Shared showers for roomettes questions

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mitako

Service Attendant
Joined
May 21, 2018
Messages
111
On a one-night trip, I just wait until I arrive at the hotel (or home) before taking a shower, but I'm booked on a two-night-each-way trip in the spring. Roomette on superliner (Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle). I assume there are clean towels available for the shared shower in the sleeper? Do I have to find my SCA and ask for one, or are they kept near the shower? What about soap? Is there a dispenser in the shower, or should I bring my own? Is there space outside the shower for dressing and tidying up my hair? It's just one shower for all the roomettes in that car, correct?

TIA!
 
I think this answers all your questions:

  • If memory serves, we had to ask the SCA for a towel.
  • Liquid soap (or in some cases bars of soap) is provided.
  • There is space in the shower room (outside of the actual shower) to change and tidy up.
  • There's one shower in each car
EDIT: There may have actually been a few towels in the shower room. It was 8 months ago so I'm not quite sure.
 
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I've been a little luckier. The SCAs have usually kept the larger towels and a box of little soaps in the shower, with some spares on the luggage rack in the AM when it was busy. This year for the first time, they had disposable slippers, I never had them before. There are usually wash cloths and the hand towels in the roomette closet if you are in a SL 1 car, there is no closet in a SL2, and I forgot where they were stashed.
 
My experience: wash cloths and hand towels are in the Roomette, exact location seems to vary from time to time. Bar soap is available in the changing area of the shower room; never have seen liquid soap nor disposable slippers, however. Bath towels were also in the changing area of the shower room with spares on a luggage rack near-by.
 
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I spend perhaps 10-15 nights per year in a roomette, both on Superliners and Viewliners. Until perhaps 3-4 years ago, I could always count on one or more bundles of bath towels and individually wrapped bars of soap available in the showers. But that was then, and this is now.

In the past 12 months, I've noticed a general lack of bath sized towels in the shower room...typically not more than 6 (one bundle). Usually, but not always, there's a bundle or two of fresh towels in the luggage rack as well. My thinking these days is that Amtrak is cutting back on towels for the sleepers. Whether it's the result of not many towels being used per trip or just being cheap, I don't know. I've also noticed that on the third morning in the 'through' sleeper (#421/422), it's likely that most of the towels on board have already been used. That's one of the reasons I always try to get in the shower by 6AM or so. If there's any towels to be had, I'll get one. Only once have I not found any bath size towels (I always look before I walk in, lock the door, etc). Knowing that ahead of time, I took both of the hand towels in my roomette along with me to dry off with after using the face cloth I always bring from the roomette to dry off as best as possible.

Soap? I'd say 50/50 on whether there's a bunch of bars of soap (often, still in an 'open top' case, if I could call it that...24 bars total, maybe 36?) In the Viewliners, sometimes there's no bars of soap but there is the 'Amtrak liquid soap' dispenser in the shower itself. I've not seen that in a Superliner, however. So, I usually 'sneak a peek' in the shower shortly after boarding to see if there's soap or not. If not, I have a bar or two in my shave kit for 'just in case'.

I also travel with a couple of hotel-freebie sized bottles of shampoo that I refill at home before I leave. There's no shampoo in the shower...except once, maybe 6-7 years ago on the Capitol Ltd.

I've been surprised to see disposable slippers/flip-flops in the showers in the past 6 months or so. I have a nearly worn out pair of comfortable, fuzzy moccasins that I always pack last. They're on my feet within a minute or two of entering my roomette for the first time. They also come in very handy when a trip to the toilet is necessary, as is a pair of 'thin' sweatpants. I wear both to the shower as well.

Lastly, know that some passengers will leave the shower room in a not-so-tidy condition. Part of this is caused by the big laundry bag for used towels hanging somewhere making the dressing/undressing area somewhat cramped. Most often, one or more early (or late night) shower users will leave the used bar of soap in the shower. I simply grab those and toss 'em into the trash recepticle. Sometimes, soap wrappers are left laying around, they get tossed too. I always position the bath towel I'm going to use to be safely reachable without leaving the shower stall. That way, I dry off completely while still in the shower stall, then take the towel I just used and spread it out on the dressing area floor. There's almost always some water that doesn't stay in the shower while I'm showering. That way, I can get dressed without risking a slip on a wet floor and, as my last step before leaving, wipe the floor dry and put the towel in the bag.
 
