When Privacy is Needed.
I really like the Viewliner sleepers. I like the convenience of having a sink and a toilet right there in the room. I like the spacious feeling you get from the extra height in each roomette. And, in particular, I really like the upper berth which is more comfortable than its counterpart in the Superliners.
Plus—and this is a big deal for me—the upper berth comes with its own window. As regular readers probably know, I always ask the Viewliner car attendant to prepare the upper berth for me. When I am settled down for the night on that comfortable mattress while the train rolls through towns and over grade crossings, I am one happy camper.
I received a letter from a regular reader the other day, asking if there is any protocol for use of the toilet in a Viewliner roomette when the room is being shared with another passenger, be it one’s spouse or sibling or child.
The truth is, I’ve never had to confront that issue. When my wife and I travel together, we’re either in a bedroom or I book two roomettes. Nevertheless, the issue is perfectly valid:
When two people travel together in a Viewliner roomette, and one insists on privacy when using the en suite facilities, what does the other person do?
Thinking about my past experiences on trains with Viewliner equipment, there seemed to be plenty of couples in roomettes and I must assume that they had all come to some understanding on this issue. Once or twice I have seen husbands standing rather sheepishly in the corridor with the roomette door closed and curtain drawn with the wife inside. More commonly, however, the husband emerges and goes off to the lounge car to make some small purchase in order to give his wife a few minutes of privacy.
Ideally, this should be discussed ahead of time with both parties agreeing on a solution so it won’t become an on-board issue.
I’m Considering traveling from DC to Chicago. My husband and I are elderly and I use a cane. What sleeper do you recommend? I use the toilet often.
(Response sent direct by email)
Jim, I too, like having the”facilities” in the roomette, however, I thought I read that the newer Viewliner sleepers no longer provided them in the room. Are there Viewliner sleepers currently in use that do not have the “facilities” in the room?
You are correct. The last I heard, there were no en suite toilets and wash basins in the new Viewliner roomettes. The rationale for the change was going to be a big reduction in maintenance problems. Of course, I don’t think Amtrak has ever gotten beyond the design stage.
I have traveled in Viewliner sleepers more than once with one of my grandchildren and have used both of Jim’s suggested methods. My 16 year-old grandson prefers that I go to the lounge car lounge car (and while you are there grandpa, get some snacks), while my 7 year-old granddaughter insists that I wait in the corridor. Both methods work well. I do agree the pre-trip discussion is a good idea. Either way it is just a great way to travel and as Rainbow Dash on “My Little Poney” says “chillax” (remember I said my granddaughter is 7–I know more about the ponies than I ever wanted to ).