nervous

[PetalumaLoco]

We went down this road just about a year ago.

Sneaking a shower...while in coach :angry:

 

[JayPea]

Amtrak engineers are pretty good and have a good safety record. However, some of them are less than 65 years old. :lol:

You're right on, and I think that if the engineer was described as "older" or better yet "more experienced," it would have been more appropriate. But then again, it wouldn't have been as humorous... would it?

To me, 49 is old!

I'm 49. Maybe to YOU it's old, but not to me! :lol: I've got plenty of living (and Amtrak traveling) to do yet!

 

[Heather]

Thankyou all again.. I'm getting rather excited about the trip. We will check to see if there are any roomettes available once we get underway. There was none when we booked, but I understand they occasionally become available. We know about the bus ride to San Fran... its 40 mins... so that should be okay.

I have lots of reading to catch up on... and this will be the perfect time to do it. I'm freezing some water to take with me and picking up snacks in grandforks to stow in the carryon. I think we will use checked baggage. I have my pillow all ready, and some medical aids in case I need them... ( to keep others quiet...lol)

I love broasted chicken so if there is any I will try it unless we go through there at breakfast time.. which might be some what weird...

Winnipeg to San Fran via Grand Forks....

heather

The Alaska train is the White Pass yukon... and it's rather scary ( probably only to me) the cruise to Alaska was fine, the rail travel not so good.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Thankyou all again.. I'm getting rather excited about the trip. We will check to see if there are any roomettes available once we get underway. There was none when we booked, but I understand they occasionally become available. We know about the bus ride to San Fran... its 40 mins... so that should be okay.
I have lots of reading to catch up on... and this will be the perfect time to do it. I'm freezing some water to take with me and picking up snacks in grandforks to stow in the carryon. I think we will use checked baggage. I have my pillow all ready, and some medical aids in case I need them... ( to keep others quiet...lol)

I love broasted chicken so if there is any I will try it unless we go through there at breakfast time.. which might be some what weird...

Winnipeg to San Fran via Grand Forks....

heather

The Alaska train is the White Pass yukon... and it's rather scary ( probably only to me) the cruise to Alaska was fine, the rail travel not so good.

You must be Canadian eh?VIA is mas mejor(better)than Amtrak but were getting better all the timeand yall will be on the best trains AMTRAK has running!Enjoy the journey, its the thing!!!

 

[sunchaser]

We went down this road just about a year ago.Sneaking a shower...while in coach :angry:

I echo all the comments about not sneaking from coach into the sleeper area for a shower. It is basically stealing. It's part of the 'amenties' that is paid for by sleeper passengers. You are also creating more work for the sleeper attendant. Better to bring wipes, a washcloth & some soap & do a quick clean up in coach. If showers were available in coach, that would solve the issue, but create more.

 

[Everydaymatters]

The Alaska train is the White Pass yukon... and it's rather scary ( probably only to me) the cruise to Alaska was fine, the rail travel not so good.

Heather, Amtrak is a piece of cake compared to the Yukon train ride. If you can do that, you'll have no problem with Amtrak.

 

[Heather]

lol on the yukon white pass train... it's an American train because it's in Alaska ( for the fellow that thought it might be via rail).. it does pass into Canada in a really remote location in the middle of nowhere and then turns around and comes back. I thank my lucky stars the the significant other did not book that one. I don't think my ticker could have stood to much more excitement. When I look at it now all the brave people on that train... and me the coward in the middle of the car saying good bye to the world. It was beautiful....I think.... hard to tell when your trying not to look too much. I think seeing all the old train tracks and realizing that maintenance was probably not a big priority and the nice conductorette telling us about the students they employ for the summer....that finished it for me. I was jello.....

I'm packed up, hopefully well enough... this will be the first dry run...and we will learn from there. Everyone here has been extraordinary. I have wet ones, soap and lots relaxation to accomplish...

Thankyou all

Heather

 

[PetalumaLoco]

Yukon White Pass RR.

I can see how you could get a little concerned:

 

[sunchaser]

Yukon White Pass RR.
I can see how you could get a little concerned:

Wow! Some people would not enjoy that at all! I think I'd be ok, but I can see why Heather is nervous!

There nothing similar to that on the route she's taking, is there?

