Tips for first time sleeper passenger

[ringmeistaninja]

Good day, everyone... i am new at this, but here goes...OK, I am going on the Coast Starlight on the 10th of October to visit my uncle in Seattle and I am leaving from Los Angeles. I will return on the same train on the 14th. I have roomettes booked for both ways, upper level going to Seattle and lower level coming back. I have done this trip twice before, but always in coach, never in sleeper. So I am wondering if there is anything I should know about or do as a sleeping car passenger in this trip? I am a 6'1. 205 lbs 27 year old male travelling alone, and this is the most expensive budgeted journey I have undertaken so far in my life..*s*. Oh, and if it helps, I am carrying a sling backpack with a 21" spinner carryon luggage and a camcorder case. Thank you much, and have a great day everyone!!

- ringgo aka ringmeistaninja

 

[the_traveler]

If you are traveling alone, what you may want to do is either use the upper bunk for storage, or sleep in the upper bunk (but there will be no windows) and keep the seats set as seats (not as a bed). This way, you could use the seats during the night if you want.

On the Coast Starlight (CS), if you are lucky, you will have a Pacific Parlour Car (PPC)! The PPC is a special lounge car to be used by sleeping car passengers only. And the CS is the only train that has them!

I would recommend obtaining a roomette (as opposed to a bedroom) for 1 person. It will probably be less cost, and it includes the same things (such as meals and lounge).

 

[access bob]

Good day, everyone... i am new at this, but here goes...OK, I am going on the Coast Starlight on the 10th of October to visit my uncle in Seattle and I am leaving from Los Angeles. I will return on the same train on the 14th. I have roomettes booked for both ways, upper level going to Seattle and lower level coming back. I have done this trip twice before, but always in coach, never in sleeper. So I am wondering if there is anything I should know about or do as a sleeping car passenger in this trip? I am a 6'1. 205 lbs 27 year old male travelling alone, and this is the most expensive budgeted journey I have undertaken so far in my life..*s*. Oh, and if it helps, I am carrying a sling backpack with a 21" spinner carryon luggage and a camcorder case. Thank you much, and have a great day everyone!!
- ringgo aka ringmeistaninja

dern near miss, I will be on the CS on the 9th

Bob

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

If you are traveling alone, what you may want to do is either use the upper bunk for storage, or sleep in the upper bunk (but there will be no windows) and keep the seats set as seats (not as a bed). This way, you could use the seats during the night if you want.

The upper berth in both a roomette and a bedroom on a Superliner Sleeper is 6' 2" long. The lower berth is 6' 3" in the bedroom and 6' 6" in the roomette.

I would recommend obtaining a roomette (as opposed to a bedroom) for 1 person. It will probably be less cost, and it includes the same things (such as meals and lounge).

There's no restroom in a superliner roomette, though; one has to exit the roomette and go elsewhere in the sleeping car to find the restroom, whereas the bedroom has a restroom within the room.

 

[caravanman]

Hi,

The sleeper attendant will come by and introduce themselves soon after you board, and point out the facilities. You can either sit and sleep in your roomette for the whole trip, or visit the lounge/observation car or parlour car (no parlour car on my starlight train, sadly!) The attendant will fix up your bed for you, or you can do this yourself. There are no "obligations" on you as a sleeper car passenger, you simply have purchased a bed and the option of a private space to sit in if you so desire. Your scheduled meals are included in your fare price... I tend to eat the steak each night! The upper bunk can be used for storage if you desire, it can be left at 45 degrees, so you have some headroom as well as storage space. As you probably know, it is sensible to anticipate some late arrivals on Amtrak. Relax, enjoy, despite the prices it's more Motel 8 than the Ritz!

If you wish to leave larger luggage out of your room, there is a storage rack on the lower level.

Ed B)

 

[Tony]

The sleeper attendant will come by and introduce themselves soon after you board, and point out the facilities.

I guess that would be the first tip for a sleeper passenger.

 

[Gingee]

I have been in a roommette before and there was a bathroom in my car. Does this vary from train to train?

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

I have been in a roommette before and there was a bathroom in my car. Does this vary from train to train?

All passenger cars have bathrooms, coach, sleepers, and observation cars as well.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I have been in a roommette before and there was a bathroom in my car. Does this vary from train to train?

All passenger cars have bathrooms, coach, sleepers, and observation cars as well.

The most recently renovated Sightseers no longer have a toilet downstairs, that area having been replaced with additional table seating.

 

[access bob]

I have been in a roommette before and there was a bathroom in my car. Does this vary from train to train?

