possible trip from AUS to ALB

[eliyahu]

folks,

we're on our way in early december to visit the fallsburg/monticello area in new york and are planning on taking the texas eagle and lake shore limited up to albany, and then flying back via southwest. we'd be using AGR points for the train trip and existing southwest credits for the flight back (hence getting off the train in ALB instead of transferring to ES train to POU for car rental convenience).

however: on the dates we're interested in, only roomettes are available on the LSL and the bedrooms are on the through care from the sunset limited. so here are some questions:

1. my wife, myself, and our under 2 yr-old are travelling. can we do it in a roomette on the LSL?

2. we'd obviously want to grab a bedroom on the eagle, but is the through car on the rear of the train?

3. if #2 is yes, is the sway noticeably worse than the transition sleeper in the front?

4. if #3 is yes, would a roomette be more comfortable motion-wise?

5. would we be eligible for moving into a bedroom on the LSL if one opened up and we booked all-bedroom trip via AGR?

also: is there a lounge car on the LSL and is it actually a good place to relax, i.e., are there available seats normally and is the scenery up to ALB from CHI of any interest?

-- eliyahu

austin, tx

 

[AlanB]

#1: I've seen many people in a roomette with similar sized families. I won't say that it's the best fit, but you should be ok.

#2: Yes, the through car is on the rear of the Eagle.

#3: The sway might be a bit more than in the Trans/Dorm up front, but not substantiallly. On the other hand you won't spend the night listening to the whistle from the engine.

#4: Well when sleeping, the bedroom would see you swaying in a head to toe motion, while the roomette would have you rolling left and right with the swaying motion. Only you can decide what would be more comfortable for you. I've seen many varying opinions on which is better, so it definately seems to be a personal preference and until you try both, you won't know what you like the best.

#5: First, I wouldn't want to bet that a bedroom will open up. There are only six on the entire train, so they fill up fast. Next, I don't think that AGR will book an all bedroom trip if they can't get a bedroom on the LSL. They'll book you two seperate reservations, one for a bedroom on the Eagle and then a roomette on the LSL. So no, you wouldn't automatically be entitled to upgrade. If there is a no show, you might be able to pay the conductor for the upgrade, although I've never heard of anyone doing this. But the conductor won't be able to upgrade you using points, you'd have to pay him either in cash or via credit card.

If a bedroom opens up before departure, then you could get AGR to grab the room for you and to issue new tickets.

#6: Yes there is a lounge car, but it is not like the nice Sightseer Lounge cars that you'll find on the double deck trains like the Eagle. There are no chairs in the car, only tables with booth seating, so it's not nearly as comfortable as a Sightseer Lounge. In fact your roomette is probably more comfortable and will have bigger windows than the lounge car will.

As for scenery, yes there is stuff to see along the way. If you're up early and/or the train is running late, you may get some views of Lake Erie and then after passing through Rochester you'll find the Erie Canal paralleling the tracks on and off for many miles. Although IMHO, the best scenery on the route is south of Albany to NYC as the train runs along the Hudson, but there certainly is nice stuff to see west of Albany too.

 

[eliyahu]

many thanks for your quick reply, alan. i have a few questions for the board, if you don't mind:

1. any chance we'll get the refurbished sleeper on the sunset through car?

2. if #2 is no (or unlikely), what is the general condition of these cars, particularly wrt cleanliness?

3. is it possible to access larger (checked) luggage pieces stored in the lower section of the sleeper during the trip?

the reason i'm interested in the sleeper condition is that this will be our first long-distance trip. i'm going into it with relatively low expectations, but my wife will be going as well, and this will be a big factor in ever doing this again.

by the way, the amtrak guest rewards representative i spoke with on the phone today was hugely helpful. i've been very pleased with the quality of both amtrak and AGR personnel i've spoken with this week about planning the trip and getting questions answered.

-- eliyahu

austin, tx

 

[AlanB]

many thanks for your quick reply, alan. i have a few questions for the board, if you don't mind:

Does that mean that you don't want me to answer? :lol: :lol:

Well I'm going to anyhow. :lol: Although other can and will still chime in I'm sure.

1. any chance we'll get the refurbished sleeper on the sunset through car?2. if #2 is no (or unlikely), what is the general condition of these cars, particularly wrt cleanliness?

3. is it possible to access larger (checked) luggage pieces stored in the lower section of the sleeper during the trip?

the reason i'm interested in the sleeper condition is that this will be our first long-distance trip. i'm going into it with relatively low expectations, but my wife will be going as well, and this will be a big factor in ever doing this again.

There's always a chance, but I wouldn't want to bet on it. My guess, maybe a 20% chance.

