Bedbugs?

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alang

Train Attendant
Joined
Jun 1, 2009
Messages
90
Location
Nebraska
Planning a trip west on the CZ to California, and south to Miami via Chicago and Washington, DC. Any updates on the bedbug situation? I am not aware of any problems but would like member insight.
 
alang, you beat me to this by about 15 minutes! I am asking the same thing regarding the LSL,as NYC seems to be ground zero for these buggers.
 
Well I just returned from a round trip NYP-Miami on the Silver Meteor and saw no evidence of bedbugs in the two roomettes we had on the way down or the bedroom we had on the way back. But I did see a cockroach on the last leg of the journey in the middle sleeper car on my way back to my sleeper from a late breakfast. It was on the floor near the coffee station near a bunch of used towels that the attendant was rounding up.
 
I dunno 'bout you, but if I were a bedbug, I'd find a more comfortable bed that an Amtrak sleeper. I mean geeze, those poor little critters can't even see out the window.......

I may have missed it, but has anyone actually reported bedbugs on RR sleepers? Not saying it couldn't happen, prolly has, I just think with the conditions that sleepers go thru, it'd be less than perfect. Other than the constant changing of human carriers.
 
There seems to be more bedbug threads than actual bedbugs. :eek:hboy:
 
Just finished a LD trip on CZ, CS and EB all in a bedroom. No sign of bugs anywhere I'm happy to say! Trip report to follow soon.
 
Gee. If there was only some chemical that was safe and effective to be used in this limited situation, but not used in aerial cropdusting operations where it could affect birds. It could probably be used to save hundreds of thousands of lives from death and debilitating illness from malaria too...Hmmm, what could there be?
 
Gee. If there was only some chemical that was safe and effective to be used in this limited situation, but not used in aerial cropdusting operations where it could affect birds. It could probably be used to save hundreds of thousands of lives from death and debilitating illness from malaria too...Hmmm, what could there be?
Diatomaceous soil will kill them off safely and without injury to the applicant.
 
Gee. If there was only some chemical that was safe and effective to be used in this limited situation, but not used in aerial cropdusting operations where it could affect birds. It could probably be used to save hundreds of thousands of lives from death and debilitating illness from malaria too...Hmmm, what could there be?
That's the million dollar question, of course. Bedbugs develop pesticide resistance very quickly, so previously used pesticides like malathion and pyrethroids no longer work. DDT was no longer used against bedbugs due to ineffectiveness even before it was banned in 1972.

Was there a particular one you had in mind? Propoxur seems to work, but there's insufficient safety data on it. "Your bedbugs are gone, but you've now got leukemia." Or not, but it's probably better to find out in advance.
 
Oops. I was thinking of DDT. I didn't realize the bedbugs developed an immunity to it. Thanks for the info.

Maybe we can get them to start smoking instead. As long as we don't use the same exterminators that the Griffins on Family Guy use. They use guns to kill the bugs with commensurate collateral damage.
 
I just traveled the train from Charleston to DC (cardinal) and the the silver service to Tampa - round trip - the only issue I had was the cost of the holiday week sleepers on the silver service - WOW - double flying - come on! - put on more cars and sell them right for gosh sake - add an engine - make the rails the premier way to travel again! This is important - the more people that travel the rails the better chance we have of making it a viable travel option.I have traveled trains since there were linen table cloths and real plates - we loyalists out here have put up with a ton of stuff thru the years to support this alternative travel option - make it work for us!

Oh by the way - no bed bugs that I have had - more problem in coach than in sleepers and I traveled both.
 
I just traveled the train from Charleston to DC (cardinal) and the the silver service to Tampa - round trip - the only issue I had was the cost of the holiday week sleepers on the silver service - WOW - double flying - come on! - put on more cars and sell them right for gosh sake - add an engine - make the rails the premier way to travel again! This is important - the more people that travel the rails the better chance we have of making it a viable travel option.I have traveled trains since there were linen table cloths and real plates - we loyalists out here have put up with a ton of stuff thru the years to support this alternative travel option - make it work for us!

