# Toilet Locks



## RRUserious (Jul 10, 2012)

On my recent trips, I've gone into a toilet, slid the lock, and then had someone turn the knob outside and just open the door on me. Are all these locks broken? Seems like when the ceiling lights are on, people don't know to look for them, either. Too bad the doors can't open in, but with the tiny size of the room, I guess that's physically impossible.


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## the_traveler (Jul 10, 2012)

Sometimes, the lock just doesn't "catch"! Many times, I've had to try over and over until it locks!




But many people don't care - they try once and that's it. I've walked into "occupied" rest rooms a few times myself.


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## Ryan (Jul 10, 2012)

RRUserious said:


> Are all these locks broken?


Yes. As with being on a single late train means that no train is ever on time, a single incident of a door not operating property (or not being operated properly) means that no door lock on Amtrak ever has worked or will work.


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## rusty spike (Jul 10, 2012)

the_traveler said:


> Sometimes, the lock just doesn't "catch"! Many times, I've had to try over and over until it locks!
> 
> 
> 
> But many people don't care - they try once and that's it. I've walked into "occupied" rest rooms a few times myself.



I guess you gotta carry your roll of duct tape with you when you use the dunny.


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## OlympianHiawatha (Jul 10, 2012)

What corks me is the people who don't latch the door closed when they leave the toilet, allowing the door to swing open and bang. There used to be a Lounge Attendant on the _*Heartland Flyer*_ who made a special point of reminding passengers to latch the doors closed behind them when they leave because one time a child got "trapped" in the john when the opposite door stayed open. She was far from happy from the screaming and panicking that followed and made sure she didn't have to go through that again.


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## Guest (Jul 11, 2012)

RRUserious said:


> On my recent trips, I've gone into a toilet, slid the lock, and then had someone turn the knob outside and just open the door on me. Are all these locks broken? Seems like when the ceiling lights are on, people don't know to look for them, either. Too bad the doors can't open in, but with the tiny size of the room, I guess that's physically impossible.


The light probably does not come on unless the door is actually locked to activate the sensor.


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## AlanB (Jul 11, 2012)

Guest said:


> RRUserious said:
> 
> 
> > On my recent trips, I've gone into a toilet, slid the lock, and then had someone turn the knob outside and just open the door on me. Are all these locks broken? Seems like when the ceiling lights are on, people don't know to look for them, either. Too bad the doors can't open in, but with the tiny size of the room, I guess that's physically impossible.
> ...


That is correct!

But I can promise you that most passengers don't even know that there are lights to look at. Most people are looking at the door itself, and more specifically the door handle. They're not looking up at the ceiling for a tiny little yellow/orange light.


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## RRUserious (Jul 11, 2012)

Only discovered the lights myself on the last trip. The train was at 100 percent, two bathrooms stopped working, people were walking from car to car looking for an open working bathroom, and that made me more observant. When your traveling on something that doesn't stop and let you off for a relief break, availability eventually becomes a pretty important thing. Since I'm doing a plane trip, I think I need to find out if they ever rescinded the rule that came from the underwear bomber where there were blackout periods for bathroom use. (Travel just gets more complicated every time you look)


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## the_traveler (Jul 11, 2012)

RRUserious said:


> 1341995945[/url]' post='379389']Since I'm doing a plane trip, I think I need to find out if they ever rescinded the rule that came from the underwear bomber where there were blackout periods for bathroom use. (Travel just gets more complicated every time you look)


At least they don't make you remove your underwear at "Security" and put it thru the X-Ray, like they do shoes!


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## Shanghai (Jul 11, 2012)

the_traveler said:


> RRUserious said:
> 
> 
> > 1341995945[/url]' post='379389']Since I'm doing a plane trip, I think I need to find out if they ever rescinded the rule that came from the underwear bomber where there were blackout periods for bathroom use. (Travel just gets more complicated every time you look)
> ...


That's only required if one is seated in the Penthouse Suite!!


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## printman2000 (Jul 11, 2012)

RRUserious said:


> On my recent trips, I've gone into a toilet, slid the lock, and then had someone turn the knob outside and just open the door on me. Are all these locks broken? Seems like when the ceiling lights are on, people don't know to look for them, either. Too bad the doors can't open in, but with the tiny size of the room, I guess that's physically impossible.


I find that sometimes you have to pull on the door to slide the lock all the way. To me, it is pretty obvious when the lock has slid all the way to locked. But you can always test it to see if you can open the door.

I like the refurbished Superliner I sleepers that have a light also on the INSIDE to tell you that it is locked.


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## the_traveler (Jul 11, 2012)

Amfleet I and II coaches also have a light inside that lights when the door is locked!


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## fillyjonk (Jul 11, 2012)

I've taken to knocking on the bathroom door first even if I'm pretty sure it's unoccupied. Saves embarrassment for both me and the person inside.

