Why So Many Snobby "Roomette" People on Here?

[AmtrakBlue]

I was just messing around. I thought you were joking and meant an actual golf cart, not the Red Cap cart.

uhhhhh, well, maybe it was the red cap "cart" but it was operated by someone in a tie and vest so I "thought" it was ..sumptin sthepical just for me, (like the Wells Fargo Wagon) (( wonder how many people will actually get that )) :unsure:

I did! I do stage crew for a local summer theater group and have done the show a few times.

 

[sunchaser]

How come Mike gets a golf cart?
I want a golf cart!

Is that a super special AGR award, or is it only for super cool people like Mike?

I want to be like Mike and ride in a golf cart so I can swill my champagne sooner and gallivant about the SSL before heading to my jacuzzi tub.

The only time I got the golf cart was for the Sunset, never got it for the Crescent or CONO. I didn't even ask for it. Maybe they thought it would take me too long to walk to the front of the train ?

As for traveling by sleeper, I use a Cpap ( set at 19 ) and really need to be in a room so people don't kill me in the middle of the night for snoring without the machine.

I'm glad you have the C-PAP, and glad that you can use it on the train, but sad you have to use it.

I was just messing around. I thought you were joking and meant an actual golf cart, not the Red Cap cart.

I was messing around too. Seriously, we have used RedCap at least 3 times, and plan on doing it this time, too. If I had a golf cart, and I could take it, I would give you a ride! Wouldn't that be 'ritzy'!

 

[GG-1]

I did! I do stage crew for a local summer theater group and have done the show a few times.

Aloha

Only a few? I am thinking I must have done it about 25 times. :giggle:

 

[BCL]

I was just messing around. I thought you were joking and meant an actual golf cart, not the Red Cap cart.

uhhhhh, well, maybe it was the red cap "cart" but it was operated by someone in a tie and vest so I "thought" it was ..sumptin sthepical just for me, (like the Wells Fargo Wagon) (( wonder how many people will actually get that )) :unsure:

Wells Fargo was famous for their stagecoaches. They donated one (probably not an original) to a children's museum where I've taken my kid. That thing looked to be an extremely uncomfortable ride and actually rather flimsy construction. Of course they had to be light enough for a couple of horses to pull one and still maintain enough speed to outrun any number of things.

And to bring up something totally unrelated, Wells Fargo's original name was Wells Fargo Express. Henry Wells and William Fargo only started it because the directors at the other company they founded (American Express) didn't want to expand to the west. So they started a new company and ran it at the same time they ran American Express.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I did! I do stage crew for a local summer theater group and have done the show a few times.

Aloha
Only a few? I am thinking I must have done it about 25 times. :giggle:

Well, repeat of shows have to be at least 10 years apart (they've done Brigadoon exactly every 10 years since ??'54??) and I'm a young'un. . So, by my calculations the most I've could have worked on is 4 since I started with the group.

 

[the Other Mike]

I did! I do stage crew for a local summer theater group and have done the show a few times.

Aloha

Only a few? I am thinking I must have done it about 25 times. :giggle:

As a high school band director ( retired) I've either directed or played in the pit for way too many shows. Bye Bye Birdie seemed to come up at least ever other year at some high school, Oklahoma has always been a favorite to conduct or play, but by far the beast to play was the original book for WSS ( lead trumpet ). In all the years, I NEVER played Music Man. ( hangs head in shame)

 

[AmtrakBlue]

This year we're doing Annie Get Your Gun. First time we've done this show. You can find info of our organization (it's an 80+ years old non-profit) at www.brandywiners.org. My uncle got me involved & it's where I meet my late husband. Both of our girls have done some shows backstage with me. My youngest is still involved.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

How come Mike gets a golf cart?
I want a golf cart!

Is that a super special AGR award, or is it only for super cool people like Mike?

I want to be like Mike and ride in a golf cart so I can swill my champagne sooner and gallivant about the SSL before heading to my jacuzzi tub.

I love the Gold Cart ride. A couple years ago at Chicago I was boarding the Texas Eagle starting in Coach and upgrading to Sleeper in STL where a Roomette was opening up. I asked about boarding from the Lounge and the Attendant said I had to go outside but straight away the Lead Red Cap said he'd have a Red Cap run me out to the Local Coach. When it came time to board, he put me on the Golf Cart and since no one else was riding out, here we go through the main boarding area, horn blasting and people wondering if a VIP was on the move. And he got me to the Coach, bags loaded and seat selected 10 minutes before Coach boarding began! I even beat the Coach Attendant.

 

[crescent2]

Sunchaser, so sorry for your losses.

OK, I'm the snobbiest of the snobs here. Besides coach, I've only traveled in the Viewliner H units--best room on the train!!

(To the OP--hubby was severely mobility limited and required it. He would've loved to have been physically able to travel in coach again.)

Edit: Spelling error!! oops

 

[D.P. Roberts]

Everyone needs to know that "Aunty Gail" who started several other controversial topics which have been hidden/locked is the person who started this topic. If this one goes down hill, it will also be locked!

