Roomette 19

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njulian

Service Attendant
Joined
May 3, 2007
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154
Location
New Mexico
Here's a new one...for me. Just booked a trip coming up in a couple weeks and was surprised to see roomettes still available and at a not awful price. My Superliner roomette is 019. Never heard of this so looked on the AMTRAK travel agent website and it stated that in busy times there were cars with no bedrooms on the upper level, only roomettes. I've never run across this before, and didn't think end of January was an especially busy time. Anyway..are these newer cars or older? Any differences from what I'm used to?
 
You'll be in the crew dorm. I like it because it's usually much quieter, and the showers have more room (it's a bathroom/shower combo). Sometimes there are two showers - one upstairs and one downstairs. It just depends on the car.

You'll also be closer to the front of the train, so bring earplugs if the horn bothers you.

There will be coffee, juice, etc. available in the sleeper car behind yours. Sometimes the crew has coffee going, though. I've been told to help myself.
 
Slight correction on the Showers Sarah: there are Three Showers in the Transdorm, Two Shower/Bathroom Combos Upstairs and the Regular one Downstairs. The one by the stairs/ curtain to the Crew Area of the Car usually has a " Crew Use Only!" Sign posted!
 
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We actually prefer the transdorm car. Less foot traffic, less noise, and pax seem to enjoy better camaraderie.
 
I second the Transdorm. Have had a roomette once and it was fine. Also used its shower one time when the plumbing in the sleeper behind it quit.
 
Which train are you taking ? I ask because many transition sleepers are being removed from consists next week until march or april.
 
I have always enjoyed the Trans Dorm even if there is no dedicated SCA watching over me; I can pretty much take care of myself on board. Depending on the configuration of the Texas Eagle, the Trans often butts up against a Coach and that can make for some interesting looks from Coach pax as you strut in and out of a car labled CREW ONLY BEYOND THIS POINT.
 
I'll echo what others have said. Last month was the first time that I had ever set foot in a Transition Sleeper. While I wasn't sure what to expect going in, I've got to say that I was very happy with the experience. Being right next to the restroom/shower made it extremely handy for me. And, aside from the occasional crew member passing through, there wasn't a lot of activity in the car (aside from the man in the room across from me who sounded as if he were trying to throw his suitcase through the side of the car). I had been concerned that I might be completely forgotten by the SCA. However, I think the level of attention I received was consistent with past trips. I wouldn't hesitate being in the car for future travels. In fact, I would probably prefer it.
 
This last June my girlfriend and I took an entire trip across the country in roomette 19. We rode the CZ from EMY-CHI and the CL from CHI-WAS. I have done the trip a few times before in a "normal" sleeper car before and I have to say that I really enjoyed being in the transition sleeper. Your car attendant matters a lot. Here are a couple of wordy examples.

The consist on the Zephyr back in June had two coaches behind the transition sleeper, then the lounge, diner and two more sleepers on the back of the train. They added a 3rd sleeper on the back for Denver-Chicago. This meant that we had the coach attendant for the car behind us as our sleeper attendant. He was young and definitely had a lot of trouble with the workload. He forgot to turn down our room on the first night. The second day we talked to him about getting dinner in our room. We asked before arriving in Denver because we figured things would get busier then. He flat out declined us and said it wouldn't be possible. He was such a nice guy, but that kind of irked me, although I felt for how busy he was. After Denver he came back to us and said he could serve us on last call if we still wanted to eat in our rooms. We liked him and he seemed to like us (my girlfriend and I are in our 20s, so I think that helped us relate) but he really made us feel like we were asking a lot at times. I tipped him a few times throughout the trip, so maybe that helped.

On the Capital Limited we had a sleeping car behind us and shared that car attendant. He was AMAZING - he asked us what time we'd like the room turned down, offered to bring us dinner if we preferred, and never made us feel like we were asking a lot. It might have just been the contrast after our CZ experience, but it was no less than I have ever experienced, and he's probably the best sleeping car attendant I've had to date on Amtrak. That CL also got in on time to WAS, so maybe it was just a miracle train in general.

The bathrooms in the transition sleeper were almost never used, often clean, all three showers were available for us on both trains, and I think it was much quieter. The horn didn't seem overly loud and I didn't notice more foot traffic than in a normal sleeper. I think room 19 is far enough behind the staff rooms that you don't hear them much. There also seem to be less kids because they tend to be in the larger bedrooms with their parents and there aren't any larger bedrooms in the transition sleeper. All anecdotal, but that was our experience.

