Restroom and other experiences in Sleepers

[zephyr17]

I think it's worthwhile to note that a Viewliner I has an ADA room with an enclosed toilet/shower and the new Viewliner IIs have the toilet exposed in the middle of the room. To have the ability to sell the ADA room as a nice roomy additional double bedroom to non-ADA passengers would seem to be highly beneficial. The decision to expose the toilet makes the room solely for ADA passengers. So the bottom line is it really didn't matter how many ADA rooms a train had if you could also sell the space otherwise. The extra room may actually make it a more desirable room. But now every train may have valuable space unsold since up to three rooms are going to be restrictive on trains like the Meteor.

The Superliner Accessible Bedrooms have always had an open toilet. They still release them for sale to the general public two weeks before departure. I doubt the policy on Accessible Room booking restrictions differs for either species of Viewliner or Superliners, or that the toilet placement has anything to do with it.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

The Superliner Accessible Bedrooms have always had an open toilet. They still release them for sale to the general public two weeks before departure. I doubt the policy on Accessible Room booking restrictions is any different for either species of Viewliner or Superliners, or that the toilet had anything to do with it.

I believe I've seen on videos of the Accessible Bedrooms that there is a curtain which can be drawn around the toilet?

 

[zephyr17]

I believe I've seen on videos of the Accessible Bedrooms that there is a curtain which can be drawn around the toilet?

Yes, there are. I've ridden in one, having been moved after the wall heat in my assigned roomette heated uncontrollably making the roomette like being in a toaster.

Still probably has no impact on Accessible Room booking policy, though.

 

[PVD]

Yes I believe there is a curtain. The point is that the newer arrangement is meant to be easier for the intended use of the room, any use outside of that is an afterthought.

 

[joelkfla]

The Superliner Accessible Bedrooms have always had an open toilet. They still release them for sale to the general public two weeks before departure. I doubt the policy on Accessible Room booking restrictions differs for either species of Viewliner or Superliners, or that the toilet placement has anything to do with it.

No, the VL I Accessible room has a combined shower/toilet, similar to the deluxe bedrooms but larger.

But I don't think the toilet out in the room of the VL II would deter most people from taking it if it were the last bedroom available.

ETA: Sorry, I didn't notice that you had switched up from the VL to SL.

 

[zephyr17]

No, the VL I Accessible room has a combined shower/toilet, similar to the deluxe bedrooms but larger.

I didn't say the VL I's Accessible Rooms had open toilets. I said the Superliner ones did (both Is and IIs).
Although it has been correctly pointed out the Superliner ones do have curtains.

 

[jis]

I didn't say the VL I's Accessible Rooms had open toilets. I said the Superliner ones did (both Is and IIs).
Although it has been correctly pointed out the Superliner ones do have curtains.

IIRC the VL II ones also have curtains. Don't they?

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

IIRC the VL II ones also have curtains. Don't they?

Yes there a curtain across the room.
Also there a shower curtain across the shower area. The big problem is the huge sink in the Viewliner 2 accessible bedroom.

 

[zephyr17]

IIRC the VL II ones also have curtains. Don't they?

I do not know, I've been in a Superliner one, but not V II (or a V I) one.

 

[Amtrak709]

I think it's worthwhile to note that a Viewliner I has an ADA room with an enclosed toilet/shower and the new Viewliner IIs have the toilet exposed in the middle of the room. To have the ability to sell the ADA room as a nice roomy additional double bedroom to non-ADA passengers would seem to be highly beneficial. The decision to expose the toilet makes the room solely for ADA passengers. So the bottom line is it really didn't matter how many ADA rooms a train had if you could also sell the space otherwise. The extra room may actually make it a more desirable room. But now every train may have valuable space unsold since up to three rooms are going to be restrictive on trains like the Meteor.

cocojacoby: You have emphasized a point I have made on numerous previous posts. I think the "H" bedroom on the Viewliner 1 is the best Amtrak sleeper room that exists. I am a non-ADA passenger but will buy it or upgrade to it as available. Having that large bathroom-toilet-sink-shower room enclosed by a door is a great benefit. Having said that, and since most of my trips are just to ride the train and the sleepers, I likely would find the toilet in the middle of the room on the "H" room in Viewliner 2 undesirable. All of my travels recently have been on the Crescent which only has the Viewliner 1. I respect the fact that the "H" room should be designed wit the ADA passenger in mind. I admit I have NOT occupied or even seen an "H" on the Viewliner 2 in real physical time.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Interesting I have never stayed in the Viewliner 1, accessible bedroom. But did buy a upgrade 24 hours before departure for a Viewliner 2 accessible bedroom. The biggest issue was the sink, it really is a huge thing, with the little closet that prevent me from fitting on the bed at night (6’6” or 2 meters) There was a tiny space for me feet to overhang and I just had to get it right otherwise I was not able lay down.