All passenger cars have bathrooms, coach, sleepers, and observation cars as well.

The most recently renovated Sightseers no longer have a toilet downstairs, that area having been replaced with additional table seating.

this would be illegal since the lower level of the lounge is one of the accessible spots on the train and would require an accessible restroom

Bob.

 

[PetalumaLoco]

I have been in a roommette before and there was a bathroom in my car. Does this vary from train to train?

All passenger cars have bathrooms, coach, sleepers, and observation cars as well.

The most recently renovated Sightseers no longer have a toilet downstairs, that area having been replaced with additional table seating.

this would be illegal since the lower level of the lounge is one of the accessible spots on the train and would require an accessible restroom

Bob.

Handicap access there wouldn't be a problem if they just left the toilet next to the new table...

 

[access bob]

I have been in a roommette before and there was a bathroom in my car. Does this vary from train to train?

All passenger cars have bathrooms, coach, sleepers, and observation cars as well.

The most recently renovated Sightseers no longer have a toilet downstairs, that area having been replaced with additional table seating.

this would be illegal since the lower level of the lounge is one of the accessible spots on the train and would require an accessible restroom

Bob.

Handicap access there wouldn't be a problem if they just left the toilet next to the new table...

previos poster said they were removing it.??????

Bob

 

[Rail Freak]

I have been in a roommette before and there was a bathroom in my car. Does this vary from train to train?

Viewliners have toilets in each room, I believe!

Superliners, 1 community toilet by the coffeee station (up stairs) & toilets + shower on lower level.

 

[caravanman]

Odd how many postings seem to end up talking about the toilets on trains..(Despite the "helpfull" diagram, it didn't work...)

With regard to "tipping", it is good form to leave a tip after each meal in the diner, even if your meal price itself is included in the sleeper fare. I tip the sleeper attendant also, after each trip, but in the later case only if the service is at least "average". (Some attendants are almost invisible and hard to find, some are very helpfull.)

Ed B)

 

[hello]

Be sure to bring a book, etc. as once night settles in it is REALLLLLLLY dark outside -- having lived in the city my entire life, I was amazed at the darkness when not at the train station, or passing through a city -- a true absence or light!

Someone else's hint was to bring an inexpensive swimming inner-tube (99cents at Wal-Mart), inflate it once you get to the room, and use it as a back rest, a softer seat cushion, and even put it underneath your regular pillow at night (as an extra pillow). We really used it on our last CS trip, as the train was over 14 hours late -- getting into EUGENE! We loved being late -- just extra train time!

If you haven't had breakfast when boarding in LA, the Parlour Car normally has breakfast pastries and coffee, etc. Last year they were are prepackaged pastries, but still a little something to tide you over until lunch.

The attendant "usually" has small bottles of water available -- but you can always ask for a bottle of water at your meal times, and bring that back to the room with you. It was a regular sized bottle, and of course included with your meal.

Have a great trip -- relax and enjoy!

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

I have been in a roommette before and there was a bathroom in my car. Does this vary from train to train?

Viewliners have toilets in each room, I believe!

Superliners, 1 community toilet by the coffeee station (up stairs) & toilets + shower on lower level.

Right, the single level Viewliners have a toilet in each roomette, whereas the bi-level Superliners do not have toilets in the roomettes or family bedroom. (But I believe a Bedroom or Accessible Bedroom in either includes a toilet in the room.) Superliners do not fit into Penn Station in New York City, so routes with sleeping cars that go through New York City have to use the Viewliners; I'm not aware of any Viewliner routes that happen to not go to New York City. (There are some relatively small trains like the Hiathawa and Boston stub of the Lake Shore Limited that are single level even though bi-level equipment would probably fit along their routes, but the examples of those that I can think of do not offer sleeping cars.)

 

[ringmeistaninja]

Thanks again for all that reply...in terms of bathrooms, I am more curious about taking a shower on the bathroom in the train than anything else....that was my few main reasons why i book the roommetes...outside of free meals and privacy, of course. As for the luggages, I think i shoudl be able to bring both my 21' carryon and backpack inside the room, right? And also, in you guys' opinion, which dining option is better? the alternative dining at the parlour car ( and yes, i am praying to get a parlour car for both parts of this trip...) or the regular dining car dining? in my previous two trips on this train, i have met many awesome people through meal times there... thanks again everyone!!

