So what do you do when you are on the "wrong side of the train"?

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spinnaker

Lead Service Attendant
Joined
Mar 23, 2018
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Two years ago, I lucked out and I my roomette on the Puget Sound of the train. I was able to have a nice relaxing dinner in my room watching the Sound go by.

I am taking the EB again and hoping for similar luck but not banking on it.

So what do you do when the view is on the other side of the train and there is no sight seeing lounge? One thought was to try and have dinner during that period but it doesn't mean you will be seated on the view side of the train. So what do you do? Can you temporarily sit in a nearby open room?

And while I am on the subject, was there anything I was missing being on the Puget Sound side? Maybe something in the Cascades?
 
Funny you should mention that. I'm on the Coast Starlight now and am on the "wrong" side of the train for views of the Pacific Ocean. I tried the dinner gambit but it didn't work; I was seated on the opposite side. There was another empty room on the other side, so I camped out there. My SCA was fine with it. The room was clean so I avoided messing it up.
 
JayPea said:
There was another empty room on the other side, so I camped out there. My SCA was fine with it. The room was clean so I avoided messing it up.
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I did this on the Empire Builder when my roomette was on the opposite side of the train from Puget Sound last fall. There was an empty room across the hall from me and I camped out in it until dinner time. My most recent trip on the Builder a couple of weeks ago, I got lucky and was on the correct side.
 
I was once scolded by a SCA for sitting in the empty room across from mine so always ask first. (I would have asked him if I could have found him, he was mia most of the trip).
 
If the bedrooms happen to be on the "right" side, just camp out between bedrooms for a bit. You can lean up against the wall and won't inconvenience the passers-through. Well, at least it works for a while...
'
 
If no SSL, perhaps see if there is a coach seat you can occupy for a while? (Ask attendant, politely)....
 
I have asked the SCA if it is okay to sit in a vacant room if mine is on the wrong side, once along Puget Sound and once along the Hudson River. But always ask--it might be considered a felony to occupy a room without permission!
 
Sometimes I just stand downstairs and look out the windows of the doors. It's easy to switch from side to side as the views change. Usually nobody else is down there, either. Not as elevated a view as upstairs, but i really like it. Not sure what the options are on a single level.
 
mlanoue said:
Sometimes I just stand downstairs and look out the windows of the doors. It's easy to switch from side to side as the views change. Usually nobody else is down there, either. Not as elevated a view as upstairs, but i really like it. Not sure what the options are on a single level.
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That's what I was going to suggest. I do that a lot, it's a great place to get photos and videos, and you get to see just about everything. I've never had an SCA give me a hard time about being there. If the ride gets bumpy there are vertical handrails close to both windows.
 
crescent-zephyr said:
I was once scolded by a SCA for sitting in the empty room across from mine so always ask first. (I would have asked him if I could have found him, he was mia most of the trip).
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Well since you see the Sound pretty much right out of the box, the SCA should be there to check me in. So I will be sure to ask first. Last time the room across from me was crammed with supplies so I would also need to check if it is OK to move them aside (assuming I come into the same situation).
 
mlanoue said:
Sometimes I just stand downstairs and look out the windows of the doors. It's easy to switch from side to side as the views change. Usually nobody else is down there, either. Not as elevated a view as upstairs, but i really like it. Not sure what the options are on a single level.
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My roomette is on the lower level I prefer it as it seems more private to me. And I have used those windows but just a bit uncomfortable standing there but still better than no view at all.
 
spinnaker said:
And while I am on the subject, was there anything I was missing being on the Puget Sound side? Maybe something in the Cascades?
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The Puget Sound side is also the better side of the train for climbing the Cascades, the Kootenai River (Sandpoint to Libby, in the dark unless you're very late, but it's beautiful under a full moon in a sleeper with the aisle curtains closed), and much of the first half of Glacier. Of course you'll have the lounge car before Glacier in any case. It's only the "wrong" side for a few miles between Columbia Falls and West Glacier, and all the way from Essex to East Glacier.

It takes a little while to get the first seating of dinner started. Think there is every chance you'll be allowed to sit on the other side, either in coach or an empty roomette, from Seattle to Edmonds, long as you aren't occupying a seat when people board at Edmonds.
 
troo troo tcrane said:
Which side would be the right side on the northbound Silver?
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I do not think there is a right or wrong side. I am usually on the "right" as opposed to left side going northbound. From my room, I can see my condo building as I pass through Orlando. I can also see the Auto Train station in Sanford. After PHL, I can see the zoo.
 
troo troo tcrane said:
Which side would be the right side on the northbound Silver?
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On both the Northbound and Southbound Silver Meteor, my Roomette was on the side of the train that faced West. I was hoping for opposite sides of the car during my journey, but it was not to be. I would have preferred the East side of the train going North, particularly at the start of the trip from Fort Lauderdale. It seemed like the stations were always on the other side of the train from my Roomette so one does not easily see the activity there during our station stops.
 
Seems bedroom widows are positioned for the best view. Even numbered Roommates are on bedroom side. So pick a roomette that are even numbered which is same as bedroom side.
 
timjimbob said:
Seems bedroom widows are positioned for the best view. Even numbered Roommates are on bedroom side. So pick a roomette that are even numbered which is same as bedroom side.
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Really? Last time I was on the EB I was in roomette 13 with a great view of the sound. So much for that theroy. ;)
 
anumberone said:
It’s always nice to be in the right spot at the right time. Hopefully you’ll get some nice views whichever side your on.
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Unless there's something I haven't already seen that I know is coming up, either side is the 'right' side as far as I'm concerned. I've ridden most of Amtraks' trains enough times on both sides that either side has more than enough interesting views to see.

However, there ARE times I will temporarily switch sides if I'm on the wrong side of something I want to see. A vacant roomette across the hall works best. On a superliner, the vestibule with doors on both sides works quite well to see both sides (almost) at once. If I really think it's worth the effort, a trip to the lounge car or first class-only boxed dogfood/lounge car is also an option.
 
You can always see if the passengers occupying a room across from yours wouldn't mind leaving their door and curtains open. You could do the same for them. Then everyone gets to see out both sides of the train.
 

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