Springtime trip criss-crossing America - lots of questions

[anuenue]

I've booked my once-in-a-lifetime rail journey for the spring. I'll be criss-crossing the country, covering about 8600 miles by train (plus another 2400 by air to get started). On all of my overnight trains, I've booked into roomettes. I have some questions about the specific roomettes. First of all, is there any difference between one room and another, or are they all the same?

I read somewhere (can't find it now) that location matters in regards to engine noise overnight. How can I tell if my room assignments are “good”? If they're not particularly good, will Amtrak change them for me if other rooms are available? How would I know which rooms might be better? Is there any rhyme or reason to the order in which they're assigned in the first place?

Are these rooms good? How can I know how many cars are on the train, and in what order?

Car 0430 Room 005

Car 0431 Room 003

Car 0730 Room 003

Car 1130 Room 004

Car 0631 Room 004

Car 3001 Room 002

Thanks!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Nice trip!

Those are all "Good" Superliner Roomettes, Upstairs and in the middle of the Car away from the Trucks no matter which way the Sleeper is hooked up.

There is a current thread here on AU about Shortened Winter Consists, you didn't indicate exactly when your trip starts, but since none of your Roomettes are in the Transdorm you should be OK as far as Engine Noise and access to the Diner and SSL goes.( the Pacific Parlor Cars on the Superliner are out of Service for a couple of Months but should be back for your trip! )

 

[Maglev]

Aloha!

Those rooms are all fine. They are all upstairs, which means the view out the window is better.

Trains are noisy and moving. There's all kinds of things that keep me from sleeping my first night, no matter where I am in relation to the locomotive, so just be prepared for that. I planned the first night of my upcoming cross-country trip with a full moon so I can see the scenery while awake.

 

[oregon pioneer]

Like Maglev, the only night I have a hard time sleeping is the first night. After that, it's slumber-time! I also like upstairs rooms, towards the middle of the car. The only one of your rooms that I would not care for is roomette #2 -- and the reason is that it's close to the coffee, stairs, and upstairs bathroom (banging door). I don't like the noise from that location, but others prefer the room just because it IS close to all those things! YMMV.

That said, you can always get unlucky and have a noisy neighbor (or a rattle in your room -- be sure and take some duct tape), so there is no way to second-guess everything. I am sure you will have a wonderful trip, no matter what room you are in!

 

[anuenue]

Thanks everyone! Now, tell me the secret. How can you tell that the rooms are upstairs? I'm really happy that they ARE upstairs, very excited for this trip. I'll have to check to see the phases of the moon for my trip, that hadn't occurred to me. @oregon pioneer, thanks for the duct tape tip!

 

[Maglev]

1-10 are upstairs, 11-15 are downstairs.

 

[anuenue]

Thank you, @Maglev. I've been looking for that!

 

[KauaiJohn]

I actually prefer the lower level especially in the family bedroom side - not so close to the showers. Family boom is fabulous if you can get it, windows on both sides of the train and no traffic

 

[anuenue]

I actually prefer the lower level especially in the family bedroom side - not so close to the showers. Family boom is fabulous if you can get it, windows on both sides of the train and no traffic

Am I correct that getting from one car to the next is done upstairs only? So people from other cars need to walk through and past your room if you're in the car closest to food or lounge?

How would someone in a wheelchair get around?

 

[trainman74]

Am I correct that getting from one car to the next is done upstairs only? So people from other cars need to walk through and past your room if you're in the car closest to food or lounge?

That is correct.

How would someone in a wheelchair get around?

They would basically have to stay in one car, on the lower level. (Part of the car attendant's duties is bringing food to them, if necessary.)

 

[caravanman]

The sleeper cars are separated from the coach cars, not mixed up, so only staff or fellow sleeper passengers will pass your door. I don't recall any noise issues from passengers in the corridor on my trips. Just relax and enjoy your trip.

Ed.

 

[KmH]

Thank you, @Maglev. I've been looking for that!

Amtrak car layouts are online in 2 places that I know of:

http://s4.zetaboards.com/amtkz/pages/cars/

http://www.craigmashburn.com/amtrakcardiagrams.html

 

[anuenue]

Thank you, @Maglev. I've been looking for that!

Amtrak car layouts are online in 2 places that I know of:

http://s4.zetaboards.com/amtkz/pages/cars/

http://www.craigmashburn.com/amtrakcardiagrams.html

Thanks, KmH. Wouldn't it be nice if this info was actually on the Amtrak site?!

