Requesting a different roomette

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Ana

Train Attendant
Joined
Jul 14, 2011
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In July I'll be in Roomette 2 on the eastbound EB (Seattle to Chicago). I've read a lot of posts and it seems some people don't like this room, while others haven't had any problems. Despite this, I'm a bit concerned about being so close to the bathroom and the stairs so after lots of umming and ahhhing I called last night to see if I could change. The lady I spoke to was very nice, but said that there was nothing else in that bucket and if I changed it would have to be to a higher priced roomette. She suggested that I ask the car attendant during the trip if there is another room available, but I assume it will probably sell out since early July would be a pretty popular time.

Is that the correct, standard response or is it worth calling back another time? Would they have noted my query in the booking - I don't want to call back and look like I'm hassling them. A few years ago when I booked on the SWC I got roomette 2 again and they moved me to 5, but I think I called sooner after my booking. Or should I just not worry and stick with roomette 2?

Thank you!
 
Ana said:
In July I'll be in Roomette 2 on the eastbound EB (Seattle to Chicago). I've read a lot of posts and it seems some people don't like this room, while others haven't had any problems. Despite this, I'm a bit concerned about being so close to the bathroom and the stairs so after lots of umming and ahhhing I called last night to see if I could change. The lady I spoke to was very nice, but said that there was nothing else in that bucket and if I changed it would have to be to a higher priced roomette. She suggested that I ask the car attendant during the trip if there is another room available, but I assume it will probably sell out since early July would be a pretty popular time.

Is that the correct, standard response or is it worth calling back another time? Would they have noted my query in the booking - I don't want to call back and look like I'm hassling them. A few years ago when I booked on the SWC I got roomette 2 again and they moved me to 5, but I think I called sooner after my booking. Or should I just not worry and stick with roomette 2?

Thank you!
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Call back and try another agent. Specific rooms are not hard linked to specific buckets, you need to get an agent that knows how to do it. Don't count on the attendant to move you.

BTW - while 2 is not my favorite I like it all right. The upstairs rooms I personally don't like are 9 and 10 because the ride is a bit rougher and you have the end door banging open and shut right there (or left open letting the track noise in). 2 is in the middle of the car. But choice of rooms is a very personal choice. Some people really like the downstairs roomettes because of the privacy. I hate them myself.
 
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Thanks Zephyr17, I'll try calling back. In the past I've been in rooms 3 (lots of times) and 5, both were fine. I guess 2 isn't so far from 3 so it's probably not a problem. I might be over thinking things!

I don't think I'd like to be downstairs either. I like the view from up high (I live in high-rise so ground floor anything feels weird).
 
Definitely call back. Unless the car is completely sold out, the agent has the ability to reassign the bucket pricing levels among the available rooms ... I assume that some of them just don't want to go to the work of doing it.

As for Room 2, I like it ... mostly because it's extremely handy to the coffee urn! :) The only downside I found is that it's across from the attendant's room, and that room will nearly always be closed with the curtains drawn, so there's no chance of looking out the opposite side of the train. (Of course, most of the revenue passengers keep their curtains closed, too ... )
 
I just called and got my roomette changed from a downstairs one to an upstairs one. I saw another poster who had posted a floorplan layout and was curious as to where our roomette was. (first overnite trip for us) I was disappointed to see that we had been assigned a downstairs room. I wanted to be upstairs as I think I will like the view better. No problem changing it. Try again with your call as she didn't say anything about price.
 
Thanks guys. I will call again. I hadn't even thought about the curtains closed issue - in the past my neighbour and I have benefited from both of us having the curtains open. Otherwise I stand in the stairwell (I've always been on the other side of the train)
 
Room 2 isn't that bad. The people that say it's bad are a little overkill IMO. I've been in worse rooms like 9. It's at the end and it's a little noisy as it's next to the car to car. I think 4 and 5 are the best maybe the one's downstairs too. As far as Bedrooms. I prefer E.
 
Room 2 is my favorite room on a Superliner. It is near the bathroom and the coffee urn.

I always prefer room 2.
 
Our trip next month on the SWC from CHI to ABQ, we were asssigned roomette #2 westbound and #5 eastbound. I never gave it a second thought about switching. There's good & bad with everything.
 
We had room 9 on our trip on EB and we were in the Portland Sleeper, and it was the best room I had. I had the rail fan view! :) Also, it was quiet since there was no though traffic.

On our return trip, we had 10, and didn't enjoy it much. We had the Seattle Sleeper, and we had a lot of traffic from the Dorm and other SEA sleeper going into the Dinning room.
 
I don't understand why "traffic" going past your room would bother anyone. It's generally not that noisy when someone walks past your compartment.
 