Was this the "Aunty Gail" who suggested that if you encounter annoying brats, you should slap them in the head until they cry?

Well, what's the problem then? If you encounter snobby sleeper people, just smack them in the head until they cry! Problem solved!

Also, roomettes are frequently cheaper if you book them far in advance; for the heck of it, I just got a quote for one, and it was $237; in this case that only includes one meal (for two people, of course). I grabbed a quote for a different trip, which was $257 and includes three meals (for two people).

This is very true. I earn AGR points through my credit card, but I buy points sometimes too. For a recent booking, if I would have paid for my roomette just with purchased points (and no special bonus), my cross-country trip for two people in a roomette would have cost $1100. That same trip right now in coach is $1452!

As a point of reference, that same trip in airfare for 2 people would cost (as of now)$1983. I probably would have booked a few weeks ago and saved a bit, but not TOO long ago, as I can only afford non-refundable airfare. Amtrak, on the other hand, is very refundable, so I booked months ago.

Therefore, the way I look at it, riding in Roomettes saves me a ton of money.

So, slap me silly and call me a snobby, uneducated ex-convict, but I'm keeping my roomette!

 

[crescent2]

But can you sign your name??

I don't want to see the likes of you in MY H unit. h34r:

 

[winterskigirl]

I don't have $$ to blow on sleepers but I do use my AGR points for them. Also, I use amsnag to get the lowest bucket when planning a trip. So, I'm economically challenged but still manage to travel in the comfort I wish.

 

[SarahZ]

When it comes down to it, even if I had $1300 for a bedroom on the SWC during Christmas, I wouldn't pay that much for a bedroom unless guaranteed a down comforter, an hour in a hot tub, champagne with strawberries, Red Wings playoff tickets, and having the dining car all to myself while eating.

That said, I would never judge anyone for paying that much for a bedroom. What people do with their money is none of my concern, just as they have no right to judge me for spending money on X, Y, or Z. Besides, I have no way of knowing if someone paid cash or used points for their bedroom anyway, so really... there's no basis for judging or comparing.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

So what does "Craig82" mean anyway? There are Craig82s all over the internet. Oklahoma, Toronto, Alaska... and they mostly seem to have interests in fantasy gaming (Warhammer, League of Legends) and online dating. Is this some sort of internet lingo I'm not getting?

 

[June the Coach Rider]

I have found that I am one of the lucky ones who can sleep very well in coach. I do have to say that I am disabled so am in the lower level with only 11 other passengers when full, unless I am on the LSL, but I can sleep well on the LSL coach also. I am a rear bird when it comes to sleeping in coach. I put in my ear plugs, bring my own pillow and blanket and as long as the leg rest works, I am fine. As I am disabled, many times I have the back seat on the LSL to myself as that is the designated handicapped seats, but I don't feel I need to spend the extra money or points for the tiny roomette and I can't sleep rocking head to foot like in the sleeper bedroom, did that once and will not do that again, got absolutely NO sleep on that trip. I travel end-to-end on 99% of my trips and sleeping in coach is fine for me, but I understand that others cannot sleep in coach.

I have been picked on by some of the AU members here for expressing my opinion of coach, but I am finding that these are usually few and far between. I have to take a cart or chair to the train no matter where I am, so getting to know how and which stations have red cap or golf carts is something I make a point to do.

 

[EMDF9A]

I was just messing around. I thought you were joking and meant an actual golf cart, not the Red Cap cart.

uhhhhh, well, maybe it was the red cap "cart" but it was operated by someone in a tie and vest so I "thought" it was ..sumptin sthepical just for me, (like the Wells Fargo Wagon) (( wonder how many people will actually get that )) :unsure:

"I got some Salmon from Seattle last September. In March I got a grey mackinaw. I hope I get my Grapefruit from Tampa. The DAR has sent a cannon for the courthouse square!" Oh yeah, I got it. (I've played Mayor George Shinn more than once)

 

[the Other Mike]

I was just messing around. I thought you were joking and meant an actual golf cart, not the Red Cap cart.

uhhhhh, well, maybe it was the red cap "cart" but it was operated by someone in a tie and vest so I "thought" it was ..sumptin sthepical just for me, (like the Wells Fargo Wagon) (( wonder how many people will actually get that )) :unsure:

"I got some Salmon from Seattle last September. In March I got a grey mackinaw. I hope I get my Grapefruit from Tampa. The DAR has sent a cannon for the courthouse square!" Oh yeah, I got it. (I've played Mayor George Shinn more than once)

We better be careful, they seem to frown on sing-a-longs

 

[leemell]

I was just messing around. I thought you were joking and meant an actual golf cart, not the Red Cap cart.

uhhhhh, well, maybe it was the red cap "cart" but it was operated by someone in a tie and vest so I "thought" it was ..sumptin sthepical just for me, (like the Wells Fargo Wagon) (( wonder how many people will actually get that )) :unsure:

Wells Fargo was famous for their stagecoaches. They donated one (probably not an original) to a children's museum where I've taken my kid. That thing looked to be an extremely uncomfortable ride and actually rather flimsy construction. Of course they had to be light enough for a couple of horses to pull one and still maintain enough speed to outrun any number of things.

