Capitol Limited

[zephyr17]

There is a reason that Santa Fe never bothered to do any Sleepers in the Hi Level format.

They had plans for them, they just never built them. They would have been VERY unlike the Superliners, though. They were mostly bedrooms, and big ones at that. I know I've seen the plans for them someplace.

They would have done that around the 1964 second order of the Hi-Levels, and the writing on the wall was getting pretty clear by then.

 

[SarahZ]

The Viewliner rooms are also much brighter, as the walls are white instead of dark blue and "wood". Plus, the Viewliner roomettes have more air vents, which was nice during the summer. I also like that you can close the vents under the window.

I'm not a fan of the in-room commode, but it's definitely a brighter, more comfortable, and more spacious room all-around.

 

[jis]

There is a reason that Santa Fe never bothered to do any Sleepers in the Hi Level format.

They had plans for them, they just never built them. They would have been VERY unlike the Superliners, though. They were mostly bedrooms, and big ones at that. I know I've seen the plans for them someplace.
They would have done that around the 1964 second order of the Hi-Levels, and the writing on the wall was getting pretty clear by then.

You know, just bedrooms would work in that format I think, specially if they were a little less cramped than the Amtrak bedrooms. It is the roomettes that really look like glorified closets with two bunks. Specially the upper berth comes as close as it can to the proverbial Japanese coffin hotels. Also the fact that the upper berth does not clear up all the way to the sealing and occupies a whole bunch of space even when folded up, does not help much.

 

[Ryan]

Dumb question, as we go further and further afield. Are there any restrictions from the sides of a double level LD car from being more "squared off", getting rid of the "coffin effect" in the upper? It'd still be short, but if the wall was vertical all the way to the ceiling, it wouldn't be curved and you may even be able to squeeze in a little foot high window for some light. Wouldn't be as nice as a Viewliner, but it would be better than the current Superliner.

 

[jis]

I think it would be nice if there were enough space to be able to roll the upper berth up on rails like in the Viewliner. But unfortunately when you have a 7' ceiling there simply never will be enough space even with a square roofline.

That is the reason that a bedroom is workable way more than a roomette. with the width of a bedroom you don't miss th space as much even with the upper berth occupying all that space in the folded up position.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Based on threads appearing here and other Rail forums, the Viewliner Roomettes are preferred overwhelmingly over the Superliners!

The biggest problem for some seems to be the toliets in the Viewliner Roomette and the lack of Windows and Space in the top bunk on the Superliner Roomettes.

 

[niemi24s]

So it's the presence of the commode adjacent to the lower bunk that many don't like, huh? Funny: Wife and I like a commode in the room - whether it be right next to the bed or in the shower stall. But I guess that's how you get when you grow up using an outhouse and a chamber pot in the hallway. We're not city slickers.

And while we've only had one ride in a Viewliner Roomette, the Wife did say she liked its upper bunk much better than the one in a Superliner Roomette because it was easier to get up into (because the toilet seat lid becomes sort of a step) and the bed/mattress itself was more comfortable. I've only upper bunked in Superliner Roomettes and Bedrooms so can't compare with a Viewliner.

I guess we're all a bit different - thank goodness!

 

[luckeydoug1]

I love the CL. Overall I find the CL to be much more orderly and more professionally run with the staff very attentive to passengers' needs. On our recent trip from TOL to CHI on the CL they were expecting our party of 3 and already had seats set aside together. My travels on the LSL always seem haphazard and not well organized. Its very much catch as catch can on that train. Even in coach I feel that I am appreciated as a passenger on the CL. Often on the LSL, I find the atmosphere to be very circus-like with clothes hanging on the line about the only thing missing. On the CL we generally receive updates on stoppages and delays along the route. I have never received such notifications on the LSL, even when the train has been left standing for over an hour.

That being said, I find the ride on the LSL to be more sports car like, while the ride on the superliners on the CL to be reminiscent of the floaty-boaty ride of an 80s Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham.

One final consideration is that the CL is scheduled to leave Chicago several hours earlier than the LSL.

 

[SarahZ]

So it's the presence of the commode adjacent to the lower bunk that many don't like, huh? Funny: Wife and I like a commode in the room - whether it be right next to the bed or in the shower stall.

I don't mind it in the shower stall because it feels like a regular bathroom.

When I use the one in the roomette, it feels like I'm using a toilet in my living room. It's just... weird.

 

[me_little_me]

Earlier this year we took the Capitol Limited in both directions on a trip out west. We had the two best SCAs I have ever encountered on Amtrak. (We had 6 total on that trip alone, 6 last year on two trips and many more before that).

 

[Gingee]

Thanks everyone. I just put my reservation in for Bloomington to Ft. Lauderdale and reverse.

 

[SteveSFL]

So it's the presence of the commode adjacent to the lower bunk that many don't like, huh? Funny: Wife and I like a commode in the room - whether it be right next to the bed or in the shower stall.

I don't mind it in the shower stall because it feels like a regular bathroom.

