Sneaking a Shower

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Shotgun7

Service Attendant
Joined
Apr 9, 2007
Messages
234
Location
Astoria, OR
On Saturday, August 2nd I'll be heading up north to Connecticut and probably beyond, as I posted a few days ago. There's no way I can afford a sleeper all the way to New York, especially by booking as late as I did (3 days ago), so I'll be in coach for 26 hours from DFB-NYP on the Meteor and then another hour and a half on Acela to New Haven. That's a long time to be constantly around people and without a shower! I noticed in several trips in sleeprs that although it's for a very short while, sleeper attendants do in fact sleep for a little while. And conductors can be in the bathroom or in their office or too busy with radio transmissions to pay attention to their surroundings for a few minutes. Does anybody think it's possible to get up at say 3 or 4 AM, sneak through the diner, and into the public shower for a few minutes without being thrown out? I have to do something new and interesting on every train trip I go on, and this idea just happens to be convenient too!
 
Using the shower by someone in coach is not allowed. True, the SA does sleep, but I wouldn't want to get caught and be put off the train at 3 AM! Plus, on the SM, because there is not any baggage storage in the car, sometimes they store the baggage in the shower room.

I would rather try for an onboard upgrade.
 
I believe that they call that theft of services. In most places, it carries jail time. While I'm dubious that Amtrak would prosecute, as the_traveler points out, being put out at some random, probably rural, town in the wee hours of the morning is not something to which to look forward, either.

The better option would be to attempt to upgrade to a sleeper for some portion of your trip and legally receive access to the shower, as well as a private compartment and, possibly, meals.
 
On Saturday, August 2nd I'll be heading up north to Connecticut and probably beyond, as I posted a few days ago. There's no way I can afford a sleeper all the way to New York, especially by booking as late as I did (3 days ago), so I'll be in coach for 26 hours from DFB-NYP on the Meteor and then another hour and a half on Acela to New Haven. That's a long time to be constantly around people and without a shower! I noticed in several trips in sleeprs that although it's for a very short while, sleeper attendants do in fact sleep for a little while. And conductors can be in the bathroom or in their office or too busy with radio transmissions to pay attention to their surroundings for a few minutes. Does anybody think it's possible to get up at say 3 or 4 AM, sneak through the diner, and into the public shower for a few minutes without being thrown out? I have to do something new and interesting on every train trip I go on, and this idea just happens to be convenient too!
Seems Morally ambiguous at best. Wonder if you got caught if it would get you thrown off the train. That would be an interesting train trip indeed.

I'd take the moral high ground and try for that onboard upgrade or just wait to take that shower. The folks who paid for the sleeper paid for that shower,

you didn't. Pretty straight forward to me.
 
Crap, I forgot about getting put off the train. That would certainly not be too fun. I didn't know Amtrak staff takes it that seriously. I think I'll make due with deoderant... <_<
 
Crap, I forgot about getting put off the train. That would certainly not be too fun. I didn't know Amtrak staff takes it that seriously. I think I'll make due with deoderant... <_<
Heck, on my TE trip, they removed someone from the train for smoking. Didn't hear all the details, but I know they were taken off as I heard it on my scanner. Also we stopped in the middle of no-where to take a passenger off because they got sick. An ambulance was waiting. They just stopped at a crossing, helped them off and away we went. That would be a bad day.
 
Crap, I forgot about getting put off the train. That would certainly not be too fun. I didn't know Amtrak staff takes it that seriously. I think I'll make due with deoderant... <_<
On my recent LD trip, we just used a washcloth and some soap in the coach bathroom. Wasn't as good as a real shower but it was better than nothing.
 
Using the shower by someone in coach is not allowed. True, the SA does sleep, but I wouldn't want to get caught and be put off the train at 3 AM! Plus, on the SM, because there is not any baggage storage in the car, sometimes they store the baggage in the shower room.
Plus, remember, the SA's room is directly across the hall from the shower room.

Gosh, even as a Sleeping Car passenger, I would never try to use the shower in other car. Most of the SA I have run across, are VERY protective (territorial?) of their cars.

Beyond luggage, I have frequently found the SA store "tomorrow's" consumables in the shower, like extra ice, juice, cups, etc.
 
But you really do not get that dirty on the train.

People ride coach aong distances all the time without a shower and get by ok. We all have different levels of tolerance, I know.

Maybe I am a slob.

But when I was younger I rode coach from Tennessee to California ( three ngihts) several times without any serious problem and this included several hour layovers walking around in Chicago.

Trains used to not even have showers in the abundance they have them today. Very few trains before Amtrak had showers--maybe seven or eight trains in the whole country. And they were usually just in one car on the whole train--usually not public for other sleeping car passengners.

So...I am thinking it is kind of a cultivated, perceived need. We can live without it.
 
