It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 4:59 pm

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Passenger car restrooms
PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 11:57 am 

Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2014 9:14 am
Posts: 352
We are in the process of remodeling the restrooms in our cars. We have two problems. The first we can fix. Every car is a little bit different in how it operates. The second we can only deal with. We operate in freezing conditions for a few months. My question is what types of toilets and holding tank systems have others used and what were the pros and cons? What works best in freezing conditions?
Thanks in advance,
Eric


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Passenger car restrooms
PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 12:19 pm 

Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 10:22 am
Posts: 548
A recent toilet job for a museum that I heard of they used PVC and hub-less rubber couplers, that that way if things got plugged up, all it took was a screwdriver to take the system apart.

Also heard that they used cheap canned dog food as the test media.

At one time they used caboose toilets (bad idea), and in cold weather they would use window washer fluid as part of the pre-fill.

Also remember if you are converting a dumper to a holding tank, remember that you need a J trap. (Don't ask how I know this)

-Hudson


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Passenger car restrooms
PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 2:29 pm 

Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2005 9:06 pm
Posts: 2530
Location: Thomaston & White Plains
OK, why are caboose toilets a bad idea?

Howard P.

_________________
"I'm a railroad man, not a prophet."


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Passenger car restrooms
PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 4:06 pm 

Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2004 2:14 pm
Posts: 613
Location: Essex, Connecticut, USA
Greetings:
Valley Railroad has 9 toilets in service (and another on the way).
Currently, we use Model ME200 toilets made by Motive Equipment Inc. at New Berlin, Wisconsin (262-780-0169) priced at about $625. each.
This is the type of toilet you see in diesel locomotives. They are stainless steel,free standing with a self contained holding tank. We have added provision for dumping them into a holding tank via a long, 3" hose.
We have been using these exclusively for over 10 years and are satisfied with them.
We add "Inca Gold" deoderant each time these are serviced as the flushing is a recirculating system.
In cold weather, we add Panol, non-toxic anti-freeze.
Good luck!
J.David


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Passenger car restrooms
PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 5:49 pm 

Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 10:22 am
Posts: 548
Caboose toilets are designed for 2-3 people all day in a caboose, 2 of them in a 54 seat coach on a fantrip is a major disaster.

-Hudson


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Passenger car restrooms
PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 7:11 pm 

Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2005 1:02 pm
Posts: 128
Location: Mi
HudsonL wrote:
Caboose toilets are designed for 2-3 people all day in a caboose, 2 of them in a 54 seat coach on a fantrip is a major disaster.

-Hudson


Now that is the stuff of nightmares. Wait, I have a t-shirt somewhere...


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Passenger car restrooms
PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 11:09 pm 

Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2014 9:14 am
Posts: 352
I should add that the 3 systems we have in place all work well, but we have issues in freezing conditions. The cold weather procedure for each system is different, and can be involved. This tends to confuse crews and result in freezing, and sometimes damage. We are hoping to find the most simple and reliable system that is proven to work for this application. All of our cars have external waste tanks, some are recirculating type toilets. I hope to hear from as many people as possible on what works for them.
Eric


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Passenger car restrooms
PostPosted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 3:47 pm 
User avatar

Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:05 pm
Posts: 1053
Location: MA
The duration of the trips is a diceding factor. A hour there and back / two trains a day you can get away with a RV toylet system.


Offline
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


 Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 136 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: