We just finished a trip on the Silver Meteor, both south and north, and on the southbound leg, it appeared that one of the bathrooms in each of the coach cars was locked, with no "Out of Order" signage posted. I was walking back from the sleepers in the morning and noticed long lines at each of the cars and I chatted with a couple of folks in line who said they thought for sure the "in Use" lights were on all night in one of the two restrooms. This is all anecdotal, but could this be a ploy to cut down on cleaning duties for the Coach Attendent? Has anyone seen this before?
Locked bathrooms on the Meteor
- Thread starter Slasharoo
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Usually when bathrooms are locked they are out of order, they may or may not have a sign.
Now days most of the LSAs in the Superliner Cafe/ Lounges keep the downstairs bathroom locked and announce that it is "out of order" so they don't have to clean it! Some use it to store supplies also!
Now days most of the LSAs in the Superliner Cafe/ Lounges keep the downstairs bathroom locked and announce that it is "out of order" so they don't have to clean it! Some use it to store supplies also!
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Brenda
Guest
Despite what these self-possessed "experts" may say, there are times when Amtrak staff secure the facilities with "out of the ordinary" signs and the like. In some cases this is to prep the bathroom for cleaning or to avoid cleaning for that matter. In other cases they may be "reserving" the bathroom for an "important" person, meaning celebs and other high society types. This has also been known to happen, especially when Claytor was in office.
Source: ED.
Source: ED.
I guess I qualify as one of those self proclaimed "experts" since I've ridden Amtrak since A Day and been on every LD Route Amtrak currently runs, several multiple times a year!
I'm not into spelling police myself, especially one who makes so many errors themselves, but whatever floats your boat!!!
I'm not into spelling police myself, especially one who makes so many errors themselves, but whatever floats your boat!!!
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Michiko
Guest
hmm...she said self-possessed so if you're self-proclaimed I think you're in a whole different category! Besides she was talking about an "Out of the ordinary" sign, which you have to admit is very unusual and probably does require an expert.
Actually it just sounds like someone got up on the wrong side of the bed, you know? I didn't see any answer from anyone trying to act like an "expert" besides her.
Michiko the lurker
Everydaymatters
Engineer
"Prep the room for cleaning"???? How do you prep a room for cleaning? You just clean it!
jis
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I supposed self-possessed rooms need prepping. 
Ooops, never mind.
Ooops, never mind. OlympianHiawatha
Engineer
Some people have to think about it for a while and then spend a further stretch of time getting motivated, perhaps hoping the room will clean itself in the meantime
ronkstevens
Service Attendant
1. Put a sign on the door saying "closed for cleaning"
2. Go to lounge car to socialize with other employees for 1/2 hour
3. Take your lunch break
4. Take extended-station-stop-cigarette break
5. Go two cars away to get cleaning materials
6. Start cleaning
George K
Conductor
I know jimhudson is a character, but I don't think he's possessed, much less self-possessed.
On the other hand, if the restroom is "out of ordinary", especially at the end of October, then it certainly must be self-possessed.
On the other hand, if the restroom is "out of ordinary", especially at the end of October, then it certainly must be self-possessed.
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I don't like the comment about one restroom closed in each car.
Did anyone ask the coach car staff?
Did the restroom that were closed change? A end open during the night, B end open during the day. Someone camp out in the restroom?
Cost controls from HQ, less bathroom open, less cost to keep it clean?
I know that the OP was in a sleeper.
Odds are we found a very lazy staff member. Hope someone call Amtrak to complain. I think this tactic would be a great way to drive customers away.
Did anyone ask the coach car staff?
Did the restroom that were closed change? A end open during the night, B end open during the day. Someone camp out in the restroom?
Cost controls from HQ, less bathroom open, less cost to keep it clean?
I know that the OP was in a sleeper.
Odds are we found a very lazy staff member. Hope someone call Amtrak to complain. I think this tactic would be a great way to drive customers away.
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HAL
Guest
I don't believe the paraniod fantasies.The odds are that the bathrooms were out of service because the toilet became inoperative. The tanks are not infinite. They have to be dumped. They can become filled before the scheduled dumping station. Also unfortunately some passengers toss paper towels into the toilets and they get clogged up.
MattW
Conductor
OlympianHiawatha
Engineer
If the pots were locked towards the end of the run rather than from the get-go, then it could well have been tanks nearing full or by chance 1 in each Coach got backed up for one reason or another. Those things are touchy as hell and it doesn't take much to clog them. I recall a SAS Maintenace Worker telling me that as he had to completely remove the commode from the upper level in our Sleeper to "retrieve" something that should have gone in the trash instead :unsure:
diesteldorf
Lead Service Attendant
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I was riding home from the Gathering and noticed that one of the downstairs bathrooms in our sleeper car was locked.
The attendant said it was being used as a linen and supply closet. I thought it was odd, but let it go.
1. He was one of the better attendants I've had
2. The rest of the bathrooms were very clean.
3. He had extra cleaning and freshening supplies in the other bathrooms and it made sense that he would need a place to keep his inventory
4. In the past, especially at higher altitudes, I've seen the restrooms fail. I don't know if they typically all fail at once, but the idea of having a good one in reserve for emergencies, could also be why he might do it.
I noticed this around 7 in the morning. The long lines waiting to use the restrooms got my attention--60 people trying to use 3 restrooms to get their day started is more that a little frustrating. This would be about halfway through the run to Miami (the evening and overnight portion). The fact that I often saw the coach attendants hanging out together in the lounge made me think there might be some collusion on cutting down on janitorial work. It might be a coincidence, that's why I asked here to see if anyone has seen this happen elsewhere.
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HAL
Guest
I guess you have nothing else to do but come up with fanatsies and slander Amtrak employees. You are despicable.
H
HAL
Guest
They have macerators (grinders that grind up the solids). They can get clogged up en route when stuff that is too solid gets dumped down the toilet and can't be ground up. That can happen at the begining of the trip cause some passengers don't care. A large clump of paper towels for example can clog up the toilet. Tampons can clog it up.If the pots were locked towards the end of the run rather than from the get-go, then it could well have been tanks nearing full or by chance 1 in each Coach got backed up for one reason or another. Those things are touchy as hell and it doesn't take much to clog them. I recall a SAS Maintenace Worker telling me that as he had to completely remove the commode from the upper level in our Sleeper to "retrieve" something that should have gone in the trash instead :unsure:
Easy Guest Hal, watch your blood pressure. I was stating facts as I saw them and was asking if this situation has been witnessed by others. I understand that there are a few reasons for half the restrooms to be out of order, but I have also lived in this world long enough to know that laziness can be one of those reasons.
jis
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So there was an observed fact and then there was a bit of speculation which might fit the facts, recognizing that there may be a host of other scenarios that would also fit the same facts? There apparently did seem to be a bias in the speculation int he direction suggested by HAL though.
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