Sleeper Door Locks

[caravanman]

My remark about "needing to know if the room is occupied" was in response to the locked door thread in general, rather than your specific "door malfunction."

Also, my remark about tampering with equipment was meant to be taken in a wider context... Once folk start undoing random screws, "as seen on A.U." it could lead to unforseen consequences. (Forseen circumstances, in my view. )

Ed.

 

[BCL]

Many of us have proposed that in any new car or upgrade, the speakers in the room should be able to be turned off, with an override for emergency announcements. Of course, the whining will commence immediately upon the first person missing a meal call. Tampering could get someone thrown off the train with zero recourse.

There are of course technological solutions if there's any sort of upgrade. I can turn down the ringer/volume on my phone, but it doesn't bypass Amber Alerts nor a remote find feature.

However, isn't one issue going to be interoperability with older equipment? It could be a mess if a system doesn't work during the transition. When a replacement bridge or road is built, the ideal would probably be to tear down the existing one and build a new one in its place. However, people still want to use the existing one and money is spent on temporary structures and the replacement often has strange bends that seem odd when the previous structure is removed.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Plus train cars are very dynamic creatures, being subjected to constant vibration and shock. Therefore, be it door locks, latches, electronics or what have you those systems should ideally be ruggedized to Military Specs to withstand the wear they will experience. Not to mention that coming from rough pax.

 

[PVD]

Interoperabilty with older systems is always a challenge. I've worked in some hospital buildings with multiple fire alarm systems from the latest digital systems to Flintstone stuff. Every new wing or major rehab got whatever was state of the art at the time it was done, it was always a challenge to have them all work together. Someone with a little more rail knowledge than I possess may be able to weigh in on the conductor counts and pinning in trainline cabling and couplers. We are experiencing what you said right here with the replacement of the Kosciusko Bridge. Build East span, put traffic on half a bridge, knock down existing, build West Span. Good luck for 6 more years.

 

[BCL]

Interoperabilty with older systems is always a challenge. I've worked in some hospital buildings with multiple fire alarm systems from the latest digital systems to Flintstone stuff. Every new wing or major rehab got whatever was state of the art at the time it was done, it was always a challenge to have them all work together. Someone with a little more rail knowledge than I possess may be able to weigh in on the conductor counts and pinning in trainline cabling and couplers. We are experiencing what you said right here with the replacement of the Kosciusko Bridge. Build East span, put traffic on half a bridge, knock down existing, build West Span. Good luck for 6 more years.

Electric braking on rail cars could be revolutionary, but then what happens with all the existing air brake systems?

We had that issue when the eastern span of the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge was replaced. They handled it by first building a new toll plaza that would be more in line with the new span. Then there was a gentle bend to the new toll plaza from the existing road. A lot of money was spent on a temporary (and oddly shaped) connector from the existing bridge to the tunnel that would allow for construction of the west end of the new span. A lot of money and time can be saved on many construction projects if the whole thing can be shut down, but that's not typically practical. I've heard that quite a few road improvement projects get half their costs just from temporary pavement to allow use of the existing roads.

If Amtrak were to rework their audio systems, they would probably need to build in some redundant systems to work with the legacy system. In a way it would add to the cost and complexity, but is there any other choice other than only operating new equipment that works with the all new system? However, I could imagine benefits such as an intercom function. Perhaps even make it a wired Ethernet system that could be used for Internet access and point of sale. Maybe even secure backup communications if the crew radios are malfunctioning.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Regardless of the reasons it often amazes me how much random public addressing there is in a supposedly sleep-focused car. If it's after 8AM or before 10PM Amtrak just loves to use their address system as much as possible. Having a volume control in a sleeper compartment seems like a completely reasonable expectation to me and it's only because Amtrak began removing this functionality that we have any reason to discuss this at all. I have no idea which nanny minded individual or department decide to make this change but I hope they reverse it in the future.

Some idiot will read it and end up electrocuting themselves...

You say that like it's a bad thing.

I have never had any concerns or problems with the door locks and would never even consider "hot wiring" the Speaker, as it is there for your safety.

Wouldn't this be more like cold wiring?

However, in the event of an emergency on board, the cabin speakers will override that and broadcast at full volume for safety announcements.

I don't think anyone would have a problem with that, although I would further clarify Amtrak's warnings not to smoke on the train or walk without shoes is not an emergency event.

 

[boxcarsyix]

1 layer of duct tape over the speaker mutes, but does not silence the announcements. Just remove it when you reach your destination.

