Using public restroom with viewliner roomette?

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Barciur

Barciur

OBS Chief
Joined
Aug 13, 2012
Messages
599
Location
Lancaster, PA
Hello,

I am going to be travelling with a friend on a viewliner roomette. As a sleeper passenger, is it possible to access a public restroom in coach or anywhere else? My friend is not totally frilled with the idea of having to excuse somebody and do their business in the room in the open itself, being from Europe he is totally unaccustomed to such a design
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So we were wondering if it is possible to take a walk to the coach to do this, or will somebody stop us?

Thanks in advance!
 
I think you should be fine--just take your tickets with you in case anyone questions you as you return to the sleeper. Also, try to go to coach between stations (I made the mistake of going through the coaches to stretch my legs on a Florida train when people were boarding, and I was asked for my ticket as the conductor was checking the coach passengers, plus it was really hard to get through the crowd.)
 
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It is quite common for Viewliner roomette passengers to go to coach restrooms. You likely will not be stopped or questioned, but just in case, take your ticket with you so you may return to your sleeper, if you are not recognized.
 
The restrooms were removed from the AM2 lounges when they were converted from smoking lounge "Club" cars into diner lites.

You can sure use coach restrooms, I do- I don't fit in that thing. 1 I can do, 2 I gotta take the hike. Pain in the arse at night, but that would depend on how much clothing you wear to bed.
 
There are restrooms in the Sleeper cars, you do not need to go to coach.

There will also be an accessible restroom on the lower deck, and a shower.
 
wallylegs said:
There are restrooms in the Sleeper cars, you do not need to go to coach.

There will also be an accessible restroom on the lower deck, and a shower.
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You're thinking of Superliner cars. The Viewliners are single level.
 
Had the thread not been about Viewliners, it would be even easier to use the RR upstairs in a SL sleeper. Also, in the sleeper, the accessible toilet is part of the accessible bedroom, it is not available to the public.
 
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The Coach restrooms are for the general public, so that means all ticketed passengers and crew. Because of this, it may not be that clean so be prepared. Depends on the Coach attendant. Getting up in the night to take my granddaughter is no fun, so I choke down the price of the bedroom if she is traveling with me.
 
Except for the Boston section of of the Lake Shore Ltd and the Cardinal, the coaches are separated from the sleepers by the dining car. Passing through at dinner time can be difficult. The Boston sleeper has the Business Class/Lounge car directly behind the sleeper, which has a toilet. On the Cardinal, an unstaffed BC/Lounge car is next to the sleeper(s).
 
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wallylegs said:
There are restrooms in the Sleeper cars, you do not need to go to coach.

There will also be an accessible restroom on the lower deck, and a shower.
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There are no "public" restrooms in a Viewliner sleeper, nor is there a lower deck, they are single level cars.

OP expressly stated "Viewliner" in the title so there should not be any confusion with Superliners.
 
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I've done this many times. It's annoying in the winter months when you cross between cars. This approach worked with my gf, a non train traveler and myself. Once I showed her where the restroom was, she was ok walking through the diner to get to the first coach. I coached her to dress in an outfit where she could sleep comfortable and still be warm when getting up in the middle of the night.

If your freind is new to train travel, explain and show. My girlfriend, despite a long relationship, is sill fuzzy on the concept of two cars up, or first car beyond the diner. She does not seem to understand where one car starts and the next ends. Understanding that your freind may not understand this may make their trip easier if you show and explain.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum
 
So the simple summary is (since we do not know which train or which particular car you are riding) when you get settled in, do a trial run to get familiar with the path....The direction and length of the walk is dependent on which roomette in which car, and on which train. In any case it is not a problem.....
 
When I was in the Cardinal business class car last year, several sleeper passengers came in to use the bathrooms at the opposite end of the car (and to use the tables and some of the business class seats as their lounge area). So depending on what train you're on that could be an option.
 
That's why I was saying the specific train matters. I also rode the Crescent last year, and from where I was in the front of the first sleeper, I would have had to go through both sleepers and the diner, (3 cars) while the 3/4 empty AM-2 serving as BC was right there. Makes sense in that case for sure.
 
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Lonestar648 said:
Because of this, it may not be that clean so be prepared. Depends on the Coach attendant.
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That would be my "resistance" in using the coach bathrooms. The few times I have used one, the previous coach passengers really didn't leave it in a very nice condition (link NYC subway restroom
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).

Anyway, back to the OP about feeling uncomfortable using the "out in the open" toilet in the roomette. The roomette itself isn't much larger than a bathroom stall, and in particular, a wheelchair accessible one. I mean, they must have some very tiny bathrooms in Europe if a roomette is uncomfortably large.

When the toilet was used in our roomette, the other occupant of the roomette would go out for a courtesy walk (check out the vestibule view of the other side of the train, etc).
 
During the day, that may work, but having to wake up your companion, or they waking you, is very inconvenient. Add that you are taking a child with you, things are now more complicated, especially at night.
 
Would having the lower bunk made up with the pillow end away from the commode be an option? That way, when the person in the top bunk had to take a whiz, it would be by the feet of the lower bunk occupant.
 
niemi24s said:
Would having the lower bunk made up with the pillow end away from the commode be an option?
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My recollection is that the pillow end of the lower bunk is away from the toilet. Isn't the bunk wider at the closet end and narrower at the sink end, and isn't the pillow at the wider end?
 

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