Just for info, it takes at least 4 horses and sometimes 6 to pull the stagecoach.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

Just for info, it takes at least 4 horses and sometimes 6 to pull the stagecoach.

What about bears? How many bears would it take to pull a stagecoach? I'd bet 4-6 as well: 6 black bears or 4 brown ones. Only if they're well trained and well educated, of course.

 

[SarahZ]

Just make sure the bear shower afterward.

 

[sunchaser]

I have found that I am one of the lucky ones who can sleep very well in coach. I do have to say that I am disabled so am in the lower level with only 11 other passengers when full, unless I am on the LSL, but I can sleep well on the LSL coach also. I am a rear bird when it comes to sleeping in coach. I put in my ear plugs, bring my own pillow and blanket and as long as the leg rest works, I am fine. As I am disabled, many times I have the back seat on the LSL to myself as that is the designated handicapped seats, but I don't feel I need to spend the extra money or points for the tiny roomette and I can't sleep rocking head to foot like in the sleeper, did that once and will not do that again, got absolutely NO sleep on that trip. I travel end-to-end on 99% of my trips and sleeping in coach is fine for me, but I understand that others cannot sleep in coach.
I have been picked on by some of the AU members here for expressing my opinion of coach, but I am finding that these are usually few and far between. I have to take a cart or chair to the train no matter where I am, so getting to know how and which stations have red cap or golf carts is something I make a point to do.

June, I think it's great that you can physically handle riding in coach! I personally have no issues with coach other than I think we would both be in pain, and we really like the privacy too. As for roomettes, we did ride in them twice, and I agree the sway was weird. It's different in the bedrooms, because the bedroom beds are set to the width of the train rather than the length.It (the sway) feels better to me in the bedrooms.

 

[Everydaymatters]

I wish I was able to ride in coach. As time marches on, with back problems, lung problems, etc., trying to go overnight in coach would be too painful. Although...I haven't tried it in a long time. Maybe I'll give it another try.

I miss the good times in coach. One has the chance to meet many more people in coach than in rooms. In the roomette you are in your own little cubicle and people tend to keep more to themselves. In coach, passengers can more easily strike up conversations.

 

[Ziv]

Everydaymatters, I agree with you about the conversations and meeting people in coach. I remember meeting people I would otherwise never meet, whether it was Ynez riding the Crescent home to a town outside Hattiesburg, or Mitch, just off a 16 hour shift on a rig outside Williston and looking forward to seeing his wife and kids for the first time in months, they all have stories and I would never get to hear them anywhere but on a train. I love the 'adventure' of it. But I still wish they had a mid-grade sleeping option of lay flat at an angle seats. I can't stomach the roomette prices and can't get more than an hour or two of sleep at a time in coach.

I hadn't thought about it until you mentioned it, but I met fewer people overseas when I was in couchette type sleepers.

I wish I had had the option of taking Amtrak when I go home in July, but I do get to drive my Mom to the family re-union, so I guess flying to Montana will be acceptable!

 

[crescent2]

June:

I think it's great that coach works well for you! I can't imagine anyone putting anyone else down for traveling in coach. Before hubby's severe mobility limitations, we always traveled in coach on the Crescent. Those were day trips, and we enjoyed coach very much. The openness and views from multiple windows are nice. The seats are super-roomy, and comfortable--no comparison to air travel. We were also fortunate to never be exposed to any truly obnoxious behavior.

Hubby's mobility limitations made the Viewliner H unit much, much more convenient and easier for us. It's an awesome compartment (ignore my facetious posts above ) with its own private bathroom. If you ever get the chance, check it out. With the disability discount, and probably also because Atlanta--New Orleans, and the return, are both daytime trips, it wasn't too expensive, especially for two of us (four meals each way).

Unfortunately, I cannot sleep in public, so that would be the limiting factor for me if it were an overnight trip. But there is nothing wrong with traveling in coach! Coach has its own pros and cons, just as sleepers do. More power to you, and keep on traveling!

 

[D.P. Roberts]

Perhaps my observations are skewed, but I just don't see an anti-coach vibe from sleeper passengers. it seems to me like there's more of an anti-sleeper bias from coach passengers.

I know I've shared this story before, but I think it applies here. I was having a pleasant meal on the CS with two coach passengers, & we were all engrossed in conversation until something came up about our seating areas on the train. When one of the passengers heard that we were in a roomette, she exclaimed "I would NEVER travel in a sleeper!" She stopped talking completely and simply glowered at us for the rest of the meal. It was really weird.

I think the sleepers have a lot in common with first class on airplanes. When many people think of first class, they think of the 1% eating caviar while they look down on the little people in coach. In reality, first class is often filled with weary business travelers & others who normally ride coach, but have used points, upgrades, etc. to escape coach for one brief trip, or have figured out "systems" for riding in first more often & more cheaply than others probably think is possible.