On my October trip using the Starlight, Sunset, CONL, and SWC, and Starlight again, I got an amenity kit on the Starlight both directions, but not on any other train. Just pulled it out and looked at it and it contained a shower cap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion and small bar soap, all branded "Gilchrist & Soames" (which means nothing to me). It was all in a little grey drawstring bag with an Amtrak "falling flag" logo. No CS branding.
I have had mixed experience on the EB and CS in finding these bags in my room. On my last trip, on train 7 (only traveling the last leg of the EB SPK-SEA) there were two amenity bags in my bedroom. On the return trip on train 8 originating in Seattle there were none. I like the shamppo and the lotion; otherwise don't utilize the supplies.
i doubt amtrak would reuse the bags. i would think they buy them prefilled. my puzzle is as to the inconsistency of the amenities. usually, since the relaunch, we get a bag on the cs but a couple times i have had to ask. once on the eb we got a bag. if amtrak is going to spend the advertising dollars for the bags it is poor advertising if they are not consistenly in the rooms.
I agree with your statement, my earlier trip this month on the EB from Mpls to Chicago, no amenity kits in the bedroom. Return out of Chicago, there were two. Last week, my sister did not have amenity kits in her roomette, car 0730, but I had mine in car 0731 in a bedroom. I asked her SCA about the missing kit from her room and his reply was they were short on them and he could only put them in the bedrooms. However, our car had a big plastic bag of them in the SCA room.
Since they are provided as a single/personal use item, then if you open/use the product, then you should take it with you.
Then, of course, there was the trip from Minot to Chicago last fall. Mrs. Ispolkom boarded at St. Paul, and after breakfast the SCA asked if we wanted mimosas. Hmm, at 7:30 a.m.? Why not? We're not driving. They SCA then explained that she intended to get rid of the rest of the sparkling wine by the time we reached Chicago. We did our best to help, and it was quite a cheerful trip. No newspaper, though, come to think of it. I didn't miss it at the time, and the next morning we got the Sunday New York Times on the Lake Shore Limited.
Interesting outlook on the (non) reuse. Some hotels store hair dryers in reuseable bags. I thought this to be the same.
Bring all toiletries you need. The amenity kits were only on the Coast Starlight and Empire Builder and they have been/are being phased out.
