Passenger Trains > SLC-Syracuse trip report

Pleased to report that I just finished an excellent trip SLC-Syracuse on numbers 6&48. #6 20 minutes early into Chicago ( left SLC down 1' 16") , good attendant ( Darryl,32 years on the job), good dining car staff, excellent as usual food. # 48 arrived Syracuse exactly OT. Good attendant, great diner crew ( the Chef,John started his career with me as the Chef in the Pie Car on the AFT in 1976) and the waiter is the last card carrying Steward still on the roster.

   If it weren't for a faulty vent valve on the SLC sleeper ( which filled the car with the unpleasant odor of the holding tank...yuck!!!) I'd give it a 10. As it was I'd give it a 9 plus and that's pretty darn good.

   Best regards, Ross Rowland

That problem of the sewage smell in Superliner sleepers is about as old as the cars themselves.  You would think after all these years that that problem would have been rectified by now. If it is a valve that goes bad, perhaps regular, scheduled replacement?  My wife and I had one last year on the Builder, where the smell was only intermittent, but it was overpowering and happened often.

This sewage smell should be something that warrants a refund! Happens all too frequently.

Rode the Chief a few years back. Strong sewer smell all the way to AZ. I've raised hogs, as a hobby, so I know all about strong smells. Our sleeper was worse than my pig barn. I complained and got a $250.00 voucher. It wasn't enough. I swear my lungs burned. d 

No sewage smell in my roomette on 4(7) this week, but then again, the SCA had room odorizers in every restroom, and the one in the upstairs bathroom made the coffee corner smell like hot chocolate was brewing.

Hoghead is correct inthat it is a very common occurence on all Superliner sleepers. Yes, you would think by now with all the rebates they've had to give out to placate irate customers that a fix would have been found. Oh well its only gummit money so who cares ??? It was bad enough in our car that most of us chose to stay in the Sightseer lounge most of the time. My attendant told me he has written that car up mutiple times and it never gets fixed. What a shame.

   Ross Rowland

48 and 49 are view liner not super liner. My wife and I had an excellent trip on the Lake shore limited over the Christmas holidays. I've never noticed a bad smell in view liners.

Had a restroom problem on the Builder several years ago.  Our coach attendant closed them right away before it got bad.  Had the same trouble on the next coach/sleeper along with an air conditioning breakdown.  Had to walk through one of the sleepers to get to a working restroom.  They got it all fixed a couple hours later when we got to a place where they had a contractor clear the problems.  We were also about 10 hours late leaving Seattle.  Not the best trip of my Amtrak riding days but the crew was great.

John

My stinking car issue was on # 6 which is Superliner equipped.

   Ross Rowland