Cross-country trip in December

[ceo418]

I finally booked a long-awaited cross-country Amtrak trip for December, shortly before Christmas. I'll be taking the Northeast Regional from TRE-WAS, the Capitol Limited from WAS-CHI in roomette #2, the Empire Builder from CHI-SEA in roomette #2, and then the Cascades from Seattle to Tacoma. I've been reading posts here about roomette travel for quite some time, so I've gathered lots of tips, but I do still have a few questions:

1) I know there's no checked luggage on the NER, so when I get to WAS I will want to check mine all the way to Seattle. I've been to WAS once, on a points run, and found the ticket counters. Will I need to walk out to that area to check my bag? And I saw where the lounge was located. Do I simply walk to the desk in front of it, show them my sleeper ticket, and ask for access? And will my dinner reservation be taken once I get on board, or in the lounge?

2) I know a lot of amenities have been cut and I'm planning to bring my own toiletries. Are towels still provided for the shower? And are there hours when the shower is off-limits, or could I use it late at night even if people in the rooms around it are sleeping?

3) I know there are some snacks available in the Chicago lounge. Is outside food allowed, or will I need to eat anything I decide to get for lunch before coming back into the lounge?

4) I like to drink tea. It seems to be a hit or miss as to whether hot water is available in the sleeper car, so if there's none there is there a way I could get some hot water another place in the car?

5) There's a lot of advice about the sightseer lounge, and I know I'll want to venture down that way at some point in my trip. I believe I'll have to walk through the dining car on the EB (and CL?) to get there, so I'm assuming that I can do this even if meal service is not in progress.

I'm excited about this trip, although it's still six months away. I'm well aware of the potential for delays, and I've been on long-distance trains before with significant delays, although my previous trips on the Empire Builder were all in coach. Any other info that comes to mind would be appreciated! Thanks

 

[AmtrakBlue]

1) I know there's no checked luggage on the NER, so when I get to WAS I will want to check mine all the way to Seattle. I've been to WAS once, on a points run, and found the ticket counters. Will I need to walk out to that area to check my bag? And I saw where the lounge was located. Do I simply walk to the desk in front of it, show them my sleeper ticket, and ask for access? And will my dinner reservation be taken once I get on board, or in the lounge?

I think the baggage check in is at the same place as the ticket counters.

To get into the lounge, use the doorbell next to the wood doors and they'll buzz you in. Then check in at the desk inside.

2) I know a lot of amenities have been cut and I'm planning to bring my own toiletries. Are towels still provided for the shower? And are there hours when the shower is off-limits, or could I use it late at night even if people in the rooms around it are sleeping?

They provide towels, wash clothes & bar soap. Shower is open 24/7 except when in use or being cleaned.

3) I know there are some snacks available in the Chicago lounge. Is outside food allowed, or will I need to eat anything I decide to get for lunch before coming back into the lounge?

No outside food allowed at WAS's lounge but is allowed at CHI's lounge.

4) I like to drink tea. It seems to be a hit or miss as to whether hot water is available in the sleeper car, so if there's none there is there a way I could get some hot water another place in the car?

Should be able to get some in the cafe or maybe the diner.

5) There's a lot of advice about the sightseer lounge, and I know I'll want to venture down that way at some point in my trip. I believe I'll have to walk through the dining car on the EB (and CL?) to get there, so I'm assuming that I can do this even if meal service is not in progress.

Yes, you can walk through the diner anytime.

I'm excited about this trip, although it's still six months away. I'm well aware of the potential for delays, and I've been on long-distance trains before with significant delays, although my previous trips on the Empire Builder were all in coach. Any other info that comes to mind would be appreciated! Thanks

See above for my answers. Enjoy the trip.

 

[oregon pioneer]

Reflections from a long-distance tea-drinker: :wub:

I always pack a stainless thermal mug and an assortment of organic and specialty teabags for my long distance trips. I prefer to drink out of a good thermal mug, because the tea stays hot so much longer. Sipping and watching the scenery roll by, maybe with a book, a video, or just a reason to contemplate, is one of the most pleasant things I can do on a train! And then, sometiumes the mug and teabags come in handy at my destination, since each person's tea selection is a reflection of their personal tastes. Even when visiting family, I can't count on their selection containing my own favorites (and I don't like to impose by making them buy something for me).

There are several ways to get hot* water on an Amtrak train, and all should be free except for any gratuities. Once upon a time, the coffee makers in single-level sleepers had boiling water spigots, but last time I took a trip that involved one of those (the LSL several years ago), that style coffee maker had been removed and the SCA said it was due to "problems" and they would not be coming back.

The lounge car is a pretty easy place to get hot water, but there are caveats: the attendant *must* pour the water into one of their paper cups (both for inventory purposes, and to satisfy health regs. Yes, I know, the cup never needs to touch the dispenser, but "them's the rules, lady"). Then they also have to mark it down on a list as "free water" because they gave out the cup, you know, and cups are counted. Because of the hassle factor, if you tip when you ask for hot water, it will make the attendant more likely to want to give you more. Once I was able to convince an attendant to use the original (unused except to pour hot water from paper to thermal mug) paper cup for a refill.

You can also go to the diner when meals are not being served, and most often they will gladly fill your own thermal mug for you. (Yes, you are allowed to go to or through the diner whether meals are being served or not, in order to get to the rest of the train. I usually try to do it when meals are not being served, or to leave the diner towards the sightseer lounge after my meal and come back later.) Technically, your SCA is supposed to get anything from the diner for you, so diner staff are within their rights to ask you to go through the proper channel, but really, I haven't had a problem doing this.

Probably the least hassle is to bring your own metal mug and an immersion heater. I've seen long discussions about whether the outlets in the roomettes can handle the load. All I can say is that once I had an SCA on the Empire Builder from PDX to CHI (Charles, is he still around? Lucky if you get him) that brought a tea kettle with him, and plugged it in at his roomette #1 for his tea-drinking pax. I made use of it several times, and it did not blow the breaker. Those things use 1000-1500 watts. YMMV.

Sigh. All this said, I sometimes take the "path of least resistance" and just buy the Lipton and drink it with lemon and sugar.

* hot enough to make tea is another matter altogether

 

[ceo418]

Thanks for the replies! I do have another question about the dining car. I know some of these have been answered, but I thought I'd ask again since there have been some changes to the menu. Meals are included in the price. But is there a limit as to what amount of food I could have? For example, for dinner could I order the separate salad, an entrée, dessert, a soft drink, and a bottled water? Or would it just be the one drink? Thanks in advance for your answers. This board is extremely helpful in trip planning!

 

[willem]

Spouse is a serious tea-holic, and packs a hot pot and a thermos for making tea. This is volume-intensive in luggage, but it fits with priorities. Getting hot water one cup at a time would not be a satisfactory solution.

I have often been offered two drinks at breakfast, and I believe I have received two drinks at lunch or supper. As with many things on Amtrak, the policy du jour will depend strongly on the people involved.

 

[oregon pioneer]

I often order both bottled water, and hot tea with dessert. Never been turned down on that one, though once a server frowned at me for doing it.

In the diner, they offer the basic Lipton black tea, and also a Lipton chamomile tea that makes a nice evening beverage.

Ooh, hot pot and thermos... thinkiing about it, but... oh, well, I will most likely keep packing "light" (another relative term).

 

[JayPea]

As for the question about the shower, they provide towels and is open for use 24/7. I often use it around 3 AM myself in order to beat the morning rush. I have worked the graveyard shift at my place of employment for 17+ years and am used to being awake at that hour.