Many times, the SCA has the clean towels stacked in the changing area of the shower room and also a basket of (wrapped)bar soaps to use. There is usually a bag there to put the used towels.

While soap is provided, shampoo and conditioner normally is not. If you want to use them, you should bring your own.

There is only 1 shower per car, but generally there is not a line. I think the longest line I have had is 1! If you go back to your room and come back in 10 minutes, chances are the line will be -0-.
 
The nice thing about the disposable flip flops was it made it possible to leave the room without putting the towel on the floor and still leaving with clean feet. My trips in June were the first time I ever saw those.
 
Just to add, for me there has always been two "stacks" (laundry bags?) of towels in the changing area of the shower. One of clean towels and one of used towels. Just make sure you know which is which.
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So, from the previous posts, may I expect a liquid soap dispenser in the shower of a Viewliner Sleeper?
 
It has been totally inconsistent in my experience. Here's what I do:

On the evening before, I check the room and if what I need is there - towel, washcloth, soap, etc. I grab one and take it beck to the room with me thus guaranteeing I won't be surprised. If not and not already in my room, I tell the SCA that I need those items and tell them I often wake up in the early hours and take my shower early and that I wouldn't want to bother them in the middle of the night so could they please give me a set of what I need.

I never have a problem any more.
 
So, from the previous posts, may I expect a liquid soap dispenser in the shower of a Viewliner Sleeper?
Nope! I did 8 nights in roomettes a couple months ago, 7 of those in Viewliners, and twice there was no liquid soap dispenser in the shower. I don't recall if those were the two showers that had been recently 'refurbed' with a newer handle/push button/shower hose/handle (same style as before) or not. In one of those 2 cases, there wasn't even a 'screw down' fixture to hold the liquid soap dispenser. In the other, there was no dispenser.

My biggest gripe with Amtrak right now is no price drop for the 2 'dog food express' trains, the LSL and CL. My second biggest is the radical inconsistency of what should be identical from train to train. Depending on the train and car type, there are 4 significantly different seating configurations called 'business class', for example. Even in full dining cars, real table linen with or without 'paper top'; real or paper napkins rolled around the flatware; stainless steel flatware vs 2 different varieties of plasticware; dinner salads automatically served, served on request only, or not at all...all personally seen in the past 6 months. And the newest one?...the last booth nearest the door in a new Viewliner II diner removed and used to stack crates of supplies. At least it isn't the extra large open top trash/garbage bag seen by the door in other diners this year...
 
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If Amtrak is inconsistent with the supplying of linens for shower use, I wouldn't surrender mine after a shower unless it was the last shower of a trip. They would accompany me to my accommodation. It's not like I'd only use a towel once at home; no big deal to (personally) use a towel two or three times at home, in a hotel, or on a train.
 
In my one trip on a Viewliner Sleeper (Crescent May 2012), the shower cubicle was being used for baggage storage. I had to move everything out into the passage, which I'm sure the SCA really appreciated. But I needed a shower! Your Mileage May Vary, of course.
 
Keep in mind that in a VL there is a sink in the room, and a few little bars of soap and washcloths are normally there. Check out the shower, if not equipped with a dispenser or a box of soaps, bring one with you along with a washcloth.
Quiet!!!!.....you're telling one of my secrets!!!

In my one trip on a Viewliner Sleeper (Crescent May 2012), the shower cubicle was being used for baggage storage. I had to move everything out into the passage, which I'm sure the SCA really appreciated. But I needed a shower! Your Mileage May Vary, of course.
I've done that a couple of times. I've moved out giant suitcases and even baby strollers when I shower. If someone wants to pass to/from the adjoining car, they'll have to move it. Most recently, the SCA was in their roomette across the hall with the door open a tad, heard the noise, took a look and closed the door. He knew I had no choice and he certainly didn't have a place to put them.

