

The cars have a self contained water system. They do refill water now and then. I've never seen one run out, but I hear they can.

On the train, no matter which shower you are in, you don't want to make it a 30 minute event as you might at home. Get in and out as quickly as you you can.

Some people try to time their showers at longer station stops so the train isn't moving. Going 79MPH and trying to shower standing on one leg can be interesting!

They provide soap, no shampoo, and towels and washcloths.

I'm sure others will have some comments, too.

 

[AlanB]

Here's a picture that I took showing the bathroom/shower unit. Note the white plastic on the left side and you can just see the hose for the shower head on the right and the white shower head above. The door opened to the left, which is what you see on the left side of the picture.

 

[Guest_Gingee_*]

We took the Texas Eagle and arrived home this past Tuesday. I happened to look in one of the rooms with the shower/toilet. Gad, that looked small. I am 5-1 and it looks squishy to me. We had a family bedroom and used the toilet/shower in that car. Same level. It was great. It took a while for the water to shut off the second time I used it but oh well, it worked. We took the Empire Builder last year and I think it was very comparable. Have fun.

 

[wintersummer]

Great information, guys! This was a challenging question, to describe how you shower in a minimized phone booth - but you all did a great job. And, included photos!

You all mentioned the shower down the hall and made it seem like an appealing alternative. Now, I have questions about it: What does a person wear to the shower? Regular clothes or something else? Is there a schedule for this shared shower? Or, do you just make trips until you find it empty? Gee, it's been 30 years since I've been in college and have done the shared shower deal.. this is a new and intriguing adventure!

 

[AlanB]

You all mentioned the shower down the hall and made it seem like an appealing alternative. Now, I have questions about it: What does a person wear to the shower? Regular clothes or something else? Is there a schedule for this shared shower? Or, do you just make trips until you find it empty? Gee, it's been 30 years since I've been in college and have done the shared shower deal.. this is a new and intriguing adventure!

On the double decker trains, the public shower is downstairs, on the single level trains it's down the hall.

I usually just wear my dirty cloths down, along with a pair of flip-flops, and carry my clean cloths for the day along with shampoo, deoderant, and a comb.

There is no schedule, you just try until you find the room empty. If you can wait until late morning, or even shower in the evening before bed, you are more likely to find it empty. It's generally busiest from about 7:00 AM to 9:30 AM or so.

 

[yarrow]

we have always used the big downstairs shower before breakfast(maybe around 6am). always hot water. towels and soap provided in the shower room

 

[The Metropolitan]

Wintersummer

The Downstairs Public Shower is divided into two segments, one for prep and changing, and one for showering. When you enter the room, you can simply lay your clean clothes on the countertop to the left, then prepare for your shower, open the glass door to the right, choose the temperature, and push the button. The button should gradually work its way back up ending the shower, but if you need more time, just press it again.

As my friend and I agreed on our last CL trip, the shower came in three temperatures - cold, scalding, and third degree burn hot.

And if you use the main shower, just be sure you've locked the door to the shower room before starting!

 

[AlanB]

The Downstairs Public Shower is divided into two segments, one for prep and changing, and one for showering. When you enter the room, you can simply lay your clean clothes on the countertop to the left, then prepare for your shower, open the glass door to the right, choose the temperature, and push the button. The button should gradually work its way back up ending the shower, but if you need more time, just press it again.

Good points, that I forgot to mention.

As my friend and I agreed on our last CL trip, the shower came in three temperatures - cold, scalding, and third degree burn hot.

Boy, you must not have had much luck then. Cold, I understand since the hot water tank isn't that big. But anytime that I've ever taken a shower I've been able to adjust the tempurature to an agreeable level, unless of course the hot water was gone.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

For the size of the shower/toilet in the bedroom, think Superman sized telephone booth

What's a telephone booth? I've never seen one of those. My new camera phone allegedly had all the cool features, but it didn't come with a "booth"! Is it some kind of Bluetooth thing?

