SWC West : Last minute Qs

Hello all! This forum has been a godsend! So much information!

We booked our CHI > FLG then FLG > LAX Roomette back in March, so have spent a while reading up and watching videos of the trip. But just have a few last minute questions if possible please?

We are on car 331 room 002, which to my understanding is the car that is behind the superliner dorm, what is the superliner dorm, is it just another sleeper but for the staff?

331 / 002 is upper level right? I have looked at the superliner plans and believe that is the case, but just wanted to make sure. And as daft as it sounds, room 002 is on the left yes?



Tipping wise, we've got a good idea on numbers from this forum, and we'll search out the SCA before we get ready to disembark at FLG. But tipping at meals, how exactly to do it? Where would we document how much tip we want to give and do we just leave the $ on the table or give it to someone directly?

And finally, Dixieland website has been the default page on launch for me since March, kudos to whoever runs that site, its amazing!

Many thanks for any info.

Pete said:

We are on car 331 room 002, which to my understanding is the car that is behind the superliner dorm, what is the superliner dorm, is it just another sleeper but for the staff?

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Correct, although sometimes some of the rooms in the car are sold to passengers.

331 / 002 is upper level right? I have looked at the superliner plans and believe that is the case, but just wanted to make sure. And as daft as it sounds, room 002 is on the left yes?

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Yes, it's the upper level. From the top of the stairs, you would actually turn right to get to it, and then it's the first door on the right.

If you're asking which side of the train it's going to be on -- there's no way to tell, because the car could be facing either direction.

Tipping wise, we've got a good idea on numbers from this forum, and we'll search out the SCA before we get ready to disembark at FLG. But tipping at meals, how exactly to do it? Where would we document how much tip we want to give and do we just leave the $ on the table or give it to someone directly?

Click to expand...

As sleeping car passengers, what you'll do when you sit down at each meal is sign the order form and write your car and room number -- the waiter who takes your order will then complete it. You'll only get a "check" back at the end of the meal if you ordered alcoholic beverages, since everything else is included in the price of your room, so that would be your only opportunity to leave a tip on a credit card. Otherwise, you can just leave a cash tip on the table, and get up and leave -- no need to hand it to anyone directly.

Room two is across from the SCA and next to the coffee station. AT the top of the stairs going up you will go right, 2 is the first door on the right. Your meals are included, so you will be given a Sleeping car ticket to sign. Tipping is optional, and many do not tip since the meal is included, but I always leave a tip unless service is really bad. I also tip the SCA based on level of service. MIA gets nothing except a letter to Amtrak. Excellent gets a good tip and a praise letter to Amtrak.

The dorm is a sleeper, but not a standard sleeper. It is a "transition-dormitory" car, AKA "transdorm". The door is on lower level in front with a stair so crew can access the baggage car. The only accommodations in it are roomettes. It has a shower upstairs for the revenue passengers, sometimes a conductor's room. They sell the rooms in the aft end to revenue passengers.

There are 8 Revenue roomettes (17 - 24) and 8 Crew rooms. Downstairs is an "H" room and a crew meeting room.

I understand not all of them have the "H" room.

There are a few different trans dorm setups. I believe there are some without an H room.

Is there anything else different in the Transition Sleeper configurations? Those I have been in, have the luggage area downstairs like the standard sleeper, and I have always seen an H bedroom when heading from the stairs to exit.

The trans dorm cars that I have encountered on the CONO have two upstairs bathrooms with a connected shower stall. The bathroom section is the same as the regular bathrooms, but the shower stall is a bit smaller than the usual downstairs sleeper car shower stall.

I believe the standard CONO consist only has one sleeper and the trans dorm. On one of my first trips, I was was feeling especially weak after a long illness. I was assigned roomette 10 which was next to the door going into the revenue section (a term I learned from this board) of the trans dorm.

My wonderful SCA recognized my mobility difficulties and low energy level and showed me the bath/shower right inside the trans dorm car, which was much closer even to the bathroom on the upper level of my car, not to mention the shower downstairs! The observation skills, concern and proactive solution by this wonderful SCA all helped to make my trip much more enjoyable.

Unfortunately, I have since found out this is not the set up in all trans dorms! And maybe the cars on the CONO are the only ones.