Bedroom couch facing direction on Coast Starlight

[Mak]

I want advice before I downgrade to a roomette.

I splurged and got me a Bedroom going from Seattle to San Jose. I'm the only passenger. However I've read there's no guarantee that the couch will face forwards. That small seat looks mighty uncomfortable. I have strong motion sickness issues if the couch rides backwards.

Do most of you never get motion sickness or am I missing something? Bedrooms seem pretty popular, even for solo passengers.

 

[chakk]

There is no guarantee on which way your couch will face in a bedroom. I am not prone to getting motion sickness when riding backwards, however.

I even flew facing backwards in business class on British Airways from London to San Jose last year without any quesiness. Although, the take-off certainly "felt" different.

 

[TinCan782]

Also, the rooms alternate in orientation...E is opposite D; C is opposite B. That would be a consideration in addition to orientation of the entire car. My experience on a couple of recent trips on #11 is that the bedrooms tend to be on the east (left) side of the train (at least in the 1130 car).

 

[Alice]

I get car sick, sea sick, and bus sick. Sometimes I get quesy in a train but looking out the window fixes it. No reading or movie watching for me.

 

[Mak]

Also, the rooms alternate in orientation...E is opposite D; C is opposite B. That would be a consideration in addition to orientation of the entire car. My experience on a couple of recent trips on #11 is that the bedrooms tend to be on the east (left) side of the train (at least in the 1130 car).

I've got Car 1130, Room D.

 

[Maglev]

At one time, the turning of the 20th Century Limited at its destinations was carefully orchestrated so that premium rooms always faced the Hudson River. It seems that Amtrak cannot afford that luxury, and so it is impossible to predict the orientation of the couch in a certain Bedroom. A Roomette may be the best room for someone with a motion sickness problem, or in general for comfortably viewing the scenery (at least for one person), since there is always a seat facing forward. I also think a Roomette is best for viewing scenery from bed.

 

[Mak]

At one time, the turning of the 20th Century Limited at its destinations was carefully orchestrated so that premium rooms always faced the Hudson River. It seems that Amtrak cannot afford that luxury, and so it is impossible to predict the orientation of the couch in a certain Bedroom. A Roomette may be the best room for someone with a motion sickness problem, or in general for comfortably viewing the scenery (at least for one person), since there is always a seat facing forward. I also think a Roomette is best for viewing scenery from bed.

The family room has two opposite facing big seats next to a window. Yet people have said the whole ride could be backwards. I know the window is smaller. Couldnt one simply pick the correct facing seat?

 

[the_traveler]

In the family room, the beds next to the window are under 5 feet long! (Child sized. The adult size beds are lengthwise across the car.)

Because the cars could be in either orientation, Bedrooms E, C and A could be forward facing - or Bedrooms D, B and the family room could be forward facing. There is NO WAY that Amtrak could place the cars so all the couches "face forward" since Bedrooms E & D and C & B have a connecting door to allow them to be combined to a "Bedroom Suite". Thus, the couches must face opposite directions.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

I now choose a roomette since it does not matter which way the train is moving you can always sit on the seat that is moving forward. More often than not, the bedroom I occupied rode backward and the small opposite facing seat is MOST UNCOMFORTABLE and stiff--no recline and the back is positions so that you are sitting straight up with no recline available.

 

[Maglev]

In the Family Room, the one seat that faces the opposite direction of the couch is not very comfortable. The back is straight up-and-down, with no reclining capability.

 

[zephyr17]

Also, the rooms alternate in orientation...E is opposite D; C is opposite B. That would be a consideration in addition to orientation of the entire car. My experience on a couple of recent trips on #11 is that the bedrooms tend to be on the east (left) side of the train (at least in the 1130 car).

I've got Car 1130, Room D.

No guarantee, the cars can run either end forward. You won't know until you see the consist. Your only option for a preview is they probably won't change the consist around in Seattle overnight, so if you see 14 on its way north the day before, that will almost certainly be the orientation of 11.

 

[Mak]

Major thanks folks. Anybody else has input, keep it coming.

 

[pennyk]

I routinely get bedrooms on Superliners (for the restroom). I also suffer from motion sickness at times. I think more times than not, my couch is facing backwards (luck or unluck of the draw). I agree that the seat across from the couch is not as comfortable as the couch, but it is not too bad, in my opinion. Sometimes, I will sit on the couch facing the window with my legs straight in front of me. That way, I am not traveling backwards.

 

[tommylicious]

Try the motion sickness wristbands, one on each wrist. They worked for us.

 

[tomfuller]

Ask your Dr. about TransDerm Scop (scopolomine). The only time I get motion sickness is onboard a boat on rough water.

You stick the patch behind your ear and you're good to go for 3 days.

I do remember riding a Keystone backward from Philadelphia to Harrisburg. It was interesting seeing the scenery that the train had already passed.

 

[chakk]

But, with that patch behind your ear, you also get to look forward to 3 days of dry mouth and blurry vision.

 

[amamba]

I find the bedroom chair to be very comfortable - but I'm 5'0" and I find reclined seats to be very uncomfortable.

I love that it's straight up and then I bring my suitcase to the bedroom and put my feel up on it. So comfy.

 

[niemi24s]

Why not simply bring along a little folding camp stool - then you could travel sideways (two ways) too! But in a Superliner Bedroom you can always travel sideways (one way) by sitting on the "throne" in the shower!!

 

[KauaiJohn]

I am 6'8" and am quite comfortable reclining on the lower child size bed in three family bedroom. It makes for great and comfortable view watching.

 

[Asher]

Change to a roomette!

 

[Mak]

Change to a roomette!

That's what I ended up doing.

 

[Lonestar648]

To me the only option is to use the roomette. The window is the same in both rooms, Roomette and Bedroom, but only in the Roomette is the seating the same in both directions.