Bierboy said:
I don't understand why "traffic" going past your room would bother anyone. It's generally not that noisy when someone walks past your compartment.
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If its by the door to the next car, then I suspect you can hear the door opening and closing and with a lot of traffic, a lot of door action.
 
I guess I just enjoy all the sounds of a train trip -- whether it's the wheels on the rails, the whistle, the doors opening/closing, whatever. To me, that's all part of the what makes a rail trip special...
 
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Bierboy said:
I guess I just enjoy all the sounds of a train trip -- whether it's the wheels on the rails, the whistle, the doors opening/closing, whatever. To me, that's all part of the what makes a rail trip special...
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I do enjoy the trip, just the door open and close all the time, and the door was kinda loud too in a way.
 
TraneMan said:
Bierboy said:
I guess I just enjoy all the sounds of a train trip -- whether it's the wheels on the rails, the whistle, the doors opening/closing, whatever. To me, that's all part of the what makes a rail trip special...
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I do enjoy the trip, just the door open and close all the time, and the door was kinda loud too in a way.
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I can certainly understand that. Admittedly, I don't believe in all my trips in a sleeper that I've been near the door so I shouldn't really judge :rolleyes:
 
Suspecting it was at the end of the car which was at the end of the consist. That means it had a nice straight view to the rear (seeing the rails and the view directly behind the train). Plus, when the train's rounding a curve, you can see almost the entire consist.
 
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We will be in roomettes 9 & 10 for two nights on the CZ this summer. First time ever. Since I always get my tickets 11 months out to the day, we always get 3 & 4. However, these were the outbound and reward tickets so I waited to buy my return tickets first. By the time I reserved, these were the only two roomettes left across from each other. Some tour group must have booked.

Anyway, even though the end door will be close, I don't suspect it will bother us, even when we keep our doors open. We shall see.

As for the OP question, I always have to call and get a room changed after booking online. It usually sticks us in roomettes 2 & 3 and we want to be across the hall from each other. They usually change the 2 to 4 or change both rooms to 5 & 6. Point is, it has never been a change in price to move rooms. They seem to have to do a lot of manual entry to do it, but most seem willing to. Call back and try again. Sounds like you got a lazy rep.
 
I just called back and spoke to a lovely agent named Mary. For her it was no trouble at all and she gave me a choice of 4, 5, 6 or 7 and so I went with 5 for no particular reason. I thought it was interesting that 9 and 10 had already gone.

I was mostly concern about the possibility for the toilet getting smelly (it wasn't the greatest by the time we got to LA when I took the CS) and I usually spend a lot of time in my roomette with the door open. And since I can't stand coffee, someone else will probably benefit more from the proximity to the coffee urn :) I am in roomette 2 on the north bound CS (Emeryville - Seattle) and I won't change that. It's only one night and I'll get to see that I was making a fuss about nothing. Or proven right, either way ;-)

Printman, I could hear a lot of typing so it sounds like it is quite a bit of entering they have to do. I'm glad I asked about calling again.
 
Glad it worked out. I think they may have to manually transfer your room price from one to another. At least that is the impression I have gotten in the past.
 
manderson said:
TraneMan said:
We had room 9 on our trip on EB and we were in the Portland Sleeper, and it was the best room I had. I had the rail fan view!
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What is the rail fan view, and is it specific to room 9?
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The Rail Fan View is the view from the rear door window of the last car of the consist. Since there are no connecting cars behind you, it makes for great photos!!!

RF
 
Any room is fine with me. I've had room two plenty of times. It's fine. As far as the downstairs rooms go I like them too. Nice and private.
 
Rail Freak said:
manderson said:
TraneMan said:
We had room 9 on our trip on EB and we were in the Portland Sleeper, and it was the best room I had. I had the rail fan view!
Click to expand...
What is the rail fan view, and is it specific to room 9?
Click to expand...

The Rail Fan View is the view from the rear door window of the last car of the consist. Since there are no connecting cars behind you, it makes for great photos!!!

RF
Click to expand...
Also on Philadelphia's new Silverliner V's they have a Railfan Seat. Which is the seat next to the engineers compartment which is enclosed and it provides a seat with a view of what the engineer sees. Currently Septa has the "real" rail fan seat blocked off by a rope that says "Do Not Enter". it's causing a major deal between the DVARP (Local Railfans/Rail Rights Group) and Septa It cuts off two seats. Septa wants to install some type of divided that will make the Engineer Compartment open for the Engineer to make it a whole. The Engineers hate the half cab. Which would take out 4 seats. Septa is losing seats in this no matter what.

OT Room 5 is a good second choice. It's right in the middle of the Roomette Corridor.
 
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