Here's a photo of the downstairs shower on the Empire Builder. This shower is somewhat nicer than the showers on the other trains, as it has the etched glass shower door instead of a curtain:

 

[Chatter163]

In order to conserve water, you will need to think of a shower like people in the service take. You get in the shower, turn on the water to wet yourself, turn off the water and then lather up (including shampoo), then turn the water back on to rinse off. You would not run the water continuously while in the shower. The same would be true on a cruise ship.

Come to think of it, that is how I shower at home, anyhow.

 

[gswager]

I'm surprised that the public shower room has a glass door in the shower area. Most of them are using white curtains, commonly found in the hotels.

 

[AlanB]

I'm surprised that the public shower room has a glass door in the shower area. Most of them are using white curtains, commonly found in the hotels.

The glass door can be found on many, although not all, of the rebuilt Superliner I sleepers.

Otherwise, you are correct, it is a white snap down plastic curtain.

 

[creddick]

Here are a couple of shots of the barhroom and shower in a bedroom on the Builder. This was bedroom D.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/23373...094276738NdddZr?

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/27464...094276738FaYCqd

 

[wintersummer]

Another question here from original poster! I'm getting a really good idea about the whole sleeper/bathroom/etc from all your comments and great photos.

One more question about the restroom/shower. It's a combined unit, so you're essentially showering in the compartment that is your restroom. When you finish showering, do you wipe down the walls to dry the walls? Or, do you just let the walls dry on their own?

Also, is the small sink unit in the sleeping compartment OR is the sink in the restroom/shower area?

Thanks!

 

[AlanB]

One more question about the restroom/shower. It's a combined unit, so you're essentially showering in the compartment that is your restroom. When you finish showering, do you wipe down the walls to dry the walls? Or, do you just let the walls dry on their own?
Also, is the small sink unit in the sleeping compartment OR is the sink in the restroom/shower area?

Personally I'd just let the walls dry normally, otherwise you'll have to dirty a towel.

The sink is outside the restroom area, in front of the couch. There is also a mirror there.

 

[PRR 60]

What we did was give the shower / toilet room a quick wipe-down with the bath towel when we were finished with the towel. That made things a little less drippy when the shower once again became a toilet room.

Both my wife and I are of a stature that works well for the shower in the Bedroom. Given our ability to use the room shower comfortably, we found the convenience of having the shower available on-demand and not having to deal with the logistics of changing in the public shower room to be major advantages. Plus, it was just plain fun. It was like showering with a garden hose in a confined space that was bouncing and rocking the whole time. Amusement parks charge big bucks for a thrill ride like that!

 

[wintersummer]

PRR60 - I chuckled out loud when I read your description of showering with a garden hose while bumping along! I absolutely love people with postive attitudes - and you've got one. I think I'll be able to manage the shower just fine, because I'm relatively small. My husband is 6'2"...I'm not sure how well he will handle it. We think back to a little cabin we rented in the Canadian Rockies that had a shower where our elbows touched the walls when we turned around. If we handled that, we can certainly handle this "amusement park" showering experience.

It's good to learn that the sink is located outside the shower/toilet compartment. I thought it was inside!

 

[D.P. Roberts]

PRR60 - I chuckled out loud when I read your description of showering with a garden hose while bumping along! I absolutely love people with postive attitudes - and you've got one. I think I'll be able to manage the shower just fine, because I'm relatively small. My husband is 6'2"...I'm not sure how well he will handle it. We think back to a little cabin we rented in the Canadian Rockies that had a shower where our elbows touched the walls when we turned around. If we handled that, we can certainly handle this "amusement park" showering experience.
It's good to learn that the sink is located outside the shower/toilet compartment. I thought it was inside!

Here's a photo of the sink area. The shower/toilet area is on the other side of the wall (if you walked towards the blue chair on the right side of the picture, and then turned to your left you'd be looking at the shower):

Here's a closeup of the sink area: