"Handicapped" roommette for the able-bodied?

[SteveSFL]

There is a seat facing forward in all the bedrooms, too, no?

 

[Willie1946]

There is a seat facing forward in all the bedrooms, too, no?

The bedroom has a fold down seat with arm rests that is next to the window and faces the couch. In some bedrooms that will be facing forward and in the others it will be facing backwards, depends on the room and the orientation of the car. The seat portion is a bit short and in the case of the one I just used from Chicago to Austin, it had a slight downward slope that required me to constantly push back into the chair. I pointed it out to the car attendant and he added it to his mechanical report.

 

[andersone]

If I am only spending one night with she who must be obeyed we rouomette. More than that we bedroom and E is preferred for all the reasons stated. Luck of the draw is always in play as mother used to say where you are going is more important than where you have been.

 

[PerRock]

I find it interesting that here at AU a while back there was a big outcry when it was announced that the new Viewliner sleepers would be loosing the built-in toilets (people seemed to want them) but now the biggest complaint about the Super H Room is the fact that there is toilet in it...

peter

 

[Devil's Advocate]

My memory is that the bulk of the folks voicing an opinion preferred to have the toilets outside the room. Do you have a link to this big outcry you speak of?

 

[n714da]

Thanks, for a helpful thread.

I fly more than 150k miles every year on a certain air carrier, but I'm always looking for an opportunity to take Amtrak for more than just trips up the NEC. I will be in Viewliner Bedroom H on the southbound Crescent to ATL next week. I was originally booked in a Roomette, but snagged the Accessible Bedroom when it became available 14 days before departure.

It doesn't seem like there is a fold-down seat in Bedroom H - is that correct? And I seem to recall the sleepers are on the rear of 19's consist - is that the usual location? Obviously, I'm hoping not to be stuck riding backwards with no chance to sit facing the front of the train!

 

[willem]

If I am only spending one night with she who must be obeyed we roomette. More than that we bedroom and E is preferred for all the reasons stated. Luck of the draw is always in play as mother used to say where you are going is more important than where you have been.

Another possibility is to get two roomettes across from each other. Then you can see sights on either side of the train, and there is a comfortable seat facing forward in both cases. It is "luck of the draw" to find two available roomettes opposite each other, on the preferred level (upper or lower), at a total cost preferably less than a bedroom. In addition, both travelers get to sleep on a bottom bunk.

Of course, it also takes an agent who can sell the two roomettes at current bucket, which is its own "luck of the draw" occurrence.

 

[crescent2]

Thanks, for a helpful thread.

I fly more than 150k miles every year on a certain air carrier, but I'm always looking for an opportunity to take Amtrak for more than just trips up the NEC. I will be in Viewliner Bedroom H on the southbound Crescent to ATL next week. I was originally booked in a Roomette, but snagged the Accessible Bedroom when it became available 14 days before departure.

It doesn't seem like there is a fold-down seat in Bedroom H - is that correct? And I seem to recall the sleepers are on the rear of 19's consist - is that the usual location? Obviously, I'm hoping not to be stuck riding backwards with no chance to sit facing the front of the train!

The many times I've had the Viewliner H room with my late hubby, there was no other seat than the sofa, giving room for a wheelchair for those passengers who have one. Also, we were always facing forward every trip, but it's my understanding that has now changed. It's been about four years since I've traveled in the H unit.

The Viewliner H unit really is the best one on Amtrak. I don't know about the current direction of the sofa, though.

 

[n714da]

Thanks, for a helpful thread.

I fly more than 150k miles every year on a certain air carrier, but I'm always looking for an opportunity to take Amtrak for more than just trips up the NEC. I will be in Viewliner Bedroom H on the southbound Crescent to ATL next week. I was originally booked in a Roomette, but snagged the Accessible Bedroom when it became available 14 days before departure.

It doesn't seem like there is a fold-down seat in Bedroom H - is that correct? And I seem to recall the sleepers are on the rear of 19's consist - is that the usual location? Obviously, I'm hoping not to be stuck riding backwards with no chance to sit facing the front of the train!

The many times I've had the Viewliner H room with my late hubby, there was no other seat than the sofa, giving room for a wheelchair for those passengers who have one. Also, we were always facing forward every trip, but it's my understanding that has now changed. It's been about four years since I've traveled in the H unit.

The Viewliner H unit really is the best one on Amtrak. I don't know about the current direction of the sofa, though.

Thanks for the info!

 

[ehbowen]

IMO, the H-Room on a Viewliner is the best room on Amtrak! Also IMO, the H-Room on a Superliner is the worst room on Amtrak!

Strange...I booked the H-Room for myself and my father, who was recovering from hip replacement surgery at the age of 81, last year for a trip from Houston to Whitefish, MT via Los Angeles and Seattle. We thought the accommodations were just fine, and having the extra space and the toilet handy was much better than a regular roomette.

 

[willem]

To me, the major drawback of the H room on a Superliner is that it is on the lower level, a trait it shares with the family bedroom. Some people sing praises of lower level accommodations. De gustibus non disputandum est.

