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Just a quick question about them. Are towels, wash cloths, shampoo & soap provided or do we bring our own? This will be our first trip on Amtrak (CZ from CHI to SFW in June)so I don't know what there is. Thanks, Jeff
Posts: 19 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Showers are only available to sleeper car passengers. They provide the towels and soap is available. I don't recall seeing shampoo.
Posts: 32 | From: Redondo Beach, CA | Registered: Sep 2003
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Yes, just towels and soap. Towels are of the miniature variety, not much better than hand towels. Soap is wrapped bars like the sort you get in hotels. However, both are known to run out - not very often though. For this reason, please don't use more than 1 towel per person and wipe the floor dry with that towel, then dump it in the bin provided. Some people just carelessly toss them on top of the clean towels and you don't know what is clean and what is dirty!
Geoff M.
Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Be forewarned, though, that you need to scrub quickly, since the water output is monitored. And I've had only cold water at times. But, a shower is a shower and it's better than none, especially if you're traveling long distance like I do -- Florida to Oregon.
Posts: 133 | From: Florida, U.S.A. | Registered: May 2004
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When I took the CZ in 2002 there were proper bath-size towels but last September on the SWC there was nothing bigger than a face-cloth. Whether this was a one-off or a change in poicy I don't know but I'd agree with dixiebreeze that any shower is better than none - even a tepid one.
Posts: 395 | From: england | Registered: Sep 2002
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A couple of weeks ago on the Starlight the towels were full sized bath towels. No problem with quantity of availble towels or water. Posts: 326 | From: San Antonio Texas USA | Registered: Dec 2003
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Thanks for the info!! We have sleepers the whole trip. We have standard from Chicago to San Francisco, standard from S.F. to Seattle and a deluxe from Seattle back to Chicago (thought the extra room would be nice on the return trip.) You guys (and gals) do a great job posting info. Thanks again!! :-) Jeff
Posts: 19 | Registered: Feb 2004
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We did the Seattle/Chicago trip last month in a Deluxe and found the shower in the room quite small. It's basically like an RV shower where the toilet compartment is also the shower. The second day we both used the shower downstairs.
Enjoy your trip. We did and plan another in the Fall.
Best,
Frank in SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Agree with that SBA, tried the Deluxe a couple of times, but ended up using the "public" shower -- much more comfortable. In fact, I now prefer the standard BR.
Posts: 133 | From: Florida, U.S.A. | Registered: May 2004
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I did that same trip last April. I also had standard, standard, deluxe. We did have shampoo on one train, I think it was CZ. I rather liked the shower in the deluxe room. You can dry off in the room and getting dressed is easier. The towels seemed big enough for me. I always try to time my showers when we are stopped for ten minutes or so, you can manuver better.
Posts: 26 | Registered: Nov 2003
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You don't want to try to shower at one of the service stops. Water stopped just after I'd soaped up. I heard the car attendant talking outside our room so I just yelled to her. She said that the water would come on again as soon as they finished servicing the car. It did.
Frank in SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
Having taken many a shower in deluxe bedrooms, I can confirm that the temperature and the water volume are highly variable. As for towels, only on the Coast Starlight do you receive big fluffy towels similar to a good hotel. On the other long distance trains you will receive a much smaller towel although larger than a hand towel (but not by much). Up until recently on the CS you would receive a cute little wicker basket with special soaps and shampoo. On my trip last December, this little amenity had disappeared. A few years ago you used to receive on the SW Chief a packet of shampoo, toothpaste and a toothbrush. All now gone along with the special stationery, pens and route guides.
Posts: 524 | From: Toronto Ont. Canada | Registered: Mar 2001
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