# Bedbugs?



## alang (Oct 14, 2010)

Planning a trip west on the CZ to California, and south to Miami via Chicago and Washington, DC. Any updates on the bedbug situation? I am not aware of any problems but would like member insight.


----------



## OlympianHiawatha (Oct 14, 2010)

alang, you beat me to this by about 15 minutes! I am asking the same thing regarding the _*LSL*_,as NYC seems to be ground zero for these buggers.


----------



## nferr (Oct 14, 2010)

Well I just returned from a round trip NYP-Miami on the Silver Meteor and saw no evidence of bedbugs in the two roomettes we had on the way down or the bedroom we had on the way back. But I did see a cockroach on the last leg of the journey in the middle sleeper car on my way back to my sleeper from a late breakfast. It was on the floor near the coffee station near a bunch of used towels that the attendant was rounding up.


----------



## rrdude (Oct 14, 2010)

I dunno 'bout you, but if I were a bedbug, I'd find a more comfortable bed that an Amtrak sleeper. I mean geeze, those poor little critters can't even see out the window.......

I may have missed it, but has _any_one actually reported bedbugs on RR sleepers? Not saying it couldn't happen, prolly has, I just think with the conditions that sleepers go thru, it'd be less than perfect. Other than the constant changing of human carriers.


----------



## alanh (Oct 14, 2010)

Bedbugs are certainly part of railroad lore -- supposedly, in 1889 a passenger sent a complaint to George M. Pullman about bedbugs. A heartfelt apology letter was received... but with a cover note for the secretary still attached:"Send this SOB the bedbug letter."


----------



## StevenBDel (Oct 14, 2010)

I have no idea how often this happens, but if anyone's curious about how Amtrak deals with bedbug infestations:

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/file/all-roaches-aboard-amtrak?page=4


----------



## Guest (Oct 15, 2010)

There seems to be more bedbug threads than actual bedbugs. hboy:


----------



## Hanno (Oct 15, 2010)

Guest said:


> There seems to be more bedbug threads than actual bedbugs. hboy:


....and let's keep it that way!


----------



## SweetSue (Oct 16, 2010)

Just finished a LD trip on CZ, CS and EB all in a bedroom. No sign of bugs anywhere I'm happy to say! Trip report to follow soon.


----------



## Guest (Oct 18, 2010)

alang said:


> I am not aware of any problems ....


Then why did you yell out "*Bedbugs!*" in a crowded forum ??? :unsure:


----------



## Paul Dow (Oct 18, 2010)

Gee. If there was only some chemical that was safe and effective to be used in this limited situation, but not used in aerial cropdusting operations where it could affect birds. It could probably be used to save hundreds of thousands of lives from death and debilitating illness from malaria too...Hmmm, what could there be?


----------



## skyguy (Oct 18, 2010)

Paul Dow said:


> Gee. If there was only some chemical that was safe and effective to be used in this limited situation, but not used in aerial cropdusting operations where it could affect birds. It could probably be used to save hundreds of thousands of lives from death and debilitating illness from malaria too...Hmmm, what could there be?


Diatomaceous soil will kill them off safely and without injury to the applicant.


----------



## alanh (Oct 18, 2010)

Paul Dow said:


> Gee. If there was only some chemical that was safe and effective to be used in this limited situation, but not used in aerial cropdusting operations where it could affect birds. It could probably be used to save hundreds of thousands of lives from death and debilitating illness from malaria too...Hmmm, what could there be?


That's the million dollar question, of course. Bedbugs develop pesticide resistance very quickly, so previously used pesticides like malathion and pyrethroids no longer work. DDT was no longer used against bedbugs due to ineffectiveness even before it was banned in 1972.

Was there a particular one you had in mind? Propoxur seems to work, but there's insufficient safety data on it. "Your bedbugs are gone, but you've now got leukemia." Or not, but it's probably better to find out in advance.


----------



## Paul Dow (Oct 19, 2010)

Oops. I was thinking of DDT. I didn't realize the bedbugs developed an immunity to it. Thanks for the info.

Maybe we can get them to start smoking instead. As long as we don't use the same exterminators that the Griffins on Family Guy use. They use guns to kill the bugs with commensurate collateral damage.


