# Hot Water Available?



## Arleen (Jun 5, 2014)

Is there a way to get hot water if I were to bring my own instant coffee?


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## oregon pioneer (Jun 6, 2014)

If you are in coach, you may ask the Cafe attendant for a cup of hot water and they will give it to you. For inventory control purposes, they will give you a new paper cup each time, and mark it down on their tally.

If you are in sleeper, hot water is one of the perks of first class. You may ask your SCA (sleeper car attendant) to get you a cup of hot water. It's part of their job to do that. This suggests an appropriate tip for good service at the end of the journey. Again, it comes in a paper cup.

I have had success, when traveling in sleeper, with taking my own thermal mug to the diner for tea water (I carry my own teabags). I am careful to ask for hot water only when it's between meal service times. Diner staff have filled it cheerfully.


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## me_little_me (Jun 6, 2014)

If you can't afford the cup of coffee, possibly you can learn to live without for a while? If Amtrak doesn't sell an item, asking for something to help you if you need it (special hot drink for health reasons?) is a reasonable request but instant (ugh!) coffee when real coffee is available?

I prefer Coke vs Pepsi products but I wouldn't ask Amtrak for a cup of ice to drink my Diet Coke nor ask them for a lemon slice to give it a better taste. I either buy their product or do without until I reach my destination.

Amtrak is trying to recoup costs by selling the coffee instead of giving it away. The cup probably costs as much as the coffee does. Putting the hot water in your own container violates their rules so asking the attendant to do that would be risking their job.

You can always buy a cup of tea and ask them not to put the tea bag in the cup ala Jack Nicholson's famous restaurant scene.


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## Devil's Advocate (Jun 6, 2014)

me_little_me said:


> If you can't afford the cup of coffee, possibly you can learn to live without for a while? If Amtrak doesn't sell an item, asking for something to help you if you need it (special hot drink for health reasons?) is a reasonable request but instant (ugh!) coffee when real coffee is available? I prefer Coke vs Pepsi products but I wouldn't ask Amtrak for a cup of ice to drink my Diet Coke nor ask them for a lemon slice to give it a better taste. I either buy their product or do without until I reach my destination. Amtrak is trying to recoup costs by selling the coffee instead of giving it away. The cup probably costs as much as the coffee does. Putting the hot water in your own container violates their rules so asking the attendant to do that would be risking their job. You can always buy a cup of tea and ask them not to put the tea bag in the cup ala Jack Nicholson's famous restaurant scene.


You wouldn't ask for hot water or ice or even a lemon slice. You alone follow the rules unlike the rest of us fools. Good for you. Meanwhile I will continue to ask for a twenty cent cup with one cent water. And I won't think twice asking for ten cent ice or even a twenty cent lemon slice.


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## oregon pioneer (Jun 6, 2014)

I would like to point out that, when in coach, I *do* buy Amtrak's tea in the cafe. It's almost always Lipton, so I have to put lemon and sugar in it to make it palatable (I take my *good* tea straight). But I want to support the cafe for the service they provide (the opportunity to sit at a table and reflectively savor a hot beverage, while working on my computer and watching the scenery roll by, what luxury!). If I were a coffee drinker, I'd be buying the coffee for the same reason.

However, I've been poor, and I've also asked for a second cup of hot water for the teabag I purchased, so I've watched the fooferah they have to go through to *give* you a cup of hot water. I am choosing not to judge someone for the reasons that they wish to obtain a cup of hot water. I've also given up questioning the stupid rules that do not allow Amtrak to pour water into anything other than a new throw-away container (though my brain still rebels at the waste).


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## Ryan (Jun 6, 2014)

me_little_me said:


> If you can't afford the cup of coffee, possibly you can learn to live without for a while?


Who said anything about not being able to afford the cup of coffee?

Amazingly enough, people have different tastes and may prefer to drink their choice of beverages.


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## Texan Eagle (Jun 6, 2014)

me_little_me said:


> *If you can't afford the cup of coffee, possibly you can learn to live without for a while*? If Amtrak doesn't sell an item, asking for something to help you if you need it (special hot drink for health reasons?) is a reasonable request but instant (ugh!) coffee when real coffee is available?


The "Hey-Look-I'm-Richie-Rich-Traveling-Amtrak' part of AU is leaking again.

