jsreeves
Train Attendant
I'm betting "Guest_Guest_" is just the type of person that would purposely NOT wash their hands.
Where to get ice
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NW cannonball
Conductor
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Posted Today, 03:39 PM
pennyk, on 13 January 2013 - 02:33 PM, said:I will be traveling on the Silver Meteor this week, and after reading this thread, I am disappointed that the ice is routinely left out on the Silvers for passengers to use at their convenience. I do not plan to use any ice this (or possibly any other) trip.
That must make for fun at parties or picnics, if you'll get that upset if the host has the ice in a bucket or a cooler.
The good thing about those parties and picnics is -- the "ice handler" was purposefully clean - washed their hands most likely.
At Amtrak and fast food places -- workers need to keep the job - washing hands is seen as slacking. I think less so at Amtrak.
As said b4 - say " no ice" -- in mexico, india, and the USA.
The ice might be safe in Japan -- but I'm not going to test it with my personal intestines.
Take care, be good -- and learn how to say "No ice please" in as many languages as you need.
I can have fun without consuming ice at a party or picnic (as long as the beer is cold :giggle: ). As mentioned in another post, I was only referring to Amtrak trips, but I will think twice or three times about consuming ice from an ice bucket or a cooler.
the_traveler
Engineer
What about in England where the beer is warm? :blush:
I'm coming to this discussion late, but yeah there are times when you would love to have those ice cubes in your glass... so here's what you can do. Anything sitting out in a chest accessible by the public is obviously risky. Unless you're the first person to open that bag, well, as everyone else has said, you don't know what is in there besides ice. Handwashing is still an art form that has a long ways to go. So you have 2 ways to get ice, if you're on a sleeper, the SCA will bring ice on request. Sleeper or coach, you can buy a drink, even bottled water, from the cafe car and ask for an extra cup of ice with it. Tip accordingly for the extra ice. 
Its an artform and science that most Americans are unable to do correctly or effectively.
to PROPERLY wash your hands:
1. Use warm water. (Not HOT. You dont want to have it so hot as to not properly rinse)
2. Rise hands and arms as far up as you can go. The elbow is recommended.
3. Apply soap and scrub vigorously for 20 seconds, being sure to get between the fingers and under the nails
How do you know how long 20 seconds is... Sing the "Happy Birthday" song TWICE. Its longer than you think
3. Rinse starting at the elbows and allow the water to run down and off the tip of the fingers
4. Take clean paper towels and dry your hands and arms. Use as many as necessary
5. Throw paper towels in the waste basket
6 Using a CLEAN fresh paper towel, turn off the water. DO NOT immediately throw this towel away
7. Use this same towel to open the restroom door. Deposit this towel in the wastebasket as you exit.
Note: If you are doing food prep, remove all jewelry including wedding rings before washing hands. Nothing between the elbow and the tip of the finger.
You now have clean hands to enjoy your meal or sip that cocktail in the PPC!
SCAs always open the ice bags, never the passengers. As for the rest, it's already been covered pretty thoroughly. And I can't imagine tipping extra for the ice. I think a smile and a thank you will be appreciated just fine. Then again, maybe I tip better than some.I'm coming to this discussion late, but yeah there are times when you would love to have those ice cubes in your glass... so here's what you can do. Anything sitting out in a chest accessible by the public is obviously risky. Unless you're the first person to open that bag, well, as everyone else has said, you don't know what is in there besides ice. Handwashing is still an art form that has a long ways to go. So you have 2 ways to get ice, if you're on a sleeper, the SCA will bring ice on request. Sleeper or coach, you can buy a drink, even bottled water, from the cafe car and ask for an extra cup of ice with it. Tip accordingly for the extra ice.
The FDA regulates the commercial production of ice as it does with all other foods.
http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm197586.htm
Ispolkom
Engineer
I take care to sanitize any ice I get in a sleeper with copious amounts of gin. It's worked for me so far.
LOL! Bombay Saphire? Tanqueray? Beefeater? Hopefully not Monarch!
rusty spike
OBS Chief
I think that is the way DiCaprio (as Howard Hughes) did it in the movie The Aviator. On the flip side it is interesting to see how many men of all ages leave a restaurant's restroom without even a quick wash of the hands.
PaulM
Engineer
Call the cops! On a recent CHI-PDX-LAX trip, unattended ice was available in both sleepers. On the EB, room #1 was setup like a news stand/snack bar, complete with ice.
Was Vincent your attendant? When I encountered him last year he was very adamant about not letting the passengers have their own access to the ice (citing health concerns).
If I can't get an ice cube or two, I'll take the Jack Daniels straight. The joys of having my own room!
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dart330
OBS Chief
I'll drink to that! I have only been in one sleeper where the ice wasn't left out. The attendant had it on the seat in their room but it was still self service. I would find it very inconvenient to need to get the attendant every time I wanted a refill.
I don't see what all the fuss is about, if it bothers you, get your ice from the diner or the cafe. There is no guarantee that any of the staff isn't sick or that they washed their hands (even though you would hope so).
Ispolkom
Engineer
I'm a Tanqueray man, born and bred. Martinis are 5-to-one with Noilly Prat vermouth, shaken. I think anything else is heresy, but I'm a martini fundamentalist.
I only recently discovered the pleasure of a good gin martini. I was adamately anti-gin, but after having a Bombay Saphire martini at the local casino's fine dining establishment a couple years ago I can now say that the spirits have moved me to enjoy the distilate of juniper berries... but I am a Bombay Saphire man, though the PPC doesnt stock that, so I'll have to do Tanqueray on my upcoming trip. Do you know what vermouth the PPC stocks?
Instead of "airline type" bottles, just bring a regular bottle of your favorite beverage. Or, you can re-bottle your beverage into smaller bottles.
OlympianHiawatha
Engineer
The small bottles take up less space than a large one and make it easier to pack a variety without taking up your whole grip.
Ispolkom
Engineer
I'm picky enough about martinis that I generally make them myself. I'm not sure the PPC even has vermouth, so if you order a martini, you might well just get straight gin. Lots of people prefer that to a real martini, I'm told.
The Davy Crockett
Engineer
This method works particularly well in the cars were they have replaced the papaer towels with a hot air hand dryer.
Devil's Advocate
⠀⠀⠀
I appreciate the concern, but the fact remains that setting out some public ice is a victimless crime. As mentioned previously if you don't want it you shouldn't be opening the container in the first place. Start taking responsibility for your own actions instead of blaming others for not preventing you from having access to something you disagree with. The FDA regulates our supply but it does NOT inspect food production, processing and transportation in a way that makes the regulations worthwhile or enforceable. Which is part of the reason we now have a new found appreciation for previously safe foods in recent years. Did your lettuce have e.coli? Did your peanut butter contain salmonella? Anyone who was watching what was happening in the animal products markets could see this coming decades ago. If you're still extremely worried about the ice but nonchalant about everything else you put into your mouth then maybe you should rethink your approach to healthy and sustainable living.
A suggestion I've made before -- toss towels in the the big wastebasket by the doors (downstairs) or around the corner (upstairs). That way you don't fill up the pathetic little (and very unsanitray) thing in the lavatories.This method works particularly well in the cars were they have replaced the papaer towels with a hot air hand dryer.
As for disinfecting the ice with 86 proof hooch, I think going up a couple of octane levels would be more reliable (I first wrote "safer" but that didn't sound quite right)..
And -- my take on life -- I'd rather fight ignorance with education than with yet more rules.
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