Amtrak Delays: Zephyr---> Lakeshore

[PVD]

morgan51 is spot on. First rule is to relax and decompress. Don't sweat the little things, they will all take care of themselves. Depending on the day, pre holiday and holiday travel can be either very busy or very empty. Heading towards Chicago, after breakfast, stake out a seat in the Sightseer Lounge for spectacular views going into Denver. If you are on time, Denver is a good place to get off and walk into a beautiful restored station, but always check with the crew about how much time you have and get back early! Bring a travel pillow and a light blanket, they are no longer provided to coach passengers.

 

[Nicole]

Really? No more pillows and blankets? So I will bring my own. I've seen people say they pack sleeping bags, is that a silly idea? And are you proponents of checking bags or bringing them on?

Gosh, thank you all for your advice and reassurance, this is so wonderful! I'm feeling so much better about this!

 

[PVD]

Since both Reno and Syracuse have checked bag service, it is your option to check your bags through, and they will be transferred for you in Chicago without you having to deal with them. Set up convenient carry ons that have everything you might need for the trip, even if delayed, especially an extra day of prescriptions if you have any. This might make it easier if you have the time to some exploring in Chicago. There is storage for a fee at Chicago, unless something has recently changed. Baggage allowances are posted on the website, remember that 2 - 50 lb bags does not mean 1 75 lb and 1 25 lb. 2 weeks ago in Atlanta I watched people moving stuff out of one bag into another, and another couple who had one bag between them (72 lbs) move stuff into a second box.

 

[the_traveler]

Also remember that any checked baggage can not be accessed prior to your destination. Anything you need enroute (clothes, food, medication, etc...) should be in your carry on bag(s).

 

[Nicole]

Great idea. So I'll check bags, and they'll be transferred through without any hassle? That's great! Are the coach bathrooms conducive to changing, freshening up, brushing teeth, etc at the end of the day? Since I'll carry on what I need, as suggested?

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

One caveat regarding checked bags on LSL connecting to CZ - If you are boarding in Albany, NY, beware. I boarded the LSL in June bound to Chicago connecting to CONO to New Orleans. Albany did not put my checked bag on a train until a day later(I checked my bag 6 hours prior to departure) and sent the bag through NYC Penn Station connecting to Cresent to New Orleans. Unlike the airlines, Amtrak does not track or know where your checked bag is. Amtrak personnel(they did this for me) can only get bag information by calling each of the boarding and connecting cities baggage handling dept. and asking if they remember handling the missing bag. Of course, Amtrak employees in Chicago and Albany said they had no record of handling my bag. Thankfully, I arrive around 3 PM and after checking as mentioned above, the Amtrak personnel sent me to my hotel with promise to let me know if and when my bag showed up. The checked bag did arrive on the 7 PM Crescent and the excellent New Orleans personnel called me and sent my bag to my hotel promptly after it arrived. Until that experience I have never had any problem checking my bags except for a year ago when I arrived in Glenwood Springs, the baggage people did not off load my bag. The very friendly and helpful Amtrak lady when we discovered this promptly contacted the conductor and had the already moving train to stop and then she went back to the baggage car and retrieved my bag. All ended well in both situations. The Amtrak people are conscientious and customer oriented, it is the system that remain antiquated.

 

[PVD]

Fortunately, the OP is doing Reno-CUS-SYR, and won't do Albany these bags pretty much have to go same train, no other train has baggage to Syracuse

 

[KmH]

Yep. Many people sleep in coach.

In fact the vast majority of Amtrak long distance train riders travel in coach.

Some sleep well, some have trouble sleeping, and some fall in between the 2 extremes.

I fall in between, but sleep well enough that I'm not overly tired the next day.

This last Monday I traveled from Ottumwa, Iowa to Denver in coach.

There weren't a lot of coach passengers and everyone pretty much had 2 seats to themselves.

They like overnight coach passengers going to the same destination to sit in the same area of a coach car to make it easier to ensure everyone wakes up in time to get off at their stop.

Someone mentioned earlier about the space behind the seats at the end of the coach being used as a sleeping space.

Sometimes the Train Attendant - Coach puts a trash container or 2 there.

Some coach passengers sleep in the Sightseer Lounge (SSL) car.

Some lay across one of the 6 'couches' in the middle of the SSL car that have a kink in them that functions like a triangular table between 2 of 3 seats. (seat, seat, table forms kink, seat).

Some sleep on the floor between the seats and the windows/sides of the car.

Many that sleep on the floor, or on one of the 'couches', sleep in a sleeping bag.

Passengers that sleep in the SSL are sometimes referred to as 'lounge lizards', and the conductor rousts all the lounge lizards just before sunrise so early rising passengers (coach and sleeper) can sit and watch the sunrise from the SSL car.

 

[chakk]

Really? No more pillows and blankets? So I will bring my own. I've seen people say they pack sleeping bags, is that a silly idea? And are you proponents of checking bags or bringing them on?

Gosh, thank you all for your advice and reassurance, this is so wonderful! I'm feeling so much better about this!

When I have traveled long distance in coach, I bring a light blanket for my legs, an eyeshade and earplugs. If the coach was getting cold at night, I put on my jacket. Bring along an electric busbar if you more than one item that you need to plug into electricity at the same time.

 

[PVD]

Or plugstrip as many of us would say. I like the little disposable toothbrushes (wisp is a good example) that Colgate and Crest have. package or plastic canister of wet-ones or similar for freshening up: hint, the ADA bathroom has a great deal more room, but be aware that many others will have the same thoughts in the morning, be considerate of time.

 

[the_traveler]

As said, the assessable restroom has more room, but there's also a "changing rest room" that has additional room. There are 3 additional restrooms per coach. There are no showers in coach.

 

[PVD]

True, I was thinking Amfleet on the LSL,, but forgot the trip is half SL.

 

[Alice]

As others have mentioned in other threads, please be considerate of people with disabilities who need that accessible restroom, please do not tie it up for a long time, especially if you notice people with wheelchairs or other mobility devices, elderly or frail folks who might need the grab bars, people of size who can't fit through the skinny doors, etc.

 

[tomfuller]

One more thing about the coach vs. roomette: you could take a roomette from Denver to Omaha for about $150-200 extra. That way you could get about 8 hours of

horizontal sleep and a good shower.

 

[PVD]

And remember, the add on for the accommodation is one shot, so 2 people in the roomette pay the low bucket rail fare x 2 plus one room charge. Barring really bad running, that would give you dinner and breakfast x 2 in the diner, that may make the above a very worthwhile suggestion. If rebooking, if you have a low fare, it is modify not cancel and rebook if an agent doesn't know how ask for a supervisor.

 

[chakk]

You can check in early with the conductor in Reno because the train changes conductors at Reno. So the new conductor is typically in the station several minutes before the train arrives from its previous stop.

Also, boarding in Reno you may find that the train empties with gamblers and skiers from Sacramento and the Bay Area heading to The Biggest Little City in the World.