 

[Alice]

It has been entertaining reading all these comments about H-rooms by people who do not need them. Here are opinions of one wheelchair user.

Superliner: Superb floorplan, lousy windows, better than not being able to book a sleeper on a Superliner train.

Viewliner: Terrible floorplan because the doors swing into the way, almost unusable with two people, better than not being able to book a sleeper on a Viewliner train.

The floorplans and all of the other points people have mentioned, good and bad, are totally irrelevant when the choice is train vs no train.

Able-bodied people in the H-room: Just like able-bodied people in accessible parking spots "just for a minute," real inconsiderate. I'm for it being offered to anyone as the last open bedroom, I'm against the various tricks some people use to get them earlier. Amtrak should be (and is) offering it only when the rest of the bedrooms are full and it is near departure. I think noone should be asking for H-rooms at any time unless they need the accessible features in that room.

As to in-the-room restrooms, I'm pleased whenever I find accessible restrooms that are usable, that is, not out of order, not used for lengthy procedures like shaves and sponge baths, not used for storage, not used for drug parties, not filthy, not play areas for unattended kids, and not locked for unknown reasons. These are all conditions I've found in coach at various times and I fear the same would occur in community sleeper H-restrooms.

I commend the OP for the good attitude and getting it the right way, also a few others through the thread.

 

[SteveSFL]

Without rereading the entire thread to make sure, I don't recall any of the posters having advocated using tricks to get the H room early and potentially taking it away from a disabled person. In fact, I believe several people were concerned that they might be preventing a disabled person from being able to use it. When I got the H room, it was assigned to me by Amtrak because I missconnected due to a late train and my class of service (roomette) was apparently not available.

At least if you're traveling on a superliner, it seems that most of the posters here wouldn't be interested in taking the H room.

 

[Alice]

Steve, you are correct, and I'll add that people on this forum generally seem to want to do things correctly as opposed to generally taking unfair advantage. However, abled people pretend disability in numerous other situations, such as pets masquerading as service animals and parking placard abuse, so I would expect the same happens on Amtrak both by people who want a larger room and people who want a discount they otherwise wouldn't get. And I expect some of those people read these threads.

 

[PVD]

There is also the issue of a room being more suitable for one type of disability as opposed to another. When many of the original standards were written, wheelchair access was the prime concern, but there are many others who need and benefit from rooms or space that that does not require them to climb stairs or deal with difficult restrooms. I know more than a few people who for various reasons can only walk very short distances, or need a walker or rollator to stand upright. The compromises can be difficult. A lower height toilet is often needed for someone coming out of a chair, but is brutal for some folks post hip surgery.

 

[oldtimer]

It has been entertaining reading all these comments about H-rooms by people who do not need them. Here are opinions of one wheelchair user.

Superliner: Superb floorplan, lousy windows, better than not being able to book a sleeper on a Superliner train.

Viewliner: Terrible floorplan because the doors swing into the way, almost unusable with two people, better than not being able to book a sleeper on a Viewliner train.

The floorplans and all of the other points people have mentioned, good and bad, are totally irrelevant when the choice is train vs no train.

Able-bodied people in the H-room: Just like able-bodied people in accessible parking spots "just for a minute," real inconsiderate. I'm for it being offered to anyone as the last open bedroom, I'm against the various tricks some people use to get them earlier. Amtrak should be (and is) offering it only when the rest of the bedrooms are full and it is near departure. I think noone should be asking for H-rooms at any time unless they need the accessible features in that room.

As to in-the-room restrooms, I'm pleased whenever I find accessible restrooms that are usable, that is, not out of order, not used for lengthy procedures like shaves and sponge baths, not used for storage, not used for drug parties, not filthy, not play areas for unattended kids, and not locked for unknown reasons. These are all conditions I've found in coach at various times and I fear the same would occur in community sleeper H-restrooms.

I commend the OP for the good attitude and getting it the right way, also a few others through the thread.

Alice, as someone with limited mobility I whole heartedly agree with you. Your assessment of the rooms (VLvsSL) is right on target and the use of these rooms by someone without a necessity is just like those that use the handicap spots for "a minute". I realize that not all handicaps are apparent to your eyes and can accept that, but am outraged when a 20something jumps out of a car and runs into the store. In IL. the age and sex of the person that uses a handicap hang tag is coded into that tag and when I see a young couple using a tag for a person born in 1932 it really makes me very upset.

Back on topic: I would think that there ought to be a way to displace any non-handicap person using those rooms as the handicap passenger can have last minute circumstances that arise and require the use of the room. I have recently had 3 deaths in my family that required travel but all were with my driving capability, who is to say a future death would not require a train trip?

 

[Bob Dylan]

I totally agree with Alice and Al!

Only if no-one has booked the H Room and all others are Sold, should an able bodied person be in the H Room! As Al said, a last minute emergency should entitle a Handicap person to book the H Room if required!