----------



## amtrakwolverine (Oct 19, 2010)

Just go to home depot and pickup a couple cans of bedbug spray

http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Garden-Center-Animal-Pest-Control/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xi0Zars1/R-202056492/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053


----------



## krypton47 (Dec 1, 2010)

I just traveled the train from Charleston to DC (cardinal) and the the silver service to Tampa - round trip - the only issue I had was the cost of the holiday week sleepers on the silver service - WOW - double flying - come on! - put on more cars and sell them right for gosh sake - add an engine - make the rails the premier way to travel again! This is important - the more people that travel the rails the better chance we have of making it a viable travel option.I have traveled trains since there were linen table cloths and real plates - we loyalists out here have put up with a ton of stuff thru the years to support this alternative travel option - make it work for us!

Oh by the way - no bed bugs that I have had - more problem in coach than in sleepers and I traveled both.


----------



## Eric S (Dec 1, 2010)

krypton47 said:


> I just traveled the train from Charleston to DC (cardinal) and the the silver service to Tampa - round trip - the only issue I had was the cost of the holiday week sleepers on the silver service - WOW - double flying - come on! - put on more cars and sell them right for gosh sake - add an engine - make the rails the premier way to travel again! This is important - the more people that travel the rails the better chance we have of making it a viable travel option.I have traveled trains since there were linen table cloths and real plates - we loyalists out here have put up with a ton of stuff thru the years to support this alternative travel option - make it work for us!
> 
> Oh by the way - no bed bugs that I have had - more problem in coach than in sleepers and I traveled both.


Not sure what high fares during periods of peak demand (i.e., holidays) has to do with bed bugs, but, anyway . . . . As far as high fares and additional cars on trains, if Amtrak had additional equipment (sleepers, or coaches), it would be hard to imagine that those cars would not be used during the summer and holiday travel periods.


----------



## henryj (Dec 1, 2010)

Washing bed linens in hot water kills them dead. Amtrak linens are changed out every trip sometimes multiple times. The bed itself is a slab of foam, not really conducive to bed bug infestations. I would be more worried about sitting in a coach seat than a sleeper. You should be more worried about the hotel or motel you use when you get to your destination. Don't leave your clothes lying around and keep your bags shut tight in the room.


----------



## Trainmans daughter (Dec 1, 2010)

I just picked up a couple of 2 oz spray bottles of "Rest Easy" at Bed Bath and Beyond to tuck in my suitcase whenever I travel.

I've never seen a bedbug, never really thought about them, and not worried about them. But this product looks pretty good. Contains cinnamon oil, lemongrass oil, clove oil, and peppermint oil. If I get hungry, I could probably eat the stuff!


----------



## Tracktwentynine (Dec 2, 2010)

I heard on NPR that heat will kill bedbugs and their eggs. For instance, putting your clothes in the dryer for 20 minutes after traveling can reduce your chances of bringing them home. So, it would seem to me that Amtrak sleepers would be easy to rid of the pests (if ever they take up residence): just heat the sleepers to about 120 degrees at the end of each trip!


----------



## Scott (Dec 2, 2010)

Tracktwentynine said:


> just heat the sleepers to about 120 degrees at the end of each trip!


Ohhhhh... That explains the temperature in my roomette two rides back....


----------



## Tracktwentynine (Dec 2, 2010)

Scott said:


> Tracktwentynine said:
> 
> 
> > just heat the sleepers to about 120 degrees at the end of each trip!
> ...


Yeah, mine too. See my Empire Builder trip report.


----------



## mommy2l (Dec 11, 2010)

Unfortunately I've experienced bed bugs on an Amtrak train firsthand. My family and I recently took the auto train home from Sanford, FL to Lorton VA. While waiting in the Lorton station for our car to be unloaded, I looked over at my laptop bag and noticed a dead bed bug on the top of it. Upon closer inspection I found several more in the crevices of the bag. What a way to end a trip! We had spent the night in a Coach car...not sure if a sleeper would have been safer. Just to add a bit of background to the situation, with the rise in bedbug infestations, I don't even bring my bags or family into a hotel room until I check it for possible BBs. Upon inspection of my other luggage, that hadn't been in the coach car with us, there were no bugs. This suggests STRONGLY that they came off the train. If you've traveled the auto train before, you'll notice the many people toting their personal pillows and bedding items. Hmmmm.... Also, I was very surprised to see the attendant refold all the blue train blankets that we had used at night and return them to the luggage area above the seats for the next passengers.

I actually called Amtrak customer service on my drive home to inform them of what had happened. They seemed concerned and I hope they pulled that car! What bothers me most is that other families that took the trip with us probably don't even know of the exposure. Thank God I found that bug!

