Question about Amtrak Bedrooms & Roomettes

[sunchaser]

I must admit I am very jealous after looking at the City Night Line website.... not just at the pretty accomodations. But the very fact that there is a dedicated NIGHT TRAIN carrier..... oh my word.

And they have facilities to carry bicycles. At the bottom of this seat61 page there's a promotional video. I am so impressed by the gentleman's stripy pajamas.

What is the price difference between Amtrak & City Night Line?

How many miles is the trip?

I noticed that only breakfast is included.

It would be fun! Don't think I'll ever make it to Europe, though.

Those are some snazzy jammies-I thought hers should have been more snazzy too!

 

[Jeremy]

Wife and I rode all over Europe with Eurail passes some years ago. One leg of our journey was an IC (InterCity) train between Zurich and Frankfurt. Really comfortable First Class coach seats and a mobile pay phone for calling ahead to our destination (this was way back in 1986!). At one point I used my stopwatch and the km markers alongside the track to clock the train at 180 KPH (110 MPH).

 

[J-1 3235]

Anyone know what other railways have in place... VIA rail, International rails? Be interesting to know if Amtrak is in good company or not.

On my VIA Ocean trips this past October, I was issued key cards for my bedroom. This was a train of Renaissance cars. The attendant had a master key.

When I last travelled the Canadian, with Budd equipment, I don't believe I had a key to my room.......I may be wrong; the trip was a few years ago.

Mike

 

[AlanB]

When the viewliners were first delivered, they had a mechanical lock within the door (Still could not be used from the outside). They ended up failing and have been replaced with a simple hook and latch type deal.

Actually it wasn't so much that they failed, as the fact that many people just couldn't seem to figure out how to properly use them. You had to push on the lower part of the bar to get it to open as it pivoted off the top end. But people would start pushing the top, where you didn't have enough leverage to move it, and then panic when it didn't work.

When a lock actually did fail, it was more expensive to replace, which coupled with the above is what led to their demise.

Overall however IMHO it was a superior lock to what is now in use. It allowed the door to stay shut even when you weren't in the room. With the hook/latch, every time the train stops or accelerates the doors move open/closed depending on orientation, unless of course you're in the room and lock it.

Ps. Those old locks could be locked from the outside if you knew the trick. It required a small screwdriver or a dime would often work too.

 

[AlanB]

(hay, they can't keep coffee pots working).

That's a result of Amtrak's failure to budget money to actually fix things, not a function of their mechanical abilities.

 

[AlanB]

I even leave my wallet behind, taking only my ticket stub(s) and a few dollars for a tip.

While I'm comfortable leaving my laptop behind, when covered, or even my camera; I would never leave my wallet behind. That's just asking for trouble.

And while rare, thefts do happen. Last July coming home on the EB my sleeping car attendant has his $80 sunglasses stolen from his room. Considerable suspicion fell on a couple of young kids who were on that train and in his car, we were in the Trans/dorm, but without evidence or an eyewitness he couldn't accuse them and he unfortunately arrived into Chicago without ever getting his sunglasses back.

So my suggestion is to not leave small things like that, and especially a wallet, behind in your room in plain site. At least put them into your bag and close it up.

 

[TVRM610]

When the viewliners were first delivered, they had a mechanical lock within the door (Still could not be used from the outside). They ended up failing and have been replaced with a simple hook and latch type deal.

Actually it wasn't so much that they failed, as the fact that many people just couldn't seem to figure out how to properly use them. You had to push on the lower part of the bar to get it to open as it pivoted off the top end. But people would start pushing the top, where you didn't have enough leverage to move it, and then panic when it didn't work.

When a lock actually did fail, it was more expensive to replace, which coupled with the above is what led to their demise.

Overall however IMHO it was a superior lock to what is now in use. It allowed the door to stay shut even when you weren't in the room. With the hook/latch, every time the train stops or accelerates the doors move open/closed depending on orientation, unless of course you're in the room and lock it.

 

Ps. Those old locks could be locked from the outside if you knew the trick. It required a small screwdriver or a dime would often work too.

