Empire Builder Refurbishment

[Penn Central]

I recently took a trip on the Empire Builder, and was fortunate enough to get one of the refubished sleepers both eastbound and westbound. On both trips we had two connecting bedrooms, and we asked the attendent to have them open. Westbound it was no problelm to have the door locked in the open postition. Eastbound, however, that cound not be done. The attendent explained that during the refurbishment, most sleepers had the carpet on the door removed and replaced with a mirror. The result was that when the door was open, it would rattle incessantly, forcing people to stuff it with junk in an attempt to stop the rattling. This apparently prevnted the door from being locked in the open postition. The westbound sleeper had retained the carpet, but the eatsbound had not. Luckly, I had brought along duct tape to stuff the air vents in case they were a problelm (they weren't), and duct-taped the door open.

Why did Amtrak remove the carpet? This seems like a case where Amtrak should have tested the modification before ordering it done on all cars. Apparantly, Pullman had a reason for putting carpet on those doors.

 

[Windy City LSA]

I recently took a trip on the Empire Builder, and was fortunate enough to get one of the refubished sleepers both eastbound and westbound. On both trips we had two connecting bedrooms, and we asked the attendent to have them open. Westbound it was no problelm to have the door locked in the open postition. Eastbound, however, that cound not be done. The attendent explained that during the refurbishment, most sleepers had the carpet on the door removed and replaced with a mirror. The result was that when the door was open, it would rattle incessantly, forcing people to stuff it with junk in an attempt to stop the rattling. This apparently prevnted the door from being locked in the open postition. The westbound sleeper had retained the carpet, but the eatsbound had not. Luckly, I had brought along duct tape to stuff the air vents in case they were a problelm (they weren't), and duct-taped the door open.
Why did Amtrak remove the carpet? This seems like a case where Amtrak should have tested the modification before ordering it done on all cars. Apparantly, Pullman had a reason for putting carpet on those doors.

I don't have an answer for you, but I've experienced one of those problem doors! On one trip, we didn't have a trans dorm and actually had a refurbished sleeper. I didn't know it was a widespread problem until you just explained it! I lost a perfectly good magazine in one of those connecting doors...trying to shim it shut. I knew there was a mirror on the wall when I picked a room and dropped my luggage in there. When I came back later, I was seeing the belongings of a co-worker in the room next to me! The magazine didn't work, but luckily I was able to get somebody to somehow get it to stay closed for me. Otherwise my neighbor and I would have had NO privacy. Poor design indeed. They should do more testing, although I'd like to think they do some. The vibrations have damaging effects on everything. Especially the electronics...like the cash registers in the lounges. I don't think Casio designed them to be bouncing around day and night! Hence, they fail.

 

[Anthony]

You should see the big screen televisions (CRT - the old kind) on the lower level of the Pacific Parlour cars, in the movie theater rooms. You'll be watching a movie as the train rolls around, and a bump will cause the colors to get all screwed up! I remember watching some Steve Martin movie with a rainbow of colors projected across the screen...