Pat Harper
Lead Service Attendant
We boarded the westbound train at the Lafayette depot. There is no Amtrak personnel at this station, and no baggage service, so we had to carry on our own bags and store what we didn't need in the lower level baggage bins. We were also a bit confused on how to board the train, since there was no one there to guide us. We almost got on as coach passengers but I then realized we had booked a sleeper so I went back to ask the attendant who was passing out seat assignments and we had to give the numbers back and head for the sleeping car.
No baggage service either, so we had to store our large bags in the lower level holding bins. For this trip we were in the transition car, upper level.
Our first meal was dinner, and the dining car person came around taking reservations shortly after we were settled in. We had to pass through the regular sleeping car to get to the dining car. Coffee service was also located in the regular sleeping car, but it was on the upper level, and I was glad I didn't have to maneuver the stairs with a hot cup of coffee! Our roomette was also right next to the lavatory, so I didn't have to go far when nature called!
I really don't remember what we had for that first dinner, but it was pretty tasty. Since we had reserved an early dinner, we had to wait for the car attendant to come and convert the roomette for sleeping. Hubby took the upper berth, and I had the lower. I was glad we only had to sleep one night on board since the bunks were not all that comfortable. I remember waking up several times during the night, once when we arrived in San Antonio for a 3 hour layover.
The only time I got off the train was when we had about an hour in El Paso. They were setting up tables for some sort of event at the El Paso station. I never did find out what it was.
We also didn't see much of Maricopa when we got off, as it was in the middle of the night and our daughter was waiting for us to transport us to her house in Mesa, about 30 miles from the station.
No baggage service either, so we had to store our large bags in the lower level holding bins. For this trip we were in the transition car, upper level.
Our first meal was dinner, and the dining car person came around taking reservations shortly after we were settled in. We had to pass through the regular sleeping car to get to the dining car. Coffee service was also located in the regular sleeping car, but it was on the upper level, and I was glad I didn't have to maneuver the stairs with a hot cup of coffee! Our roomette was also right next to the lavatory, so I didn't have to go far when nature called!
I really don't remember what we had for that first dinner, but it was pretty tasty. Since we had reserved an early dinner, we had to wait for the car attendant to come and convert the roomette for sleeping. Hubby took the upper berth, and I had the lower. I was glad we only had to sleep one night on board since the bunks were not all that comfortable. I remember waking up several times during the night, once when we arrived in San Antonio for a 3 hour layover.
The only time I got off the train was when we had about an hour in El Paso. They were setting up tables for some sort of event at the El Paso station. I never did find out what it was.
We also didn't see much of Maricopa when we got off, as it was in the middle of the night and our daughter was waiting for us to transport us to her house in Mesa, about 30 miles from the station.
