My husband and I will be making a LD train trip this fall with most of the trip in bedrooms. My question is, what is the availability of bottled water during the trip? I know upon arrival that bottled water is placed in your room, but I am wondering if you can find it after the initial arrival to your room. I am required to drink more water than the average person, due to health reasons so, it is important for me to know before we go! Would I need to let Amtrak know this before beginning our journey, like those who request different foods on their trip?
Thanks for any help with this, as I have not travelled by train in quite a number of years!
Posted by HopefulRailUser (Member # 4513) on :
Unless you are talking about some very unusual amount of water your sleeper attendant will bring you plenty of water. We usually use several bottles a day. You can also get water with your meals in the dining car.
Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :
Extra bottles of water are usually available at the coffee station near the top of the stairs. They usually have juice there, too, though that is officially only available in the morning.
If you are concerned about availability, you can always bring a few of your own as insurance.
Posted by Mike Smith (Member # 447) on :
I normally bring a gallon of distilled water on the train with me, just in case. I have never run out of water, but the car has run out of bottled water on occasion.
And if you get a poor attendant, he/she may not be around a lot. If that happens, then find out where they stash the bottled water and just open the door to the room where the water is stored and help yourself when the attendant "disappears".
Posted by train lady (Member # 3920) on :
I am a big water drinker and the only time I had a problem was on the Zephyr from Denver to Chicago. For a few years they would alwys run put of water . But that seems to have been fixed. I do carry a couple of extra bottle in my carry on,just in case. On some trains the attendent keeps the water put away and will get it for you when you ask. I was told the reason is that people were coming in from coach and taking it. If you will be in coach for any length of time I think you have to buy it in the club car.
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
I've often noticed that the 2 cases of water that each sleeper attendant is given at the beginning of a trip is usually only half-gone (if that) by the end of the trip. They have to off-load the water (and juice, coffee, etc) at the end of every trip. I've always wondered what happens to all of those bottles of water in the case where the plastic has been opened to just take out one or two bottles. I never see them load water with the broken plastic seal, so SOMEONE is probably getting a lot of free water every day---compliments of Amtrak.
BTW, has anyone noticed that the bottles of water have gotten progressively smaller??? They are now teeny-tiny---maybe 6 ounces (or 8 at the most). They still sell the normal sized bottles of water in the lounge car, but that's what used to be given for free to the sleeper passengers.
Posted by train lady (Member # 3920) on :
It is not only the water that has gotten smaller. Soft drinks as well. This is especially true of the ones in business class on the east coast.
Posted by PaulB (Member # 4258) on :
Worst case scenario, you can always use the water tap that is on the lower level by the stairs. The water tastes funky, like plastic, but I haven't died yet from drinking it.
By the way Mike Smith, I heard distilled water is bad for you. Your body needs the minerals that are found in regular water.
Posted by dilly (Member # 1427) on :
Although it doesn't happen often, supplies can and do sometimes run short.
I'd ask the attendant for a healthy supply of extra water shortly after you board the train -- and then repeat the request whenever your supply dwindles to only a couple of bottles. Grab a few extras, too, whenever you're passing the "refreshment stand" in the corridor. That way, you won't come up dry if you happen to end up in a car filled with unusually thirsty passengers.
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Posted by hookedup (Member # 1691) on :
On our recent CS trip our attendant on the way never gave us water, but we noticed it was out in the other cars. On the way home there was plenty out and our new attendant came by several times a day asking if we wanted more (but he never put it out on top of the coffee area like we saw in some of the other cars). Any yes those new bottles are TINY!!!!!
Posted by CHATTER (Member # 1185) on :
quote:I was told the reason is that people were coming in from coach and taking it.
This seems hard to picture, as coach passengers are not allowed in sleepers. In most cases, they would have to go through the dining car into the sleeping car to do so. And we are always telling folks here in the forums how train crews watch out to see that no coach passengers come into the sleeping car. Posted by train lady (Member # 3920) on :
Well Chatter,I have seen it more than once. One car attendent told me he had a hard time on this trip keeping some coach passenger out of the shower.Others have complained about people coming in and taking coffee and juice. When we got aboard the Crescent the attendent came in and asked if we wanted water. He said he kept it in his room because the coach people took it. As you know the car attendent can't watch that area all the time and the wait staff doesn't always pay attention to who comes and goes. They are busy or resting in their quarters. This isn't to say it happens all the time but I have noticed over the years that you must ask for the water.
Posted by Geoff M (Member # 153) on :
quote:Originally posted by CHATTER:
quote:I was told the reason is that people were coming in from coach and taking it.
This seems hard to picture, as coach passengers are not allowed in sleepers. In most cases, they would have to go through the dining car into the sleeping car to do so. And we are always telling folks here in the forums how train crews watch out to see that no coach passengers come into the sleeping car.
In an ideal world, no coach passenger should ever make it through the diner and into the sleeper without being challenged. In the real world, yes it does happen on occasion, usually if nobody happens to be around to challenge them. Even then, if you look confident enough and not nervous or twitchy, how are they going to check without following you to your room and checking your ticket - especially when they're busy with other things?
I suspect it's more of a problem when there's no diner between coach and sleepers, such as the rear sleeper of the Empire Builder.
On the one hand, I don't mind having to ask for drinks; on the other hand, I don't want to bother a car attendant for such a simple task - let him/her help the needy passengers first. But if it helps keep stock under control, then I guess that's important.
Geoff M.
Posted by CHATTER (Member # 1185) on :
OK, but then we should not be assuring people of the security of their belongings in sleepers, when they ask about sleepers that cannot be locked from the outside. If coach people can and do sneak in there, then our frequent assurances here are apparently in vain.
Posted by train lady (Member # 3920) on :
When we leave our room we always lock up the suitcases, close the curtain and the door and leave the lights on. Never had a problem. One needs to be careful these days not paranoid.
Posted by Geoff M (Member # 153) on :
quote:Originally posted by CHATTER: OK, but then we should not be assuring people of the security of their belongings in sleepers, when they ask about sleepers that cannot be locked from the outside. If coach people can and do sneak in there, then our frequent assurances here are apparently in vain.
Indeed, and I hope I've never suggested leaving valuables in your room, but...
quote:Originally posted by train lady: When we leave our room we always lock up the suitcases, close the curtain and the door and leave the lights on. Never had a problem.
I do the same. If a would-be thief cannot see whether anybody is in the room, (s)he would be less likely to enter. My camera and wallet stays with me wherever I am on the train though.
quote:Originally posted by train lady: One needs to be careful these days not paranoid.
That's a good quote - I like that!
Geoff M.
Posted by CoastStarlight99 (Member # 2734) on :
Amtrak has been giving less and less bottled water. Here is what you have on Western LD trains. The tiny Sleeping Car bottled waters are usually kept in the attendants room. If you have a good attendant, they will give you extras other then the 2 in which you receive in your room upon boarding.
Posted by train lady (Member # 3920) on :
It occurs to me that maybe the reason for the smaller bottles is that there was a lot of waste. I drink a lot more water than does my husband. I usually end up finishing his as well as mine. Maybe they were finding that at the end of the trip there were a lot of half empties in the rooms and a lot of full ones still in the attendent's room.Since they give you as much as you want it really is no problem and as far as bothering the attendent that is part of their job. I have never hade one seem out of sorts
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