Obsolete Superliner Features

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Skim

Skim

Train Attendant
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Messages
65
Location
Alton, IL
I don't often get to ride the LD/Superliner trains, but the several I've ridden have some interesting (to me) features in disuse. One is a small metallic door, about six inches tall and two feet long, about halfway up the wall in the smaller dressing room, screwed shut. What was this?

Another is the mini-bar with a sink in the upstairs lounge. Did it sell booze? Snacks? When did Amtrak discontinue its use?
 
I'm not familiar with the door you mentioned in the dressing room, so I can't comment on that.

The upper level service area is normally not used. However on some trains, such as on the EB in the summer when the train is busy, it's sometimes used as an overflow service area beSides using the lower level snack area.
 
I recall on my first trip on EB in '96, they used that upper car/counter area.. otherwise, all other trips on the EB since '08, it was never used..
 
I can't recall the last time I saw the upper bar area used in the Lounge car -- it wasn't on the eastbound CZ Jan 3/4 (Emeryville to Denver). I wonder if it wasn't one of those features that looked good 'on paper' but for practical purposes -- doesn't serve a purpose most times. I would think you'd need another lounge car attendant to staff it, plus the space (for storage of drinks, mixes, etc) isn't that great it appears.
 
I *think* that door you mention is the access panel to change the car number sign on the outside of the car. They open that door and move the rolls until the correct number is displayed outside.

Speaking of obsolete features... at one time the Superliner sleepers had doors from the hallway into the closet so the attendant could reach inside and remove a passengers shoes and shine them overnight. I think they were all removed in a refurbishment.
 
They really should remove the upper bar and add a few more seats to help with capacity, even if only slightly. I have got another one, how about the "ice" water dispenser that seems to rarely, if ever, work (at least for me). Every time I want to refill my water bottle I have to go to the lounge and buy some. Arrrgh.
 
I believe on some routes that have Trails & Rails Guides from the National Park Service they will use the upper bar area to do their talks from and put out some materials. One thing to keep in mind, when these cars were designed in the mid-70s train travel was a bit different. It probably made sense to have a cocktail bar upstairs for folks to be able to get a drink without having to venture downstairs to get a new drink. Heck, the bartender could've served you at your seat with that setup. There are obsolete features on even some of the recent refurbishments. Look at the lunch counter concept in the rebuilt Heritage Diners that didn't work out. Or the biggest white elephant of all, the Cross Country Cafe. Sometimes its trial by fire, and sometimes the fire wins.
 
I "think" the little door was indeed where one wud put their shoes, to be shined. But I honestly don't remember if Superliner I's were built with those or not.....

I worked the "upstairs bar" on several trips in late 70's. Summer use only. Bevs and snacks. One could make decent tips, if one "worked the car", that is, got out from behind the door, and solicited drinks and refills.

I'd love to be a traveler now on the SSL car, and not have to go downstairs for another brew.....
 
As I get older, going down to the lounge car serving area gets harder and harder on the knees. But, let's face it, it's unlikely that Amtrak will ever field an upstairs attendant again, so I say let's have those upstairs bars removed and replaced by seating when the cars go through refurbishment.
 
rickycourtney said:
I *think* that door you mention is the access panel to change the car number sign on the outside of the car. They open that door and move the rolls until the correct number is displayed outside.

Speaking of obsolete features... at one time the Superliner sleepers had doors from the hallway into the closet so the attendant could reach inside and remove a passengers shoes and shine them overnight. I think they were all removed in a refurbishment.
Click to expand...
Don't remember seeing them on the Superliners but they were on the single level sleepers used by Amtrak in the '70s and '80s. Inside, it was not in the closet.
 
In the sleepers, the placards that say "120 VOLTS - RAZOR ONLY" are definitely outdated. Lots of people carry stuff you can plug into that outlet nowadays -- like iPhones (pictured).

9NiDNil.jpg
 
In Superliner sleepers, there are actually door buzzers on the rooms. The button can be found above the door where the room number is. Everyone I have tried still works, even refurbed sleepers. Though, no one uses them and most do not know they are there.
 