Crap, I forgot about getting put off the train. That would certainly not be too fun. I didn't know Amtrak staff takes it that seriously. I think I'll make due with deoderant... <_<
On my recent LD trip, we just used a washcloth and some soap in the coach bathroom. Wasn't as good as a real shower but it was better than nothing.

In a Walgreens or similar store, you should be able to find 'disposable' washcloths, just add water :) I believe they are usually in the Home Health Care section.
 
Allthough I'm not a slob and take some pride in my appearence, I've gone 3 days straight with no shower during my busy holiday hours at work. When you walk out the door of your house at 7:30am and return home at 10pm or later, a shower sounds like more effort that I don't want to expend at that very moment. I usually will go to bed, lay out the same uniform in the other bedroom, get up and put on a fresh pair of sox and undies, brush the teeth, deodorant and walk back out the door for another 12+ hour day of work. This goes on for almost a month and I have learned that I don't have to shower up daily. Sometimes I just stick my head under the kitchen sink and shampoo it real quick. By the time Christmas arrives, no matter how much I have showered, I still look and feel like crud! :lol: I usually spend Janurary sleeping as much as I can. So I would easily be able to go 26 hours without a shower!
 
Heck, on my TE trip, they removed someone from the train for smoking. Didn't hear all the details, but I know they were taken off as I heard it on my scanner.
Gosh, I have seen a desperate smoker in the vestibule, with the car door's window open. For what ever reason, no one seemed to care. :eek:
 
As others have said, I think you should be fine. I went from Boston to Seattle last summer without a shower and felt fine. You'll be sitting in an air-conditioned car most of the time, so it's not like your clothes will be soaked with sweat after a few days. Bring a washcloth, change your socks, and you should be fine. It was a good idea though. ;)

Have a good trip!

noah
 
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Why don't you go straight at it? Approach the car attendant with a five spot and ask him/her if there would be a convenient time to take a shower. Lot cheaper than a room and NO is only half of a four letter word. Good luck!
 
Why don't you go straight at it? Approach the car attendant with a five spot and ask him/her if there would be a convenient time to take a shower. Lot cheaper than a room and NO is only half of a four letter word. Good luck!
I don't think that is such a hot idea. If I were a sleeping car passenger and I found out there were people who didn't belong in the sleeping cars, taking showers, I would not be too happy. I also assume Amtrak management would not be too happy about it either. I'm not trying to be unreasonable about this, but what would be next? For ten bucks you can take a nap in an empty roomette - or how about free coffee, juice and by the way - can I get you a newspaper?
 
Why don't you go straight at it? Approach the car attendant with a five spot and ask him/her if there would be a convenient time to take a shower. Lot cheaper than a room and NO is only half of a four letter word. Good luck!
I don't think that is such a hot idea. If I were a sleeping car passenger and I found out there were people who didn't belong in the sleeping cars, taking showers, I would not be too happy. I also assume Amtrak management would not be too happy about it either. I'm not trying to be unreasonable about this, but what would be next? For ten bucks you can take a nap in an empty roomette - or how about free coffee, juice and by the way - can I get you a newspaper?
No, the newspaper would be $15! :lol:

But really, I would agree! Even if the SA accepts the "tip", if I were a sleeper passenger, and found out that someone from coach got something for free that I paid extra to get, I would complain to Amtrak. And they would "have a talk" with the SA. I would consider MY job to be worth more than a $5 "tip"! :rolleyes:

If Amtrak were smart (like that would ever happen :rolleyes: ) and start to offer the option of a shower for coach, I wouldn't try it!
 
Well the "idea" came from watching someone doing it. I seldom travel coach lately and enjoy watching some of the coach pax antics. I, as a revenue pax, saw nothing wrong with what that pax did. One wet towel and a little water isn't going to shut Amtrak down. Au contraire~ it might entice someone to buy a room or upgrade next trip. Sure, his boss might have torn the SA up but I'm sure the gentleman who asked for, and got the shower, genuinely needed it. And I'm positive he beelined back to coach without stealing a bottle of water.
 
Well the "idea" came from watching someone doing it. I seldom travel coach lately and enjoy watching some of the coach pax antics. I, as a revenue pax, saw nothing wrong with what that pax did. One wet towel and a little water isn't going to shut Amtrak down. Au contraire~ it might entice someone to buy a room or upgrade next trip. Sure, his boss might have torn the SA up but I'm sure the gentleman who asked for, and got the shower, genuinely needed it. And I'm positive he beelined back to coach without stealing a bottle of water.
Agree with what you say, but still not a good practice.
 
Isn't there a fixed amount of water in a tank somewhere per car? If I were a sleeper pax opening a dry spigot and found out the water went to a coach pax for anything less to Amtrak than I had paid for my ticket, I would be a little waxed.
 
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