 

[Sauve850]

I never travel without duct tape.

 

[Ryan]

Duct tape leaves a crappy reside.

Use gaff tape instead, no mess behind.

Not sure why anyone would think that breaking out a screwdriver and taking things apart is a reasonable or acceptable thing to do. Pretty sure there's nothing that's 12V in there either.

 

[niemi24s]

I've never used gaff/gaffers tape but suspect the stuff made by 3M... http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Adhesives/Tapes/Products/~/3M-Cloth-Gaffers-Tape-6910-Black-1-in-x-60-yd-12-0-mil-36-rolls-per-case-Bulk?N=5472497+4294865514&rt=rud ...ought to be the best available based on my experience with other 3M adhesive products. The reviews of it on Amazon are very good.

Does anybody know if my suspicion is correct based on their first hand knowledge?

 

[BCL]

While I've never used any gaff/gaffer's tape, I suspect the stuff made by 3M... http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Adhesives/Tapes/Products/~/3M-Cloth-Gaffers-Tape-6910-Black-1-in-x-60-yd-12-0-mil-36-rolls-per-case-Bulk?N=5472497+4294865514&rt=rud ...ought to be the best available - based on my experience with other 3M adhesive products. The reviews of it on Amazon are very good.

Does anybody know if my suspicion is correct based on first hand knowledge?

You can read all sorts of professional message boards. Look around long enough and I got the consensus that Nashua seemed to be the preference. However, I can't find any source for it outside of Australia and New Zealand. Looks like they've stopped distributing it in the US. This stuff seems to be well regarded:

http://www.protapes.com/products/pro-gaff/color/black

Spending upwards of $30 for a 2"x165' roll of tape seems kind of crazy to me though, but I suppose to a production company it's a tax write-off. I think I've seen this stuff at some places where I've worked to temporarily secure cables.

Nothing quite like trying to remove all that residue left behind by duct tape. It's not really all that great for anything that's not semi-permanent or a quick fix for something that will be replaced in short order. Lots of fun if the adhesive folds over on itself. But it's cheap. I used to go to baseball games where some people would fix signs to a railing using duct tape. It looked really nasty once the tape was removed.

 

[Ryan]

I've bought this and am happy with it @ $11/roll:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DVCG5P8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

Betty has a roll as well, she may chime in with her experience.

 

[railiner]

Not sure why anyone would think that breaking out a screwdriver and taking things apart is a reasonable or acceptable thing to do.

Perhaps Amtrak should use these....

http://www.brycefastener.com/

 

[Asher]

This post started with the thought that a train may be a den for scoundrels and thieves waiting to rob some one blind and has evolved into a passenger must be McGuyver to make a room suitable for travel.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I've bought this and am happy with it @ $11/roll:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DVCG5P8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

Betty has a roll as well, she may chime in with her experience.

Yes, I received a roll in the mail quite unexpectedly, Ryan. I have not used it yet, though. The "problems" others speak of have not bothered me enough to take it out of my bag (I just take a straw or pen with some wrapped around it, not the whole roll).

I do agree though that it's better than duct tape since I do know duct tape leaves a nasty residue and that gaffers tape does not (I do a little local theater).

 

[niemi24s]

Not to drag this out any longer, but in spite of the fact that the images appear identical (showing the same roll sizes) here... http://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/?N=5002385+8711017&Ntt=gaffers+tape&LC=en_US&co=cc&gsaAction=scBR&rt=rs&type=cc ...when you click on each image you'll find that one tape is 1" wide and the other almost 2" wide - but they both have the same manufacturers item number of 6910! U-Line stocks both widths.

FWIW, a couple of SCAs have come to the rescue with what they called "duct tape" to fix various problems, but I don't know whether it was any special kind of tape like gaffers tape. I suspect it was standard duct tape simply because it's much less expensive than gaffers tape. Anyway, around the house I just use fuel oil or kerosene to remove tape residue. But for on the train (and before anybody gets their panties in a wad about taking kerosene on the train) I find WD-40 works just about as well. [Psst - - Don't tell anybody, but WD-40 is mostly fuel oil/kerosene types of hydrocarbons anyway!]

 

[BCL]

Not to drag this out any longer, but in spite of the fact that the images appear identical (showing the same roll sizes) here... http://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/?N=5002385+8711017&Ntt=gaffers+tape&LC=en_US&co=cc&gsaAction=scBR&rt=rs&type=cc ...when you click on each image you'll find that one tape is 1" wide and the other almost 2" wide - but they both have the same manufacturers item number of 6910! U-Line stocks both widths.