We have had SCA's use the door buzzer before. It has been a while though. I think all the music channels in the sleeper are pretty outdated.
 
At one time there were small screen televisions in the rooms. I believe that you had a choice of three or four closed circuit channels. They received hard use and the master VCR players that supplied the TV signals didn't react well to the jarring movements of the train. All of the systems were removed maybe 15 years ago. It was a good idea that just didn't work out. I know a few people that used them on the Florida trains so maybe the televisions were only on the Viewliners. Anyone remember them?
 
Greatjones said:
At one time there were small screen televisions in the rooms. I believe that you had a choice of three or four closed circuit channels. They received hard use and the master VCR players that supplied the TV signals didn't react well to the jarring movements of the train. All of the systems were removed maybe 15 years ago. It was a good idea that just didn't work out. I know a few people that used them on the Florida trains so maybe the televisions were only on the Viewliners. Anyone remember them?
Click to expand...
These were on the Viewliners only. They weren't the best idea either. Now a steel plate covers the opening where this tv was. When Amtrak removed the tv's it removed the call attendant feature. Some Viewliners have that panel removed and some still have it.
 
Acela150 said:
Greatjones said:
At one time there were small screen televisions in the rooms. I believe that you had a choice of three or four closed circuit channels. They received hard use and the master VCR players that supplied the TV signals didn't react well to the jarring movements of the train. All of the systems were removed maybe 15 years ago. It was a good idea that just didn't work out. I know a few people that used them on the Florida trains so maybe the televisions were only on the Viewliners. Anyone remember them?
Click to expand...
These were on the Viewliners only. They weren't the best idea either. Now a steel plate covers the opening where this tv was. When Amtrak removed the tv's it removed the call attendant feature. Some Viewliners have that panel removed and some still have it.
Click to expand...
Here is a closed circuit TV that was on my first sleeper ride on the Twilight Shoreliner's last sleeper run on train #67 in 2003. It worked well, however I never had another one that worked properly. The attendants always said "they never work".
 
That TV screen is about as small as the Sony Watchman and the small size of the screen killed that system as no one could see it, especially if you were trying to watch a ballgame on it. I remember when they had tube TVs and a VCR in the cubby at the end of the Sightseer Lounge and would spin up a grainy movie at night with tinny audio. I also recall taped music in the Diner the first time I rode a Superliner back in the 80s. I also remember the tape dragging making the music sound like a Clowder of Fighting Cats :)
 
rickycourtney said:
Speaking of obsolete features... at one time the Superliner sleepers had doors from the hallway into the closet so the attendant could reach inside and remove a passengers shoes and shine them overnight.
Click to expand...
Seriously? I'll have to ask my next SCA to shine my shoes overnight.

("I need to put your bed down before 9 because that's when I'm off for the night")

bgiaquin said:
They really should remove the upper bar and add a few more seats to help with capacity, even if only slightly.
Click to expand...
Yes. The Trails & Rails Guides can re-located to the lower level, IMO. Some of them already do camp out downstairs. Leave the

best spots for the revenue passengers, please.

TraneMan said:
Wonder what would a person try to plug into that back in the days when they are only allowing razor only??
Click to expand...
Microwaves, probably.
 
Ethan Klapper said:
In the sleepers, the placards that say "120 VOLTS - RAZOR ONLY" are definitely outdated. Lots of people carry stuff you can plug into that outlet nowadays
Click to expand...
The outlets on some of the rebuilt Superliner sleepers actually have a sign now that says "No Hair Dryer or Curling Iron"image.jpg
 
The audio system in the Superliners isn't a total waste. On Auto Train they have Sirius XM's 60s on 6 (IIRC) set up to come through the music feed. When you're boarding it's playing in all cars, and then you can listen to it en route if you're in the sleepers. I'd have to guess the receiver is probably in the Trans Dorm since they've got a dedicated fleet of Trans Dorms.
 
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