I've been in the H Rooms a few times on Viewliners and Superliners ( I dislike downstairs rooms) , and although I'm not physically Handicapped, (Mentally is another story), I much prefer the Viewliner version. YMMV

 

[willem]

I would think that there ought to be a way to displace any non-handicap person using those rooms as the handicap passenger can have last minute circumstances that arise and require the use of the room.

How would this work? Presumably the non-handicapped passenger is there because all the bedrooms had already been sold. Is the non-handicapped passenger sent to coach? If a non-handicapped person has an emergency that requires travel, should that emergency justify evicting some other non-handicapped person from a bedroom?

I think the idea is good, but implementation would be a nightmare.

 

[PVD]

I'm not sure Amtrak would be in a hurry to displace a full bedroom fare paying customer for a passenger paying a roomette fare. Last minute travel can also be done in an accessible coach seat, there is no "right to get a bedroom" Accommodations for disabilities are certainly justified, but most of the money to pay for them comes from the rest of the population. There comes a point where you risk creating backlash. That may sound a bit cold, but it is not untrue. I would absolutely give up an H room for someone who needs it, and I have already swapped roomettes to help out families or couples get adjoining or across the hall rooms. I totally agree that no one should ever use rooms or parking spaces set aside under false pretenses. People with phony service animals or excuses for getting placards are hurting those who deserve those assists.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

It sure didn't take long to go from a mildly overbroad but otherwise legitimate concern straight to absurd silliness.

Now we're advocating for kicking paid and ticketed passengers out of their rooms? I'm sorry but that's just plain nuts. I've ridden in every single Superliner sleeper compartment there is except for one. I have never been offered and have never asked for a handicapped room, but if I ever happened to be booked into such a room I'd expect to be able to keep it. If I were kicked out of my paid and ticketed accommodations at the last minute in order to make room for someone who ticketed after me you can bet I'd be upset and I'd probably never travel Amtrak again. I'd also be inclined to pull my support for any group or organization that advocated on Amtrak's behalf.

So far as I am aware handicapped rooms are not sold to other travelers unless and until they remain empty no more than two weeks before departure. At that point they are sold at deluxe bedroom prices even though they're far less capable and far less appealing than a full bedroom to able bodied passengers. That sounds perfectly reasonable to me and I'm surprised those restrictions are no longer good enough for everyone. What on earth changed so drastically that nearly every handicapped room would need to travel empty in order to avoid forcibly removing paid and ticketed passengers on the off chance someone else needed them at the last minute?

I see all these references to handicapped parking spaces even though I have never in my life seen every handicapped parking space full. Not once. Not ever. What I have seen in the vast majority of parking lots are handicapped spots which are so heavily over-provisioned that it's virtually impossible that they would ever be fully utilized. If advocates are itching for a fight and want to revisit prior assumptions in an effort to gain more control they might want to think twice. If you take things too far or push too hard the pendulum that's been swinging your way can end up swinging back again and leave you with less than you started with.

 

[Everydaymatters]

Chris, you're wrong about the handicapped spaces never being fully utilized. It happens everywhere all the time. But that has nothing to do with the H room on a train.

I feel that unless you need the space for a wheelchair, you should not request the H room. OTOH, you should not be kicked out of the H room if you were given it in the last 14 days. As stated above, there are accommodations for wheelchairs in the lower level coach for any urgent last-minute travel requirements.

I do have some questions though...is a pax charged for a bedroom if they are not eligible for the H room? If they are eligible for the H room, are they charged for a bedroom or for a roomette? Is there a raised toilet on the lower level?

 

[pennyk]

Please try to keep the discussion on topic and avoid personal attacks.

Thank you.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I do have some questions though...is a pax charged for a bedroom if they are not eligible for the H room? If they are eligible for the H room, are they charged for a bedroom or for a roomette? Is there a raised toilet on the lower level?

I believe if you qualify for the H room you get it a the roomette price, otherwise it's at the bedroom price.

 

[HenryK]

As a deaf person I qualify under the ADA as having a disability, and I must confess I have been sore tempted to book the H room on a Superliner by playing that card. Of course I won't ever do that. Not going to cheat a truly needy passenger.

When I check into hotels and motels, they often put me in handicapped rooms (or, to use the proper term nowadays, rooms for people with disabilities). I never figured this out except maybe clerks are trained to do only one thing. I haven't been tempted to see if Amtrak reservations people are the same. I doubt that they are.

Soon I will be obtaining a certified service dog, one trained to serve as ears for the deaf. I wonder if this would qualify me (legally AND morally) for a H room at roomette rate since a genuine roomette's too small for rider AND dog. But I will cross that bridge later.

 

[the_traveler]

I do have some questions though...is a pax charged for a bedroom if they are not eligible for the H room? If they are eligible for the H room, are they charged for a bedroom or for a roomette? Is there a raised toilet on the lower level?

I believe if you qualify for the H room you get it a the roomette price, otherwise it's at the bedroom price.

You are correct.