Power and charging sockets in sleepers

[AFS1970]

I have a cord/charger by Anker that I bought a while ago for a cruise ship (same lack of outlets) that plugs into a 110 outlet and has a block on the end with 5 USB outlets. I have used this on trains frequently, since it has a long cord, I can put the charging block almost anywhere.

 

[Samsbigtrip]

We have two hairdryers - and they're not special ones and are different common brands - and they both have switches on them to go from 120V <--> 240V.

I have just ordered a styling brush with Worldwide voltage - let's hope that fits the bill!

 

[dogbert617]

It's a Type B outlet, and there is only one. You'll want to bring a power strip so you can plug in multiple items (this will also give you more reach). I usually set my power strip along the window rail, behind the table (folded up). It stays put 99% of the time.

There are no USB sockets.

I hope you have a nice trip. That's one of the most scenic routes in the country.

Rode the Empire Builder last summer in a roomette(at least coming back from Glacier National Park, sadly was too expensive to upgrade going west), and yes what she said about only one outlet in the room and no USB outlets is correct.

Sadly, that won't work for me as I'll be plugging in UK appliances - but I do take your point and will resign myself to having frizzy hair on the train ;-)

If you have UK appliances like a hair dryer, I presume (and hope) you are planning to bring a UK to US converter for appliances to work in US electrical outlets.

 

[Samsbigtrip]

If you have UK appliances like a hair dryer, I presume (and hope) you are planning to bring a UK to US converter for appliances to work in US electrical outlets.

This was delivered to me just now! I'm hoping it will do the trick - it has a switch on the hairdryer to flip between 110 and 240v!

 

[01piglet_patinas]

Should I buy a three prong plug to plug into the one socket - and then add my two plug anker adapter for usb c & a into it - so it won't keeping falling out of the socket or should I buy a 3 prong extension cord _say 3 feet long to then plug in the anker adapter? I had no idea where to post this question. I just got back from the SW chief LA to Chicago and Texas eagle/sunset limited back to LA and that socket is a hassle.
this was in the roomette

 

[joelkfla]

Should I buy a three prong plug to plug into the one socket - and then add my two plug anker adapter for usb c & a into it - so it won't keeping falling out of the socket or should I buy a 3 prong extension cord _say 3 feet long to then plug in the anker adapter? I had no idea where to post this question. I just got back from the SW chief LA to Chicago and Texas eagle/sunset limited back to LA and that socket is a hassle.
this was in the roomette

I use about a 6' extension cord, because in some rooms the outlet is in an inconvenient location.

Whatever you choose, make sure the plug is straight in, not right angle, and has nothing surrounding it, as in some rooms the outlet is slightly recessed, and a right angle ("wall hugger") plug will not go in.

 

[UserNameRequired]

If the extension cord falls out of the socket then I would tend to call that outlet worn out. Since a worn outlet is out of the control of the rider, I have found that extension cords that have their prongs spread out further so they are not exactly parallel anymore will fit a worn outlet better. If you are pulling 15 amps through a worn outlet like that they can get hot and I would want to lower the load. Charging a few small electronic devices shouldn’t get anywhere close to 15 amps.

 

[JamesWhitcombRiley]

If the extension cord falls out of the socket then I would tend to call that outlet worn out. Since a worn outlet is out of the control of the rider, I have found that extension cords that have their prongs spread out further so they are not exactly parallel anymore will fit a worn outlet better. If you are pulling 15 amps through a worn outlet like that they can get hot and I would want to lower the load. Charging a few small electronic devices shouldn’t get anywhere close to 15 amps.

I recall outlets on trains that were the 20 amp type, meaning one of the prong holes is T-shaped.

It's slightly outrageous Amtrak does not have electricians replacing loose outlets. Grandpas and mas across the country are doing this very task in their cozy homes as we speak, and also lubricating squeaky doors. They ask no credit for it. "Mama, why don't the doors in grandma's house squeak like ours do?" is a question that is seldom asked. (My grandfather also wired his own house as a ten-year old boy in 1920 or so, knob and tube, not that I'm suggesting Amtrak use child labor.)

Funny story, looking for a picture of a roommette outlet, I came across numerous discussions of electrical plugs and outlets on these very forums. Now do we use Google or Duck Duck Go?, and I won't test the others, or the search box on this forum.

Searching "amtrak roomette electrical plug":

• Duck Duck Go: Two results from these forums right near the top. "Electrical Outlets" and "Electrical Plugs". Simple and clean, but as it turns out limited.
• Google: A whole paragraph of results from these forums. Then click "More results from www.amtraktrains.com" if you dare.

.

 

[01piglet_patinas]

I have an Anker adapter (2prong) and it kept falling out of the one plug socket in the roomette. It seems like that socket is stretched out?
Could I just buy a 3 prong plug (which would be perhaps stable and if it has a 2 prong to use at the other open end) I could plug my 2 prong Anker plug into the 2 prong open end? Hoping it would then not fall out.
This Anker adapter has a usb c port and a USB port in this one adapter.
I am trying to avoid carrying an extension cord.