Car cleanliness has nothing to do with refurb or not, but everything to do with the crew that last cleaned it and how much time did they have to clean it. Yes the refurbs will have less stains on the carpet and such, but all cars in theory get the same cleaning at the end point stations.

With regard to #3, you seem to be confusing two things here. Checked bags go into the baggage car and are not accessable at all during your trip. Carryon bags can either go into the lower level luggage rack in the Superliner car, or into your room if you can fit it in there. Bags in that lower level luggage rack are accessable to you anytime you want, although you may find yourself having to move other passenger bags out of the way temporarily to reach your bag.

by the way, the amtrak guest rewards representative i spoke with on the phone today was hugely helpful. i've been very pleased with the quality of both amtrak and AGR personnel i've spoken with this week about planning the trip and getting questions answered.

Good to hear.

 

[racer1735]

My son and I were on the 'tail-end' sleeping car of the Eagle last December and the swaying isn't anymore than what you would notice elsewhere. Just the customary back and forth motion of the train. And you have the added benefit of looking out the back door at where you've been. My son found this especially entertaining when we would pass or be passed by freights. And as mentioned, checked baggage goes on a separate car on the train, not on your sleeper.

As for cleanliness, you'll find the train to be spic and span when it first departs, and will gradually grow more cluttered/messy the further into its journey it goes. On the Eagle, the mark between neat and messy seems to happen somewhere in Arkansas on the westbound journey.

 

[eliyahu]

many thanks for your quick reply, alan. i have a few questions for the board, if you don't mind:

Does that mean that you don't want me to answer? :lol: :lol:

not at all! i certainly meant to include you in the "the board." and again, many, many thanks for your help.

by the way, i was able to find out that AGR will book an all-bedroom two-zone even though only a roomette is available on the second leg so long as the customer requests it and understands that the full 30,000 point "price" still applies. basically, so long as you ask for it and tell them you're ok with what's available, they'll book it.

-- eliyahu

austin, tx

 

[Rafi]

If there is a no show, you might be able to pay the conductor for the upgrade, although I've never heard of anyone doing this. But the conductor won't be able to upgrade you using points, you'd have to pay him either in cash or via credit card.

I've done this... more times than I care to admit. <grin> The conductor has almost always not cared that it was a reward ticket, and the one time he said something, his concern was that AGR would, for some reason, charge me extra redemption points even though I had paid for the upgrade (his familiarity level with AGR was nil, as is often the case). On my last reward trip to Orlando with a Bedroom, I even purchased a separate roommette on board for $116 (RMT to ORL), which was on top of the AGR redemption reservation. I wasn't saving on dining expenses since we already has the single bedroom, but it got my mother-in-law out of the bedroom, and it got me back into the bottom bunk with my wife.

You can also send in your upgrade receipt to AGR and they'll credit you points, in my experience, as well.

-Rafi

 

[AlanB]

If there is a no show, you might be able to pay the conductor for the upgrade, although I've never heard of anyone doing this. But the conductor won't be able to upgrade you using points, you'd have to pay him either in cash or via credit card.

I've done this... more times than I care to admit. <grin> The conductor has almost always not cared that it was a reward ticket, and the one time he said something, his concern was that AGR would, for some reason, charge me extra redemption points even though I had paid for the upgrade (his familiarity level with AGR was nil, as is often the case). On my last reward trip to Orlando with a Bedroom, I even purchased a separate roommette on board for $116 (RMT to ORL), which was on top of the AGR redemption reservation. I wasn't saving on dining expenses since we already has the single bedroom, but it got my mother-in-law out of the bedroom, and it got me back into the bottom bunk with my wife.

You can also send in your upgrade receipt to AGR and they'll credit you points, in my experience, as well.

-Rafi

Cool. B) Good to know. First time I've ever heard of someone doing an onboard upgrade with an AGR ticket.

Thanks, Rafi.

 

[eliyahu]

we're on our way in early december to visit the fallsburg/monticello area in new york and are planning on taking the texas eagle and lake shore limited up to albany, and then flying back via southwest. we'd be using AGR points for the train trip and existing southwest credits for the flight back (hence getting off the train in ALB instead of transferring to ES train to POU for car rental convenience).

well, it's no longer an option, it's the plan of record. we've officially booked our first long-distance trip on the eagle and LSL leaving AUS on december 3rd with sleepers all the way. i certainly hope it is an enjoyable trip: with large families and small children, long auto hauls can be brutal. the train gives us the opportunity to arrive more refreshed and (assuming roomettes and early booking) for not much more than a van trip.

i'll post a trip report shortly after we arrive in new york to let you know what we thought of our first amtrak adventure.

-- eliyahu

austin, tx