Wash Racks and dirty equipment

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IMHO, they need to prioritize NY Sunnyside, Chicago, and L.A. Then most of the LD's could get washed at least at one end of a round trip.
Chances are the Goleta one is paid for, property of, and prioritized by LOSSAN/State of California. It probably isn't handled the same way as Amtrak owned ones.

Ivy City would only be useful for NEC Acelas and Regionals, plus the Capitol. You know, Nothing Else Counts.
 
You know, Nothing Else Counts.
Actually a number of the other rebuilds including Chicago and Seattle are much further along in the process than Ivy City and actually have work ongoing now whereas Ivy City is only now just getting bid out. So I really don't get the "Nothing Else Counts" remark. The NEC trains are just as dirty.
 
The latest Amtrak PR on new or better maintenance facilities, from last year: https://media.amtrak.com/2023/05/amtrak-advances-plans-for-new-maintenance-facilities/ (three tiers); https://media.amtrak.com/2023/07/amtrak-kicks-off-procurement-for-new-maintenance-facilities/

The smaller ones are only announced in the procurement portal, or locally, it seems. Newport News is building one, a project managed by the city, with various funding.

Goleta is building a new station: https://www.cityofgoleta.org/your-city/neighborhood-services/goleta-train-depot-project Extending commuter rail may happen. UCSB and the SB airport are nearby-ish. Goleta will go from just a platform to a station with these amenities: "... community meeting room, restrooms/shower/changing facilities, bike storage and baggage storage lockers..." Are those showers for riders? Current situation:

goleta-IMG_2261.JPG
 
Are there any states left where portable wash machines could be used on enroute Amtrak trains?
Well, the washer-on-a-fork-lift that Santa Fe used, and Amtrak continued for a long time, at Albuquerque has been gone for years. Happily, the last time I rode the Southwest Chief couple years ago they had guys with squeegees on long poles cleaning windows there 🙂
 
On June 11, we took Downeaster 682 from Freeport to Boston and then the Lake Shore 449 from Boston to Albany. The Lake Shore was filthy, with a layer of dirt and dust like the photo of the Capitol above, thick enough to write messages in. Particularly when you're boarding at the station of origin, as we were, it makes a very poor first impression. Although the interior was clean, we were watching the scenery through a film of dirt that became more noticeable as the sun got lower in the sky.

It certainly adds to the feeling that Amtrak management does not much care about the Lake Shore or those who ride it. As if to drive home that point, we received an email survey about our experience on the Downeaster, which of course was perfectly clean, but no inquiry about our trip on 449.
 
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