But yeah, I've had people try to walk into the bathroom when I was in it a few times.


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## shelzp (Jul 11, 2012)

After many years of traveling on Amtrak I still get a little bit anxious that I'll get locked inside the bathroom.


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## nightrider (Jul 12, 2012)

shelzp said:


> After many years of traveling on Amtrak I still get a little bit anxious that I'll get locked inside the bathroom.


Being locked inside a restroom, even if not claustrophobic, can still create a lot of anxiety for most people. Especially since modern restrooms have no frosted windows.

It is especially bad when a child gets locked inside. Fortunately, most locks now can be opened with a simple ball point pen to slide the lock via the 'occupied/vacancy' slot on the outside.... Older restrooms required an Adlake coach key, or worse yet, had to have the lock/latch removed with tools.


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## amtrakwolverine (Jul 12, 2012)

We had one member during the STL gathering get locked in the restroom.


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## Shanghai (Jul 12, 2012)

amtrakwolverine said:


> We had one member during the STL gathering get locked in the restroom.


*I think she made a Wrong Turn too!!*


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## SarahZ (Jul 12, 2012)

Sometimes the latch wiggles loose as the train is bouncing around and shaking. I just make sure to hang onto the door latch as best I can, but I realize this isn't an option for everyone (particularly men).

It would be nice if the doors opened inward, so you could prop your foot against it, but oh man... those restrooms are such a tight squeeze as it is. I can't imagine trying to shut a door while I'm in there. I'd have to stand on the toilet.


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## Cho Cho Charlie (Jul 12, 2012)

the_traveler said:


> RRUserious said:
> 
> 
> > Since I'm doing a plane trip, I think I need to find out if they ever rescinded the rule that came from the underwear bomber where there were blackout periods for bathroom use. (Travel just gets more complicated every time you look)
> ...


I thought the blackout periods on trains for bathroom use, were due to mechanical reasons, not security reasons. Such as when the engine is being swapped out (and thus no power).


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## printman2000 (Jul 12, 2012)

Sorcha said:


> Sometimes the latch wiggles loose as the train is bouncing around and shaking. I just make sure to hang onto the door latch as best I can, but I realize this isn't an option for everyone (particularly men).
> 
> It would be nice if the doors opened inward, so you could prop your foot against it, but oh man... those restrooms are such a tight squeeze as it is. I can't imagine trying to shut a door while I'm in there. I'd have to stand on the toilet.


You could always put you foot against the bottom of the door and thus put some pressure on it. That would help keep this from happening. Though, that has never happened to me.


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## Cho Cho Charlie (Jul 12, 2012)

This is about a roomette, not a toilet, but I have a story from a few years ago on a Viewliner.

The person in the roomette across the hall from me was about to leave ("de-train"). He followed the instructions to stay seated in one's room until the train comes to a complete stop.

Just as the train was coming to a full stop, the jolt caused his roomette door to slide/slam shut, and apparently lock. He could not unlock it, and thus, could not open it.

Beyond the panic of being trapped, he also had the panic of this being his stop and he had to leave. Of course, the service attendant was outside by the car's door, doing his work there.

I had to go across the hallway, and open his door for him. :giggle:


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## PRR 60 (Jul 12, 2012)

RRUserious said:


> Only discovered the lights myself on the last trip. The train was at 100 percent, two bathrooms stopped working, people were walking from car to car looking for an open working bathroom, and that made me more observant. When your traveling on something that doesn't stop and let you off for a relief break, availability eventually becomes a pretty important thing. Since I'm doing a plane trip, I think I need to find out if they ever rescinded the rule that came from the underwear bomber where there were blackout periods for bathroom use. (Travel just gets more complicated every time you look)


It only applied to flights in and out of Washington Reagon (DCA), and it is long gone.


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## amtrakwolverine (Jul 12, 2012)

Shanghai said:


> amtrakwolverine said:
> 
> 
> > We had one member during the STL gathering get locked in the restroom.
> ...


OK 2 members. Penny got locked in the room shower the other member got locked in the bathroom on the river runner.


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## AmtrakBlue (Jul 12, 2012)

amtrakwolverine said:


> Shanghai said:
> 
> 
> > amtrakwolverine said:
> ...


Where's Penny to defend herself? Is she locked up somewhere?


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## RRUserious (Jul 12, 2012)

PRR 60 said:


> It only applied to flights in and out of Washington Reagon (DCA), and it is long gone.


Let me get this straight. An incident happens on a flight to Detroit. Homeland Security imposes a new rule and applies it to WASHINGTON? Now, I know better than to expect logic, but I hope people can see the obvious problem here. Was it the Homeland Security management trying to protect ITSELF? You don't have a link to where you found this out?


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## the_traveler (Jul 12, 2012)

AmtrakBlue said:


> 1342121108[/url]' post='379719']
> 
> 
> amtrakwolverine said:
> ...


She's probably plaing with her new toy (an iPod) that she got this week so she doesn't make wrong turns!




She told me she was practicing turning it on and off!


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## pennyk (Jul 12, 2012)

the_traveler said:


> AmtrakBlue said:
> 
> 
> > 1342121108[/url]' post='379719']
> ...


I guess my "ears were burning" and/or I received an email suggesting that my name was being mentioned in the toilet thread. :lol: Yes, Dave, I have been spending a lot of time playing with my new iPod Touch. It is very cool and I did figure out how to turn it on and off (with the help of a twenty something year old) :lol: Believe it or not, I did get some work done at my office today.

I was not technically locked in the restroom in my bedroom on the Coast Starlight on the way to the Seattle Gathering, but the lock was broken and I was able to get out. When the SCA and LSA came to my room to investigate, the lock completely broke and the door had to be opened with a crow bar.  I did not switch rooms because there were none available. I was not able to completely close my restroom door for the rest of the trip. I managed with duct tape and towels and received a voucher.


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## trainman74 (Jul 13, 2012)

RRUserious said:


> PRR 60 said:
> 
> 
> > It only applied to flights in and out of Washington Reagon (DCA), and it is long gone.
> ...


No, the restriction that required passengers to stay in their seats on flights arriving/departing DCA (that is, stay in their seats longer than would be usual practice for flights into/out of other airports) was a post-9/11 restriction that had nothing to do with the "underwear bomber."

As far as I know, the only restrictions that were applied due to the underwear bomber applied to inbound international flights: pilots weren't allowed to mention points of interest over the P.A. system, electronic "moving map" displays were disabled, and United pilots weren't allowed to activate Channel 9 (the audio channel that lets passengers listen in on the pilot's air traffic control transmissions). Those restrictions were canceled relatively quickly.


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## GoldenSpike (Jul 13, 2012)

the_traveler said:


> RRUserious said:
> 
> 
> > Since I'm doing a plane trip, I think I need to find out if they ever rescinded the rule that came from the underwear bomber where there were blackout periods for bathroom use. (Travel just gets more complicated every time you look)
> ...


You didn't hear about the new airport policy? 

 






 

What really happened is this guy is a frequent traveler. A TSA agent goobermint Kabuki dancer said they got an 

indication of 'nitrates' (suggesting explosives) on his person. The guy fed up with the harassment and intrusive

groping tactics stripped in protest to show he didn't have explosives on his person.

 

Since this security theater is reactive rather than proactive to the latest threats, many in the past have joked how

this might be how we are required to fly. After all, explosives in body cavities are not detectable IIRC.


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## lthanlon (Jul 13, 2012)

The sliding restroom doors on Chicago's Metra bilevel cars often slide open during travel if unlocked. Hilarity can ensue. :giggle:


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## RRUserious (Jul 13, 2012)

GoldenSpike said:


> the_traveler said:
> 
> 
> > RRUserious said:
> ...


Go to the airport in a speedo and you, too, have this option.


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## sechs (Jul 13, 2012)

printman2000 said:


> I find that sometimes you have to pull on the door to slide the lock all the way. To me, it is pretty obvious when the lock has slid all the way to locked. But you can always test it to see if you can open the door.


I've never met a lav lock that didn't work. I don't understand why people do not check that the door is locked. 
And, this is so much worse with the shower.


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## NW cannonball (Jul 26, 2012)

sechs said:


> printman2000 said:
> 
> 
> > I find that sometimes you have to pull on the door to slide the lock all the way. To me, it is pretty obvious when the lock has slid all the way to locked. But you can always test it to see if you can open the door.
> ...


I found an old music hall song about this (not a railroad song as such) to the tune of "oh, dear what can the matter be?"

There are already umpteen verses - some most not quite proper -- most typical embarrassments of daily life have centuries-old songs about them.

The verse about Mrs Mason was par*tic*ularly disturbing to me.

Never, never lock yourself *in* while trying to lock others *out.*

* *

And - couldn't figure out what smileys to use on this one


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jul 26, 2012)

RRUserious said:


> On my recent trips, I've gone into a toilet, slid the lock, and then had someone turn the knob outside and just open the door on me. Are all these locks broken? Seems like when the ceiling lights are on, people don't know to look for them, either. Too bad the doors can't open in, but with the tiny size of the room, I guess that's physically impossible.


It just happened to me. I was just in Superliner I Sleeper 32047 and the upper level toilet lock kept sliding open and somebody opened the door at a very bad time! It did not happen previously on Superliner I Sleeper 32038. The latter did not have a window in the toilet, the former did, so I guess they have different locks as well. Though on 32038 the lock was very hard to push in, the 32047 was a lot easier to push in, a lot easier to slide out.


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