Hello all!
It's been a very long time since my last post and a lot has happened in my life in between time. AlanB, if you're still around, send me a PM. We'll talk. I wish we could have that drink we discussed back then, but you'd have to come a bit further than NJ (or me to NYC) to have it. For one thing, I have moved away from NJ and am now living in Florida. As a result, I no longer take the AutoTrain anymore.
I am, however, still pondering that "round the country" trip I had always been planning, albeit somewhat shortened. I will probably fly up to Chicago from Florida, and then do the following:
1) SW Chief --> LAX
2) Coast Starlight --> Portland
3) Ovelay a couple of days in the Portland area (I've already done Seattle).
4) Commuter Train to Seattle (and maybe an overnight there as well)
5) Empire Builder --> Chicago.
And then fly home to Florida.
Now, the reason for this new thread.
When I traveled on the Auto Train, it was fairly easy to "Predict the Consist..." that is, how the cars would be oriented, etc. The cars were always boarded from the same track/platform, And I always knew that in re: "full bedrooms," a "D" bedroom (or the equivalent in an "all bedroom" car), would have the sofa seat (which turns down into the bed) facing the "southern" direction of travel, and an "E" bedroom would face the northern direction. When making my reservation, I could then call the AutoTrain line and then check the accommodation and change it to either "D" or "E" as required. Why?
Very simply, I'm the type of person that needs to face forward when traveling. Traveling "backwards" is rather disorienting for me and doesn't help with managing the "motion sickness," which I did happen to manage pretty well while on the Auto Train, thanks in part from being able to get either a "D" or "E" bedroom as needed.Yes, I know that there's the one seat opposite the sofa, but I much prefer sitting on the sofa... that's why it's there, after all.
And, the sofa is a lot more comfortable! And while it is also true that I could rent a roomette and have two sofa seats that face each other, the Superliner roomettes do not have a private bathroom... one of the reasons why I cough up the $$$ for a full bedroom. But I also had to do things like let some people pass me when waiting for seating at the dining car in order to get a seat that let me face the direction of travel. I guess I'll still have to do that.
Thus, my question. Is it just as easy (as with the Auto Train) to "Predict the Consist" of the other trains I mentioned above? Do they always board on the same track/platform at their originating terminals? Would the specific full bedrooms always face the same way or is it totally unpredictable? I'm thinking I should go with a "D" for The SW Chief and Empire Builder, and an "E" for the Coast Starlight. But I honestly can't tell. I've tried lookiing at a bunch of YouTube videos by those who publish them (and there are quite a few.... many more than in 2012), but I still can't tell for sure.
Anyway, It's a pleasure to talk with you all again. I may not be on as much as before, but I'll be around.
Thanks & Regards,
Arnold.
It's been a very long time since my last post and a lot has happened in my life in between time. AlanB, if you're still around, send me a PM. We'll talk. I wish we could have that drink we discussed back then, but you'd have to come a bit further than NJ (or me to NYC) to have it. For one thing, I have moved away from NJ and am now living in Florida. As a result, I no longer take the AutoTrain anymore.
I am, however, still pondering that "round the country" trip I had always been planning, albeit somewhat shortened. I will probably fly up to Chicago from Florida, and then do the following:
1) SW Chief --> LAX
2) Coast Starlight --> Portland
3) Ovelay a couple of days in the Portland area (I've already done Seattle).
4) Commuter Train to Seattle (and maybe an overnight there as well)
5) Empire Builder --> Chicago.
And then fly home to Florida.
Now, the reason for this new thread.
When I traveled on the Auto Train, it was fairly easy to "Predict the Consist..." that is, how the cars would be oriented, etc. The cars were always boarded from the same track/platform, And I always knew that in re: "full bedrooms," a "D" bedroom (or the equivalent in an "all bedroom" car), would have the sofa seat (which turns down into the bed) facing the "southern" direction of travel, and an "E" bedroom would face the northern direction. When making my reservation, I could then call the AutoTrain line and then check the accommodation and change it to either "D" or "E" as required. Why?
Very simply, I'm the type of person that needs to face forward when traveling. Traveling "backwards" is rather disorienting for me and doesn't help with managing the "motion sickness," which I did happen to manage pretty well while on the Auto Train, thanks in part from being able to get either a "D" or "E" bedroom as needed.Yes, I know that there's the one seat opposite the sofa, but I much prefer sitting on the sofa... that's why it's there, after all.
Thus, my question. Is it just as easy (as with the Auto Train) to "Predict the Consist" of the other trains I mentioned above? Do they always board on the same track/platform at their originating terminals? Would the specific full bedrooms always face the same way or is it totally unpredictable? I'm thinking I should go with a "D" for The SW Chief and Empire Builder, and an "E" for the Coast Starlight. But I honestly can't tell. I've tried lookiing at a bunch of YouTube videos by those who publish them (and there are quite a few.... many more than in 2012), but I still can't tell for sure.
Anyway, It's a pleasure to talk with you all again. I may not be on as much as before, but I'll be around.
Thanks & Regards,
Arnold.