Bringing a cup holder

[dn4192]

In june we are taking the zephyr and will have a roommate. I have seen the cup holders in those are poor. My question is if i brought my own with it being the type that hangs on your car door would it work in a roommete in front of the tray. Is there space to slide the holder between the tray and the base it sits in.

 

[TinCan782]

Maybe so but wouldn't that prevent the table from being used?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Maybe so but wouldn't that prevent the table from being used?

S/he may mean during non-meal time when not using the table.

 

[Alice]

Instead of a cup holder designed for cars, look at a mug designed for boats: broad base with non-slip glued on the bottom. As an alternative, consider cutting a small piece of non-slip substance (such as used in tool boxes) and sit a mug you bring on it. Amtrak cups are not particularly designed for stability or to keep your beverage in it. I have also seen cup holders with suction cups for windows, have no idea if they are any good. But I think something sitting in Amtrak's shallow cup dip that was stabilized by something attached to the window might work. (Snag a washcloth from the shower in case it doesn't!)

 

[dn4192]

Instead of a cup holder designed for cars, look at a mug designed for boats: broad base with non-slip glued on the bottom. As an alternative, consider cutting a small piece of non-slip substance (such as used in tool boxes) and sit a mug you bring on it. Amtrak cups are not particularly designed for stability or to keep your beverage in it. I have also seen cup holders with suction cups for windows, have no idea if they are any good. But I think something sitting in Amtrak's shallow cup dip that was stabilized by something attached to the window might work. (Snag a washcloth from the shower in case it doesn't!)

Those are good ideas. We have a month to figure out best option. I am going to look and see what is out there as my sister will have both hot and cold drinks plus the bottle waters and ill just have cold drinks in our mugs throughout the trip.

 

[TaseMeBro]

Why not someething like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Zone-Recessed-Folding-Drink-Holder/dp/B00XAS6M3I/
(I searched Amazon for "suction cup cup holder" - that was a leading result, but there were several that might work)

 

[daybeers]

When this country's rail infrastructure is so bad, you need suction cups so the drinks won't spill. sigh.

 

[dn4192]

Why not someething like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Zone-Recessed-Folding-Drink-Holder/dp/B00XAS6M3I/
(I searched Amazon for "suction cup cup holder" - that was a leading result, but there were several that might work)

I saw those but wondered if they could hold something and not fall off with all the jerking a train does.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

As I mentioned in another thread, I use my shoe to hold my water bottle, at least at night. I wear sneakers on my train trips, so the sides are high enough to keep the bottle upright. (the shoe is on the floor in the closet or next to the seat, not on the table/seat/armrest when I do this).

 

[caravanman]

I wonder if the risk of spillage is actually as bad as we imagine from the jolting and swaying?
I can't recall ever seeing a drink spilling when in the dining car?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I wonder if the risk of spillage is actually as bad as we imagine from the jolting and swaying?
I can't recall ever seeing a drink spilling when in the dining car?

That's because some of us have quick reflexes. There have been times that I've watched my glass of milk and grabbed it...just in case.

 

[bratkinson]

Other than from my own clumsiness, I've never had a cup, can, or bottle fall 'on their own' from the cup holders in Viewliner Is, Superliner Is, or Superliner IIs. And that's with an estimated 100,000 miles in those roomettes! The 1/2-3/4" deep cup holders work well enough for me.

Plan B: (especially if prone to be a 'spiller' like me)...get a wide-base travel mug (with lid/sippy cup top) and place it atop the toilet or a step to the upper bed.

 

[20th Century Rider]

In june we are taking the zephyr and will have a roommate. I have seen the cup holders in those are poor. My question is if i brought my own with it being the type that hangs on your car door would it work in a roomette in front of the tray. Is there space to slide the holder between the tray and the base it sits in.

The most obvious idea when you want to keep your cup stable on a moving train... use the Amtrak cardboard tray with its recessed cup holder that pushes in providing a space to put your cup. Just ask for one at he cafe and/or diner.

BTW when I request a glass of ice from the cafe [free of charge to all] I have them stick the cup into the side holder of one of those trays to keep balance when walking through cars to get back to my room.

 

[caravanman]

When I used to work on the locomotives in the UK back in the day, we brewed our tea in enamel "billy cans". The way to keep them from spilling was to place them low, on the loco floor! Worth knowing...

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I wonder if the risk of spillage is actually as bad as we imagine from the jolting and swaying? I can't recall ever seeing a drink spilling when in the dining car?

I cannot remember losing a drink in the diner but I've seen cups and bottles flying off the drink ledge in my roomette many times. Even a wide and low mug with a friction base and suction cup might not survive some of the more infamous Kansan tracks.

 

[20th Century Rider]

I cannot remember losing a drink in the diner but I've seen cups and bottles flying off the drink ledge in my roomette many times. Even a wide and low mug with a friction base and suction cup might not survive some of the more infamous Kansan tracks.

I agree... safety belts needed on the Chief and also the Cardinal... 'rough ridin' trains!'

 

[joelkfla]

I agree... safety belts needed on the Chief and also the Cardinal... 'rough ridin' trains!'

Hey, that's an idea! Looks like there's a strip of fabric on the wall behind the cup holder. I wonder whether a strip of the hook side of Velcro would stick there well enough to be used as a safety belt?

Or maybe just a strip of fabric stuck on with gaffer tape at both ends.

 

[20th Century Rider]

Hey, that's an idea! Looks like there's a strip of fabric on the wall behind the cup holder. I wonder whether a strip of the hook side of Velcro would stick there well enough to be used as a safety belt?

Or maybe just a strip of fabric stuck on with gaffer tape at both ends.

That and a few swigs of 'southern hospitality vitamin juice' and you will sleep just fine!

 

[BlackDiamond]

When I used to work on the locomotives in the UK back in the day, we brewed our tea in enamel "billy cans". The way to keep them from spilling was to place them low, on the loco floor! Worth knowing...

View attachment 28221

It seems in the UK a constant supply of tea is necessary in every job. One wonders how on the railways one handled the inevitable need for a "comfort break" sometime after

Then there are the stories during the steam days of firemen cooking bacon and egg using a cleaned off coal scoop, done carefully to make sure breakfast doesn't end going up the chimney (stack).

 

[caravanman]

It seems in the UK a constant supply of tea is necessary in every job. One wonders how on the railways one handled the inevitable need for a "comfort break" sometime after

Then there are the stories during the steam days of firemen cooking bacon and egg using a cleaned off coal scoop, done carefully to make sure breakfast doesn't end going up the chimney (stack).

Indeed, many fond memories of the huge black kettles always on the boil in staff mess rooms, porters rooms, and shunters cabins all over the B.R. network! Can't work without our brew ups!
The steam days were over by the time I joined, in about 1970, but each diesel loco had an electric hotplate, so footplate crew could have a hot meal if required. Most of us just brought sandwiches, as well as a 10 shilling note in case we got "overtime" and needed to grab some fish and chips somewhere. The 10 bob note was known as our "long hours money".
No comment on the need to take a comfort break, not too much of a problem when hauling freight wagons...

 

[Devil's Advocate]

It seems in the UK a constant supply of tea is necessary in every job.

The caffeine must flow! Every job I've worked in the US included unlimited coffee or soda and (cold) tea during working hours. When decaf is provided it's a single carafe made once in the morning.