 

[John Santos]

If the extension cord falls out of the socket then I would tend to call that outlet worn out. Since a worn outlet is out of the control of the rider, I have found that extension cords that have their prongs spread out further so they are not exactly parallel anymore will fit a worn outlet better. If you are pulling 15 amps through a worn outlet like that they can get hot and I would want to lower the load. Charging a few small electronic devices shouldn’t get anywhere close to 15 amps.

Chargers are typically about .1 to .2 amps, or 1/100th of the 15 amps that would cause problems. A 9 watt LED light (60 watt incandescent equivalent) draws .075 amps, or 1/200th the maximum current.

As long as you don't have a cooking oven or a table saw cutting 2" oak planks, you should be okay! (People even bring small electric teakettles, which are about 1 amp, more than I would like to use, but apparently okay since they only run for a few minutes and it is very unlikely more than one passenger would be using one at the same time. Electric hair dryers are similar.)

 

[jis]

I have an Anker adapter (2prong) and it kept falling out of the one plug socket in the roomette. It seems like that socket is stretched out?
Could I just buy a 3 prong plug (which would be perhaps stable and if it has a 2 prong to use at the other open end) I could plug my 2 prong Anker plug into the 2 prong open end? Hoping it would then not fall out.
This Anker adapter has a usb c port and a USB port in this one adapter.
I am trying to avoid carrying an extension cord.

Yes, that would work. I prefer to carry a short multi socket three pronged extension chord with me.

 

[RalphCT]

I have an Anker adapter (2prong) and it kept falling out of the one plug socket in the roomette. It seems like that socket is stretched out?
Could I just buy a 3 prong plug (which would be perhaps stable and if it has a 2 prong to use at the other open end) I could plug my 2 prong Anker plug into the 2 prong open end? Hoping it would then not fall out.
This Anker adapter has a usb c port and a USB port in this one adapter.
I am trying to avoid carrying an extension cord.

This is a common problem with Anker chargers. I've used an Ancker charger for several years in hotels and private homes. The darn thing is always loose in the socket.

 

[perfessor501]

I carry these gadgets to tighten loose sockets work reasonably well and take an unnoticeable amount of space in my bag.

 

[niemi24s]

And just what are ". . .these gadgets..." ?

 

[TheMalahat]

I carry these gadgets to tighten loose sockets work reasonably well and take an unnoticeable amount of space in my bag.

Yes! Someone else posted those on another rail group, and it proved to be a great addition for my travel bag. They're odly expensive right now [In Canada]?

 

[John Santos]

And just what are ". . .these gadgets..." ?

The words "these gadgets" are a link to an Amazon page for "Snug Plugs", little plastic bits you insert into the outlet that makes them hold tighter. There's a bunch of videos on the page; they look like they usually work pretty well, but sometimes they don't.

 

[niemi24s]

When my PC is in the high contrast mode, my old eyes can't see the difference between the color of the words these gadgets and the others in black. Didn't even think of putting the cursor there to make the underlining appear.

 

[basketmaker]

I use about a 6' extension cord, because in some rooms the outlet is in an inconvenient location.

Whatever you choose, make sure the plug is straight in, not right angle, and has nothing surrounding it, as in some rooms the outlet is slightly recessed, and a right angle ("wall hugger") plug will not go in.

This is what I use.

 

[cirdan]

Not sure if somebody else has mentioned this, but I have on one occasion (albeit quite a few years ago) been in a superliner roomette where the power outlet didn't have any power and the attendant was unable to do anything about it.

So taking spare batteries or a charging brick might be a wise precaution just in case.

 

[UserNameRequired]

I carry these gadgets to tighten loose sockets work reasonably well and take an unnoticeable amount of space in my bag.

I do not own those, they look interesting but I am skeptical of the safety of a device like that. Would I personally use something like that with a large load? Not me. Would I try it with a light load for short term only, with a responsible human around to get it disconnected quickly if it was getting warm, or starting to small bad, or sparking, melting, fire, or etc., yes I would. This is the same care I would give a loose receptacle with the prongs spread a little, or a loose receptacle with straight prongs that struggles to stay in place.

I think I see problems with that device. To be U shaped and fit into both connector receptacles, it must be a non conductor. What I see is that device insulates a whole side (1/2) of each blade that is supposed to carry the current. Suppose the worn out receptacle Is loose because the outer clamping portion of the connection point inside the receptacle is why it is loose. If you use that device, it insulates the only ‘good’ path for electricity and makes it try to use the bad, outer side of the spade surface to conduct. Separately, if that connection point does start to get hot, is that plastic device very flammable, like if there is enough heat there to cause a fire, will it fuel the fire and make it worse?

Maybe they are high priced because the liability insurance to manufacture and sell something like that is expensive.

I don’t hear of reports of plug fires on Amtrak, so this all may be a non-issue? If Amtrak didn’t have worn out outlets, then this would be a non-issue.