 

[Heather]

Thankyou for posting the pictures... my husband is just laughing his head off. He thinks its all terribly funny that I lay on the floor of the train, hoping for devine intervention

heather

 

[gregoryla]

As I will soon be taking my first Amtrak trip in 30 years, and like Heather will be in coach, I would like to ask two questions that might also be of interest to Heather.

First, does one just pick an empty seat in coach and sit down? or does the car attendant escort you to a seat?

Second, how do you make reservations for the dining car? Who do you ask for reservations -- the car attendant? or do you go to the dining car and ask someone there? And are reservations always available (even if earlier or later than desired)?

 

[EB_OBS]

As I will soon be taking my first Amtrak trip in 30 years, and like Heather will be in coach, I would like to ask two questions that might also be of interest to Heather.
First, does one just pick an empty seat in coach and sit down? or does the car attendant escort you to a seat?

Second, how do you make reservations for the dining car? Who do you ask for reservations -- the car attendant? or do you go to the dining car and ask someone there? And are reservations always available (even if earlier or later than desired)?

Coach seating isn't done exactly the same way on all the trains. Most long distance trains don't have assigned seats in coach, however I'm told that the Coast Starlight does and I know that the Empire Builder has been testing assigned coach seating. Generally, sections of the car are reserved for families and groups, couples and singles. AMTRAK's standing policy is that if the attendant needs to move someone in order to accommodate passengers traveling together, then they will move people.

The reservations for meal service in the dining car are usually done by the dining car LSA or Lead Service Attendant. Kinda like the manager, host, book-keeper and cashier all rolled into one. The LSA will come through the train, starting with the sleeping passenger cars first then coach, filling in reservations for meals. During peak season when sleeper cars are full then yes there may be little choice left for coach passengers. Usually it's the very last seating or perhaps occasionally some seats left at the very first seating. An alternative is to ask your car attendant about them bringing a meal from the diner to you at your seat.

 

[AlanB]

The reservations for meal service in the dining car are usually done by the dining car LSA or Lead Service Attendant. Kinda like the manager, host, book-keeper and cashier all rolled into one.

Since you've worked the Empire Builder mainly, which uses different procedures from the rest of Amtrak, I can understand your leaving out of that list "waiter". On all other trains, except for the Auto Train, the LSA also now has to act as a waiter too, in addition to all of the other duties you've mentioned.

 

[EB_OBS]

The reservations for meal service in the dining car are usually done by the dining car LSA or Lead Service Attendant. Kinda like the manager, host, book-keeper and cashier all rolled into one.

Since you've worked the Empire Builder mainly, which uses different procedures from the rest of Amtrak, I can understand your leaving out of that list "waiter". On all other trains, except for the Auto Train, the LSA also now has to act as a waiter too, in addition to all of the other duties you've mentioned.

Ah yes, how could I forget the SDS LSAs. Yeah, LSA on all the trains except the Empire Builder and the Auto-train do work usually at least two tables in addition to all the LSA only responsibilities.

 

[Everydaymatters]

Thankyou for posting the pictures... my husband is just laughing his head off. He thinks its all terribly funny that I lay on the floor of the train, hoping for devine intervention
heather

IMHO (in my humble opinion), the picture of the train going over the bridge is the mildest part. Most of the "fun" is when the train hangs along the side of a mountain. I opted for the bus up White Pass and watched the train from the highway. No thanks!

 

[Heather]

If I would have paid more attention to the lovely brochure and not on my..oh the husband so loves trains.... I would have waved at him from the safety of the dock. It is not a trip for the faint of heart.... I was a bit embarrassed to be the only one on the floor of the train ( I was 50) at the time and the 70 year old lovely little ladies patting me on the back and reminding my husband that his wife was losing it in the car... did he care... not much.. too busy taking pictures...lol... We still laugh about it,, but believe me, I won't be going on any more tourist sight seeing train rides.... I'm highly suspicious of them now... It's feeling pretty good about the ride at the beginning, going around a corner and actually seeing the trestle waaaaaaayyyyy up there and knowing I'm going to be hanging on the side of a mountain and disappearing into the clouds.

So the adventure begins today,, Were leaving for Grand Forks... do some shopping ( snacks sales.. you know) and then up at 3 am and off to the train.

