Question about Coach for California Zephyr (Chicago to Emeryville)

[crescent2]

I never brought our full size laptop on the train. If you mean they don't want people using them in the dining car, I totally agree. They need all the space for serving meals. But I have a rather slim Vera Bradley fabric tote that my laptop would fit inside, and that one isn't any bigger than what I usually bring to the dining car--and have plenty of room beside me, or on the floor if that's preferred. It's really no bigger than a lot of women's purses.

I just wouldn't want to chance leaving my electronics at my coach seat or in the sleeper while I'm not there. They would probably be fine but I don't want to risk it, or tempt anyone's sticky fingers.

Re food, many people bring their own food onto the train so that is perfectly OK. I would recommend having at least one meal (breakfast and lunch are cheaper than dinner, if you're not in a sleeper) in the dining car for the unique experience. We always enjoyed eating there. Sometimes we had to share a table, sometimes not, but we enjoyed it either way.

 

[Heading North]

In coach, breakfast in the dining car is clearly the best value. Lunch is reasonably-priced but I think the lunch menu is weaker than the dinner menu; I'd tend to skip the lunch (get by on snacks, etc.) and splurge for dinner. Sample menus are posted on the Amtrak website, and you can usually also see the menu on board before making a reservation.

One tip on dinner: you'll have more/better choices the first night out, and at the earlier meal times. Later in the trip, the dining car may run out of some meals. On one train I took, lots of us at the 5 pm seating had crab cakes (the special), and when the folks with 6:15 reservations came in, they were out of crab cakes!