Luggage Space in Bedrooms

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Dovecote

OBS Chief
Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Messages
846
Location
Miramar Beach, Florida
Mr. and Mrs. Dovecote will be shortly traveling cross country from Fullerton (FUL) to Atlanta in sleepers. On the Albuquerque (ABQ) to ATL portion we will be in bedrooms (FUL>ABQ we will be in a roomette). We are considering not checking our luggage in FUL and carry our luggage on the train. We plan to store the luggage in the commom storage area of the car on the FUL>ABQ leg of the trip. On the ABQ>ATL portion we plan to store the luggage in the bedroom. We will have two large suitcases and one carryon suitcase. Will our luggage store properly in our Superliner and Viewliner bedrooms?
 
There will be plenty of space in the room on the Viewliner. On the Superliner, why not just leave it in the lower level rack?
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Better yet, if you don't need them enroute, why not just check them from ABQ to ATL?
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That way, you would have to deal with moving them from the train, around the station and then to the train in both CHI and WAS or NOL!
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If it's just the two of you, you can fold down the top bunk and put your luggage up there.

Do you both sleep on the bottom bunk?
The last time we were in a bedroom was in the late 80s so I do not recall the space in the bunks. In all probability we will sleep in our own beds but thanks for the suggestion.

There will be plenty of space in the room on the Viewliner. On the Superliner, why not just leave it in the lower level rack?
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Better yet, if you don't need them enroute, why not just check them from ABQ to ATL?
huh.gif
That way, you would have to deal with moving them from the train, around the station and then to the train in both CHI and WAS or NOL!
blink.gif
One reason we are shying away from checking our baggage is the typical long wait in ATL after the trip is complete. Our main reason though is the concern that our bags will not make it to our destination considering there are transfers in CHI and WAS. (How many passengers check baggage from FUL to ATL?) Call me a worry wart but if the bags do not make it to ATL when we arrive we are not in the position to wait the next day for them. We live about 250 miles away from ATL and even though Amtrak has the obligation to get our baggage back to our home destination it would certainly be a hassle for us waiting for the return. We experienced lost baggage once on a Minneapolis>Tallahasse trip that had two transfers (CHI and NOL) and would prefer to not chance a repeat especially if our baggage can fit in our bedrooms.
 
In that case, you'll be really cramped in the Superliner and have space above the bathroom/hallway in the Viewliner.

I'd just check them, I wouldn't worry about the bags making the connection at all.
 
Dovecoat,

Considering all that you've said, I'd try to get your two bags in the luggage rack on the lower level of the Superliner, but failing that, you can still make it work in the room. Put the bags on the upper bunk during the day, and just accept the lost floor space at night.

Once you're on the Crescent with it's Viewliner sleepers, you'll have no problems at all. In adddition to the cubby over the hallway already mentioned, one could actually put a foot locker and then some on top of the sink/toilet/vanity unit. Either stand on the couch with your shoes off, or take out the ladder to help get the luggage up on top of the unit. Just be careful on that ladder!
 
Thanks for all of the suggestions. I will have the boss, Mrs. Dovecote, review this thread and let her make the proper decision. You know if I make the decision it will be the wrong one :giggle:
 
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Here's another ides for "the boss"
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to think about.

Why not short check them from ABQ to WAS, and claim them in WAS, and then hand carry them on the Crescent!
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With the layover in WAS (even if the CL is a couple hours late), you will have enough time to claim them. Baggage claim is an airport style belt, and is located right across the hall from the CA! This way, you won't have to deal with them in CHI, and if you do need a Red Cap to retrieve the bags, the Red Cap stand in WAS is right at the baggage claim area! And you can easily get a Red Cap from the CA!
 
Also, it is possible to sit each bag upright on the end of the upper and lower berth....makes it a little shorter, but not too bad.....I have even used one of the smaller carry ons as a pillow.... :giggle:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Here's another ides for "the boss"
mosking.gif
to think about.

Why not short check them from ABQ to WAS, and claim them in WAS, and then hand carry them on the Crescent!
cool.gif
With the layover in WAS (even if the CL is a couple hours late), you will have enough time to claim them. Baggage claim is an airport style belt, and is located right across the hall from the CA! This way, you won't have to deal with them in CHI, and if you do need a Red Cap to retrieve the bags, the Red Cap stand in WAS is right at the baggage claim area! And you can easily get a Red Cap from the CA!
No! Absolutely not!

If the Capitol is very late, you'll have the choice of catching your train or retrieving your luggage. Not a choice you want to make!

I admit that it's not highly likely that you'd be that late, but it can and has happened. If you check the bags; then check them the whole way. Do not check to just WAS.
 
If it's just the two of you, you can fold down the top bunk and put your luggage up there.Do you both sleep on the bottom bunk?
I'm a bit confused on this. I took a trip in a Viewliner roomette and one way the SCA offered to pull down the top bunk and put the suitcases up there without a problem. On my return trip a different SCA became very rude when I asked for this to be done and I was told that this violates railroad regulations and any SCA caught doing it could be severely punished. I've always wondered if this was the case. Based on the service of the SCA the rest of the trip I suspect it was just an excuse to get out of doing any work at all.

Any idea what the official rule is? Is it different if you do it yourself versus asking the SCA to?
 
