Locked the bathrooms on Texas Eagle

[ScottR]

Currently on the Texas Eagle Longview, TX to Chicago. Consist is an Engine, a sleeper, a cafe car, a coach on top with the baggage underneath, then a full coach. A five car train 22! So sad….

I know it’s the Eagle, knew what I was in for. No SSL, no Diner, Flex, etc….

but we’ve a full train…sleeping car included….and yet, two of the three bathrooms below are locked. The one upstairs and the available one downstairs are fairly clean…as is the shower…but those other two locked up.

I kind of resent this…I’ve got family in roomettes up above and told them there is always room below so don’t go to the top one all the time.

is this at the discretion of the SCA? Always had all of those three and the shower available before….

all this aside my parents are loving the train…

even thought the flex meals were good. God if they only knew what they were missing. I wont tell them

 

[me_little_me]

Ask SCA or conductor why they are locked.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Maybe they’re being used.

My guess is that the toilets are not functional.

 

[jis]

Currently on the Texas Eagle Longview, TX to Chicago. Consist is an Engine, a sleeper, a cafe car, a coach on top with the baggage underneath, then a full coach. A five car train 22! So sad….

"cafe car"? Do you mean a CCC?

 

[Oreius]

That’s weird. If the sleeper was full, they should have all the facilities available. I think there are showers on the first level from what members have told me. They gotta give you place to wash up!

One measly sleeper on a long-distance train. Jeez.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

That’s weird. If the sleeper was full, they should have all the facilities available. I think there are showers on the first level from what members have told me. They gotta give you place to wash up!

One measly sleeper on a long-distance train. Jeez.

It may be that the two locked bathrooms are not functional. He did not say the shower, which is downstairs, is locked.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Since the Transdorms were taken off some LD Trains, the Crew now has to have Rooms in the Revenue Sleeper like they did on the Viewliner Sleepers .before Bag Dorns came along.

So they are now sharing Restrooms and the Shower with Revenue Passengers, so it makes sense that they'd be kept clean by the crew.

I've been told that some OBS lock a couple of the restrooms for their own use, but not sure if this is true?

Mechanical problems with Superliner Toliets have always occurred, but as they age they are more common.

 

[zephyr17]

Since the Transdorms were then off some LD Trains, the Crew now has to have Rooms in the Revenue Sleeper.

They are used to having their own Bathroom in addition to their rooms.

I've been told some OBS lock a couple of the downstairs restrooms for their own use.

If that is the case, that very definitely merits a call to Customer Relations to report it. That would be a very egregious example of the unsupervised onboard crew running the train to suit themselves and not the passengers. Far worse than homesteading cafe tables in my view.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

After seeing that consist, I'd much prefer a quick drive to Dallas Love and some nice seats on a Southwest 737 to Midway or O'Hare (who ever dreamed WN would finally bust into ORD?)

 

[Oreius]

After seeing that consist, I'd much prefer a quick drive to Dallas Love and some nice seats on a Southwest 737 to Midway or O'Hare (who ever dreamed WN would finally bust into ORD?)

I was in Dallas in May, and actually saw the Eagle pulling into Dallas after my parents and I rode the cute Dallas Streetcar. It only had 2 coaches, 2 sleepers, and a Cafe/Diner. 5 cars and one engine!

 

[Triley]

I've been told that some OBS lock a couple of the restrooms for their own use, but not sure if this is true?

Mechanical problems with Superliner Toliets have always occurred, but as they age they are more common.

I've never heard this, and I've worked with several crews, and have been a part of many rail fan groups.

A mechanical issue is much more likely to be the culprit.

 

[ScottR]

I've never heard this, and I've worked with several crews, and have been a part of many rail fan groups.

A mechanical issue is much more likely to be the culprit.

they were open in the morning. Maybe not related…but about 2.00 am around Poplar Bluff MO there was a giant stink bomb. The sewage smell literally woke everyone up. My parents called me in a panic from their bedroom. It’s like the whole system belched or well…farted…in the middle of the night. Fortunately it dissipated quickly and al, was well a few minutes later…but certainly the talk of breakfast in Saint Louis the next morning!
Did you smell that? Heard that from every table and had a smile. Just a part of the train experience!

"cafe car"? Do you mean a CCC?

yes CCC…sorry still newish to the game. so tell me, really just curious, I saw the car on our current CONO Train labeled a ”
transistion sleeper” what is the function of that car?

 

[joelkfla]

yes CCC…sorry still newish to the game. so tell me, really just curious, I saw the car on our current CONO Train labeled a ”
transistion sleeper” what is the function of that car?

See this thread: Roomette location?

Basically it's car that has a lower level door on one end to connect to single-level cars or engines. Part of it is used for crew quarters, and part as sleeper rooms for customers.

