Can three people sleep in a bedroom on a train?

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Guest_Gingee

Guest
When I called the other day, the reservationist said that you could put three people in a bedroom (with toilet and shower). To me it looks squished. The other option is two smaller rooms without a toilet or shower. My husband doesn't like that idea since he has to go to the toilet during the night. My husband is approximately 5-9, my daughter 5-6 and I am 5-1. Opinions please?
 
Hi, We took a family room on the sunset limited recently. It was myself, male 50 + in the tiny double berth, my son aged 11, and stepdaughter aged 21, in single bunks.

It was rather cramped and I feel that if the room was used with two persons in the double bed, it would be too tight a squeeze. There were no bathroom facilities in the room. As with all of life you sometimes need to live a little on the wild side...perhaps mr gingee could use a temporary receptacle if he can't leave the safety of the sleeper to visit the bathroom?

Ed. B)
 
There is a difference between a bedroom and the family bedroom. The family bedroom has four sleeping places, but no facilities, but the restroom is just down the hall a short way.

The bedroom, upsatirs, has a bigger lower berth and a smaller upper berth. But, it has the private batroom. Two adults who like each other can sleep in the lower and one in the upper, or one child and adult in the lower, and the other adult up.

The problem I had with the bedroom is that when you put the ladder up to get in the upper berth, you can't get the bathroom door open to go in, anyway. So, back to going out in the hall and down to the facility rather than trying to move the ladder in the middle of the night.

Have you looked at the pictures and diagrams on Amtrak's website?
 
Can you put the ladder to the side? We could sleep on the lower bunk and my daughter on the top (she rarely goes to the bathrom and sleeps longer). Could you get in the bathroom then?
 
Can you put the ladder to the side?
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You can "unhook" it from the top bunk and move it some, but it is really tight. Once the bunks are down there isn't a whole lot of room to do anything but be in bed!
 
I've never had a hard time squeezing into the bathroom with the ladder in position. Then again I'm a skinny guy at 5'11" and 160 lbs.
 
Aloha Guest_Gingee

I am a large person 6 foot, 290 pounds I find I do not like the "Bedroom" with the included facilities. The facilities are much to small. The Shower downstairs is more confortable.

Secondly at my age I also use the facility during the night and have never suffered waiting, between upstairs and down stairs there are enough to go around.

Third once and only once did I try to use an upper birth and found, again because of my size it was uncomfortable because the roof of the car was two close.

My choice in your shoes would be the family room downstairs or two "roomettes" with the child in uper berth, the restroom or shower is just a short distance away.

Enjoy that trip on the Empire Builder, I rode it from Seattle to Chicago in July 2001.

Mahalo
 
One important advantage of the deluxe room (or bedroom, as they now call it) over the family bedroom is that it is on the upper level, so you get a better view out your window.

Then again, if you can get the family bedroom for 1/2 the price, you can always just go to the lounge for a better view!
 
Well if my Child goes with me, she is taller than I am. She will be eighteen at the time.
 
Do NOT take a bedroom on the upper level. I took the Cap Ltd. r.t. between Chicago and D.C. last month, and the train pitched and rolled so violently along some stretches that I spent two sleepless nights with my feet literally over my head half the time. The beds in the deluxe bedroom are perpendicular to the train, with the head near the window; therefore all train motion is magnified by being on the upper level. By contrast, I booked the family bedroom on the lower level several years ago, which was much more stable. The beds in the smaller standard bedrooms ("roomettes") which are parallel to the window tend to have more of a gentle rocking motion, and are therefore more conducive to sleeping.
 
Guest_Gingee said:
I wondered if the upper level rooms would be more rocky.
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Aloha

On bad track I might call it rocky. On the uper level I prefere the smaller room with feet forward. The sway is much like a baby rocker, side to side. The larger room has the sway from head to toe, I dont like this. The motion downstairs is less but it is more noisey.

I have used four different rooms, the two best were the smallest, heritage and Bi-Level roomettes. Sleeping on the train is the best.

My nexttrip will be to Vegas and I can't get there from here by train. :(
 
My two cents: The lower berth is about the size of a standard twin bed. So, it's a "close" sleeping situation on the lower berth, but that ain't all bad. The upper berth is comfortable for one person as long as you don't sit upright. It is comforting to know the bathroom is right there and others have not used your facilities.

Now, the daytime set up is another thing to consider. Three people cannot fit (realistically) into the roomette (formally standard sleeper), but there is plenty of room in the daytime configuration of the bedroom (formally deluxe sleeper). The couch is wide and the chair is non-stationary and can be moved around.

Assuming the bedroom is about twice the cost of the roomette, one would be spending the same amount for either option. The advantage of the extra bed would sway me to consider the two roomettes rather than the one bedroom.
 
It shouldn't be a problem at all getting to the bathroom from a roomette, especially when your on the bottom bunk. I have never had to wait for a bathroom in a sleeper car, especially at night. I think you can request a specific room via the 1-800 number which would allow you to be very close to a bathroom. Maybe a 10 foot walk on the lower level. Bottom line is don't stress out over it, relax and enjoy the trip. You will probably sleep well anywhere in the car. Most of the time the upper level is a nice lulling motion to coax you to sleep.
 
Also, the sleeping car attendant can re-assign rooms based on your special circumstances. At least that happened to me. My roomette was #4, very close to the bathroom, but when I got on the train in Denver he asked me to move to #10 to accomodate a passenger who had difficulty with mobility. No problem. Most train passengers are polite and look out for their fellow travellers....
 
clearfork said:
Most train passengers are polite and look out for their fellow travellers....
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Aloha

I would like to emphasize the quote. ..... This is the best reason to travel by rail!!!

Mahalo to all, that I have had the pleasure of sharing our country with. Hopfully the next trip will be soon :D
 
Thanks for the responses. I guess it shows that everyone has their own likes and dislikes.
 

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