Boston to Chicago - how to book it?

[velotrain]

I saw a post somewhere by a guy who lived in Springfield, MA, suggesting that it was better to be in coach to Albany and get on a NY sleeper there, because when the NY section joins the diner is at the far end of the train from the Boston sleeper, which he also said was right behind the engine.
I probably just don't know where to look, but couldn't find info on just what the joined train looks like in terms of consist order.

 

[Rasputin]

The consist west of Albany is:

Locomotives
Boston sleeper
Cafe car
Boston coaches
New York coaches
Dining Car (a/k/a picnic table car)
New York sleepers
Baggage car

 

[bratkinson]

The secret is to book coach or business class BOS->ALB on train #449, and book train #49 sleeper ALB->CHI. The trick is to scroll down and look for 'double' train listing (with 'Transfer' indicated between trains) as a single price choice. Then, in the 'premium' column, click on the < or > accommodations type for train #449 to get to 'coach' and, if needed, do the same on train #49 to select Roomette. As noted by someone about a month ago, it looks like business class is coming off train #449/448 in early January. It'll be interesting to see what they substitute for the cafe car.

 

[velotrain]

Thanks to both of you - I'd say it's not wanting to hear the horns all night (negating being in a sleeper) more than closeness to the picnic table car.

 

[oregon pioneer]

I'll be headed from Oregon to BOS in another year or two (occasional visit to the back-east fam), and my strategy next time is to use RTE as my destination (Route 128 south of BOS), so I get offered the Cap Ltd and NE Regional as a choice. Gets in a little later, but arrives closer to my actual destination and appears to be cheaper (due to taking coach or BC on the NE Regional).