Wow this post ended up longer than I expected. Maybe I shouldn't have had a second cup of coffee today!
 
From this 73 year old perspective, my only concern with your post is why would 20 year olds want much less need to be served meals in their room. In my personal opinion, such service should be reserved only for handicapped and other more elderly passengers who were not capable of walking to and from the dining car.
 
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From this 73 year old perspective, my only concern with your post is why would 20 year olds want much less need to be served meals in their room. In my personal opinion, such service should be reserved only for handicapped and other more elderly passengers who were not capable of walking to and from the dining car.
We brought some nice bottles of wine to have with dinner. It's also worth mentioning that having to make conversation with strangers, as much as I realize some people here won't agree with, isn't something we're always wanting to do.
 
Which train are you taking ? I ask because many transition sleepers are being removed from consists next week until march or april.
I'm leaving January 27 on on the Sunset Limited from El Paso to LAX.

Hmmm..interesting. A new experience! So what is the basic ratio of passengers in ths car to crew? Will they feel like I'm intruding on their space? So, I'll need to probably go to the regular sleeping car for coffee/juice? As far as the food in room issue, Amtrak says it's an available service and I often don't feel like socializing (one of the reasons I get a room) since I'm a loner and carrying on conversations can be exhausting, so is there a steward for this car and will he be miffed if I ask for baked potato for dinner to be brought to my room? In that vein, am I allowed to go to the dining car and just get a meal to go?
 
I can relate to not feeling like socializing. It has always been difficult for me to make small talk in a setting like the diner. In the end, I feel uncomfortable. And, I'm sure that the other folks at the table feel uncomfortable, too. I often have meals brought to my room. That is taken care of by the sleeping car attendant. I have never had an attendant act like it was a big deal -- all have been very accommodating. From what I have experienced, grabbing a meal to go isn't possible. I have asked on every trip, and I have always gotten the same reply.
 
I can relate to not feeling like socializing. It has always been difficult for me to make small talk in a setting like the diner. In the end, I feel uncomfortable. And, I'm sure that the other folks at the table feel uncomfortable, too. I often have meals brought to my room. That is taken care of by the sleeping car attendant. I have never had an attendant act like it was a big deal -- all have been very accommodating. From what I have experienced, grabbing a meal to go isn't possible. I have asked on every trip, and I have always gotten the same reply.
Agree. Socializing can be fine and nice at times, but unless you really connect with someone, which will not happen a lot (hasn't for me anyway), many conversations become the same and that gets boring. Though the one time I did connect with someone it was with a nice looking female my age, and that went well. ;) Especially if you are on a long trip and will have several meal periods. Having the meal in your roomette keeps you from that and also makes it so you don't look rude to others, if you just want to eat and go. When I am in a roomette I either want to sightsee, or I have work I brought with me to do.

Only once, on the Zephyr, have had a crew give me an attitude over it. (and I even tipped them earlier in the day!) It didn't stop me from saying I wanted it this way.
 
So what is the basic ratio of passengers in ths car to crew? Will they feel like I'm intruding on their space? So, I'll need to probably go to the regular sleeping car for coffee/juice?
The two times I've been in the transition sleeper, Amtrak sold 6 or 7 roomettes. You'll be at the back end of the top level and the crew will be at the front end. It's separated by the bathroom and stairs midcar. At no time did I feel like we were in "their" space. On both trains there was juice and coffee available, but I don't think that is consistent on all trips. You may need to go to the car behind you.

As far as the food in room issue, Amtrak says it's an available service and I often don't feel like socializing (one of the reasons I get a room) since I'm a loner and carrying on conversations can be exhausting, so is there a steward for this car and will he be miffed if I ask for baked potato for dinner to be brought to my room? In that vein, am I allowed to go to the dining car and just get a meal to go?

On our trip the dining car said to order from our sleeping car attendant. I wouldn't worry about it. Most sleeping car attendants won't give you any trouble about bringing a meal to your room. The ones who do shouldn't. Like you said, it's part of the Amtrak experience. I would tip though, to be polite.
 
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From this 73 year old perspective, my only concern with your post is why would 20 year olds want much less need to be served meals in their room. In my personal opinion, such service should be reserved only for handicapped and other more elderly passengers who were not capable of walking to and from the dining car.
Le sigh. It's the 21st century, and Amtrak states that in room service for meals is available to all sleeper passengers. Some people would rather not socialize, and frankly, as a person who enjoys the diner, I would rather that those folks eat in their rooms rather than make awkward conversation with me or even worse, respond with one word answers during dinner as I attempt to make polite conversation.
 
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