Chicago First Class Lounge - Shower

[John Bobinyec]

We have a trip to Chicago soon and will be connecting trains there. Is the shower in the first class lounge available for use or has it been closed off, perhaps because of the pandemic?

jb

 

[AmtrakBlue]

As far as I could tell, it's available, but then I didn't ask at the front desk.

 

[Acela150]

Still available for public use.

 

[me_little_me]

You have to ask the Dragon Lady who makes her own rules there.

 

[daybeers]

We have a trip to Chicago soon and will be connecting trains there. Is the shower in the first class lounge available for use or has it been closed off, perhaps because of the pandemic?

jb

My SO and I both used the showers in September. They are on the first floor in the bathrooms just to the left of the information desk towards the door to the platforms. You have to ask the desk for the RFID card to tap on the reader outside the door inside the bathroom which opens to a large room with a bench, a few hooks, and the shower. There is soap and shampoo/conditioner; I believe they were on the wall in dispensers if I remember correctly as opposed to the small hotel-style tiny wasteful bottles. Towels are given in sealed plastic bags; I think due to COVID. Seem to be the same as the ones on the trains. Floor is tile. You have to exchange your ID for the card; trade back when you're done. Great experience IMO.

Now if they could offer that at more stations for $10...it was a lifesaver in 4k+ of LD coach miles.

 

[John Santos]

My SO and I both used the showers in September. They are on the first floor in the bathrooms just to the left of the information desk towards the door to the platforms. You have to ask the desk for the RFID card to tap on the reader outside the door inside the bathroom which opens to a large room with a bench, a few hooks, and the shower. There is soap and shampoo/conditioner; I believe they were on the wall in dispensers if I remember correctly as opposed to the small hotel-style tiny wasteful bottles. Towels are given in sealed plastic bags; I think due to COVID. Seem to be the same as the ones on the trains. Floor is tile. You have to exchange your ID for the card; trade back when you're done. Great experience IMO.

Now if they could offer that at more stations for $10...it was a lifesaver in 4k+ of LD coach miles.

This sounds exactly like the procedure in September 2019, pre-pandemic and the last time I used the shower at CUS. At the time,. the towels were in a sealed plastic bag they gave you when you picked up the key and left your ID with the Dragon Lady. BTW, in the men's side, there are two showers. When I got to my assigned shower, the door was locked and there was obviously someone inside taking a shower, but the other shower was available and the door was open. I used that one (locking the door from the inside with the manual deadbolt), figuring the person in the other shower had arrived when both showers were available and the doors were open, and he didn't notice he had gone into the wrong one. I think you are supposed to close the door when you leave, which would lock it automatically, but I think many people don't do that.

 

[UserNameRequired]

...Dragon Lady...

I have seen this set of words used, and I am curious of the meaning of the term in your context? (I have seen it used by those in Hollywood to mean a certain thing, but I am guessing this is not what you are meaning...)(I am not trying to cause trouble, just trying to understand)

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I have seen this set of words used, and I am curious of the meaning of the term in your context? (I have seen it used by those in Hollywood to mean a certain thing, but I am guessing this is not what you are meaning...)(I am not trying to cause trouble, just trying to understand)

In my experience the term is often gender neutral such as "Lounge Dragon" and typically refers to someone who takes their gatekeeping far too seriously. Instead of being calm and professional they take their frustrations out on customers with aggressive behavior that overreacts to minor mistakes and requests.

 

[joelkfla]

Think of a dragon guarding the gates of a castle and breathing fire at any who dare to enter.

 

[pennyk]

In my experience the term is often gender neutral such as "Lounge Dragon" and typically refers to someone who takes their gatekeeping far too seriously. Instead of being calm and professional they take their frustrations out on customers with aggressive behavior that overreacts to minor mistakes and requests.

I guess I am fortunate to have never encountered any lounge staff member who was disrespectful to me. I appreciate those Amtrak employees that enforce the rules.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I guess I am fortunate to have never encountered any lounge staff member who was disrespectful to me. I appreciate those Amtrak employees that enforce the rules.

The only Lounge staff I ever saw or experienced being rude to Passengers were a couple of the the Dragons in the Old Metro Lounge in Chicago, and one really unfriendly Woman in the Boston Lounge a few years ago!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I guess I am fortunate to have never encountered any lounge staff member who was disrespectful to me. I appreciate those Amtrak employees that enforce the rules.

Most of my lounge experiences were fine but Chicago's old lounge and gate staff used to be so obnoxiously rude that I could barely believe what I was seeing. They would get so focused on tearing into someone else that I could simply walk by without demonstrating any right to be in there. Enforcing the rules is not what makes someone a dragon person so much as their attitude and desire to make a scene and shame anyone who fails to show sufficient fealty.

 

[pennyk]

The only Lounge staff I ever saw or experienced being rude to Passengers were a couple of the the Dragons in the Old Metro Lounge in Chicago, and one really unfriendly Woman in the Boston Lounge a few years ago!

I have experienced the one in Boston also.

 

[Acela150]

I have experienced the one in Boston also.

Oh she’s an interesting one….

 

[UserNameRequired]

Yes, I see thanks for a good definition. Interestingly a small enough world that the Chicago and Boston staff have made a name for themselves

 

[CraigInNC]

I have met plenty of "Dragon People" in life and there can be a difference between that and plainly rude/disrespectful. Like the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld. I have met plenty of service personnel who are not specifically rude but are just so sharp and tight about their duties to the point of being militaristic. I can deal with that a lot easier than someone who might be otherwise personally pleasant but are sloppy indignant or slack about their responsibilities. Now there are power trippers who get off on disrupting peoples' behaviors for no good reason than their own aggrandizement.

 

[basketmaker]

Most of my lounge experiences were fine but Chicago's old lounge and gate staff used to be so obnoxiously rude that I could barely believe what I was seeing. They would get so focused on tearing into someone else that I could simply walk by without demonstrating any right to be in there. Enforcing the rules is not what makes someone a dragon person so much as their attitude and desire to make a scene and shame anyone who fails to show sufficient fealty.

Twice at Chicago. The lounge staff was no issue. But the gate agent(s) was a whole different story! Once almost to the point of vicious! Also, one conductor when I boarded at FMG heading west. Attitude of a ticked off crocodile snapping at anything that moved. Luckily she was only on for the one leg into DEN.