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Thanks again for all that reply...in terms of bathrooms, I am more curious about taking a shower on the bathroom in the train than anything else....that was my few main reasons why i book the roommetes...outside of free meals and privacy, of course. As for the luggages, I think i shoudl be able to bring both my 21' carryon and backpack inside the room, right? And also, in you guys' opinion, which dining option is better? the alternative dining at the parlour car ( and yes, i am praying to get a parlour car for both parts of this trip...) or the regular dining car dining? in my previous two trips on this train, i have met many awesome people through meal times there... thanks again everyone!!

Bathroom size- okay think postage stamp.... then think smaller.

In all fairness they are bigger than airline toilets. Luggage- I don't know why you'd bring both those cases into your room when you can use the rack on the lower level.

And yes the traditional diner is always a great place to meet and greet!

 

[kashed]

There is a lot of space in a roomette if you are traveling alone. I don't think that the bathrooms are that small, and on the lower level, sometimes there are a variety of size. All are bigger and nicer than a porta potty

I have a post titled "Roomette here I come" under travelogues forum, and talk a little about size as well as the benefit of the lower level roomette, and the shower.

Gl and have fun

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

As for the luggages, I think i shoudl be able to bring both my 21' carryon and backpack inside the room, right? And also, in you guys' opinion, which dining option is better? the alternative dining at the parlour car ( and yes, i am praying to get a parlour car for both parts of this trip...) or the regular dining car dining? in my previous two trips on this train, i have met many awesome people through meal times there... thanks again everyone!!

The official size limit for carryon luggage is 28" x 22" x 14", 50 pounds. I've not been on a Superliner train, but I think if you're traveling alone in a roomette, that luggage will fit fine in the roomette in the space that would be used for the second person in a larger party.

I think I would tend to choose eating in the PPC if that's an option. Remember that if you take a trip on any other Amtrak route in the future that uses Superliners, you'll get a chance to experience non-PPC dining there (though I think the Coast Starlight may have been hurt less by the SDS program than most other routes, so the Coast Starlight may have a lot more food actually prepared on the train than most of the Superliner routes). Also, it's not clear to what extent Amtrak will succeed in keeping the PPCs in service in the future.

 

[caravanman]

I have only ever showered in the main shower room downstairs, and found it fine, although sometimes I noticed that the instructions were a bit wappy.. like a sign: "press the button in" when, after 5 mins of pressing in, I found it turns on like a regular shower instead. Size wise, they are pretty roomy.

Ed B)

 

[AlanB]

(though I think the Coast Starlight may have been hurt less by the SDS program than most other routes, so the Coast Starlight may have a lot more food actually prepared on the train than most of the Superliner routes).

The Coast Starlight implemented the full version of SDS, just like almost every other Amtrak train. Only the Auto Train and the Empire Builder did not implement SDS originally. Since that point the lines of SDS have blurred, in part because of the Diner-Lite/CCC cars, in part because Amtrak relaxed some of the original SDS choices. However, the Coast Starlight's menu remains comparable to all other trains still running SDS. The only thing that puts the CS a bit ahead of all other SDS trains is the meals now being served in the PPC.

 

[ringmeistaninja]

Thanks again, everyone! I think i will bring both items inside the room since i see no reason to use the second bed outside of storage....i guess its a good thing I'm travelling alone in this case. And for the bathrooms...bigger than airline toilets..k, i think i have a chance to survive a shower in a place that size, even when its moving at 70mph . And thank you for the dining opinions...i will definitely try out both on the trip both ways if the trains have the parlour car on them. Thanks again! cant wait til the 10th....hello, Starlight!! and seattle too....

 

[sky12065]

Thanks again, everyone! I think i will bring both items inside the room since i see no reason to use the second bed outside of storage....i guess its a good thing I'm travelling alone in this case. And for the bathrooms...bigger than airline toilets..k, i think i have a chance to survive a shower in a place that size, even when its moving at 70mph . And thank you for the dining opinions...i will definitely try out both on the trip both ways if the trains have the parlour car on them. Thanks again! cant wait til the 10th....hello, Starlight!! and seattle too....

Just one note: Make sure none of your luggage weights over 50 Lbs. On our last trip we were just over the 50 when returning home. Had to move something out of one bag and squeeze into another.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

Just one note: Make sure none of your luggage weights over 50 Lbs. On our last trip we were just over the 50 when returning home. Had to move something out of one bag and squeeze into another.

People generally say that if you can carry all of your carry-on luggage simultaneously by yourself without difficulty and don't get help from the train crew carrying it, it doesn't matter how heavy it is. If you want Amtrak employees to help, following the weight limit is important.