 

[ScottR]

Yes…it is the one next to the engine and does indeed have a door on the floor. Makes perfect sense and would have never even noticed that otherwise. Thanks

 

[Triley]

they were open in the morning. Maybe not related…but about 2.00 am around Poplar Bluff MO there was a giant stink bomb. The sewage smell literally woke everyone up. My parents called me in a panic from their bedroom. It’s like the whole system belched or well…farted…in the middle of the night. Fortunately it dissipated quickly and al, was well a few minutes later…but certainly the talk of breakfast in Saint Louis the next morning!
Did you smell that? Heard that from every table and had a smile. Just a part of the train experience!

So it's almost certain that there was an issue with the waste system, as none of this should've happened...

 

[bratkinson]

I was thinking one of the restrooms was being used for luggage storage until I read the 'stink report' above. I've witnessed that a couple of times when the downstairs rack was full 'into the aisleway'. But that was mostly 5+ years ago. In recent years, I've seen giant items in the vestibule area, forcing the SCA to move them from one side to the other as needed for each stop. So maybe using toilets for luggage has ended.

 

[ScottR]

I was thinking one of the restrooms was being used for luggage storage until I read the 'stink report' above. I've witnessed that a couple of times when the downstairs rack was full 'into the aisleway'. But that was mostly 5+ years ago. In recent years, I've seen giant items in the vestibule area, forcing the SCA to move them from one side to the other as needed for each stop. So maybe using toilets for luggage has ended.

We were pretty full up. crew was using the accessible bedroom for luggage storage.

 

[SteveSFL]

I’ve been on many Amtrak trips over the last 7 years and I think my July 4 trip on the Zephyr from Chicago to Emeryville is the only one I can remember were all three lower lever toilets were available for use. I’ve seen SCA’s stashing laundry bags in the one next to the shower room many times. I agree that barring some mechanical issue, all of the restrooms should be available to passengers.

On a side note, I do like it when the SCA leaves a can of bathroom cleaner out in case it’s needed. Hint: In case it’s needed, you should use it!

 

[drdumont]

After seeing that consist, I'd much prefer a quick drive to Dallas Love and some nice seats on a Southwest 737 to Midway or O'Hare (who ever dreamed WN would finally bust into ORD?)

"Nice" seats on a 737? No thanks. TSA. Center seats. Love Field. Treated like cattle.
Pass.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Do your research on seatguru.com to identify the better seats and know how to properly check in on WN in a timely manner to get in the Alpha or lower # Bravo boarding group to get a good window or aisle. As for Thousands Standing Around, pack your carry on light, get those shoes and jewelry off early and avoid wearing items that may trip the backscatter machine. Even then, it's usually a quick paw job and you're on your way.

 

[drdumont]

If you HAVE to travel and MUST be on time, then flying, with all its warts, is the way to go, I guess. Fortunately after over 40 years of weekly air travel, I haven't been on an aircraft in 8 years. Retiring in October, and plan to travel a nunch, but will travel on AMTRAK or Tesla.
I love flying, am Lifetime American AAdvantage Executive Platinum, still sitting on over a million points, but the game is simply not worth the candle, IMHO. TSA and COVID, plus the cutbacks in service have seen to that.
As to Southwest, I have never found their fares to be all that advantageous unless you purchase months in advance, and sitting in 3x3 seats - no thank you. An aerial bus.
AMTRAK has its warts, to be sure.
But still and all, "There's something about a traaaian...".

 

[MARC Rider]

As to Southwest, I have never found their fares to be all that advantageous unless you purchase months in advance, and sitting in 3x3 seats - no thank you. An aerial bus.

Unless you can afford first or business class, ALL US domestic airlines have 3x3 seating and are equally cramped. Being that my home airport is BWI, by necessity I fly a lot on Southwest, as they have many more nonstops than any of the legacy carriers. They are no worse than any other airline, and in general, I find their service to be quite good. Sure, no fancy full recline seats or gourmet dining, but they load you up efficiently and get you where yo need to go, usually on schedule. At least I've never had any major delays with them. And checked luggage is included in the fare. Most of the hassles in boarding and deboarding planes is from the cheapskates and people in a hurry who bring aboard oversized "carry-ons" and block everybody else trying to get on or off. Frankly, I think that everything should be checked except a small backpack or briefcase and a few other things like coats, umbrellas and such.

 

[me_little_me]

Unless you can afford first or business class, ALL US domestic airlines have 3x3 seating and are equally cramped. Being that my home airport is BWI, by necessity I fly a lot on Southwest, as they have many more nonstops than any of the legacy carriers. They are no worse than any other airline, and in general, I find their service to be quite good. Sure, no fancy full recline seats or gourmet dining, but they load you up efficiently and get you where yo need to go, usually on schedule. At least I've never had any major delays with them. And checked luggage is included in the fare. Most of the hassles in boarding and deboarding planes is from the cheapskates and people in a hurry who bring aboard oversized "carry-ons" and block everybody else trying to get on or off. Frankly, I think that everything should be checked except a small backpack or briefcase and a few other things like coats, umbrellas and such.

I agree. When checked baggage is free, it should be used.