Needless to say, I've spent the last five days since coming home slowing bringing all of our items in from outside to launder and spray with alcohol to avoid infesting our home. I'm going to be fearful for a few months wondering if any managed to get in. I'm not sure if I'll take a train long distance again, but then again, these things are everywhere nowadays. I'll be leary about any hotel or public mode of transportation.

Word to the wise - be careful! Check your bags. Don't bring home any very unwelcome souvenirs!!!


----------



## Guest (Dec 11, 2010)

mommy2l said:


> While waiting in the Lorton station for our car to be unloaded, I looked over at my laptop bag and noticed a dead bed bug on the top of it. Upon closer inspection I found several more in the crevices of the bag. What a way to end a trip! We had spent the night in a Coach car...not sure if a sleeper would have been safer.


I just have to ask if you are sure these were bed bugs and not simply bugs. Honestly, I don't know if I could positively ID a bed bug from any another type of a bug.

I didn't know that a coach car would ever be dark enough, to draw bed bugs out.


----------



## mommy2l (Dec 12, 2010)

Yes, unfortunately I'm sure that they were bed bugs. I've seen pictures of them before and they looked exactly like the ones I found. I pulled the one big one off my bag using a ziploc bag and kept it to compare to photos. I even called my exterminator for advice (to avoid bringing them inside my home)and he confirmed that they were bed bugs. I really wish they were something else!!! Yeah, the coach car was pretty dark at night. No one in my family had any evidence of bites, it just seems that they were living under the seats around us.


----------



## Hope fried (Mar 10, 2011)

alang said:


> Planning a trip west on the CZ to California, and south to Miami via Chicago and Washington, DC. Any updates on the bedbug situation? I am not aware of any problems but would like member insight.


We returned from Florida on the auto train to lorton from Sanford on friday may4 arriving sat may 5 2011. On the way driving home both of us experienced what we thought were mosquito bites. my husbands were on his arm and mine on my back. they were very very itchy and swelled up and were very red with small blister like heads on them. a lightbulb went off in my head so I looked up pictures of bed bug bites and sure enough there were many photos of the bites. certainly I can't say for sure that these were bedbug bites but I have a very very strong feeling after seeing the photos that that is what happened to us. Previos to this time we were staying in a place in Florida and had no problems whatsoever with bites or bugs. Funny that we both experienced the same thing at the same time. We had a couchette on the train. I know that there is a problem with bbs all the u.s. But I never expected to have this problem. We called customer service and were told we may get a reply but it's not guaranteed that we would. I almost feel more upset about this than getting the bites because I feel that the problem has to be addressed by amtrac and as a customer I want to know specifically what they are doing and what they plan to do about this in the future. I wNt to travel this way again but am very fearful about it. I certainly don't want to. Ring these into my clean home they are a nuisance to get rid of and very costly. I realize that it's a big problem for amtrac but they need to address it immediately with more response slitty to the passengers.


----------



## fillyjonk (Mar 10, 2011)

I've traveled on the Texas Eagle (MIN to BNL) many times in sleeper, never seen any kind of bugs, other than maybe a few mosquitoes that follow people in during the summer months.

Personally, I'd worry a lot more about hotels and motels.

(And as for the cockroach: I live in the South and seeing a cockroach - at least the "American" cockroach, which we call "waterbugs" around here to be polite - would alarm me far, far less than seeing a bedbug. Cockroaches don't generally hitch rides on luggage, and if they do, they're more easily gotten rid of than bedbugs.)


----------



## RailFanLNK (Mar 10, 2011)

Couchette?


----------



## Guest (Mar 12, 2011)

Look at the dates that 'Hope fried' listed as traveling--leaving on may 4 and arriving may 5, *2011*. Pretty cool that they can predict bed bugs BEFORE travel occurs. I call TROLL here.


----------



## ThayerATM (Mar 12, 2011)

My wife and I have traveled extensively.  I would think that we would at least have heard of, or met someone. :wacko:

How come it is that we've never met anyone who's ever had a bedbug problem? :unsure: How come is is that we've never met anyone who's ever known anyone who's had a bedbug problem? :unsure:

I'm sure that the little critters *do* exist, but I'm more inclined to think that its being a *PROBLEM *it's more likely to be a media event in order to attract readers and viewers, and thus sell their advertising. <_<


----------



## Shanghai (Mar 12, 2011)

It may be a media event to some, but it is a serious and costly problem to others.

