Superliner Coach

[JasonVG]

I am taking the train from LAX to CHI this summer and I was wondering if the new cars have outlets at all seats.

 

[dan72]

Unfortunately, the Superliner cars don't have an outlet at every seat, in spite of recent refurbishments done on many of these cars. There are a couple of service outlets in each car, but they are difficult to find.

There is an outlet in the lounge car, but you'll find it to be very popular among everybody trying to charge cell phones.

Dan

 

[TRSTACIE]

Unfortunately, the Superliner cars don't have an outlet at every seat, in spite of recent refurbishments done on many of these cars. There are a couple of service outlets in each car, but they are difficult to find.
There is an outlet in the lounge car, but you'll find it to be very popular among everybody trying to charge cell phones.

Dan

Some Superliners have oputlests at every seat... I rode the CZ about two weeks ago from OMA-DEN and there was a strip along the wall with outles and every seat. It all depends on the Superliner coach car you get. I am sure AlanB and others will chime in and be able to tell you more.

 

[rtabern]

From what I've seen... a Superliner coach WITH a power outlet at every seat is more the exception than the rule. I've seen only a handful, even on the Empire Builder route which is supposed to have the best equipment. My best recommendation is to get a CD player that runs on batteries.

 

[Trogdor]

I just rode the Wolverine, and my coach (34102 both ways; don't know about the other two cars) was refurbished with the new style of outlets at every seat. Having not ridden in Superliners that often recently, I don't know how many cars have been redone. But, they have been working on them recently.

There was also apparently a program about a decade or so ago to equip Superliners with outlets at each seat.

Failing that, check seats 19 and 55. Those are the two that I remember usually have outlets on Superliners.

 

[GG-1]

Failing that, check seats 19 and 55. Those are the two that I remember usually have outlets on Superliners.

Aloha

Those are the two seats I remember also, and if you think about it the original reason for these outlets were for maintenance, a vacuume cleaner with 25 feet of cord could reach the entire car.

 

[PerRock]

also I believe these outlets are located in a hard-to-reach location; something like you have to put the seat back all the way and squeeze your hand down a bit to reach them; I'm sure if you were to swivel the seat 90 degrees it would be easier to access.

peter

 

[jackal]

also I believe these outlets are located in a hard-to-reach location; something like you have to put the seat back all the way and squeeze your hand down a bit to reach them; I'm sure if you were to swivel the seat 90 degrees it would be easier to access.
peter

On the Capitol Limited, I sat in the row just in front of seat 55 (or whatever it was) and strung my laptop's power cable behind the seat and into the plug. The plug was not terribly restricted, although the cord did have to sort of wrap around the foot rest, I think.

When others wanted access to the plug, someone whipped out a power strip and shared the love!

I wasn't aware that Superliner coach seats swiveled. Are you positive?

 

[Crescent ATN & TCL]

also I believe these outlets are located in a hard-to-reach location; something like you have to put the seat back all the way and squeeze your hand down a bit to reach them; I'm sure if you were to swivel the seat 90 degrees it would be easier to access.
peter

On the Capitol Limited, I sat in the row just in front of seat 55 (or whatever it was) and strung my laptop's power cable behind the seat and into the plug. The plug was not terribly restricted, although the cord did have to sort of wrap around the foot rest, I think.

When others wanted access to the plug, someone whipped out a power strip and shared the love!

I wasn't aware that Superliner coach seats swiveled. Are you positive?

As far as I know all of Amtrak's equipment has swiveling seats except for special cars like diners, lounges, etc.. This is mainly used to turn trains where the locos run arround the consists. They swivel the seats to face the direction of travel rather than wyeing or ballooning the train. If at all possible they try to turn the train rather than swivel every seat in the consist.

 

[jackal]

also I believe these outlets are located in a hard-to-reach location; something like you have to put the seat back all the way and squeeze your hand down a bit to reach them; I'm sure if you were to swivel the seat 90 degrees it would be easier to access.
peter

On the Capitol Limited, I sat in the row just in front of seat 55 (or whatever it was) and strung my laptop's power cable behind the seat and into the plug. The plug was not terribly restricted, although the cord did have to sort of wrap around the foot rest, I think.

