Just curious why I read so much about dirty restrooms onboard. As I understand it, restrooms start out clean, but are never cleaned the entire route. If onboard crew do not wish to service them, why aren't they serviced during longer stops?
Onboard Bathrooms
- Thread starter laurenpl
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TiBike
OBS Chief
I doubt any of the longer stops are scheduled to be long enough to clean a significant number of the restrooms on a train. Unless Amtrak had a platoon of cleaners standing by. That's best case, which assumes that long distance trains reliably run on time, which they don't. Even when they do, the longer stops are often shortened to stay on schedule.
Amtrak is already paying on board staff to keep the trains clean. Why pay for the same work (or lack thereof) twice?
Amtrak is already paying on board staff to keep the trains clean. Why pay for the same work (or lack thereof) twice?
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Cho Cho Charlie
Engineer
Its not the crew who "dirty" up the restrooms. So, I have to ask why aren't passengers a bit more courteous toward others?
Honestly, if I had a guest in my home do to my bathroom, what they don't think twice about doing to the bathrooms onboard LD Amtrak trains, they would never be invited back.
Honestly, if I had a guest in my home do to my bathroom, what they don't think twice about doing to the bathrooms onboard LD Amtrak trains, they would never be invited back.
the_traveler
Engineer
If other passengers were not slobs, then the bathrooms would not be so dirty, right?
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tricia
Conductor
If other passengers were not slobs AND the on-board staff whose job (in part) is to clean and tidy the bathrooms actually reliably did that job, then the bathrooms would not be so dirty.
As it is, only some passengers are not slobs, and only some staff do much cleaning. YMMV, from one train to another, as to what you actually encounter.
As it is, only some passengers are not slobs, and only some staff do much cleaning. YMMV, from one train to another, as to what you actually encounter.
TiBike
OBS Chief
No, high traffic, public bathrooms need regular attention. Without it, conditions deteriorate quickly. Not all the bathrooms are hell holes. Some staff do their job, some don't.
My husband and I are scheduled to do the CZ in May....his first time ever on a train (I went from NJ to FL when we were children, in coach). He retires next month, and it's a bucket list thing. We've reserved a roomette. But our daughter and grandchildren went from Ashland, Kentucky, to Philadelphia in coach last Friday. This would have been around the midpoint of the Cardinal eastbound route. Although she loved the train, she said that the bathrooms were the worst public restrooms she's ever seen, and she would never ride again if this is the norm. I've read a lot of similar comments where guests claim that restrooms are never cleaned once a train pulls out of the origin station. Can anyone comment? Although I'm sure no one wants to clean them, one would think that Amtrak would insist since this seems to be a recurring problem/comment from many travelers. It seems like a relatively easy fix if this is what keeps folks from traveling by train?
Others already have. Some people are slobs, some don't do their jobs. What else can possibly be said?
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I have seen the bathrooms on some long flights deteriorate. Maybe its me, but if the water sprays out from high pressure, i wipe it up. but i can tell others do not. In the sleeper, most attendants do try to keep the public bathrooms and shower clean, but it is hard to check during their busy times, especially when it only takes one person to ruin it for the rest.
I guess my point is not whether folks are slobs....many are. But it's the same in all public places whether a McDonalds, or a gas station, or a sports stadium. But regardless of how the public treats them, it's a given that they need attention occasionally. From what I've read over the last several weeks as we research train travel, this is very common onboard trains. Paper towel waste containers are never emptied, so they overflow. Soap dispensers are empty. I realize that it's not a fun job, but it's a necessary job. Just curious how/why Amtrak doesn't insist that crew members maintain acceptable levels of cleanliness on trains. If it's only occasional, there sure are a lot of comments out there on train reviews.
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I have seen signs asking passengers to report a bathroom needing attention, which I have done many times.
On long distance trains, coach attendants do clean the restrooms periodically (and make announcements encouraging passengers to keep the restrooms clean). However, as stated previously, many passengers are slobs.
You do realize complaints show up more than compliments on any reviews, don't you. How many people do you think will go online and say "Wow, the bathrooms were clean", especially when they expect the bathrooms to be clean. Always read reviews "with a grain of salt".
TiBike
OBS Chief
Amtrak doesn't have effective supervision or a system of accountability. It's not just on the trains. Read the inspector general's report about passenger handling at stations, or look at the recent website upgrade fiasco.
Some employees do a good job, some don't. Not all the bathrooms are a mess. But enough of them are that it's a normal occurrence, not an exception.
Some employees do a good job, some don't. Not all the bathrooms are a mess. But enough of them are that it's a normal occurrence, not an exception.
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Exactly. We cannot paint all staff with the same wide brush, and management skills vary widely within Amtrak.
I will say that among all the tasks that a sleeper or coach attendant must complete, being a janitor and/or plumber isn't at the top of the list. Should it be?
There is substantial amount of blame to be given toward both bad design and the equipment being beyond its planned lifespan.