If it's just the two of you, you can fold down the top bunk and put your luggage up there.Do you both sleep on the bottom bunk?
I'm a bit confused on this. I took a trip in a Viewliner roomette and one way the SCA offered to pull down the top bunk and put the suitcases up there without a problem. On my return trip a different SCA became very rude when I asked for this to be done and I was told that this violates railroad regulations and any SCA caught doing it could be severely punished. I've always wondered if this was the case. Based on the service of the SCA the rest of the trip I suspect it was just an excuse to get out of doing any work at all.

Any idea what the official rule is? Is it different if you do it yourself versus asking the SCA to?
I'm not sure if there is an actual rule against it, but it certainly is possible that there is a rule. Luggage sitting on the upper bunk is unsecured an in the case of an accident, could become flying missiles. Especially in a Viewliner, it's best to secure it in the cubbyhole a above the corridor. On a Superliner, it's best kept in the downstairs luggage rack.
 
If the bunk isn't going to be used, the car attendant could have been pissy about having to re-make it if you mess it up with your luggage.

We kept our bags up there for the entire honeymoon and didn't have any issues with it. True, they could become missiles in a derailment, but that's a chance that I'm willing to take in order to have my bags handy (and it's not like there isn't going to be tons of stuff flying around anyhow.
 
Perhaps if we had the exact measurements of the Viewliner baggage space that would be a help. If no one can supply that info, I'll measure it in June during our next trip to NOL and post the info here.

I would not want to bring a large piece of luggage into the Superliner bedroom or roomette. There is just enough room for two overnight bags and a laptop in the bedroom, even less romm in the rommette.
 
I would not want to bring a large piece of luggage into the Superliner bedroom or roomette.
Remember that if you bring a bag (large or small) into the upper level bedrooms or upper level roomettes, you have to carry those bags up a narrow stairway 1/3 the width of the car - with two 90º turns on the stairway!
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I myself would not bring large bags upstairs!
 
Perhaps if we had the exact measurements of the Viewliner baggage space that would be a help. If no one can supply that info, I'll measure it in June during our next trip to NOL and post the info here.

I would not want to bring a large piece of luggage into the Superliner bedroom or roomette. There is just enough room for two overnight bags and a laptop in the bedroom, even less romm in the rommette.
The rolling suitcase that I normally travel with is 14 inches wide, stands 23 inches tall, and is 7 inches thick. If I had two of those bags, I could just barely fit both of them side by side in the cubbyhole above the hall. The same sized bag can also fit underneath your seats. One bag could be a little wider than mine by maybe an inch or two, the other I’d say could be approximately 5 or 6 inches wider. They could not be much taller or thicker and still fit underneath the seats. There is also room for a shoulder bag next to the larger of the two seats.
 
If it's just the two of you, you can fold down the top bunk and put your luggage up there.Do you both sleep on the bottom bunk?
I'm a bit confused on this. I took a trip in a Viewliner roomette and one way the SCA offered to pull down the top bunk and put the suitcases up there without a problem. On my return trip a different SCA became very rude when I asked for this to be done and I was told that this violates railroad regulations and any SCA caught doing it could be severely punished. I've always wondered if this was the case. Based on the service of the SCA the rest of the trip I suspect it was just an excuse to get out of doing any work at all.

Any idea what the official rule is? Is it different if you do it yourself versus asking the SCA to?
I'm not sure if there is an actual rule against it, but it certainly is possible that there is a rule. Luggage sitting on the upper bunk is unsecured an in the case of an accident, could become flying missiles. Especially in a Viewliner, it's best to secure it in the cubbyhole a above the corridor. On a Superliner, it's best kept in the downstairs luggage rack.
Ummm. <_< In the case of an accident (read "train wreck" :lol: ) even a bar of soap next to the sink can become a flying missle. :lol: Honestly, I can't spend a lot of time worrying about it. :cool:
 
In the case of an accident (read "train wreck" :lol: ) even a bar of soap next to the sink can become a flying missle. :lol:
Watch out for flying soap!
ohmy.gif
And if the soap bar lands on the floor, and you step on it - you're done!
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I'd be more worried about the "missles" that come out of the in room toilet in a Viewliner!
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ohmy.gif
ohmy.gif
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(Talk about having "Weapons of Mass Destruction"!
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)
 
In the case of an accident (read "train wreck" :lol: ) even a bar of soap next to the sink can become a flying missle. :lol:
Watch out for flying soap!
ohmy.gif
And if the soap bar lands on the floor, and you step on it - you're done!
laugh.gif


I'd be more worried about the "missles" that come out of the in room toilet in a Viewliner!
ohmy.gif
ohmy.gif
ohmy.gif
ohmy.gif
ohmy.gif
(Talk about having "Weapons of Mass Destruction"!
laugh.gif
)
In a train wreck (read "accident" :D ) nothing is secure. After it's all over I'd just want to be able to open my eyes and be able to say that I survived. :unsure: The contents of the holding tank would be near the bottom of my list of concerns. :cool: No pun intended. :lol:
 
The rig I usually take as carry-on consists of one suitcase (21" x 14" x 8") along with a smaller bag (12" x 10" x 8") that slips on top of the larger bag and this rig is easy to roll along. I've been on Amtrak trips where weight has become a problem 'cuz that larger bag contains my laptop and all of its accouterments, as well as my clothes and essentials. My wife also usually carries on similar sized gear. Neither of us would want to cram much more into a bedroom, and we wouldn't even consider cramming that much stuff in a roomette on a Superliner or Viewliner. <_<
 
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