When I use the one in the roomette, it feels like I'm using a toilet in my living room. It's just... weird.

That's funny that ya'll think of it as a commode inside a shower stall. I've always considered it a toilet room that just happens to have a shower head.

 

[OBS]

Can you not also connect from the Cardinal to the Meteor in Alexandria, VA, adding an extra 30 minutes or so to the connection window?

You "could". It is still not a guaranteed connection. And if #50 is too late, you are SOL...

 

[FormerOBS]

Earlier this year we took the Capitol Limited in both directions on a trip out west. We had the two best SCAs I have ever encountered on Amtrak. (We had 6 total on that trip alone, 6 last year on two trips and many more before that).

Do you remember their names? The two best, that is. (I like to give credit where credit is due)

Tom

 

[abcnews]

The Capital Limited seems to always have great crews, SCAs, etc... Is it a Washington, DC based train?

BTW - It's about my favorite train. I really love the route, the scenery, the history along the old B & O Railroad, and it's a Superliner equipped train. The Sightseer Lounge is very nice along that route.

 

[Bob Dylan]

The Cap's OBS crews are WAS based!

Like everything Amtrak, it depends om which crew you get, there are some Excellent OBS on this Route and some real turds! YMMV

The only LD Trains that I've ridden that I have never had less than a Satisfactory Crew on, with most being Excellent to Hall of Fame Level, ( Leo) are the Silver Trains and the Auto Train.( never had the pleasure of riding with Tom, who seems to be HOF Material) YMMV

Edited: to correct error on crew base as OBS and HOF Former OBS pointed out!/Senior Moment!

 

[Lonestar648]

I have traveled on the CL to/from CHI more times than I can remember, OBS crews were almost always terrific, even got to know a few of the SCA over the years. I also traveled the LSL frequently to BOS, ALB, NYP but the OBS crews, especially the DC, were varied, mostly unfriendly compared to the CL.

 

[Ryan]

Of late, I'm 0 for 3 on great crews on the CL, so it is very situationally dependent.

 

[FormerOBS]

The Cap's OBS crews are Chicago based!

Like everything Amtrak, it depends om which crew you get, there are some Excellent OBS on this Route and some real turds! YMMV

The only LD Trains that I've ridden that I have never had less than a Satisfactory Crew on, with most being Excellent to Hall of Fame Level, ( Leo) are the Silver Trains and the Auto Train.( never had the pleasure of riding with Tom, who seems to be HOF Material) YMMV

Jim ---

I think the Texas sun has baked your brain. The Capitol Limited's OBS crews are based in Washington, and have been for decades.

And I'm not sure I appreciate your referring to me as a Horny Old Fart (HOF), apt as the description may be!

Tom

 

[OBS]

The Cap's OBS crews are Chicago based!

Like everything Amtrak, it depends om which crew you get, there are some Excellent OBS on this Route and some real turds! YMMV

The only LD Trains that I've ridden that I have never had less than a Satisfactory Crew on, with most being Excellent to Hall of Fame Level, ( Leo) are the Silver Trains and the Auto Train.( never had the pleasure of riding with Tom, who seems to be HOF Material) YMMV

Sorry Jim, the Cap's crews are DC based, and have been for many years. The sleeper attendants are all senior people and take pride in what they do. The food service, on the other hand, since they went from chef, food spec. (asst. chef), dining car LSA, 2 waiters, and lounge car LSA ( 6 people) down to three...Chef, Dining car/Lounge car LSA, and one waiter, has become mostly new people for Lsa and some of the waiters. You have more than doubled the work load for these two positions, and so the senior people left. The union rep in DC told me yesterday, that in last 6 weeks 3 people working these positions have upped and quit on the spot because of workload and poor treatment from manager of the train.

 

[FormerOBS]

Speaking of Hall of Fame, my buddy OBS (he's still working) ain't no slouch either, but he works another train.

Tom

 

[Bob Dylan]

Thanks to OBS ( nominated for the HOF)and Former OBS ( HoF)for pointing out my error on the Crew Base for the Cap! Senior moment, I knew better!

What with the docummented problems that occur with LD Trains out of CHI, I think I had the Windy City on my mind!

If the Route Manager is running off Food Service Crews due to understaffing and overwork (and Poor Supervision!), hopefully the Cap won't end up without a Diner like the Star?!!

 

[jis]

The Cap will land up without a Diner when Amtrak decides to replace the current Diners with new ones, and then to save money, decide not to do routine maintenance on Diners that will be taken out of service

 

[SteveSFL]

So is the cap menu like the CONO now? Or can you still get real cooked meals?

 

[rrdude]

I think the CL is just a sad "shell" of the train it used to be. The TA-S staff is always pretty spot on. But I've only really had one dining car crew that I could even call polite. Other crews have been downright rude, obnoxiously rude.

I absolutely LOVE eating in the diner, it's (was) one of the highlights of rail travel. But the combination of rude staff, and downgrade of meals........... I had dinner in my room this past May. (I actually took it up to the SSL, very nice place to eat in reality)