Oh by the way - no bed bugs that I have had - more problem in coach than in sleepers and I traveled both.
Not sure what high fares during periods of peak demand (i.e., holidays) has to do with bed bugs, but, anyway . . . . As far as high fares and additional cars on trains, if Amtrak had additional equipment (sleepers, or coaches), it would be hard to imagine that those cars would not be used during the summer and holiday travel periods.
 
Washing bed linens in hot water kills them dead. Amtrak linens are changed out every trip sometimes multiple times. The bed itself is a slab of foam, not really conducive to bed bug infestations. I would be more worried about sitting in a coach seat than a sleeper. You should be more worried about the hotel or motel you use when you get to your destination. Don't leave your clothes lying around and keep your bags shut tight in the room.
 
I just picked up a couple of 2 oz spray bottles of "Rest Easy" at Bed Bath and Beyond to tuck in my suitcase whenever I travel.

I've never seen a bedbug, never really thought about them, and not worried about them. But this product looks pretty good. Contains cinnamon oil, lemongrass oil, clove oil, and peppermint oil. If I get hungry, I could probably eat the stuff!
 
I heard on NPR that heat will kill bedbugs and their eggs. For instance, putting your clothes in the dryer for 20 minutes after traveling can reduce your chances of bringing them home. So, it would seem to me that Amtrak sleepers would be easy to rid of the pests (if ever they take up residence): just heat the sleepers to about 120 degrees at the end of each trip!
 
Unfortunately I've experienced bed bugs on an Amtrak train firsthand. My family and I recently took the auto train home from Sanford, FL to Lorton VA. While waiting in the Lorton station for our car to be unloaded, I looked over at my laptop bag and noticed a dead bed bug on the top of it. Upon closer inspection I found several more in the crevices of the bag. What a way to end a trip! We had spent the night in a Coach car...not sure if a sleeper would have been safer. Just to add a bit of background to the situation, with the rise in bedbug infestations, I don't even bring my bags or family into a hotel room until I check it for possible BBs. Upon inspection of my other luggage, that hadn't been in the coach car with us, there were no bugs. This suggests STRONGLY that they came off the train. If you've traveled the auto train before, you'll notice the many people toting their personal pillows and bedding items. Hmmmm.... Also, I was very surprised to see the attendant refold all the blue train blankets that we had used at night and return them to the luggage area above the seats for the next passengers.

I actually called Amtrak customer service on my drive home to inform them of what had happened. They seemed concerned and I hope they pulled that car! What bothers me most is that other families that took the trip with us probably don't even know of the exposure. Thank God I found that bug!

Needless to say, I've spent the last five days since coming home slowing bringing all of our items in from outside to launder and spray with alcohol to avoid infesting our home. I'm going to be fearful for a few months wondering if any managed to get in. I'm not sure if I'll take a train long distance again, but then again, these things are everywhere nowadays. I'll be leary about any hotel or public mode of transportation.

Word to the wise - be careful! Check your bags. Don't bring home any very unwelcome souvenirs!!!
 
While waiting in the Lorton station for our car to be unloaded, I looked over at my laptop bag and noticed a dead bed bug on the top of it. Upon closer inspection I found several more in the crevices of the bag. What a way to end a trip! We had spent the night in a Coach car...not sure if a sleeper would have been safer.
I just have to ask if you are sure these were bed bugs and not simply bugs. Honestly, I don't know if I could positively ID a bed bug from any another type of a bug.

I didn't know that a coach car would ever be dark enough, to draw bed bugs out.
 
Yes, unfortunately I'm sure that they were bed bugs. I've seen pictures of them before and they looked exactly like the ones I found. I pulled the one big one off my bag using a ziploc bag and kept it to compare to photos. I even called my exterminator for advice (to avoid bringing them inside my home)and he confirmed that they were bed bugs. I really wish they were something else!!! Yeah, the coach car was pretty dark at night. No one in my family had any evidence of bites, it just seems that they were living under the seats around us.
 
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