My younger daughter accepted a job in New York City after college and took a small

apartment in the city. It was a nice apartment in a good area of the city. Six

months after living in the flat, she noticed small bites on her arm and tummy.

Her doctor said it was bed bugs. We had to discard her bed, dry clean all of her

clothes and I had an exterminator treat the flat in addition to the landlord.

It cost me over $2,500 and for about four months everthing was fine. Then, the girl

in the apartment next to my daughter told her that she had the bugs. I immediately

moved my daughter to another building as the bugs can go through walls and ceilings.

That move cost me about $3,000 plus I lost the security deposit. In the city, the

bugs are real and are dangerous. I hope Amtrak never has this problem!!


----------



## ThayerATM (Mar 12, 2011)

Shanghai said:


> It may be a media event to some, but it is a serious and costly problem to others.
> 
> My younger daughter accepted a job in New York City after college and took a small
> 
> ...


:hi: I've read similar stories, with remarkably similar dollar amounts and amounts of time to fix the problem. I beleive those numbers. 

I, in no way, mean to imply that the *problem* doesn't exist. :wacko: What amazes me is that I've never met anyone, or talked with anyone who knew anyone, who had ever run into this problem in a hotel, or on a train. hboy:

I just don't think the problem is as endemic as the *PRESS* purports it to be. <_<

I guess I'll just continue traveling on the train and staying in hotels, and not worry about it.


----------



## Ispolkom (Mar 12, 2011)

Guest said:


> Look at the dates that 'Hope fried' listed as traveling--leaving on may 4 and arriving may 5, *2011*. Pretty cool that they can predict bed bugs BEFORE travel occurs. I call TROLL here.


No, I bet the post was written on some sort of smart phone that has a predictive text feature. That's the best way to interpret the odd typos, like "response slitty" for "responsibility." In such a case, mistyping the year seems not hard to believe.

I've never encountered bedbugs on Amtrak, but did see mice at the Washington National Continental President's Club. Perhaps cheese and crackers isn't the best snack to be left out there.


----------



## amamba (Mar 12, 2011)

I assumed that she traveled in March and typed "mar" but that it was auto corrected to may.


----------



## ACVitale (Mar 12, 2011)

I have never seen or encountered Bed Bugs on any of the trains that I have taken. However, According to some of the bed bug tracking websites there are several reports of Bed Bugs on the Autotrain between Sanford and Lorton. They appear to be in roomettes and bedrooms on the superliner equipment. The most recent report was January 2011 and they go back to 2008. Intermittently reported in the 2 and 1/2 year span since they first appeared.

My guess is the best thing one can do is make sure you report it.... and keep reporting it... Car attendant... Conductor... Customer Service and anyone else to ensure a prompt and strong response to ensure they are eliminated.

That notwithstanding, Unless the equipment from the autotrain is shuffled thru the rest of the system it may just be a series of isolated occurances on the single route.

On the otherhand, I had a beautiful corner suite (Room 207) in the Doubletree Dayton Downtown that had bed bugs in mid February that left me scrambling to ensure that I did not bring any home with me.

Sadly, with the proliferation of bed bugs in major cities NYC, WAS, CHI, LAX, BWI, BOS and others it is probably only a matter of time until they are encountered again.


----------



## Ryan (Mar 12, 2011)

ACVitale said:


> That notwithstanding, Unless the equipment from the autotrain is shuffled thru the rest of the system it may just be a series of isolated occurances on the single route.


The Auto Train equipment is basically captive to that route.


----------



## Hope fried (Jun 2, 2011)

Ispolkom said:


> Guest said:
> 
> 
> > Look at the dates that 'Hope fried' listed as traveling--leaving on may 4 and arriving may 5, *2011*. Pretty cool that they can predict bed bugs BEFORE travel occurs. I call TROLL here.
> ...


Today I happened to look at the bed bug situation on amtrac once again after posting what occurred to myself and my husband on a return trip on the auto train from Florida. The person who wrote that I was writing from a predictive text feature was absolutely correct. Why would I lie about bedbugs on amtrac's auto train? What would that accomplish? they are there I didn't see them. But I can tell you we experienced them. And.... We are still waiting for a phone call from amtrac. We want to reserve a couchette for next year but r very reluctant after our bad experience. Any one who lives in a clean home would want to know about this. Wouldn't you want to take precautions if u were able to?


