Amtrak Sleepers: Lots of Choices.
I often get inquiries from people wanting to know about the various options for sleeping car passengers traveling overnight on one of Amtrak’s long-distance trains. So here are some of the suggestions I usually make. Note that Superliner equipment is used on all long-distance trains operating west of Chicago and New Orleans. The Capitol Limited is the only overnight train using Superliners in the eastern part of the country. All other overnight trains in the east use Viewliner equipment.
Superliner Sleepers
This isn’t a big deal, but if you have the choice, avoid roomettes 1 and 2, which are closest to the upstairs lavatory, and numbers 9 and 10, which are next to the door at the end of the car.
Bedroom A is a bit smaller than the other four, but there is a solid wall between you and Bedroom B. There’s a removable wall separating B from C and D from E, so there’s not a lot of privacy in any of those rooms.
Consider asking for two roomettes opposite each other instead of a bedroom. You could save some money, you will each have privacy when you want it, no one has to climb up into the upper berth, and you will have a window on both sides of the train. There are no “facilities” in a Superliner roomette, so you’ll have to leave the roomette for one of the four lavatories when nature calls.
When that occurs in the wee hours, it’s a real hassle to get dressed and leave your roomette. My solution is to sleep in a comfortable pair of gym shorts and a T-shirt. When the inevitable occurs around 2:00 a.m., I just slip my feet into a pair of rubber slippers and off to the lavatory I go.
Sleeping car space often sells out well in advance, but remember that the handicapped bedrooms (there’s one on the lower level of every Superliner sleeper) go ons sale to the general public 48-hours before the train’s scheduled departure.
Viewliner Sleepers
There are 12 roomettes and two bedrooms in a Viewliner sleeping car. There is also one bedroom adaptable for a handicapped passenger with attendant, and there are two large bedrooms.
Veteran travelers on these eastern trains ask the car attendant to make up the upper berth in the roomettes. That leaves the lower level free for moving around and provides a little more room or dressing and undressing. Plus there’s a window for people in the upper berth and it’s high enough so people on the platforms can’t look into your bedroom wit’s “down the hall” when the train is stopped at a station during the night.
I always like discussions about sleepers, without which I wouldn’t take a long-distance train. And I’ll have to try that upper berth next time I’m in a Viewliner (I think the only time I’ve been in one is on the Cardinal.) Are the dimensions of the upper berth the same as the lower berth?
I also liked that tip about better sound insulation for Bedroom A in the Superliners. Even when I’m traveling alone I’ve threatened a few times to book a bedroom for just the wider bed, but I haven’t because of the expense.
OK. Now that you’ve covered sleepers on Amtrak could you do a piece on describing and comparing all the sleeper accommodations on Via Rail with Amtrak?
One of several questions I would probably have would be what, on Via Rail, would be comparable in size, comfort, and amenities, to roommettes on Amtrak.
I’ve never measured, but if the dimensions for the two berths in a Viewliner roomette aren’t exactly the same, they’re so close that it won’t make any difference. I’m not as familiar with all the VIA equipment, and there’s more variety in the interior configuration, but I’ll post something in the next few days. In fact, I’ll run it by my VIA contact before posting. That may take a bit longer, but at least it will be accurate. Thanks for the suggestion.
Very helpful points, even for those of us who are regulars. Typically, I have found the folding partition between Superliner bedrooms B-E to be totally inadequate to shut-out unwanted noise; in many cases, they are stuffed with towels to prevent rattling.
Importantly, I would also add to avoid “Roomettes 15-19,” as they are in the Superliner crew dorm car (behind the baggage car); generally not considered as clean, or, as well maintained as the standard passenger car.
I found myself in one of the dorm car roomettes on the Empire Builder a couple of years ago, but don’t remember any problems with cleanliness. In fact, I liked the privacy.
Almost forgot–as the only true Pullman-style berth left in North America is only on VIA’s “The Canadian,” what I learned on the railroad was to have the attendant pull down the plastic bed pad (i.e., “berth”) from the upper, placing it directly on the lower roomette. This will provide a cushion closer to what the mattress used to do, and boost your head up to the window level, the way it was always done until this mechanism was invented by Amtrak.
I agree about sleeping in the upper berth of a viewliner. I definitely prefer it. My only problem is that when I get on the Lake Shore in Syracuse around 10:00pm the attendant has often already made up the lower berth. I don’t want to add to his work load by asking him to change it so I often just sleep in it that way.
Aw … what a good guy! (I would do the same!)
You forgot one: The Auto Train between Lorton, Va., and Sanford, Fla., uses Superliner equipment. :)
You got me! And I missed Amtrak’s biggest train at that! Thanks for catching it.