Thankyou everyone. I will drop a note and let you know how things are going when I can

heather

 

[sunchaser]

If I would have paid more attention to the lovely brochure and not on my..oh the husband so loves trains.... I would have waved at him from the safety of the dock. It is not a trip for the faint of heart.... I was a bit embarrassed to be the only one on the floor of the train ( I was 50) at the time and the 70 year old lovely little ladies patting me on the back and reminding my husband that his wife was losing it in the car... did he care... not much.. too busy taking pictures...lol... We still laugh about it,, but believe me, I won't be going on any more tourist sight seeing train rides.... I'm highly suspicious of them now... It's feeling pretty good about the ride at the beginning, going around a corner and actually seeing the trestle waaaaaaayyyyy up there and knowing I'm going to be hanging on the side of a mountain and disappearing into the clouds.
So the adventure begins today,, Were leaving for Grand Forks... do some shopping ( snacks sales.. you know) and then up at 3 am and off to the train.

Thankyou everyone. I will drop a note and let you know how things are going when I can

heather

Heather,

Have a great trip!!!!!! You may also want to bring a small towel in your bag for clean ups. I for one, will be waiting to hear how your trip went!!!

 

[sky12065]

IMHO (in my humble opinion), the picture of the train going over the bridge is the mildest part.

Why, was there also bungee jumping involved? :blink: ... :lol:

 

[George Harris]

If you think the White Pass and Yukon bridge is scarey, do not even think about riding the Sunset Limited to/from New Orleans. 5 mile long bridge climbing from ground that is slightly below sea level on each side to something like 150 feet above ground to go across the Mississippi River. There are some other really high bridges that you could be going over on other passenger routes, the Hell Gate bridge going out of New York toward Boston is no little thing, either, but most are traversed considerably faster than Huey Long's bridge out of New Orleans.

 

[Grandma B]

Heather, two years ago, my husband and I went on our first long distance Amtrak ride (24+ hours one way). At that time, we reserved a bedroom. Not knowing what to expect, I joined this forum. I asked some dumb questions, but with the answers I got, the members made me feel at ease. Every little noise I heard while we were traveling down the tracks, I freaked out.....my husband was fine. The longer we were on the train, I adapted to the different sounds/noises. In July, we'll be traveling to the same prior destination, but this trip, we have reserved a roomette. Sit back and watch the world go by and leave the driving/railing to the engineer. I'm sure you'll be just fine. Enjoy your trip!

 

[Trainmans daughter]

Sky12065, that is so funny! When I saw the picture of the train on the bridge, the first thing I thought was, "What a great place for base jumping!" I've bungee jumped out of a hot air balloon a couple of times and that was quite a rush!

 

[sky12065]

Sky12065, that is so funny! When I saw the picture of the train on the bridge, the first thing I thought was, "What a great place for base jumping!" I've bungee jumped out of a hot air balloon a couple of times and that was quite a rush!

Thanks for appreciating my humor. Not everybody does. Some used to tell me that I have a dry sense of humor, but I've since found a solution to that... I started drinking!

As for riding the rail, the higher we are, the better. We'll be starting our next trip next week and will be traveling to LA, up to Portland then back home to the Alb-Renns station. More than half of the trip will be on rail I've haven't been on before and I'm hoping I reach new heights. However, I have to admit that if we start passing people sitting on clouds... playing harps, I'm-a gonna start freaking out! :unsure: ... :blink: ... :wacko: ... :lol:

 

[catblue]

To me, 49 is old!

OUCH!!!!! 49 is not "OLD" just "WISE"!

 

[the_traveler]

the higher we are, the better. ... I'm hoping I reach new heights. However, I have to admit that if we start passing people sitting on clouds... playing harps, I'm-a gonna start freaking out! :unsure: ... :blink: ... :wacko: ... :lol:

On my next train trip, I'll be reaching heights of 30,000 feet! :lol:

You know it's bad when you have to FLY cross country one way just to take a train back! (Luckily, there is no cure! :lol: )

 

[D T Nelson]

I rode the White Pass & Yukon 38 years ago, when it still went all the way to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. I rode it from Whitehorse down to Skagway, and it was very exciting, much more exciting than that bridge photo. As I recall, much of the time the train was descending a very, very steep grade, clinging to the side of a canyon; on curves, when I could see the cars ahead, the brakes were glowing red. Which was not comforting.