Has anyone here ridden every Amtrak route?

[Blue Marble Travel]

Also, does anyone remember the trains which had huge women's lounges? Did the Broadway Limited have one of those?

Thanks for any info.

I saw those (nicely) refurbished "Heritage" 44-seat coaches (with the "huge women's lounges") on the Lake Shore, the Broadway, and the Crescent. Someone told me that they had come from the UP (or maybe the Santa Fe?), but I (clearly) forget the details. This would have been in the late 70's / early 80's.

 

[railiner]

Also, does anyone remember the trains which had huge women's lounges? Did the Broadway Limited have one of those?

Thanks for any info.

I saw those (nicely) refurbished "Heritage" 44-seat coaches (with the "huge women's lounges") on the Lake Shore, the Broadway, and the Crescent. Someone told me that they had come from the UP (or maybe the Santa Fe?), but I (clearly) forget the details. This would have been in the late 70's / early 80's.

Most all railroads before Amtrak had large lounges for women and for men on their long distance chair cars. These at first were employed on standard Pullman open section sleeping cars, as the sections did not have their own facilities. Later on they were also used on the long haul overnite chair cars. Even as late as the mid '60's, they were a feature. The last built were for the Union Pacific, and the Hi-Level chair cars for the Santa Fe.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Yes, the large restroom lounges were fairly normal, not really all that special at that time. A couple of chairs could be used for talking, smoking etc. The actual toilets were themselves enclosed within the large area. Usually two toilets and two basins. The basins were not enclosed.

 

[NETrainfan]

More questions- when did the Lake Shore stop using the coaches with the large restroom lounges?

Also, were some of the 1980's Lake Shore women's restroom lounges larger than others or were they all about the same size?

Trying to recall which of our LSL trains had the huge lounges. (Took the LSL in 1988, 1990, 1992, -then in 2002 and 2010.)

You train history buffs are very helpful. Thanks.

 

[NETrainfan]

It is so interesting to read about the many Amtrak routes so many of you have traveled.

And also to read of future plans and aspirations.

We have been on the routes listed below and hope to increase that list in the future.

 

[railiner]

More questions- when did the Lake Shore stop using the coaches with the large restroom lounges?

Also, were some of the 1980's Lake Shore women's restroom lounges larger than others or were they all about the same size?

Trying to recall which of our LSL trains had the huge lounges. (Took the LSL in 1988, 1990, 1992, -then in 2002 and 2010.)

You train history buffs are very helpful. Thanks.

Not sure of the date the Lake Shore retired the last of the Heritage cars in favorite of Amfleet II's.....

As for the size of the restrooms...the Heritage fleet had numerous variations in equipment, coming from so many different roads and manufacturers. Sometimes the cars would have two restrooms at each end of the car split by the aisle. One for men and one for women on each end, or both for women on one end, and both for men on the other end. I can't be sure of the history of that configuration, but former could be from days of racial segregation...

The largest restroom lounges I have ever seen on a chair car, were on some Milwaukee Road homebuilt cars for their overnite trains that were supremely comfortable with only 40 seats. The restroom/lounges on each end were huge...sort of like a club car within a coach....

Even in the Superliner era, there are variations. IIRC, when the Superliners first came out, they had 4 tiny unisex restrooms on the lower level, and a large, handicap accessible restroom. During a refit, they eliminated one and made a 'dressing lounge. Accessible restrooms are large even on the Amfleet cars...