Mailliw
OBS Chief
For a future Bedroom would you perfer; a larger room with a wet bath or a smaller room with a dry bath?
Neither, I prefer my rooms with no bathroom. In-Suite bathrooms dedicate a large amount of square footage for a space that I will use for less than 1% of my total trip time. I would much rather have that space for seating, table, or other space useful during travel. Using a shared bathroom is not a big deal. I recognize that some people need a dedicated in-suite bathroom, but I would prefer that that be a small minority of bedrooms, plus the Accessible Bedroom, rather than all of them.For a future Bedroom would you perfer; a larger room with a wet bath or a smaller room with a dry bath?
While I completely agree with you as a matter of personal preference, there are some people that are horror stricken with the thought of shared bathrooms and for whom the issue is a show stopper. There are others that will put up with it but pretty strongly dislike it. Look at the difference of opinions here on the change in the Viewliner IIs from toilets in the roomettes to shared restrooms. Some disliked the open, in room toilets (me included) and applauded the change, others disliked the absence of the in room toilets. Opinions tended to be strong in both directions.Neither, I prefer my rooms with no bathroom. In-Suite bathrooms dedicate a large amount of square footage for a space that I will use for less than 1% of my total trip time. I would much rather have that space for seating, table, or other space useful during travel. Using a shared bathroom is not a big deal. I recognize that some people need a dedicated in-suite bathroom, but I would prefer that that be a small minority of bedrooms, plus the Accessible Bedroom, rather than all of them.
Do these people not go to the bathroom when they fly, then? Do they not attend sporting events or other public attractions where shared bathrooms are ubiquitous?So shared restrooms will turn off a good many people who can afford bedrooms and who choose them specifically because of the horrible prospect of a shared potty.
Well, you are pretty much describing the status quo of Superliners, with five bedrooms and the accessible room on the "wet end" of the car (along with the common restrooms and shower), and 14 roomettes and the Family Bedroom on the "dry end".Anyways, I get that people feel that way, which is why I suggested that there be some rooms with in-suites, and more without. Maybe make the rooms on the end of each block have the bathroom, or something,
This is a fair take, but it elides over the fact that there is only one large room without a bathroom (the family bedroom downstairs). I would like to see some option for a bedroom-sized sleeper that could sleep 4 adults, and I feel like you could get there with the existing Superliner Bedroom sans Bathroom. I personally think that would attract more passengers than having an in-suite bathroom in each bedroom does today. (Yes, you can book two roomettes across from each other for about the same price as a bedroom, but that's a hack that the average passenger doesn't recognize, and is often not available anyways.)Well, you are pretty much describing the status quo of Superliners, with five bedrooms and the accessible room on the "wet end" of the car (along with the common restrooms and shower), and 14 roomettes and the Family Bedroom on the "dry end".
Big difference between a 4-hour max flight and overnight. I don't usually need to brush my teeth or wash my face when flying domestically, and I try to avoid BM's in public restrooms as much as possible.Do these people not go to the bathroom when they fly, then? Do they not attend sporting events or other public attractions where shared bathrooms are ubiquitous?
Anyways, I get that people feel that way, which is why I suggested that there be some rooms with in-suites, and more without. Maybe make the rooms on the end of each block have the bathroom, or something,
I've been on European overnight trains which were set up like that (and shared a sleeping compartment with non-family members). I vaguely recall a pre-Amtrak train ride for Christmas 1962 (I was 4 1/2 at the time) to my paternal grandparents' home near Albany, NY (which must have been over the route of the current Lake Shore Limited), and our family was in a 4-berth bedroom. I think Mom & Dad had the 2 lower berths, I was in one upper berth, my brother (3 1/2 at the time) was either in the other upper berth or sharing the lower berth with Dad, and my baby sister (1 1/2 by then) would have shared a lower berth with Mom.I would like to see some option for a bedroom-sized sleeper that could sleep 4 adults
Generally, based on what Ive been told and my Work expierience in Customer Relations/ Guest Services,the Restrooms that are designated for "Women" are Nicer and Kept Cleaner than those for "Men" and "Unisex" ones.Finances permitting, avoiding the shared restrooms on trains is a top priority. No need to go into details about things I've heard and seen. In regards to the comments about airplanes and sports or other public venues, yes, I will avoid eating and drinking for hours in order to avoid having to use the facilities as much as humanely possible. This is especially true on a domestic flight, I've not had to endure a long haul flight in quite some time. At football or basketball games, it's hard to get by without at least drinking some water. However, from my experiences, restrooms at sports arenas are considerably less disgusting than Amtrak bathrooms. And all of these considerations are prior to the recent pandemic considerations. Plus you're not spending the night there.
