# Railfan Window



## KmH (Dec 31, 2016)

Who else has thought about ways to clean the outside of the railfan window on Superliner cars while standing on a boarding platform?

I've been thinking about a screw together paint roller handle extension about 12 feet long when assembled.

With a way to lock a painting roller in place, but still be able to advance it for multiple cleaning swipes, I think it might do the trick.


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## silmaril (Apr 8, 2017)

Which is the rail fan window?


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## JayPea (Apr 9, 2017)

The railfan window is the rear window of the the last car of the train.


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## KmH (Apr 12, 2017)

The window is in the door at the end of a car.

The door is disable so passengers can't open it.

But, when the train goes through the wash station the back window doesn't get cleaned.


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## Devil's Advocate (Apr 12, 2017)

KmH said:


> Who else has thought about ways to clean the outside of the railfan window on Superliner cars while standing on a boarding platform? I've been thinking about a screw together paint roller handle extension about 12 feet long when assembled.
> 
> With a way to lock a painting roller in place, but still be able to advance it for multiple cleaning swipes, I think it might do the trick.


The only problem I can envision is that you may have to wash it at a weird angle or risk being shouted at for standing too close to the tracks. Maybe bribe the SCA to clean it? Do they have a key to open the door like the conductor?


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## AUAdmin (Apr 25, 2017)

Check with a truck stop for a squeegie they make for reaching semi truck windows. Just saw one yesterday.


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## bmjhagen9426 (May 18, 2017)

Angie said:


> Check with a truck stop for a squeegie they make for reaching semi truck windows. Just saw one yesterday.


What about going on a cherry-picker and using a regular squeegie to clean it? I would suspect that the Canadian does that after going through the Jasper National Park, or whenever the dome windows get too dirty, so what's stopping Amtrak from deploying a cherry-picker and a man with a squeegie.


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## AmtrakBlue (May 18, 2017)

bmjhagen9426 said:


> Angie said:
> 
> 
> > Check with a truck stop for a squeegie they make for reaching semi truck windows. Just saw one yesterday.
> ...


Hmm, money & time comes to mind.


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## VentureForth (May 24, 2017)

I suggest a big, strong magnet like you clean fish tanks with.


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## Ryan (May 24, 2017)

You have to get the other side of it out there somehow.


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## Ryan (May 24, 2017)

You have to get the other side of it out there somehow.


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## Maglev (May 24, 2017)

KmH said:


> I've been thinking about a screw together paint roller handle extension about 12 feet long when assembled.
> 
> With a way to lock a painting roller in place, but still be able to advance it for multiple cleaning swipes, I think it might do the trick.


At the hotel where I work we have an extend-a-pole with a double-sided squeegee on the end. The other side of the squeegee is a plush wand that is soaked with window cleaner for washing the window. The pole reaches maybe twenty feet-other sizes are available. No need to invent something--it's already out there.

I was really disappointed when I rode a sleeper on the _Empire Builder _to Portland and it was impossible to see out the rear window because it was so dirty. Fortunately, the lounge car had clean windows.


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## norfolkwesternhenry (Jun 18, 2017)

There is always the portable pressure washer...


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