# Showering if you're in Coach



## steveindixon (Jun 13, 2008)

I'm leaving in just over a month on the CZ from Davis to Chicago. I'm going to be on that train for 50+ hours. I have a reserved coach seat. Is there a shower for us in Coach to use? Thank you! Steve


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## PRR 60 (Jun 13, 2008)

steveindixon said:


> I'm leaving in just over a month on the CZ from Davis to Chicago. I'm going to be on that train for 50+ hours. I have a reserved coach seat. Is there a shower for us in Coach to use? Thank you! Steve


No. Showers are not available for Coach passengers.


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## steveindixon (Jun 13, 2008)

PRR 60 said:


> steveindixon said:
> 
> 
> > I'm leaving in just over a month on the CZ from Davis to Chicago. I'm going to be on that train for 50+ hours. I have a reserved coach seat. Is there a shower for us in Coach to use? Thank you! Steve
> ...


That kinda sucks. But thank you for your answer. Steve


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## the_traveler (Jun 13, 2008)

steveindixon said:


> That kinda sucks.


You meant to say "That kinda *stinks*!" :lol:

But I agree. If they wanted to increase revenue (and decrease something else :lol: ), Amtrak could charge an extra fee if someone in coach wanted to use a shower!


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## AmtrakWPK (Jun 13, 2008)

You might try upgrading on board for a portion of the trip. If you want to do that, upgrade for a portion that will include at least one major meal-time, and that way you will get your shower, and a meal and some horizontal-resting time, all for one additional price ( assuming there is a room available, of course).


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## Green Maned Lion (Jun 13, 2008)

No guarantees, but you could offer a sleeping car attendant a token of your gratitude for allowing you to use a shower.


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## jackal (Jun 14, 2008)

Green Maned Lion said:


> No guarantees, but you could offer a sleeping car attendant a token of your gratitude for allowing you to use a shower.


I wanted to try that, but I wasn't sure of the proper way to approach one and ask. Would walking into a sleeper, finding an attendant, and then discreetly showing a $20 in your palm while asking "might I trouble you to use the shower?" (a la attempting an upgrade at a hotel in Vegas) be the right way to do that? :lol:


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## da40flyer (Jun 14, 2008)

jackal said:


> Green Maned Lion said:
> 
> 
> > No guarantees, but you could offer a sleeping car attendant a token of your gratitude for allowing you to use a shower.
> ...


I've seen a couple of posts on here suggesting taking a washcloth into the coach restroom with some soap and doing a sort of spongebath. It's not as good as a regular shower but it's better than nothing.


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## jackal (Jun 14, 2008)

da40flyer said:


> jackal said:
> 
> 
> > Green Maned Lion said:
> ...


Obtaining the washcloth would have been hard, as I didn't bring one! I did do a paper-towel sponge bath, but it just didn't have the same effect. Amtrak SHOULD have some provision for allowing coach passengers to take showers and turn it into a revenue opportunity--I would have paid $20 (or maybe more!) for a shower!


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## JayPea (Jun 14, 2008)

One time on a Chicago-Denver trip, my uncle rode coach and took a shower anyway. He was up at 2AM, when no car attendant was likely to be up, and got in and got out right away before anyone noticed.


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## PRR 60 (Jun 14, 2008)

Green Maned Lion said:


> No guarantees, but you could offer a sleeping car attendant a token of your gratitude for allowing you to use a shower.


And if that attendant get caught doing that, it is a quick trip to the unemployment line. Amtrak has a difficult time firing someone for being rude or even crude, but allowing Coach passengers to use Sleeping Car facilties in exchange for a bribe, I mean tip, could be considered theft.


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## Chatter163 (Jun 14, 2008)

> > No guarantees, but you could offer a sleeping car attendant a token of your gratitude for allowing you to use a shower.
> 
> 
> I wanted to try that, but I wasn't sure of the proper way to approach one and ask. Would walking into a sleeper, finding an attendant, and then discreetly showing a $20 in your palm while asking "might I trouble you to use the shower?" (a la attempting an upgrade at a hotel in Vegas) be the right way to do that? :lol:


It is difficult for a coach passenger to just walk into a sleeper. It is not impossible, of course, but dining car staff, including during non-mealtimes, typically stop any passenger walking from coach through the dining car into the sleeper. This would be especially true of someone carrying a small bag or shower kit. Additionally, while there might be a handful of sleeper attendants willing to risk their job for such a gratuity (which would likely have to be more than $20, IMHO), I doubt that most would.


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## Green Maned Lion (Jun 17, 2008)

Hence my statement of "no guarantees". Its possible you could get the use of the shower by doing this. I don't know how likely, although I have heard of other people doing it. I doubt you'd lose much either than face if the Sleeping Car Attendant summarily showed you the end door of the car. I'd never do it- showering isn't important enough for me to do it when its free a lot of the time, let alone paying extra for it.


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## DaveKCMO (Jun 18, 2008)

some travel/luggage stores sell towels or washcloths that come in a vented or mesh pouch that allows them to dry easily. very handy for coach travel.


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## VentureForth (Jun 18, 2008)

Wetwipes. They work better for a sponge bath.

But I will have to agree with AmtrakWPK. Even though you won't be changing trains, perhaps you can ask for an upgrad for a portion of it, ie: Elco to Grand Junction, or Fort Morgan to Omaha, or even just the last stretch from Omaha to CHI (should be cheapest, because it's daytime).


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