FlyingForSeven

my family will be flying from NY to Chicago, then taking Amtrak from Chicago to LA. we booked two bedrooms with in-room showers. (one for us and one for the grandkids, but we were told the rooms are not in the same car?)

we've never been on Amtrak long distance trains. what kind of shower can we expect? are soap/shampoos provided or can we bring our own?

any advice appreciated!

Ispolkom

On the Southwest Chief, which I think is the train you are on, you can expect soap (bars like you'd get in a motel) and towels, but not shampoo. The in-room shower is also the toilet, and is about as cramped as an airliner toilet. There's a more spacious shower on the lower level that I prefer to use.

fairviewroad

But--at the risk of pointing out the obvious--the lower level shower is a shared commodity. (That is, it's private but common-use among other sleeper passengers, mainly the roomette folks who don't have an in-room shower) Plus, you have to leave your room and schlep your toiletries downstairs. So what you gain in space you lose in convenience.

(I also think it's not quite accurate to say the shower is "also" the toilet...you're not literally standing in the commode.)

GoAmtrak

This is mostly correct. I don't find the downstairs shower to be appreciably larger. In fact, it and the adjacent changing area (like many areas of the train, including the bedroom shower) are downright cozy. One of the joys of the bedroom is the ability to do one's business, shut the toilet, stand up and shower, and exit into the privacy of the bedroom and its sink/vanity area to recompose. I couldn't imagine springing for a bedroom but still using the communal shower!

Definitely bring your own soap if you're picky and don't want the motel soap as described, as well as all other toiletries.

FlyingForSeven

guess not... on the flip side, I do have a bedroom, so does that mean I can't also try the shower downstairs?

as for the in-room shower, will my room be filled with steam after I finish taking a shower? how's the ventilation?

NovaEngr

You can certainly use the common shower area on the lower level if you choose.

I personally prefer the shower in the bedroom. It is available on demand, and allows you to use the room for changing. The shower spray runs in short (30 second) spurts, so it does not steam-up the room. The shower head can be hand held. It is like showering in a phone booth (remember those?) using a garden hose while the booth is being rocked and bounced. It's an experience.

Two tips if you shower in your room. First, remove the toilet paper from the holder and take it out of the toilet room while you shower. The toilet paper holder has a cover that is supposed to keep the paper roll dry, but it is not 100% effective. It is not fun trying to peel-off 1/4 inch of soaked toilet paper from the roll in order to get to usable, dry paper. Been there, done that. Second, after you shower and dry, take your used towel and wipe off the inside of the toilet/shower room. That allows the room to dry more quickly and make it's other primary purpose more comfortable when needed.

FlyingForSeven

thank you for the advice!

does this mean I'm actually standing over the toilet seat when showering?

NovaEngr

I stand between the door and the toilet - there is a small amount of room there. Since I'm not particular large, that arrangement works for me.

schriste

How do you stand over the toilet?

The door opens outward. There is not a stand alone porcelain toilet in there. Configuration is more like an outhouse. There is a sort of sealing toilet seat cover that you can place down. If you wish you can sit on the top of the toilet while showering. I guess to save time you could even take a shower and go to the toilet at the same time. There is small space in from of toilet area to stand. It is where your feet would be when you sit on the toilet. If taking a shower in a small room with a toilet freaks you out, then you can use the shower downstairs.

GoAmtrak

I only wish the shower leaked more steam into the bedroom. The ventilated air in the Superliner sleepers can get quite dry. In fact, I like keeping a wet towel out to help with the humidity. You might also consider bringing dryer sheets to rub the synthetic fleece blankets, which are magnets for static electricity.

jackal

I do as well.

I do. It's almost the size of a standard household shower stall--maybe a couple inches smaller in each dimension, but quite roomy. The shower in the bedroom, on the other hand, is small enough that turned sideways, my shoulders are almost touching the walls, and turned the other way (perpendicular to the toilet seat), I have to slightly lean over the toilet (just an inch or two, but it's an uncomfortable position to maintain for a while due to the curvature of the spine) in order to avoid touching the door.

I thought this way until I actually traveled in a bedroom for five days last month. It's convenient, but it's not comfortable. The shared shower is almost like showering at home (plus it's on the lower level, which means a small bit less swinging and swaying). Then again, shared showers have never bothered me (as long as they're private--I don't like shared ones where you have to display your manhood for the rest of your brethren to see); I stay in hostels and have no qualms about showering in them (I don't even bother with flip-flops).

Plus, the idea of covering the toilet area with water just feels wrong to me. IMHO, you have to decide whether you want to use the in-room bathroom as a toilet or as a shower--you can't really have both. At least I don't find sitting down on a wet toilet seat (and it gets wet, even with the seat cover closed) comfortable.

This is actually the biggest reason I don't like using the in-room shower when traveling with someone you're not super close with. It's not an issue for spouses or perhaps siblings, but when traveling with friends, it can be an issue if you like privacy. The bathroom stall is so small and gets covered in water, so you can't bring clothes in the bathroom with you. This means you need to strip before entering, take the shower, and get dressed after exiting. The area outside the bathroom stall to stand and change can also be tight if the lower bunk has not been put up.

dhammer53

Speaking of amenities... hair dryers. Do they have hair dryers?

My trip is on deck. Denver/Portland.

Dan

SCEflyer

I have never seen a hair dryer. The car attendant may have one for passenger use, but have not had the need to ask.

SCEflyer

There is also a minor difference between the in room showers in the Superliner 1 & 2 cars.

The older (1) version has a vinyl curtain covering the shower/toilet area, while the newer (2) version has a sliding door. When I am in the former, I use the community shower, as I have found the curtain to be ineffective in keeping water out of the sitting area of the room.

I appreciate that some might consider this to be be a superfluous post, since there is no way that a pax will know which version he is booked into, until he actually boards.

GoAmtrak

dhammer53, I've heard anecdotes that the circuit sometimes can't handle high-wattage hair dryers. So if you do bring one, please make it the lower-power variety and use caution. (If the breaker does trip, your attendant should be able to reset it.)

Safe travels and enjoy what should be a very scenic trip. ^