----------



## busboy (Jun 3, 2011)

I travel a lot for my job and have encountered bed bugs several times. When I go home, I never bring my suitcase in the house. I unload the clothing in a plastic bag and immediately put it in the washer. In summer, the heat in your car will kill the bedbugs.

You don't want these things in your house. My aunt got them, and it took over a year and about $15000 to get rid of them. Had to hire a professional exterminator, and it took 4 treatments to get rid of them. Also had to throw out her bed and a lot of clothing. It's a horrible problem and the things are hard to kill and can hide in unbelievably small places during the day.


----------



## ACVitale (Jun 3, 2011)

To date it seems like bedbugs have not been a problem on Amtrak EXCEPT for on the Autotrain which seems to have had a recurring problem in both coach and some sleepers.

Has it been handled and have they been eliminated is hard to say.

I have experienced Bedbugs at the Doubletree hotel in downtown Dayton. To the hotels credit they handled it quickly and made things right. Fortunately, I was not sleeping well and the problem was found before I left and my belongings could be washed sterilized etc and did not get a chance to make it into my home.

Thatnotwithstanding, I doubt the poster was being a troll. Rather addressing a sad situation that affected them.

I have also heard of some British Airways B747, B777, B763 aircraft being infested with bed bugs in coach class.


----------



## Compuwriter (Jun 3, 2011)

I would expect them to be anyplace where luggage is that may have been in a hotel before entering the train. Planes, buses, and trains!


----------



## TransitGeek (Jun 4, 2011)

I still want to hear about the couchette that the Auto Train has, now that it's been mentioned twice...


----------



## Hope friedland (Oct 2, 2011)

Couchette in France. Roomette. In u.s. Amtrak has finally replied to my call and letter. I would say that it took them much much too long to do this. If I travelled in march it is now almost October. That is terrible response time. They said they took it very seriously and checked it out. Of course they found nothing!!!!!! Mmmmmm?????


----------



## Cho Cho Charlie (Oct 3, 2011)

Hope friedland said:


> Of course they found nothing!!!!!! Mmmmmm?????


That means there were no bedbugs to be found. If there was an infestation of bedbugs, they would not have cleared themselves up. So, if they were there March, they would have been still in October.


----------



## cirdan (Oct 3, 2011)

nferr said:


> Well I just returned from a round trip NYP-Miami on the Silver Meteor and saw no evidence of bedbugs in the two roomettes we had on the way down or the bedroom we had on the way back. But I did see a cockroach on the last leg of the journey in the middle sleeper car on my way back to my sleeper from a late breakfast. It was on the floor near the coffee station near a bunch of used towels that the attendant was rounding up.


you do know that cockroaches are bedbugs worst enemies? They hardly ever occur in the same place.


----------



## Lazy Z (Oct 3, 2011)

cirdan said:


> nferr said:
> 
> 
> > Well I just returned from a round trip NYP-Miami on the Silver Meteor and saw no evidence of bedbugs in the two roomettes we had on the way down or the bedroom we had on the way back. But I did see a cockroach on the last leg of the journey in the middle sleeper car on my way back to my sleeper from a late breakfast. It was on the floor near the coffee station near a bunch of used towels that the attendant was rounding up.
> ...


Hmm,,, I have never heard that -interesting. So seeing a cockroach could be a good thing?


----------



## fillyjonk (Oct 3, 2011)

cirdan said:


> nferr said:
> 
> 
> > Well I just returned from a round trip NYP-Miami on the Silver Meteor and saw no evidence of bedbugs in the two roomettes we had on the way down or the bedroom we had on the way back. But I did see a cockroach on the last leg of the journey in the middle sleeper car on my way back to my sleeper from a late breakfast. It was on the floor near the coffee station near a bunch of used towels that the attendant was rounding up.
> ...



O RLY? I wish I could believe that....I live in a gappy old house that has cockroaches come up the pipe chase from time to time. (The big "American" cockroaches, which I am told are less a symptom of being a slovenly housekeeper than the small "German" roaches are). I'd be happier putting up with them if I could really believe they were keeping the bedbugs out.... :giggle:


----------



## cirdan (Oct 3, 2011)

fillyjonk said:


> cirdan said:
> 
> 
> > nferr said:
> ...


It's something one of my old schoolteachers once mentioned. He also taught us that if we could choose between drinking water with mosquitoes in it and water without, it's better to take that with because at least it isn't poisoned.

I can't vouch for how much practical truth such snippets of wisdom contain, but there's in an element of truth in most legends.


----------