Totally agree... and that brings up another point, if your on a viewliner not only can you not lock your door from the outside.. you can't even keep it closed while your gone, unless the train happens to be traveling slightly downgrade the entire time.

For some reason I thought there was a weird way to lock those doors from the outside... but I thought I was dreaming that.

 

[DesertRat]

I had no problems with leaving my lappy and stuff in the room either. But....if I were to travel more frequently...I'd probably want to either get a computer cable lock like somebody here said, or subscribe to a "lo-jack" service. I understand this has been pretty usefull in tracking (no joke intended) down errant laptops.

 

[rail_rider]

A couple of time I've left cell phone, camera or laptop out on a seat or tray table and wondered off to the lounge or diner before I remembered I'd left them out. Didn't feel good about it but always found everything right where I left them. I don't like to close the door when I'm in the room but I'll alternate closing it for short periods and sometime I'll just close the curtin so I don't set a patern for someone with an eye out for a quick grab and run. Overall I feel safe in a sleeper and never had a problem.

In the morning I let the SCA know when I'm going to breakfast so he can make up the room for the day. When he finishes he closes it back up the way I'd left it.

 

[ScottC4746]

Very simply, do they lock from the outside?
When we go to the diner, or the lounge, or want to leave our bedroom for whatever reason, will we be able to lock it?

I've seen posts on AU about folks getting on board and having the SCA show them to their room, give them a brief orientation talk and take their Diner reservations. I've never seen anything said like, "and gave us our room key."

If we can't lock the room when we leave it for a while, I certainly wouldn't want to leave anything of value in there.

I have heard most people draw the curtain when they are out.

Last summer I accidently left my wallet in plain sight when I went to breakfast and it was still there along with everything inside when I got back. Luck of the draw, I would not try that again but just saying.

 

[zephyr17]

Very simply, do they lock from the outside?
When we go to the diner, or the lounge, or want to leave our bedroom for whatever reason, will we be able to lock it?

I've seen posts on AU about folks getting on board and having the SCA show them to their room, give them a brief orientation talk and take their Diner reservations. I've never seen anything said like, "and gave us our room key."

If we can't lock the room when we leave it for a while, I certainly wouldn't want to leave anything of value in there.

I have heard most people draw the curtain when they are out.

Last summer I accidently left my wallet in plain sight when I went to breakfast and it was still there along with everything inside when I got back. Luck of the draw, I would not try that again but just saying.

I've been riding Amtrak literally since May 1, 1971 with tens of thousands of miles in sleepers. My latest trip in October 2009 was between Tacoma, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Chicago, back to Tacoma via LA. On that alone I spent at least part of the day for 10 days rolling onboard in sleepers. The only trouble I had was someone broke into my truck and tried to steal it while it was parked at the station.

Yes, the doors only lock from the inside. I always draw the curtains and close the door when leaving my room, and make sure valuables are out of sight. I have NEVER had the slightest problem.

I have always traveled with expensive equipment, always with at least an SLR camera and lenses. Currently I travel with the SLR, a laptop computer, a 120 GB Zune. I sure don't lug it all to the diner.

Becaue I use a CPAP machine, I further wire up the room with a power strip. Since I have the strip anyway, it usually has a bunch of chargers plugged into it (cell phone, Zune, laptop), so even if the expensive stuff is not in plain view, it is clear I have something.

I have never, ever had a problem. Chill out, enjoy your trip, and worry about something real.

 

[sunchaser]

More panoramas of the Deluxe Sleeper on the City Night Line here and here. Very nice!

 

[PaulM]

More panoramas of the Deluxe Sleeper on the City Night Line here and here. Very nice!

The key word is "deluxe", the equivalent of Amtrak's bedroom. In June of 2008 my wife and I must have had the equivalent of a roomette on the City Nite Line from Vienna to Dortmund. Although the car was new and shiny, the room was about the size of Amtrak's roomette. I don't recall a key card type of lock nor a shower in the car. Also, the breakfast was very disappointing, only some pastry and coffee in the room. It is also hard to equate the on board service because typically the attendant makes up your bed and brings breakfast in the morning; and that is all that is expected or needed.
The poster who mentioned bicycles was correct. But in Europe that is standard on all but the high speed trains (ICE, TGV, etc.).

