Showers on Superliners

Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.
My only grouse about the public showers is the people who do not clean up after themselves. I've gone in and seen as many as 4 bars of used soap on the ledge and the floor littered with used towels. When I finish I rinse the shower, wipe it dry, toss out the soap bar and finish by drying the floor and stuffing my towel into the bag.
 
I have never had to wait for a shower either. I like to take my shower either right before, or right after breakfast. I can't tell you when is a good time for you to take a shower, I can however tell you when it is not. Some people have suggested taking a shower while the train is stopped, I too thought that would be a good idea, and I told my wife so. She agreed, and at the next stop I think Winter Park Fl., jumped in the shower as soon as the train stopped. In a couple of minutes she stuck her fully lathered head out the door, and asked what happened to the water? :giggle: It seems at stations that are service stops, they have to shut off the water to the train to top off the tanks :blink: How was I to know? Fifteen minutes later she was able to finish her shower. :giggle: She finally started talking to me a little bit later. She always takes her shower now when the train is moving.
 
I guess many people have already said it, but the shower is first com first serve. I haven't seen a shower line either, and personally prefer to take a shower after dinner.
 
Superliner shower:

4743423089_b77b3eaa9f.jpg


The towels and such are on a shelf to the left (out of frame). The red bag is for used towels. As you can see, there are handles (since showering at 70 mph is an adventure not to be missed). Also, I like the etching on the shower door. :) This is on the Empire Builder.
Some SCAs will store the clean towels outside of the shower room, in the downstairs luggage rack. I prefer this as it frees up the shelf for one's clean clothes and dopp kit. But when it's done that way I always walk into the shower room and discover no towels and have to backtrack to find one. One SCA explained to me that he did it that way because too often clean towels on the shelf will be knocked onto the floor, which is often wet and always not something I would want my towel to have been on.

As has been discussed elsewhere, on other subjects, this is another area where what you get on Amtrak varies with the SCA you get.

I usually take a shower between breakfast and lunch, not right after breakfast because it seems like there is a rush then. I have had to wait a few times. I don't stand in the hall and wait, I go back to my room and try again later. And I always wear flip-flops in the shower, and to and from it -- not having to take off shoes and socks and then put on socks and shoes in the shower room lets me get out of the shower room as quickly as possible. But that's the only time I wear flip-flops on the train.
 
Ah! We Americans are determined that never a germ shall meet!

I'd suggest also Lysolling the seats of the diner and lounge cars as well as using wipes on wrapper of the candy bar you buy and the change you get.

Don't forget that when you hand the conductor your ticket, he hands it back. And those door handles! :rolleyes:
Among other things, wet public bathroom floors are the prime source of athlete's foot fungus. They are the places I've contracted it twice. Since I wear something in the gym or public showers, I have not had it (20 years now).
Then again I don't and haven't had athlete's foot in over 50 years. And I find I worry less too!

Ah! We Americans are determined that never a germ shall meet!

I'd suggest also Lysolling the seats of the diner and lounge cars as well as using wipes on wrapper of the candy bar you buy and the change you get.

Don't forget that when you hand the conductor your ticket, he hands it back. And those door handles! :rolleyes:
Our procedure for germ proofing the room is simple. A bottle of 90% isopropyl alcohol, a can of Lysol that we spray liberally in the shower,on the toilet seat, the door handles, and light switches, bed bug spray (just in case) and a few bottles of hand sanitizer. BTW, I do sanitize my hands when I shake the hand of anyone I do not know.. I always say thank you but never shake the hands of the onboard crew. You don't know where those hands have been and does he wash his hands after he wipes his rear? You can really get sick from people like that. Why take the risk-sanitize and kill the germs!
You can die on the train in an accident. Why take the risk of traveling?

My comment apparently went over your head. As I said, "we Americans are determined that never a germ shall meet!" Then again, when we do meet one, we will have lost all resistance and die in seconds.
 
Go ahead and laugh :cool:

If nothing else, it makes me FEEL BETTER to disinfect surfaces. I've seen the bathrooms in coach cars and many people don't wash their hands.. yes, this is how disease is spread. I have always wiped down the sink handle, door handle, toilet seat, and adjacent surface. Used wipes go in the garbage even if the packaging says they are flushable.

So, what's the harm :eek:hboy:
 
I always have a late dinner, and then I take a shower, put my jammies on, and read until it's time to sleep. Usually, the combination of a steak dinner, a warm shower, and the rhythm of the rails is enough to put me to sleep long before my normal time. I don't mind, though. It means I wake up early enough for french toast!
biggrin.gif
 
Amtrak is batting 1000 with the showers AFAIAC. Always plenty of hot water and it's a wonderful perc of 'sleeper' travel. I usually take a shower in the afternoon or early evening (never had to wait) and try for a longer station stop so the train is stationary. I also try for earlier in the run of the train so fewer, if any, people have had the opp to foul the room. Generally speaking it seems to me folks on trains tend to act like pigs and I'm sure the attendants have tales to tell. The mess one sees around some coach seats is surprising. :blink:
 
I go for the shower, when I am fortunate enough to be in sleeper, within minutes after waking up in the morning. I never see anyone at that hour (right at first light or slightly before).

Then a nice cup of coffee and wait for the diner to open - maybe read the paper if they brought one that early - please, anything other than USA Today!