FWIW, a couple of SCAs have come to the rescue with what they called "duct tape" to fix various problems, but I don't know whether it was any special kind of tape like gaffers tape. I suspect it was standard duct tape simply because it's much less expensive than gaffers tape. Anyway, around the house I just use fuel oil or kerosene to remove tape residue. But for on the train (and before anybody gets their panties in a wad about taking kerosene on the train) I find WD-40 works just about as well. [Psst - - Don't tell anybody, but WD-40 is mostly fuel oil/kerosene types of hydrocarbons anyway!]

There's probably some rule that says you can't bring that on a train. Besides, that stuff leaves an odor that takes a while to go away, as well as a penetrating oil base. If it goes into a crack somewhere it's not coming out. I use Zippo lighter fluid to remove tape residue. Don't smoke but I do have few of their lighters. I'm pretty sure that a WD-40 spray is considered a propellant, and the squeeze bottle is still a flammable liquid.

That being said, I don't think a single can of WD-40 is going to get anyone thrown off a train.

 

[niemi24s]

That being said, I don't think a single can of WD-40 is going to get anyone thrown off a train.a

No need bring a whole can, even one of those tiny pocket-sized ones. All that's really needed is just a small 2" X 4" or so piece of flannel cloth saturated with WD-40 and sealed in a plastic 35mm film can or small ziploc bag. Maybe only 1ml or less of the fluid. Comes in handy for other things too, like removing remnants of a piece of chewing gum some slob spit out and got stuck to that little wheel on your suitcase - or your shoe.

Just enough of the stuff for a small job or two - not the quantity needed to burn up a pile of stumps after clearing some land!

 

[BCL]

That being said, I don't think a single can of WD-40 is going to get anyone thrown off a train.a

No need bring a whole can, even one of those tiny pocket-sized ones. All that's really needed is just a small 2" X 4" or so piece of flannel cloth saturated with WD-40 and sealed in a plastic 35mm film can or small ziploc bag. Maybe only 1ml or less of the fluid. Comes in handy for other things too, like removing remnants of a piece of chewing gum some slob spit out and got stuck to that little wheel on your suitcase - or your shoe.
Just enough of the stuff for a small job or two - not the quantity needed to burn up a pile of stumps after clearing some land!

My preference is for Goo Gone. For me, WD-40 leaves behind too much oil.

 

[Ryan]

Or you can just use the right tape for the job and not worry about it.

Or even crazier, you can just deal with it.

 

[PVD]

If you know anyone in who works in a hospital or urgent care, or is a sports trainer, they usually have "adhesive remover" squares packed in foil just like alcohol prep pads. I carried them when I coached ice hockey. There is so much TV and film shooting going on around here I can always get a partially used roll of gaffers tape from one of the lighting trucks, but the adhesive remover pads are a reasonable way for a passenger with regular tape to be courteous without too much hassle.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

A problem I see with the removers is that people may forget to use it in their haste to get packed up and out of their rooms.

 

[Seaboard92]

I'm gonna drift this back toward topic a little bit. From my research on riding Russian Railways Train No. 1 and the Red Arrow the SCA issues you a card like hotel key that unlocks you're room for you. So it's a practical solution and now it would be a proven one. I don't know how much truth there is to it. But it is a real option. Honestly I would love to go to that system. And you're SCA hands them out and keeps track of them. So when you leave just return it to them. No need to change the lock

 

[PVD]

Or control access to the sleepers at the end doors with only sleeper passengers and crew able to card or pin code in. But if a security system fails, do you now bad order the car because of the risk management issue? Failure to provide security that is now an expectation. I'm not sure that would be a good idea, since a system could very easily fail enroute when it would not be able to be fixed. Does anyone have any real numbers that indicate if there is a problem of any magnitude, or just anecdotes that we are chewing over as an exercise?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I consider the safety of my personal possessions to be my own responsibility. I just want Amtrak to make that job a bit easier than having to drag everything with me everywhere I go. If history is any indication neither Amtrak nor AU are inclined to take claims of theft seriously, so it's not surprising to me that sleeper theft is seen as a perpetual non-issue. I've personally lost several items despite my best efforts to keep everything safe. Some of the missing items were valuable while others were not. Unfortunately the core of Amtrak's security process seems to be based almost entirely on the honor system and once something has gone missing it's probably never coming back again. Anyone willing to learn the ins and outs of train theft could probably have a field day under Amtrak's "sucks to be you" security protocol.