Perhaps that's the biggest shortcoming of a Viewliner...no public luggage rack. Back in the 10/6 sleeper days, in addition to the 'direct dump' toilets in each room (I always got a kick out of holding the pedal down and watching the ties fly by), there was a public toilet in the vestibule end, across the hall from the mini-room for the attendant. I recall seeing luggage in there a fair number of times. So, in a way, I'm happy for the new Viewliner II sleepers with 2 community toilets down the hall. Saves the problem of having to roll up the bed at night just to take a leak.
 
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So, in a way, I'm happy for the new Viewliner II sleepers with 2 community toilets down the hall. Saves the problem of having to roll up the bed at night just to take a leak.
Why? You can use the toilet in a Roomette without rolling up the bed or anything like that.
 
If you find that' seek out the SCA and ask her/him to move them. They will be glad to do it. Since there is no excess storage space in a Viewliner sleeper (like the luggage rack on a Superliner sleeper), the SCA puts bags in an unoccupied room or the shower room!
Whose bags are we likely talking about? No one should be bringing such huge bags into a sleeper that they have to be put in the shower room.
 
So, in a way, I'm happy for the new Viewliner II sleepers with 2 community toilets down the hall. Saves the problem of having to roll up the bed at night just to take a leak.
Why? You can use the toilet in a Roomette without rolling up the bed or anything like that.
He was still referring to the 10-6 Roomettes; the bed covered the toilet when it was deployed.
 
So, in a way, I'm happy for the new Viewliner II sleepers with 2 community toilets down the hall. Saves the problem of having to roll up the bed at night just to take a leak.
Why? You can use the toilet in a Roomette without rolling up the bed or anything like that.
He was still referring to the 10-6 Roomettes; the bed covered the toilet when it was deployed.
Then why was he saying that he's happy about the V-IIs having two toilets down the hall? They are replacing the V-Is, not the 10-6s.
 
If you find that' seek out the SCA and ask her/him to move them. They will be glad to do it. Since there is no excess storage space in a Viewliner sleeper (like the luggage rack on a Superliner sleeper), the SCA puts bags in an unoccupied room or the shower room!
Whose bags are we likely talking about? No one should be bringing such huge bags into a sleeper that they have to be put in the shower room.
How about a passenger in a sleeper going to or coming from a station where there is no checked baggage service?
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We travel by roomette ( can’t handle coach at our age). Since they did away with baggage service at DFB, my wife and I have each gotten rolling duffle bags which fit in the over the hall cubby. I also carry a backpack which hangs from the clothing bar.

Obviously, we have to be more space conscious when packing and do wash on extended trips.
 
So, in a way, I'm happy for the new Viewliner II sleepers with 2 community toilets down the hall. Saves the problem of having to roll up the bed at night just to take a leak.
Why? You can use the toilet in a Roomette without rolling up the bed or anything like that.
He was still referring to the 10-6 Roomettes; the bed covered the toilet when it was deployed.
Then why was he saying that he's happy about the V-IIs having two toilets down the hall? They are replacing the V-Is, not the 10-6s.
I have a case of overweight old age 'manspread', necessitating sitting to pee. BPH also a contributing factor.
 
Interestingly, even though we always travel with two people in each room, we have always been able to fit all our bags in a single Roomette - regardless of how long a trip. You can put a backpack or two on the ledge (on top of the garbage) and another on the toilet, and can put a couple decently sized suitcases in the storage cubby. That really is plenty for us.
 
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So, in a way, I'm happy for the new Viewliner II sleepers with 2 community toilets down the hall. Saves the problem of having to roll up the bed at night just to take a leak.
Why? You can use the toilet in a Roomette without rolling up the bed or anything like that.
He was still referring to the 10-6 Roomettes; the bed covered the toilet when it was deployed.
Then why was he saying that he's happy about the V-IIs having two toilets down the hall? They are replacing the V-Is, not the 10-6s.
I have a case of overweight old age 'manspread', necessitating sitting to pee. BPH also a contributing factor.
Right but why can't you just do that in the roomette toilet?
 
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