Other issues was the door was not working, and the vent in the door gave me a great view into the hallway, which of course brought in a lot of noises to the room.

Also the ladder for the top bunk was just place in the shower with out any tie downs. Just waiting for it to fly out and try to kill me.

One size does not fit all when it comes to the ADA. I do think the Viewliner 1 was a good design and would love to hear what was the issue that required a redesign.

 

[joelkfla]

Yes there a curtain across the room.
Also there a shower curtain across the shower area. The big problem is the huge sink in the Viewliner 2 accessible bedroom.

There are both curtains in the VL II accessible rooms, but they're falling down because they're attached to the hangars with cheap plastic thingies. I think the last 2 or 3 hangars were off the room curtain on my last trip, so the curtain would not have reached all the way across the room. Some others had been jerry-rig reattached with plastic wire ties, which I'm sure would not survive a good tug.

 

[ktbarton3]

You can still get them. Rooms A & B with the partition retracted. It is called a Bedroom Suite and you have to call to book it.

Back in the day, the largest single room was a Drawing Room with 3 berths, 2 lowers and one upper. But 2 connected Double Bedrooms as Bedroom Suites were available then, too.

Yes, the AmTrak Agent talked me into a "drawing Room which was for one of 3 family trips taken in a 4 year period; one to Kissimmee (Orlando), one to Washington D.C. & not remember where on the third. On all of the trips, we either had 4 berth room, or Drawing Room. The upholstery, when we had the Drawing Room looked somewhat "old" & the SCA kept apologizing for the Vintage Room, but my sons (wanting only "Air Travel") really warmed up to the drawing room. My eldest soon had brought along his small portable TV, and used it to "see" some "lift-offs on the way down to FL. The younger son (now in his adult years), has turned into a REAL Amtrak traveler-the other son still scoffs at travel by Amtrak.

 

[Trucker72]

Not sure if this is the correct thread for this but here goes.
I just finished watching Youtuuba's 8 part CZ train odyssey from 4 months ago (he travelled in August). In part 8 he wakes up just west of I believe, Omaha. It's something like 0600 and he says the SCA just told him that the toilets will not flush. Not just in his car but in both sleepers. The SCA is locking the bathrooms. Supposedly they are still working in the transdorm. He doesn't know if they are working in the coach cars. The SCA says that hopefully they will get attended to in Omaha.
The only mention after this is when he comes back from breakfast( around 0800?). Stop in Omaha was just a few minutes so nothing done with the toilets and they don't work.
Why would they not work in both sleepers? If they didn't flush for the remainder of the trip, train got to Chicago like 1715, what the he double l did everyone do for 11 hours? We have only done 2 trips in the last 2 years that were about 3 weeks each. Never had an issue like this. This would kind of ruin a trip, no?

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Not sure if this is the correct thread for this but here goes.
I just finished watching Youtuuba's 8 part CZ train odyssey from 4 months ago (he travelled in August). In part 8 he wakes up just west of I believe, Omaha. It's something like 0600 and he says the SCA just told him that the toilets will not flush. Not just in his car but in both sleepers. The SCA is locking the bathrooms. Supposedly they are still working in the transdorm. He doesn't know if they are working in the coach cars. The SCA says that hopefully they will get attended to in Omaha.
The only mention after this is when he comes back from breakfast( around 0800?). Stop in Omaha was just a few minutes so nothing done with the toilets and they don't work.
Why would they not work in both sleepers? If they didn't flush for the remainder of the trip, train got to Chicago like 1715, what the he double l did everyone do for 11 hours? We have only done 2 trips in the last 2 years that were about 3 weeks each. Never had an issue like this. This would kind of ruin a trip, no?

When ever car in the trainset has a failure of the waste management system then your have a bus ride. Have to walk to another railcar to use the bathroom is a pain, and for some it’s not possible. It’s not a deal breaker.

Why waste management system fail. Freezing weather, trying flushing thing such as paper towels. Have both sleepers fail is just a pain, no conspiracy needed.