When others wanted access to the plug, someone whipped out a power strip and shared the love!

I wasn't aware that Superliner coach seats swiveled. Are you positive?

As far as I know all of Amtrak's equipment has swiveling seats except for special cars like diners, lounges, etc.. This is mainly used to turn trains where the locos run arround the consists. They swivel the seats to face the direction of travel rather than wyeing or ballooning the train. If at all possible they try to turn the train rather than swivel every seat in the consist.

Ahh. One exception to your exception on lounges and diners, though, would be Superliner lounges--most of those seats most definitely do swivel! (Not that it would matter, since they mostly face outward, not forward or backward...)

 

[Falco]

On my trip on the CS I found 4 outlets, all in the Lounge car, two are on the top level, one is on the floor to the left of the stair case, and one is on that "serving" area to the right of the stair case.

Downstairs, there *should* be two outlets near the ceiling.

I'm not kidding on this next part, bring a small extension cord and a power strip, you will be everyones best friend.

I had a talk with one of the attendants on board and said that the CS will get some upgrades and among the features is "outlets at every seat."

but don't hold your breath.

Enjoy the ride

 

[AlanB]

Ahh. One exception to your exception on lounges and diners, though, would be Superliner lounges--most of those seats most definitely do swivel! (Not that it would matter, since they mostly face outward, not forward or backward...)

Actually Amtrak has been eliminating the ability to swivel the seats in the Sightseer Lounges. In part because the mechanisms are hard and expensive to maintain, in part because unsupervised kids play games with them, and in part because if they get turned too far it makes it almost impossible to walk down the center aisle.

And of course if Amtrak continues on the path of converting the lounges to lounge-diners, all those seats will go away.

 

[JasonVG]

Ahh. One exception to your exception on lounges and diners, though, would be Superliner lounges--most of those seats most definitely do swivel! (Not that it would matter, since they mostly face outward, not forward or backward...)

Actually Amtrak has been eliminating the ability to swivel the seats in the Sightseer Lounges. In part because the mechanisms are hard and expensive to maintain, in part because unsupervised kids play games with them, and in part because if they get turned too far it makes it almost impossible to walk down the center aisle.

And of course if Amtrak continues on the path of converting the lounges to lounge-diners, all those seats will go away.

in the new lounge cars aren't there outlets at the booths

 

[Green Maned Lion]

And of course if Amtrak continues on the path of converting the lounges to lounge-diners, all those seats will go away.

I thought that was only for a handful of trains, and that the CL and transcons would continue to run Diner and Lounge cars.

 

[AlanB]

And of course if Amtrak continues on the path of converting the lounges to lounge-diners, all those seats will go away.

I thought that was only for a handful of trains, and that the CL and transcons would continue to run Diner and Lounge cars.

Sadly, we don't really know what the actual plan is. When Diner-Lite was first announced there are supposed to be 10 dining cars converted and 40 Sightseer Lounges converted. Then suddenly the entire lounge program was put on hold while Amtrak reviewed the ideas. Then without any warning, or statement what-so-ever, the employee newsletter reports that the first lounge car is in BG and undergoing conversion, although it is being converted to a Lounge-Diner a new term that we've not heard before.

Now again, the original plan did not call for the major routes getting Diner-Lite service, at least as announced to the public. But then one has to wonder why 40 Sightseer lounges needed to be converted in that plan. Is it just to provide improved cafe car service, as well as giving the car an overhaul? Or is it the eventual intent to get them all done, and then suddenly say, "well we don't have the equipment anymore that we need to run things the old way?" Sadly we just don't know since Amtrak isn't making things clear, at least that I've seen.

 

[Bigval109]

Unfortunately, the Superliner cars don't have an outlet at every seat, in spite of recent refurbishments done on many of these cars. There are a couple of service outlets in each car, but they are difficult to find.
There is an outlet in the lounge car, but you'll find it to be very popular among everybody trying to charge cell phones.

Dan

I was recently on the Captal Limited in Feb and it had outlets at every seat. I was shocked but glad. I didn't have to run around looking for a seat with one to plug my laptop into. It was a nice surprise.