Did you go on the trip Dee? Would love to hear about it.
Yes.. I did the trip. When booking from NZ online I couldn't figure where/how I would get the physical ticket, so I rang Amtrak and spoke to Nicole and I did the booking over the phone. All good and helpful but because I mentioned I was a "Senior" after giving my credit card Nicole said she would give me a refund voucher to reflect a reduced price for Seniors. She told me I just needed to pick up the ticket at the Station. When I got to SFO from NZ I asked my daughter to take me to San Jose Station to pick up the tickets. I decided I didn't want to be doing that in the early hours of the morning I was due to leave. Thank goodness for iPhone directions to find the Station! San Jose ticket office lady very pleasant and helpful. I thought the refund voucher would be something that would go back on my credit card or at least cash, but I think it is a voucher to be used another time. A bit useless to me, but I am not complaining. It is for $24.
Anyway I got to San Jose terminal on the morning of departure. I didn't see any directional signage but in the back of my mind I did recall SJ ticket lady telling my 13hour air flight fuzzy brain that the train to Emeryville would leave platform 4.
Quite a wait a Emeryville station, but that was okay too. Decided to book my large bag thru to Chicago. In hindsight I didn't need to do that as my carriage had a baggage area and my bag came off at Chicago very dusty/dirty. No big deal tho. While waiting at Emeryville I just people watched and introduced myself to a couple of older couples who had been visiting their kids and grandkids, and a younger man who was getting off at MOAB area to go cycling.
I had roomette 8 - my home for the next while. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. I didn't need any duct tape for the rattles. I don't recall any rattles. My only "problem" was the air conditioning vent not closing and it was a bit cold, but I asked for a blanket and Bob/Bill/Lester (can't remember his name) immediately came forth with one. There were four bottles of water in the roomette, a couple of clean towels, tissues. There was tea, coffee, juice always available. I spent time in the observation car; this was a pleasant area I thought, swivel chairs, see the scenery (which was absolutely fabulous). People were pleasant and friendly - no unsavoury types. The railroad volunteers came on at Sacramento thru to Reno and informed us about the local scenery and the building of the railroad. All good.
The dining car was good too. Waitresses pleasant and friendly. Everything looked clean, clean table papers. Food was okay to good. I had the very big salad for two lunches - good. First night had to choose a dinner sitting time. I had the salmon. It was a little dry, veges were a bit overcooked, but all edible. I ended up sitting with the couples I had introduced myself to at Emeryville. Interesting and pleasant people. All the food was edible, might not have been very hot, but edible. For the last lunch I had the vegetarian pasta. IMO that was really good. Can't remember what I had for the second night's dinner - wasn't the salmon nor the steak!
Bed was a little hard, but I slept. No problems - what it would have been like in a roomette with two people I can't comment on. It is obviously do-able - but not if you are large and/or infirmed.
On the second night the toilet on the top section was unusable, and by the next morning so were the three in the bottom section. Just had to go to the next carriage. I didn't use the shower. I was prepared to with my jandals/flipflops/thongs, but in the end decided that I didn't smell, just changed my clothes and what if my hair looked like Phyllis Diller.
An aside - I kept wiping the inside of my roomette window with a tissue, and each time it was black.
There were a couple of dogs onboard - the four legged kind - therapy dogs I think.
I felt safe, I felt my stuff in my roomette was safe.
The train ran on time it seemed. Well ahead in Denver, had a chance to get out of the station and across the road, but then overnight lost time somehow. But no major incidents and arrived in Chicago on time. Picked up bag from the reclaim area after about 10 minutes, no problems.
The price was quite high I thought. US$596 approx SJ to CHC. NZ$900 - yikes. But I am VERY glad I did the trip. It was all basically good. If the tractor had struck the overbridge on my trip, I might be telling another story.
I have flown back to California for US$169 plus $25 for checked luggage on United. No food, warm tea, "Invictus" on the screen.
PS - FYI - to make a good cup of tea for us foreigners - fill the kettle with COLD water, boil water, then add water to tea bag/loose tea, let steep for a few minutes. Under no circumstances, reboil that already boiled water, or use those perpetually warm glass kettle things to make tea, or god forbid heat the water in the microwave. Yuck. Always use fresh cold water to boil in a kettle.
My trip pics are on facebook -
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2134...mp;l=ad01d3d1e9
Cheers - mates
Denise