Bad design includes the old-style sink faucets (the ones with the push levers that, when depressed even slightly, unleash a fire hose into the sink basin), to waste receptacles that are too small (overflowing quickly) and difficult to use (must physically push waste down past a stiff door, meaning you'll likely come in contact with other waste already inside or the door itself which is visibly dirty; many won't even bother).
The lifespan part is obvious, and applies to pretty much the whole darn Amtrak fleet. Even the Superliner 1 Sleeper rebuilds are getting long in the tooth now. It can't be said strongly enough that Amtrak needs new equipment.
The staff topic is still a large player in this whole mess, and I am very interested in seeing how the labor issues that plague Amtrak from OBS to heavy maintenance is dealt with. Richard Anderson has a great deal of experience with stubborn labor organizations and inefficient operations in his previous endeavors, and making them change to fit his new mold. I see change being imposed sooner rather than later, whether staff likes it or not. Could be bumpy times ahead.
Bad design includes the old-style sink faucets (the ones with the push levers that, when depressed even slightly, unleash a fire hose into the sink basin), to waste receptacles that are too small (overflowing quickly) and difficult to use (must physically push waste down past a stiff door, meaning you'll likely come in contact with other waste already inside or the door itself which is visibly dirty; many won't even bother).
The lifespan part is obvious, and applies to pretty much the whole darn Amtrak fleet. Even the Superliner 1 Sleeper rebuilds are getting long in the tooth now. It can't be said strongly enough that Amtrak needs new equipment.
The staff topic is still a large player in this whole mess, and I am very interested in seeing how the labor issues that plague Amtrak from OBS to heavy maintenance is dealt with. Richard Anderson has a great deal of experience with stubborn labor organizations and inefficient operations in his previous endeavors, and making them change to fit his new mold. I see change being imposed sooner rather than later, whether staff likes it or not. Could be bumpy times ahead.
penguinflies
Service Attendant
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Laurenpl: my experience is sleeper cars to be better maintained than coaches
Philly Amtrak Fan
Engineer
I would like to discuss the quality of bathrooms as well. They can vary. On the TE, one bathrooms per coach car includes this "dressing room". It was to me very convenient
I remember one of them ran out of toilet paper so I grabbed toilet paper from one of the "inferior" BR's before using the good BR. I am assuming it's a Superliner feature only. No doubt Superliners are way better than Viewliners except for the lack of Wi-Fi.
Also the faucets on some can be inconsistent in terms of quality. I saw some where you have to push them up to keep the water on, it's annoying. There was one where the water was really really hot.
As for cleaning, in order to service/clean them you have to have them out of service. The only reasonable time would be a service stop and they have other things to do during those stops. They do post signs about keeping the bathrooms clean but that's up to passengers to do so.
I remember one of them ran out of toilet paper so I grabbed toilet paper from one of the "inferior" BR's before using the good BR. I am assuming it's a Superliner feature only. No doubt Superliners are way better than Viewliners except for the lack of Wi-Fi.Also the faucets on some can be inconsistent in terms of quality. I saw some where you have to push them up to keep the water on, it's annoying. There was one where the water was really really hot.
As for cleaning, in order to service/clean them you have to have them out of service. The only reasonable time would be a service stop and they have other things to do during those stops. They do post signs about keeping the bathrooms clean but that's up to passengers to do so.
There is a very big difference between trains/cars that have staff that may be responsible, but a large percentage of Amtrak passengers travel on trains with no car attendants, and limited enroute cleaning capability. NER and Empire Service trains can run very crowded with a conductor, A/C and an LSA... very different from the medium and LD train environment. Boston to Va or NYP to NFL is a long trip.
I think that if they returned to the heritage design of restrooms, it might help the situation....
Many of the long distance heritage chair cars, had a large restroom-lounge....one end of the car for men, the other end for women.
Within these there were usually one or two toilet annexes, two or three mirror/sink position's, and sometimes a sofa or a couple of chairs....
So those washing or shaving were in view of other's, and hence perhaps were somewhat tidier in their habits....
In addition, there was ample floor space for tall trash bags that were easily used, as well as emptied....
Many of the long distance heritage chair cars, had a large restroom-lounge....one end of the car for men, the other end for women.
Within these there were usually one or two toilet annexes, two or three mirror/sink position's, and sometimes a sofa or a couple of chairs....
So those washing or shaving were in view of other's, and hence perhaps were somewhat tidier in their habits....
In addition, there was ample floor space for tall trash bags that were easily used, as well as emptied....
choochoodood
Service Attendant
On long distance trips I always travel in a roomette, and occasionally in a bedroom when I feel like shelling out the big bucks. I have found that in the sleeper cars, the attendant keeps the restrooms relatively clean. However, when riding in coach, I've never experienced a clean restroom several hours into the trip. I'm sure this is because 4 times the number of passengers are using them.
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At the point Amfleet 1 came onto radar, the designers were using an airline model for rest rooms. That hasn't changed much since. I agree the heritage rest rooms were FAR superior, but the bean counters must have been convinced they took away from revenue space. Not sure if they did, but often perception becomes reality to some people.
