Superliner Sleeper - Dorm

[ourlouisiana]

On our trip on the CONO nest week we are scheduled sleeper 5800 northbound and 5900 southbound. From previous trips, we know that that is the first coach behind the engine.

This is also the dorm.

Is there any difference between 5800 - 5801 / 5900 - 5901 ??? Is there any differnece in configuration ??

We presume there is none, on board crew will utilize whatever roomettes or bedrooms not occupied by revenue passengers ???

 

[AlanB]

To my knowledge, 5800 is not the dorm car, that is the normal sleeper.

However just in case, there are vast differences between the Trans/dorm and the normal standard sleeper. First, more than half the car is off limits to you. There is a shower on the upper level, no bedrooms in the car at all, only roomettes. A crew lounge on the lower level, and probably a few other differences that I'm not thinking of right now.

These diagrams might help to give you some idea of the differences. Note the Trans/dorm is at the bottom of the page and only the upper level is shown.

 

[MrEd]

I was in a 5800 last month, it was regular sleeper.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

The Trans-dorm is a special car designed to allow transfers between bi-level and single-level equipment, in addtion to providing crew dormitory functions.

 

[sweet tea]

from a rail fan perspective, there may be "vast" differences between the dorm sleepers and the regular sleepers, but from the perspective of the average roommette passenger (me), most of the differences aren't that significant.

there is a door like this separating the crew section from the passenger section:

and downstairs, there's a crew breakroom:

(pictures from the Texas Eagle at Christmas time. More here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/54011584@N00/...57603643795179/ )

 

[trainboy325]

The Crew Dorm Car on 58/59 is the 09 car (5809/5909). It was my regular job for almost a year when I worked at the NOL Crew base. The attendant for that car is the second coach attendent. Arrow will not sell rooms in the 09 car until the entire 00 is full (regular sleeper on rear). In addition, if NOL management doesn't want to have a second coach attendent onboard for budget reasons (not enough coach passengers between assigned city points, etc.), the 09 car will not have rooms sold even if the 00 car sells out. As always, the 09 car is the first passenger car on the train with the diner next door.