Lower level coach vs upper on superliner

I had some additional questions to my earlier posting about auto train. On the auto train is it better to book lower level coach or family bedroom than upper level coach(other accom are too expensive) as far as noise, comfort rest rooms.etc. I am traveling with my wife and 14 yr old child. Also does anyone know the makeup of the auto train. I was on the Crescent in April in a sleeper which was next to the diner and heard the first calls for meals as soon as it opened up and that worked out great.

From what I've heard, generally speaking it's a smoother ride on the upper level as the lower level is very close to the rails and wheels, contributing to a slightly bumpier ride. Another advantage is that the upper level is where the doors are to access other cars, which means you won't have to climb up and down the stairs each time you want to go to the diner or lounge.

The Lower Level is a much smaller area, I think 12 seats down there, versus 72 upstairs. It's a little more intimate, but if you get stuck with a bad bunch, you're screwed. I'd go upstairs if I were you, the views are better, the ride is smoother, and it's probably the better way to fly. You're 14 year old is also not a huge consideration, he/she's perfectly capable of handling themself, heck, he/she's going into high school.

As far as make up goes, Auto Train has a seperate Diner for Coach and Sleeping Car passengers. When you check in at the ticket counter you get your dinner reservation then. The normal consist looks like this for the passenger cars:

Crew Dorm <--Leads Northbound

2 Sleepers

Sleeper Diner & Lounge

2 Sleepers

4 Coaches

Coach Lounge

Coach Diner<--Leads Southbound

The carriers are always on the rear of the train.

Is the sleeper diner a seperate car from the sleeper lounge or is it a combo? I don't want to be too close to the lower level of the lounge. and are they still showing movies at night in both lounges?

My wife just asked me another question..Is family bedroom bumpy? My wife prefers sleeping car vs coach and so since the family bedroom is lower level is it better to travel coach upper level or the family bedroom.(She likes the idea of 4 beds(My 14yr old is not that tall(5 ft) so kid's bunk is OK) She sleeps curled up at home. The other sleeping accom are too expensive.

MDRailfan said:

Is the sleeper diner a seperate car from the sleeper lounge or is it a combo? I don't want to be too close to the lower level of the lounge. and are they still showing movies at night in both lounges?

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By sleeper diner & sleeper lounge, B51 means the lounge car and dining car that are exclusively for passengers traveling in sleeping cars. There are no beds in the dining car or the lounge car. Put another way, the section of the train that is exclusively for sleeping car passengers has 4 sleeping cars, 1 dining car, and 1 lounge car.

The Coach section of the train contains 4 or 5 coaches (depending on demmand), 1 lounge car and either 1 or 2 dining cars (again depending on demmand).

They usually do show movies in the lounge, but again you won't be able to hear them in the sleeping car or even in a coach if you decide to ride in coach. One can only hear the movie if one is in the lounge car.

MDRailfan said:

My wife just asked me another question..Is family bedroom bumpy? My wife prefers sleeping car vs coach and so since the family bedroom is lower level is it better to travel coach upper level or the family bedroom.(She likes the idea of 4 beds(My 14yr old is not that tall(5 ft) so kid's bunk is OK) She sleeps curled up at home. The other sleeping accom are too expensive.

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Bumpy really depend on the tracks, not where you are in the car. That said however, the lower level tends to have a bit more track noise, while the upper level tends to have a bit more sway.

As for your daughter, the kids bunk is only 4'9", so she will be curling up at least a bit.

I rode in the family bedroom before on the Auto train and I found that it was almost violently bumpy and rough. I normally sleep well on the train, but i woke up every half hour or so.

Lower level coach is probably just as bumpy though.

Jon

Like I said, bumpy depends on the track conditions. I've taken the AT for 3 round trips in the last 5 years. Twice in the family room, 4 trips upstairs 2 in bedrooms, 2 in standard rooms. If the train bumps, you're going to know it. Doesn't matter what level you are on, since both levels ride on the same set of springs.

I also have ridden in the upstairs standard bedrooms on the AT and found that the ride was signifigantly better. The type of bumps on the CSX through SC and Ga tend not to be the up and down kind, but the type that sharply slam you to the side and you hear a loud bang anyone know what that is by the way, i think it is the coupler hitting the side of the "coupler box" i am unsure. Neverless, wherever you are on the train the ride on that part of the CSX is crappy .

Jon

capltd29 said:

I also have ridden in the upstairs standard bedrooms on the AT and found that the ride was signifigantly better. The type of bumps on the CSX through SC and Ga tend not to be the up and down kind, but the type that sharply slam you to the side and you hear a loud bang anyone know what that is by the way, i think it is the coupler hitting the side of the "coupler box" i am unsure. Neverless, wherever you are on the train the ride on that part of the CSX is crappy .

Jon

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Were you on a Superliner II when this happened?

While I can't give any details, since I'm really not sure of all of the technical facts about it, I think the noise you hear might be caused by the trucks. From what I understand, the Superliner II has the same trucks as the Horizon cars, and occasionally one might hear similar banging noises on those (usually I've only heard that noise on sharp curves on Michigan trains).

Anyone that knows for sure, feel free to correct me.

Sounds right Rob, since both were made around the same time by the boys at Bombardier, if they don't they are very similar trucks. It doesn't really matter in this case since all of Auto Train's cars are Superliner II's except for the custom Lounges.