The OP never even mentioned anything about being able to afford or not afford something, there is no need to start assuming. OP just wants to know if you can get hot water or not. What if they can very much afford it, but prefer their own choice of coffee over what Amtrak offers?

If you are so worried about Amtrak losing money because someone asked for an oh-my-god-so-expensive paper cup and water, I'd say leave that for Amtrak to decide. If they can't afford it, they can refuse me cup of hot water, and I will be okay with that... but as of now, they DO offer hot water if you ask for it, so I will ask for it when I want it.


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## fairviewroad (Jun 6, 2014)

The OP never demanded that it be free, they only asked if it were available. The answer to that is "yes."

It's up to Amtrak to decide whether to charge for it. It would probably cost them more in paperwork to charge 25 cents than

that it does to give it away for free. IME the cafe attendants will give you the hot water w/o any hassle because they figure

half the time they'll get a tip for it for relatively little work on their part.

We ask for and receive hot water every time we travel LD. I usually throw in a few coins in the tip jar if the service is performed

pleasantly, which it usually is. If Amtrak were to serve the type of tea we prefer, we'd gladly pay them for it since that would

obviously be easier than bringing our own.


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## Green Maned Lion (Jun 6, 2014)

Coffee is not just coffee. And Amcoffee is not coffee at all. It's a substance called dishwater, very similar to Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts brand dishwater, except- amazingly- a little weaker.just because I want actual coffee does not imply I can't afford amdishwater.


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## HAL (Jun 6, 2014)

fairviewroad said:


> The OP never demanded that it be free, they only asked if it were available. The answer to that is "yes."
> 
> It's up to Amtrak to decide whether to charge for it. It would probably cost them more in paperwork to charge 25 cents than
> 
> ...


The reason for not allowing someone to use their own cup or reuse a cup is because the FDA does not allow it for sanitation reasons. And the FDA does inspect trains. They will close down the cafe car if there are violations. The hot cups themselves come in two sizes, the large are revenue cups. The cups are how they account for how many hot beverages are sold. The cafe attendent has to turn in revenue for every revenue cup. So none are getting those without paying for a beverage. Then there are a small supply of non revenue cups. A very small number of those. If there is business class those get the small cups. The engineer and other crew gets those. Want to keep the engineer awake.  They are not supposed to be given out for hot water although if they have enough some might do it out of kindness.....


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## Cina (Jun 7, 2014)

On my trip (which I'm currently in the midst of) I brought my own cups of ramen noodles and asked for hot water from the lounge car to make them with. I could have bought the ramen on the train, but I think the price on board is ludicrous.

Should I have "gone without"? I don't see any reason to. If Amtrak wanted to force people to buy their food, they could disallow bringing personal food and drink onboard. Until they do that, I will bring my own cheaper alternatives.


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## Green Maned Lion (Jun 7, 2014)

Ramen noodles? Oy veigh ist meht!


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## Bob Dylan (Jun 7, 2014)

Come on Lion, ramen noodles have gotten millions of students thru college as well as those having to live through early divorce! (Voice of experience! LOL)

Its a shame you can buy a case @ Mega-Mart for what a Cup costs onboard the train!


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## neroden (Jun 7, 2014)

HAL said:


> The reason for not allowing someone to use their own cup or reuse a cup is because the FDA does not allow it for sanitation reasons.


How shall I put this... I go to a lot of restaurants & cafes with self-serve drink machines, or simply faucets, which will pour hot water into any container you like. This is obviously allowed by the FDA. So I don't believe this. The rule must be much more technical than that.


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## pennyk (Jun 7, 2014)

Green Maned Lion said:


> Ramen noodles? Oy veigh ist meht!


In yiddish: oy vey iz mir :lol: (sorry for off topic, but wanted to provide different spelling)


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## chakk (Jun 7, 2014)

I don't think Jack Nicholson was asking for a cup of hot tea without the tea bag. Rather, he wanted a chicken sandwich on toasted wheat bread and he wanted the waitresses to hold the chicken (between her knees) In the end, he didn't get his wheat toast.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum


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## tricia (Jun 7, 2014)

pennyk said:


> Green Maned Lion said:
> 
> 
> > Ramen noodles? Oy veigh ist meht!
> ...


Three elderly friends sitting on a park bench.

One says: "Oy."

Another says: "Oy vey."

The third: "Oy vey iz mir."

To which the first replies: "Don't get started on talking about the grandchildren again."

[[On this forum, though, the reply might be: "Not another thread about ______________!" Fill in the blank as you wish. Or not. We've gone very far OT indeed.]]


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## Green Maned Lion (Jun 7, 2014)

Oy gevaldt.


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## Ryan (Jun 8, 2014)

neroden said:


> HAL said:
> 
> 
> > The reason for not allowing someone to use their own cup or reuse a cup is because the FDA does not allow it for sanitation reasons.
> ...


It is. I cited it in a thread around here somewhere. The machine basically has to be of a certain design to prevent cross contamination from the cup to the machine.


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## andersone (Jun 8, 2014)

My memory is Nicholson wanted a chicken salad sandwich and an omlette, but that remains one of my favorite movie moments of all time


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## neroden (Jun 8, 2014)

RyanS said:


> neroden said:
> 
> 
> > HAL said:
> ...


Aha, thank you very much. So I take it that Amtrak lacks these backflow-preventing water dispensing machines, which are now a commodity which every restaurant in the world buys. Another case calling for capital investment...


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## seat38a (Jun 8, 2014)

neroden said:


> HAL said:
> 
> 
> > The reason for not allowing someone to use their own cup or reuse a cup is because the FDA does not allow it for sanitation reasons.
> ...


Your not supposed to put drinks in your own cup. They expect you to BUY one of their cups to put their liquid in. Maybe its an Amtrak thing but I have never heard of the FDA doing inspections at restaurants. Those inspections are done by the local and state health inspectors so FDA has nothing to do with it. Having worked food service before, let me tell you. Some of the personal containers that people bring made me want to vomit and took a lot of work not too. Seriously people leave cups that had dairy products in it sitting int their car and want it filled up or want us to clean it for them.


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## Ryan (Jun 8, 2014)

Did you read the rest of the thread?



seat38a said:


> Those inspections are done by the local and state health inspectors so FDA has nothing to do with it.


They might be local folks, but the minimum baseline for sanitation rules comes from the FDA.

There's an entire freaking chapter of the Blue Book dedicated to the topic. You should give it a read.


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## seat38a (Jun 8, 2014)

RyanS said:


> Did you read the rest of the thread?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Straight from the FDA Link. Its not the law its a SUGGESTION. If the state / local choose to adopt it as law they do.


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## Ryan (Jun 8, 2014)

It's not a SUGGESTION on Amtrak, which is what we're talking about here, I think.


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## seat38a (Jun 8, 2014)

RyanS said:


> It's not a SUGGESTION on Amtrak, which is what we're talking about here, I think.


You tell me. Your the one who quoted posts related to restaurants and then told me to "Read The Blue Book."


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## Ryan (Jun 8, 2014)

Have you?


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## oldtimer (Jun 8, 2014)

To my knowledge, Amtrak is still under a Consent Decree from the FDA which states a set of requirements for Amtrak. If violated knowingly all employees involved up to the and including Boardman can be fined


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## seat38a (Jun 8, 2014)

RyanS said:


> Have you?


If you want to mail me one. Sure I give it read since you think it is important. My reply was a reply to restaurants and FDA and people who fill the own container at the fountain so why are you harping on we regarding Amtrak policy and some "Blue Book?"


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## the_traveler (Jun 8, 2014)

Please, I ask everyone to play nice! Thank you.


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## neroden (Jun 8, 2014)

Sounds like time to buy new equipment and amend the consent decree. What year does it date from? The 1980s?


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## Ryan (Jun 8, 2014)

seat38a said:


> RyanS said:
> 
> 
> > Have you?
> ...


Because we're talking about the availability and process for getting hot water on Amtrak? It's completely irrelevant what happens in other establishments. On the train, the FDA sets the rules and does the inspections.


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## EB_OBS (Jun 8, 2014)

RyanS said:


> On the train, the FDA sets the rules and does the inspections.


Amtrak follows FDA guidlines or policy, however you want to call it.

The FDA perform inspections on Amtrak trains and facilities.

Amtrak also has their own in-house Quality Assurance teams around the country.


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