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

On a recent Texas Eagle trip, the AC from STL-CHI actually made rounds through the Sleepers to see how everyone was doing and was fascinated I had a scanner and that folks are interested in railroad chatter. But I could tell he was new and still very enthusiastic. And like some of the other folks indicated, while I may haul my "toys" to the Lounge and set up shop there I don't take them to the Diner, but have never worried about leaving valuables in the room provided the curtains are drawn and door is shut.

 

[printman2000]

I purchased a lock for my laptop before my first rain trip. I used it then, but have not used it on any other trips. The risk is minimal.

 

[kashed]

I usally have my door and curtains shut when I am in the room, and I leave it this way when I leave the room--I do leave many toys in my room, and have not had a problem yet in quite a few LD trains.

 

[JayPea]

I've never had a problem either by closing both the door and the curtains. I don't have that many toys, just a video camera and digital camera, and make sure those are out of sight. I've never had any sort of problems.

 

[user 683]

I haven't experienced any problems leaving things unattended in roomettes. I make sure toys are out of plain sight and draw the curtains when heading to meals, etc. As a matter of routine, I keep my bags locked.

 

[Chris J.]

On my last trip I had a netbook; a camera and an MP3 player. I just made sure they were all kept in a bag (small day-sack type thing) and not left on the chair or whatever in the room. I think i put some clothes on top of them in the bag.

I always keep my wallet and keys with me; and generally my phone. I have left my phone charging in my roomette before, but made made sure it was off. That way it charges a bit quicker and can't ring and annoy other passengers while I'm not there to take the call anyway. Might get thrown out of the door at the next stop by an irate passenger :lol:

 

[Jody]

When the viewliners were first delivered, they had a mechanical lock within the door (Still could not be used from the outside). They ended up failing and have been replaced with a simple hook and latch type deal.

Actually it wasn't so much that they failed, as the fact that many people just couldn't seem to figure out how to properly use them. You had to push on the lower part of the bar to get it to open as it pivoted off the top end. But people would start pushing the top, where you didn't have enough leverage to move it, and then panic when it didn't work.

When a lock actually did fail, it was more expensive to replace, which coupled with the above is what led to their demise.

Overall however IMHO it was a superior lock to what is now in use. It allowed the door to stay shut even when you weren't in the room. With the hook/latch, every time the train stops or accelerates the doors move open/closed depending on orientation, unless of course you're in the room and lock it.

 

Ps. Those old locks could be locked from the outside if you knew the trick. It required a small screwdriver or a dime would often work too.

Totally agree... and that brings up another point, if your on a viewliner not only can you not lock your door from the outside.. you can't even keep it closed while your gone, unless the train happens to be traveling slightly downgrade the entire time.

For some reason I thought there was a weird way to lock those doors from the outside... but I thought I was dreaming that.

Not dreaming. I've seen locks on rooms that had been taken over by employees. I don't recall how they did it, but they were there.

 

[the_traveler]

Not dreaming. I've seen locks on rooms that had been taken over by employees. I don't recall how they did it, but they were there.

On some runs (like the Cardinal - where the crew uses a "regular" sleeper) or in the trans-dorm, you will see locks on the crew's rooms. Mainly because they may be gone from their room from like 5:30 AM to 10 PM! You may be gone for a long time, but you have the option to come back. They don't!

 

[Green Maned Lion]

The transdorm rooms have built in hasps for locks.

 

[AlanB]

The transdorm rooms have built in hasps for locks.

I don't believe that they were built in "original", they were added later.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I'm pretty sure they were, or their integration is amazing. they have latches built into the door, the hasp blocks the latch from working.

 

[oldtimer]

The transdorm rooms have built in hasps for locks.

I don't believe that they were built in "original", they were added later.

Sorry Alan B. I was involved in the planning construction and roll out of the Superliner II's (where the Transdorms originated) and the hasps were there from the planning stage. The idea was a suggestion was one of several that came from round table discussions with employees, OBS,Mech. and T&E participated in.

I think we need to mark the calender on this one as the GML got on on Alan B, by the way this is the other Alan B.