Roomettes/Bedrooms - how often get cleaned

[guest]

Let's suppose someone occupies a bedroom from say Chicago to Cleveland. Then does that room become immediately available from Cleveland to say New York?

Or do they leave it empty until it gets a through clean--vacuum, clean toilets, etc.?

I ask this because with Swine flu and such, I really hope Amtrak cleans the bedrooms/roomettes quite well.

If they do get cleaned thoroughly, I would imagine its at the end/beginning point of the run, but what happens during the middle of the run and it gets vacated?

 

[RailFanLNK]

Rooms can turn over in a matter of minutes. I guess I don't see having any fear of swine flu from the room, you are going to be pushing doors open all through the train where more than 600 or so people may have been riding over a course of 2-3 days after it starts in CHI-NY-CHI. Good luck, because people touch the door knobs, the doors, the coffee pots, dining tables, seats, etc and so forth. :blink:

 

[IHC]

I hate to tell you, the rooms aren't even cleaned very well at the end terminus. I've had rooms with coke splatter all over the walls, mold in the shower, and I've also caught them not changing the sheets in between customers. <_<

I've experienced a lot more, but I will spare you for now.

If your freaked out by germs, best bet is to bring your own handy wipes and wipe down all surfaces and door knobs in your room, and also insist that the attendant changes your sheets.

Or simply don't ride.

 

[creddick]

If germs bother you, be like Howard Hughes. Never go out. Part of the problem today is everybody tries to avoid germs, therefore, no immunity. Using antibacterial soaps etc. only compounds the problem as not all the germs are killed. Those that survive become super germs and are resistant to the antibacterial soaps. No matter what, you can't avoid everything.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Let's suppose someone occupies a bedroom from say Chicago to Cleveland. Then does that room become immediately available from Cleveland to say New York?Or do they leave it empty until it gets a through clean--vacuum, clean toilets, etc.?

I ask this because with Swine flu and such, I really hope Amtrak cleans the bedrooms/roomettes quite well.

If they do get cleaned thoroughly, I would imagine its at the end/beginning point of the run, but what happens during the middle of the run and it gets vacated?

Ive ridden on the Empire Builder where as many as 3 different passengers occupied a roomette during the 2 day/2 night trip! Same thing on the Sunset Ltd. and Im sure other LD trains are the same!

In this day and age with all the cleaning products, including basically not so good anti-bacterial soaps, you can basically do the basics to clean upo a little but with the world so full of people from everywhere, and stuff like flu epidimics, we are all vunerable when it comes to viruses and germs!

But hypochondria is a disease itself, if we worry about being out in public we might as well become like Howard Hughes and live in a bubble!When you ride the train youre going to be sharing it with up to 600 people you dont know and thats true on planes/busses/school/work, heck just going out into public is a risk!

Ive found that I get older worrying about what might happen, or being afraid interfers with the joy of the journey that is life, with a train trip as a metaphor for life! Do what you can, follow all the basic precautions and enjoy the journey!

 

[zephyr17]

Let's suppose someone occupies a bedroom from say Chicago to Cleveland. Then does that room become immediately available from Cleveland to say New York?Or do they leave it empty until it gets a through clean--vacuum, clean toilets, etc.?

I ask this because with Swine flu and such, I really hope Amtrak cleans the bedrooms/roomettes quite well.

If they do get cleaned thoroughly, I would imagine its at the end/beginning point of the run, but what happens during the middle of the run and it gets vacated?

Well out west on Superliners, the roomettes don't have their own toilet/sink, so you are using common restrooms. I guarantee they don't get cleaned between uses :unsure:

With that said, MOST sleeping car attendants keep the restrooms in pretty good shape. If you are concerned, though, be aware that the downstairs ones generally get less traffic than the one upstairs.

Since I usually ride end to end, I do see what the attendant does to the rooms that are turned enroute. Usually they just change the bedding, and empty the trash.

You pays yer money, you takes yer chances.

 

[D T Nelson]

The last time I rode the Empire Builder, I found trash under the seat in my roomette. And I had boarded at the origination in Chicago, where I assume the train was to have been cleaned. What made it worse was I didn't find it until the second day, so it had been riding with me, and I with it, for quite some time.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

The last time I rode the Empire Builder, I found trash under the seat in my roomette. And I had boarded at the origination in Chicago, where I assume the train was to have been cleaned. What made it worse was I didn't find it until the second day, so it had been riding with me, and I with it, for quite some time.

I had a similar experience on the CZ. I was cleaning the room after riding from Chicago all the way to Emeryville I guess after Sacramento I began to clean and pack everything. While cleaning under the seat I found an empty juice bottle, an empty bag of chips and the receipt for both, and several other items I assume the last users of the room brought along. It had traveled with me for 2 and a half days. :lol: :lol:

 

[Shawn]

As someone who just got done with a month long Amtrak journey...I would HIGHLY suggest bringing a bottle of cleaner and use their towels. I do!

 

[daveyb99]

I am not pleased most times when I occupy my room. But I blame that on AMTRAK cutting positions, not on the slack work by the onboard crew.

If AMTRAK put one utility position onboard, that person could do "assistant" everything -- cleaning especially.

I have no sympathy for slack work at a terminus. Those room should be spanking clean. But, again, I find problems when I board.

I do call Customer Service and notify the attendant as well.

 

[pennyk]

When I board a train, I make the assumption that my roomette or bedroom has not been properly cleaned and I clean it myself.

About 10 years ago, I came down with a 24 hour bug or food poisoning after riding a train. I have no idea whether I my illness was caused by anthing on the train. However, ever since then, I use clorox wipes and clean the surfaces in my room.

 

[Donctor]

I've found that the trains are usually cleaner out of New York than they are out of Chicago. They seem pretty clean coming from the Northwest (Portland / Seattle), but not as much so from the West/Southwest (Los Angeles / Oakland). They usually seem clean coming from Miami, and I don't think I've ever had a problem with anything out of New Orleans.

 

[Donctor]

My above statement may have something to do with the size of each city's maintenance facilities. I really am not sure, though.

 

[Everydaymatters]

When I board a train, I make the assumption that my roomette or bedroom has not been properly cleaned and I clean it myself.
About 10 years ago, I came down with a 24 hour bug or food poisoning after riding a train. I have no idea whether I my illness was caused by anthing on the train. However, ever since then, I use clorox wipes and clean the surfaces in my room.

Five years ago I came down with a 48 hour bug which was absolutely traced to my being on Amtrak. My destination was the National Institutes of Health and they're the ones that traced the time exactly to when I was on the train. I'd say they're about as high an authority as one can get when it comes to determining the origin of a health problem.