RAILforum: Towels

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Posted by the_maitre (Member # 2632) on :

Hello All,

Well it looks like everything is a go for our Autotrain trip in November but Mom asked one more question which I didn't know the answer to.

I rode the Southwest Chief over 10 years ago in coach and took a shower every day (because I don't like to stink he said). I can't remember for the life of me if Amtrak provided towels for coach passengers as well as sleeper passengers or if coach passengers are required to bring thier own means to dry off - perhaps a hair dryer? ;-)

Erik

Posted by dilly (Member # 1427) on :

Sleeping car passengers have 24 hour access to the "public" shower. If you're in a deluxe room, you'll have your own shower/toilet combo. Amtrak provides towels.

Coach passengers aren't allowed to use the showers, regardless of how long they're on the train. Or how badly they stink.

The towels in the rest rooms are paper -- although I occasionally come across a car equipped with wall-mounted hot air dryers.

[This message has been edited by dilly (edited 08-27-2003).]

Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :

Dilly is correct. Coaches are not equipped with showers. Only sleeping cars are, but they are off-limits to coach passengers.

------------------
Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth.
-Mr. Toy

The Del Monte Club Car

Posted by coach34135 (Member # 1979) on :

Liek they said, no showers for coach..i recommend:

take 2 towels one to get wet and one to dry and try to wash the stinky parts on the tiny little bitty bathroom. Well most of the stinky parts. and load up on deoderant.

Posted by Charles Reuben (Member # 2263) on :

As a very experienced rider in the coach department, I suggest the use of "Wet Ones" to maintain one's hygiene. It has enough alcohol in it to kill just about any known bacteria and leaves one surprisingly fresh. I would not be at all surprised if the astronauts did not use it, or indeed, help develop it.

As far the bathrooms are concerned, one can use the huge handicap restrooms if they are not occupied. Personally, I prefer the men's dressingrooms that have the drop down baby changing devices on which I can put my various lotions, potions, salves and powders.

While I'm on the subject, I can not emphasize enough to beginning coach riders to clean up after yourselves and even the slobs that preceeded you. It has become obvious to me that many of the people who read this forum think that Amtrak is synonymous with the word "cruise ship." It is not.

Amtrak is one of the few privileges that citizens can enjoy for the hard-earned taxes that they pay every year. Over the years I have begun to realize how lucky I am to be able to climb aboard a national passenger railroad system that traverses the United States.

Lots of our readers, unfortunately, have an attitude that is absolutely impossible for me to understand. Their expectations of what $1.5 billion dollars can buy to cover 30,000 miles of track is totally unreasonable.

Unless these harsh critics of Amtrak start rallying behind the cause of what we've got, I do believe that when the proverbial crap hits the fan, if we lose our national passenger rail service, the blame will lie entirely at their feet.

[This message has been edited by Chucky (edited 08-27-2003).]

Posted by Amtrak288 (Member # 1967) on :

After riding 40 hours in a Superliner Coach, I can tell you that although there are no showers in the Coaches as others have mentioned, it is possible to master the art of washing your hair with a dixie cup! Use the larger Mens Room in the coach as you can get set up in there quickly and use a dixie cup to wash your hair, just keep in mind that the water faucet works like a garden hose when you push the lever down! Also bring at least 2 towels depending on the length of your trip, you should be fine. I made sure each night to take a "shower" while onboard but the passenger next to me didn't and this became quite evident as the trip continued on, I was almost glad he spent most of the trip drinking in the lounge car!

Posted by noordam (Member # 2744) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Chucky:
As a very experienced rider in the coach department, I suggest the use of "Wet Ones" to maintain one's hygiene. It has enough alcohol in it to kill just about any known bacteria and leaves one surprisingly fresh. I would not be at all surprised if the astronauts did not use it, or indeed, help develop it.
[This message has been edited by Chucky (edited 08-27-2003).]

Baby wipes were and still are one of the most requested gifts the soldiers in Iraq want.

Before the Iraq War a retired Army Col friend would do two months running Kawaitee training and two months home (Tampa) in the two months in Sandy Land he would get only one shower a month the rest of the time it was "Whores Baths)...........