Are all SL roomettes created equal?

[Linda T]

About to book my LD trip for September of next year and was wondering if all roomettes on superliners are the same size, or if any have any additional benefits, etc. I don't know if I can actually request a certain one, but seems like there's still plenty of room on all my trains. I'll be on the following trains:

Texas Eagle out of CHI to LAX, Coast Starlight from LAX to TAC, [bus. Class Cascades to SEA], EB from SEA to CHI. Thoughts? Comments? Other? Also if I'm traveling all the way through from CHI to LA, do I need to de-train at SAS or can I stay in my room and sleep?

TIA, Linda T

 

[the_traveler]

No, all are the same except for a very slight difference between a Superliner I and a Superliner II. However, you would not know which is on your train until you board. And a train could have both, since they're almost identical.

if you're booked on train #421 beyond SAS, you can stay aboard and sleep thru the stop, if you wish. However if you booked train #21 connecting to train #1 in SAS, then you must detain and wait for the arrival of train #1 to re board! :excl:

 

[Bob Dylan]

Nice Trip except it's too Short! :lol: The biggest difference is whether one prefers to be Upstairs (Rooms #2-#10) or Downstairs (#11-#14) You can ask for a specific Room when you Book via Phone but not On-line! Rooms #2-#5 are in the Middle of the car and seem to ride more Smoothly in most peoples opinion. A Superliner II does have a little more room for storeage than a a I since the small Closet from the I is open on a II and if you get a Rehabbed I you will have the New Bathrooms, better Lighting, Controls etc. (but as Dave said, you wont really know which youll have till you Board) Another difference is that sometimes some Superliners have a Vacuum problem @ Altitude resulting in the Toliets going out! This doesnt seem to be True on the Rehabbed Is and in the Trandorms which are IIs!

 

[tampasteve1]

The main difference (other than those mentioned) would be in the individual condition of the roomette. Some are in better shape than others, as you can imagine some people mistreat the rooms - just like a hotel will have nicer rooms than others. But you really would not know until you are on.

Steve

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I also like 2-5. Especially being close to the attendant.

 

[Linda T]

Nice Trip except it's too Short! :lol: The biggest difference is whether one prefers to be Upstairs (Rooms #2-#10) or Downstairs (#11-#14) You can ask for a specific Room when you Book via Phone but not On-line! Rooms #2-#5 are in the Middle of the car and seem to ride more Smoothly in most peoples opinion. A Superliner II does have a little more room for storeage than a a I since the small Closet from the I is open on a II and if you get a Rehabbed I you will have the New Bathrooms, better Lighting, Controls etc. (but as Dave said, you wont really know which youll have till you Board) Another difference is that sometimes some Superliners have a Vacuum problem @ Altitude resulting in the Toliets going out! This doesnt seem to be True on the Rehabbed Is and in the Trandorms which are IIs!

Yeah, I know. I should go from SEA back down to SAC and across to CHI, it would add about 24 hours, but my goal is to travel all the routes at least once and these are the two I have left to do. Trust me, the temptation is to take the CZ back, but then I'd miss the EB, which I've been told I simply must take before retiring from LD travel. :giggle:

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Nice Trip except it's too Short! :lol: The biggest difference is whether one prefers to be Upstairs (Rooms #2-#10) or Downstairs (#11-#14) You can ask for a specific Room when you Book via Phone but not On-line! Rooms #2-#5 are in the Middle of the car and seem to ride more Smoothly in most peoples opinion. A Superliner II does have a little more room for storeage than a a I since the small Closet from the I is open on a II and if you get a Rehabbed I you will have the New Bathrooms, better Lighting, Controls etc. (but as Dave said, you wont really know which youll have till you Board) Another difference is that sometimes some Superliners have a Vacuum problem @ Altitude resulting in the Toliets going out! This doesnt seem to be True on the Rehabbed Is and in the Trandorms which are IIs!

Yeah, I know. I should go from SEA back down to SAC and across to CHI, it would add about 24 hours, but my goal is to travel all the routes at least once and these are the two I have left to do. Trust me, the temptation is to take the CZ back, but then I'd miss the EB, which I've been told I simply must take before retiring from LD travel. :giggle:

Don't worry, the EB will not disappoint you, and it is probably more relaxing than the CZ because of Big Sky Country. On the CZ you would be sitting at the edge of a Sightseer seat trying to look dow the mountain!

 

[crescent2]

If you book a roomette online (won't know the room #), then phone to ask which, will they change it if it's one you don't want (such as on the lower level instead of upper)? If they'll change it, is there a fee? Thanks-

 

[AlanB]

If you book a roomette online (won't know the room #), then phone to ask which, will they change it if it's one you don't want (such as on the lower level instead of upper)? If they'll change it, is there a fee? Thanks-

You can call to have it changed, assuming that other rooms are still available. There is no fee for that.

However, do be aware that not all agent seem to know how to properly do this. So some will use the wrong procedure to do so and in the process kick the room into a higher bucket. So do be careful. Also some just seem to not want to be bothered to do the work, so they'll make up stories about why they can't do it.

 

[Linda T]

Thanks! I plan to use AGR points so I'll have to call it in. I kinda like being close to the SCA. I was in the room opposite the SCA once and he was really knowledgable and talked about his days in freight and Amtrak. Very interesting stories. I like downtime when the SCAs have the time to talk, so a roomette near his/hers would be nice -- I think.

 

[crescent2]

Thanks, Alan!

Would I just have to tell the phone rep, "Please don't do anything that would bump this up to a higher price," or what? All the posts about the inconsistent phone agents have me worried about phoning for anything! Thanks again-