Ahh .... it's been too long! Mar. 12, will be on the southbound Meteor.
 
Ah! We Americans are determined that never a germ shall meet!

I'd suggest also Lysolling the seats of the diner and lounge cars as well as using wipes on wrapper of the candy bar you buy and the change you get.

Don't forget that when you hand the conductor your ticket, he hands it back. And those door handles! :rolleyes:
Among other things, wet public bathroom floors are the prime source of athlete's foot fungus. They are the places I've contracted it twice. Since I wear something in the gym or public showers, I have not had it (20 years now).
Then again I don't and haven't had athlete's foot in over 50 years. And I find I worry less too!
After getting plantar warts on both feet, I don't plan to go barefoot again.
 
Why don't the tanks hold enough water?
I've never had it happen either, but if it does, it is probably because not enough people are conserving water, and let it run the entire time, while they take a leisurely shower.
My last couple of trips, the water didn't automatically shut off -- which is really what would help conserve water.
In my experience, the early part of the morning is the only time that I've seen contention for the shower. Frankly, I don't think that many passengers take advantage of it.
 
Does anyone have any more pictures of an Amtrak shower, preferably Superliner? I am taking a trip soon (never been on a sleeper before!) and want to get a 'feel' for it.
 
I'd underscore what Mr. Boxcar mentioned above about stops where the cars are rewatered. On a train like #5 where the service stop (Denver) coincides with the morning shower period, you could find yourself undressed and under the showerhead before discovering that there is no water pressure to proceed. The tanks are bled of their water pressure before refilling. Such quirks notwithstanding, I find that taking a shower enroute is a wonderfully regenerative exercise. Give me a hot AmShower followed by a hot cup of AmCoffee and I am good to go for another day full of railroading!  
 
In the original design of the Superliners, IIRC, there is a "powder room" without a lock on the door with a locking restroom adjoining. This used to have the "LADIES" symbol on the door, but I think they've removed that now.

In future designs, I would like to see that restroom replaced with a shower and the room to the vanity locked. It'd make for a great dressing room, shower, etc.

Only problem I see is that knowing my wife, it could be occupied for an hour by a single individual - particularly if that individual were my wife.

For some reason I'm thinking there were two showers on the Superliner. I guess not....

Regardless, the 3D tour on Amtrak.com doesn't look ANYTHING like I remember the showers! LOL.
 
That sounds like the changing room in the Superliner Coach cars. The changing room doesn't lock, but the restroom inside of it does. I always have to put my suitcase against the door so people don't walk in on me while I'm changing. I've never understood why that door doesn't lock. :angry2:
 
Well, because I think it was originally designed to be a make up room for women (hence the WOMAN icon on the door). I don't think it was intended to be a changing room, per se, though in modern life, it would seem to be the most suitable use for that room. Though, I would suspect that most folks would change in their room EXCEPT when coming out of a shower.
 
Well, because I think it was originally designed to be a make up room for women (hence the WOMAN icon on the door). I don't think it was intended to be a changing room, per se, though in modern life, it would seem to be the most suitable use for that room. Though, I would suspect that most folks would change in their room EXCEPT when coming out of a shower.
That makes sense for sleepers. This is the one in Coach. ;) It explains why there is a large mirror with a stool, though, and a bench for sitting/placing a bag. I never thought of it as a vanity before.
 
makeup on the Train ....... depending on the Tracks It may be a good idea to NOT apply on UP's rails . HAH !

every Frog and Switch will make one heck of a mess on your eye lineing ...... :blink:
 
Based on my trips in roomettes and bedrooms, people who don't bring Clorox wipes (sold in travel package size) or similar are nuts. On the CS last week the surfaces in the bedrooms were absolutely filthy, especially the tray tables. It looked like they were last cleaned years ago.

I traveled with friends in adjoining bedrooms and it took half a package of wipes to clean the rooms. And be sure to bring flip-flops or athletic slides to wear in the shower!
 
Based on my trips in roomettes and bedrooms, people who don't bring Clorox wipes (sold in travel package size) or similar are nuts. On the CS last week the surfaces in the bedrooms were absolutely filthy, especially the tray tables. It looked like they were last cleaned years ago.

I traveled with friends in adjoining bedrooms and it took half a package of wipes to clean the rooms. And be sure to bring flip-flops or athletic slides to wear in the shower!
Good grief! I half expect to see some people wearing bubble suits the next time I'm on the train!

Does anyone wonder with all the germophobia how any of us survived childhood into adult life? Or how humans have even managed to survive at all??? :help:
 
Good grief! I half expect to see some people wearing bubble suits the next time I'm on the train!

Does anyone wonder with all the germophobia how any of us survived childhood into adult life? Or how humans have even managed to survive at all??? :help:
Yeah, I wonder about that too ... and actually, I think the human race managed to survive specifically because things like Clorox wipes didn't exist in the past!

I've never seen a perfectly sterile transportation vehicle anywhere, and I honestly think that germs on Amtrak are less of a concern than on other public transport, because train passengers aren't crammed as closely together as they are on planes and busses. If public transport is going to make you sick, it'll almost invariably be because the wrong person breathes on you or sneezes on you. Amtrak sleeping accommodations don't cause me any worries, at all.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top