I'm fine with shared facilities if, but we already have sleeping accommodations w/o ensuite facilities (at least on Superliners and ViewlinerIIs). They're called Roomettes and are substantially smaller (and therefore cheaper) than Bedrooms. The lower cost makes shared facilities an acceptable trade off. A Bedroom w/o at bathroom isn't going to be much smaller than one with so it won't be much cheaper. The Jane Hotel is my favorite NYC hotel; it has tiny rooms and shared bathrooms, but it's the only decent hotel in the city that I can consistently afford.Do these people not go to the bathroom when they fly, then? Do they not attend sporting events or other public attractions where shared bathrooms are ubiquitous?
Anyways, I get that people feel that way, which is why I suggested that there be some rooms with in-suites, and more without. Maybe make the rooms on the end of each block have the bathroom, or something,
Have you asked any women about that? Ask them about "hovering".Generally, based on what Ive been told and my Work expierience in Customer Relations/ Guest Services,the Restrooms that are designated for "Women" are Nicer and Kept Cleaner than those for "Men" and "Unisex" ones.
Yes, I forced my non-train family to ride the Lake Shore Limited and we did have a 4 berth bedroom--wish they "could've" kept them !I've been on European overnight trains which were set up like that (and shared a sleeping compartment with non-family members). I vaguely recall a pre-Amtrak train ride for Christmas 1962 (I was 4 1/2 at the time) to my paternal grandparents' home near Albany, NY (which must have been over the route of the current Lake Shore Limited), and our family was in a 4-berth bedroom. I think Mom & Dad had the 2 lower berths, I was in one upper berth, my brother (3 1/2 at the time) was either in the other upper berth or sharing the lower berth with Dad, and my baby sister (1 1/2 by then) would have shared a lower berth with Mom.
You can still get a 4 berth Bedroom with two restrooms by asking for a Bedroom Suite which consists of Rooms A and B on the same car and requesting that the partition be removed. It will require a lot of luck to get A&B in the same car available and it will cost more than a King's ransom. But in principle, it can be done.Yes, I forced my non-train family to ride the Lake Shore Limited and we did have a 4 berth bedroom--wish they "could've" kept them !
I had considered booking the hubby and me in a Bedroom (just one of them) on the California Zephyr, but when we saw the price difference between that and a Roomette, we decided to try a Roomette instead on this trip. (Maybe I can redeem AGR points for a Bedroom on a different LD route next time?)You can still get a 4 berth Bedroom with two restrooms by asking for Rooms A and B on the same car and requesting that the partition be removed. It will require a lot of luck to get A&B in the same car available and it will cost more than a King's ransom. But in principle, it can be done.
You can still get them. Rooms A & B with the partition retracted. It is called a Bedroom Suite and you have to call to book it.Yes, I forced my non-train family to ride the Lake Shore Limited and we did have a 4 berth bedroom--wish they "could've" kept them !
If your getting a bedroom suite (4 berth) you just need to call Amtrak. They will move peoples bedroom assignment around to get you the suite. You however do need to have two bedrooms available on the train to do this. Of course you still have to get the SCA to open the door, which may require a pry bar to do so….You can still get a 4 berth Bedroom with two restrooms by asking for Rooms A and B on the same car and requesting that the partition be removed. It will require a lot of luck to get A&B in the same car available and it will cost more than a King's ransom. But in principle, it can be done.
Or it won't stay Closed and will Rattle and Bang all Night, unless towels or shims are used to keep it firmly closed.If your getting a bedroom suite (4 berth) you just need to call Amtrak. They will move peoples bedroom assignment around to get you the suite. You however do need to have two bedrooms available on the train to do this. Of course you still have to get the SCA to open the door, which may require a pry bar to do so….
Been there done that.Or it won't stay Closed and will Rattle and Bang all Night, unless towels or shims are used to keep it firmly closed.
I think it's worthwhile to note that a Viewliner I has an ADA room with an enclosed toilet/shower and the new Viewliner IIs have the toilet exposed in the middle of the room. To have the ability to sell the ADA room as a nice roomy additional double bedroom to non-ADA passengers would seem to be highly beneficial. The decision to expose the toilet makes the room solely for ADA passengers. So the bottom line is it really didn't matter how many ADA rooms a train had if you could also sell the space otherwise. The extra room may actually make it a more desirable room. But now every train may have valuable space unsold since up to three rooms are going to be restrictive on trains like the Meteor.Would a fully articulate married pair sleeping car comply? Technically yes, but not in the spirit of the regulation.
So slapping 2 sleepers together on three trucks may or may not be acceptable.
If your rail car has more than one ADA bedroom, of course your meet the minimum standards of one per sleeper.
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