 

[stephanie]

I was just in 004 on 0631 from EMY to CHI on 1/7-1/9-- it's a good one!! I spent most of my time in the lounge though. The views were amazing, even with the wet overcast weather. We were the last 6 to make it out before the flooding, thankfully.

 

[anuenue]

I was just in 004 on 0631 from EMY to CHI on 1/7-1/9-- it's a good one!! I spent most of my time in the lounge though. The views were amazing, even with the wet overcast weather. We were the last 6 to make it out before the flooding, thankfully.

Oh, thanks for letting me know! I'm glad you got out before the flooding.

Was the lounge very crowded?

 

[PVD]

Someone in a wheelchair would be eligible for the H room which is designed for w/c use. It sells at the roomette price only to eligible users until 14 days before the trip in which case it becomes available at bedroom price to anyone. (but still available at roomette for an eligible passenger)

 

[Don Newcomb]

Suggest you bring some soft ear-plugs. On some routes the horn blows very frequently. Even if the sleeper is near the tail end of the train, you can hear it.

 

[stephanie]

Oh, thanks for letting me know! I'm glad you got out before the flooding.
Was the lounge very crowded?

Not at all! Though I preferred the booths to the swivel seats, bc it was possible to spread out a little more than in the seats, and the booths weren't very popular. On the EB, the train got SUPER quiet between Reno and Denver, and then we picked up like 100+ people in Denver.

Pro tip: get your bed made up long before Denver if you can, bc the sleeper attendant will be extremely busy getting rooms turned over. There were several rooms in my car that people were vacating in Denver, with new passengers coming on in Denver. So it's a good time to stay out of their way, if you want to be on their good side.

 

[CCC1007]

Oh, thanks for letting me know! I'm glad you got out before the flooding.

Was the lounge very crowded?

Not at all! Though I preferred the booths to the swivel seats, bc it was possible to spread out a little more than in the seats, and the booths weren't very popular. On the EB, the train got SUPER quiet between Reno and Denver, and then we picked up like 100+ people in Denver.

Pro tip: get your bed made up long before Denver if you can, bc the sleeper attendant will be extremely busy getting rooms turned over. There were several rooms in my car that people were vacating in Denver, with new passengers coming on in Denver. So it's a good time to stay out of their way, if you want to be on their good side.

EB? Denver? Reno? I think you mean the CZ.

 

[oregon pioneer]

Oh, thanks for letting me know! I'm glad you got out before the flooding.

Was the lounge very crowded?

Not at all! Though I preferred the booths to the swivel seats, bc it was possible to spread out a little more than in the seats, and the booths weren't very popular. On the EB, the train got SUPER quiet between Reno and Denver, and then we picked up like 100+ people in Denver.

Pro tip: get your bed made up long before Denver if you can, bc the sleeper attendant will be extremely busy getting rooms turned over. There were several rooms in my car that people were vacating in Denver, with new passengers coming on in Denver. So it's a good time to stay out of their way, if you want to be on their good side.

EB? Denver? Reno? I think you mean the CZ.

She means East Bound.

 

[stephanie]

yep, sorry. I'm such a frequent interstate commuter, the EB and WB abbreviations are hardwired into me. Not sure I'll ever read them as anything other than directional!

 

[anuenue]

@stephanie, thanks again for the info. This will be my first time in a sleeper, so it's good to know the inside scoop!

Speaking of abbreviations that mean something other than the way they're used here: I read CZ as cubic zirconia instead of California Zephyr every time. I'm expecting that train to sparkle and shine! LOL

 

[stephanie]

Speaking of abbreviations that mean something other than the way they're used here: I read CZ as cubic zirconia instead of California Zephyr every time. I'm expecting that train to sparkle and shine! LOL

oh gosh, don't hold your breath on that one...

 

[Don Newcomb]

.... I read CZ as cubic zirconia instead of California Zephyr every time. I'm expecting that train to sparkle and shine! LOL

I think either the Czech Republic or a brand of firearm made there.

 

[KmH]

Or a brand of motorcycles made until 1997.
Apparently, Česká zbrojovka (ČZ) stopped making firearms shortly after WWII ended.
ČZ dominated the Motocross World Championships from 1964 to 1969 and had many International Six Day Trials victories for Czechoslovakia between 1947 and 1982.

Anuenue, the Superliner cars are getting on in years.
Superliner I cars were built from 1975 to 1981.
Superliner II cars were built from 1991 to 1996.

From the outside the easiest way to distinguish between the two is by looking at the trucks (bogies) the car rides on.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superliner_(railcar)#/media/File:Superliner_trucks.jpg