Coffee Pot and Ice now sealed for your protection!

[Guest]

Ice (not potable ice, just ice) needs to be made available for medication etc.

I'm just curious, how is this a "needs to be"?

Some medications, particularly insulin, need to be refrigerated.
Ice is available from the café car, and the SCA will often get it for you, so this really isn't a huge issue.

I understand that there are medications, like some older forms of insulin, need to be kept cool.

I was just curious if there was some law that required companies to provide ice to anyone just for the asking.

 

[me_little_me]

I saw the sign about the limited hours on our recent trip. I mentioned it to our SCA on the CL. He said they know about the rule but not to worry about it in his car.

Some people are just nice!

BTW, I contacted Amtrak about 3 of the best and 2 of the worst attendants we ever encountered on our 6 sleeper trip. Seems like they have polarized. And I didn't mention the coffee thing to Amtrak even though management believes no good deed should go unpunished.

 

[PupfosterG]

Two different trains on one trip in March. First train, CONO out of NOLO, coffee was available at departure. Second Train, SWC out of Chicago, no coffee just the "no coffee" sign.

Very disappointing. I could drink all the coffee or fountain drinks I wanted in Metropolitan Lounge, but as soon as I boarded the train, no coffee. At least not until the lounge opened. Sounds like sour grapes, but I paid for accommodations that advertised the complimentary drinks.

(I detrained before 6am)

 

[C&O RR]

So Amtrak's web site only says “coffee”, not that is only served from 6 a.m. till 11 a.m.

Also notice below, “Climate control”, in the past 70+ LD trips over the last 10 years only ONCE have I been in a room where the in-room thermostat did anything related to the temperature.

Ok, I will not say anything about the free “paper” listed below.

Well at least they don't say anything on this page about the in-room music channels! :blush:

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Accommodation_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241210576107

All Superliner Bedrooms feature private, self-enclosed restrooms with toilet, sink and shower. All Bedrooms are located on the upper level of our double-decker Superliner train cars.

• Meals included
  
• Designed for two passengers
  
• Large picture window
  
• Upper and lower berths
  
• Armchair and sofa (converts to lower berth)
  
• Private sink, vanity, private toilet and shower
  
• Electrical outlets
  
• Climate control
  
• Individual reading lights
  
• Garment rack
  
• Fold-down table
  
• Fresh towels and bed linens
  
• Soap and shower amenities
  
• Personal service (turn-down, coffee, paper, make-up bed)
  
• Bottled water
  

 

[Ryanne]

I don't see anything about a free "paper" and it's common knowledge the "Climate Control" has never EVER worked for anyone EVER.

 

[Flaxman]

I love the item 'bed linens,' for it accurately describes the thickness of Amtrak's so-called blankets!

 

[Ryan]

I don't see anything about a free "paper" and it's common knowledge the "Climate Control" has never EVER worked for anyone EVER.

That bit of "common knowledge" is absolutely false.

 

[Palmetto]

I don't see anything about a free "paper" and it's common knowledge the "Climate Control" has never EVER worked for anyone EVER.

It worked just fine for me to warm up the room on a trip from MIA-BOS. Never say ever.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I think the primary problem is that the HVAC controls are nearly worthless even when they're functioning precisely as designed. They can achieve exactly one outcome in that they can make the room hotter over the course of an hour or so. If you want the room to be colder the in-room controls cannot accomplish that task unless they were previously set to warm the room. The SCA can accomplish the task of cooling the room but because their imprecise car level controls will affect everyone they will be extremely hesitant to do so. This is a major problem that cannot be fixed easily because the fundamental design is so clumsy and outdated.

 

[C&O RR]

I many times I find that the climate control for the entire car is either full blast hot, full blast cold, or off. This is one of the reasons for carrying duck tape, so you can seal your vents.

 

[Ryan]

Use gaff tape so you don't leave a mess.

(That's a great song, DA - now it's going to be stuck in my head all day)

 

[C&O RR]

I don't see anything about a free "paper" and it's common knowledge the "Climate Control" has never EVER worked for anyone EVER.

"Common knowledge" is only among those of us who ride the trains often.

Many people riding for the first time do not know they are going to be cold or hot in their room. Many older people suffer the most because to them if it is 69 in the room they feel cold. (As you get older you lose mussel mass and therefore become cold at temperatures a younger person is quite happy with.

 

[Guest]

I don't see anything about a free "paper" and it's common knowledge the "Climate Control" has never EVER worked for anyone EVER.

Wasn't there a thread here that Amtrak discontinued the complimentary morning paper? While a paper was nice, it was understandably impossible for Amtrak to know which station they reached at, say, 6am, for the papers to be there to be loaded, due to the fact that Amtrak LD trains chronically running late.

In all my years (decades?) taking Amtrak sleepers, I never had a working "Climate Control" in my compartment either.

 

[andersone]

Climate control? put on a sweater or strip to your scivvies

 

[Lonestar648]

It has been rare, but when several rooms complained about the cold or the heat the car attendant might adjust the master temperature. This is not always good because if you feel it is comfortable, then raising the temperature could have you sweating. Room controls never helped.

 

[rickycourtney]

Also notice below, “Climate control”, in the past 70+ LD trips over the last 10 years only ONCE have I been in a room where the in-room thermostat did anything related to the temperature.

So a SCA finally explained this to me in a way that makes since. The climate control dial can only make the room warmer, not cooler. Thats because it only controls the floor heater in your room. The idea is when you have the thermostat set to warm, that heater runs and warms up your room. When you set it to cool, the air in the car should be cool enough that the room cools down. Problem is, to make that work Amtrak would need to keep the A/C on the sleeping cars set on the colder side, but they don't seem to do that.

• Fresh towels and bed linens
• Soap and shower amenities
  

Exactly what amenities are they providing?

A door or a curtain for the shower?

I mean, the towels are already listed above and the cheapskates at Amtrak have eliminated the bags with shampoo, conditioner and lotion. You know... the free amenities you get in almost any hotel room?

But like most of the items on this "bait-and-switch" list you can buy those amenities in the Cafe car. You know after you buy your coffee since it won't be made until tomorrow and before you unwrap your blanket and make up your own bed.

You know, because Amtrak charges high prices yet provides amenities comparable to a Motel 6.

I'd say that Amtrak should probably update this webpage before a disappointed passenger takes them to court over false advertising, but Amtrak has probably already laid off the people in the web department as a part of a cost cutting measure.

Also, for the record, I emailed Amtrak months ago to tell them that this webpage was out of date. Good to see they got right on making those changes.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

For climate control, I am usually too warm instead of too cold, so I open the vent under the window farthest from where I am sitting, which keeps things cooler without having a draft right on me.