Toilets and Toilet Paper on Amtrak (Merged)

[Aaron]

Apologies for posting mod-related commentary here instead of toilet commentary, but I don't really know who the mods are, so I wouldn't know how to contact them all individually. I've got no problems with you closing or locking threads or deleting offensive posts, nor with the fact that you are the deciders of what constitutes offensive. It's y'all's board, you set the rules, you do as you see fit.

However... What bothered me about the recent thread lockings is a lack of information about why the threads were locked. One thread was locked with no notice at all; the other just had a post that said something to the effect of "this thread is now locked also". If I may make a humble suggestion: If anyone's going to lock a thread but otherwise leave it displayed, it would be really helpful to add a post to the end to not only say that the thread will be locked, but to say why. I think a short explanation could help prevent anger and backlash, as well as help forum members learn where the lines are drawn, hopefully preventing crossing them in the future. Locking the thread without saying why leads to the phenomenon of people just immediately opening new threads on the same topic (as witnessed here). Once the new threads are open, they just have to get shut down again (if it's the topic itself that's off-limits), or they'll inevitably cross the invisible line again and have to be shut down again. This all could be made easier by illuminating the line as it's crossed.

 

[MrFSS]

At the botton right of the main forum page is this link:

• The Moderating Team

It will take you to a list of all the staff.

Apologies for posting mod-related commentary here instead of toilet commentary, but I don't really know who the mods are, so I wouldn't know how to contact them all individually.

 

[VentureForth]

The toilet paper I've seen is Georgia-Pacific Envision 1-ply. I saw an extra roll placed on the deck of the toilet seat. It didn't look like anything that was specifically designed for this use, but it might have been on an approved list of TP that was tested.
Also - most of the toilets I've used don't have any blue liquid like you see on a plane or in a Port-A-Let. It comes out clear.

After all these years, I'm still not 100% certain about how to immediately tell the difference between an Amfleet I and Amfleet II - even though I (think) I passed through each on my recent NYP - SAV Palmetto trip. IIRC, both the BC restroom and the Coach restroom used blue water tanks. The Viewliners, I believe, use potable water and a vacuum waste system.

When riding on the Silvers, though, I do recall in coach that the waste system was out of order because they ran out of potable water. It must have been a vacuum waste system.

Therefore, I THINK:

A) Amfleet I's (NER, Palmetto, Carolinian, etc Coach Class) are older units that have blue water toilets

B) Amfleet II's (Business Class, LD Coach Class) are newer with vacuum waste

C) Viewliners & Presumably Superliners are also newer with vacuum waste

---

As perhaps the most vocal opponent of the thread lockings, I would like to say that I have PM'd both MrFSS & the_traveller and I believe we all understand where the shortcomings were as well as the potential for improvements. I apologized to each of them privately and now publicly for the terseness & tone of my frustration. They responded by acknowledging the value of this topic and reopening and merging the threads and will keep it open so long as it doesn't disintegrate.

So my kudos to the whole team. And to us, the users, if we police ourselves a little better, we won't have to worry about them closing threads.

 

[OBS]

The toilet paper I've seen is Georgia-Pacific Envision 1-ply. I saw an extra roll placed on the deck of the toilet seat. It didn't look like anything that was specifically designed for this use, but it might have been on an approved list of TP that was tested.
Also - most of the toilets I've used don't have any blue liquid like you see on a plane or in a Port-A-Let. It comes out clear.

After all these years, I'm still not 100% certain about how to immediately tell the difference between an Amfleet I and Amfleet II - even though I (think) I passed through each on my recent NYP - SAV Palmetto trip. IIRC, both the BC restroom and the Coach restroom used blue water tanks. The Viewliners, I believe, use potable water and a vacuum waste system.

When riding on the Silvers, though, I do recall in coach that the waste system was out of order because they ran out of potable water. It must have been a vacuum waste system.

Therefore, I THINK:

A) Amfleet I's (NER, Palmetto, Carolinian, etc Coach Class) are older units that have blue water toilets

B) Amfleet II's (Business Class, LD Coach Class) are newer with vacuum waste

C) Viewliners & Presumably Superliners are also newer with vacuum waste

---

As perhaps the most vocal opponent of the thread lockings, I would like to say that I have PM'd both MrFSS & the_traveller and I believe we all understand where the shortcomings were as well as the potential for improvements. I apologized to each of them privately and now publicly for the terseness & tone of my frustration. They responded by acknowledging the value of this topic and reopening and merging the threads and will keep it open so long as it doesn't disintegrate.

So my kudos to the whole team. And to us, the users, if we police ourselves a little better, we won't have to worry about them closing threads.

You think correctly in regards to the toilets...

 

[jis]

Single level Business Class cars are not Amfleet II. They are Amfleet Is that used to be Metroliner Coaches, with fewer seats than standard Amfleet Coaches.

 

[roomette]

If anyone's going to lock a thread but otherwise leave it displayed, it would be really helpful to add a post to the end to not only say that the thread will be locked, but to say why. I think a short explanation could help prevent anger and backlash, as well as help forum members learn where the lines are drawn, hopefully preventing crossing them in the future. Locking the thread without saying why leads to the phenomenon of people just immediately opening new threads on the same topic (as witnessed here). Once the new threads are open, they just have to get shut down again (if it's the topic itself that's off-limits), or they'll inevitably cross the invisible line again and have to be shut down again. This all could be made easier by illuminating the line as it's crossed.

This ^

 

[SarahZ]

I'd like to see a reason too, so that I can "police" myself (as Aaron and Venture touched on). I can't fix a mistake if I don't know I've made it.

 

[pennyk]

I'd like to see a reason too, so that I can "police" myself (as Aaron and Venture touched on). I can't fix a mistake if I don't know I've made it.

In my opinion, you do not make "mistakes." (however, my opinion does not count) :giggle: