Taking the laptop in a roomette

[fredevad]

This fall, I'll be taking my first trip in a sleeper and thought I would take the laptop along. I'll be in a roomette and was wondering what 'yall do with your laptops when you go for meals, go to the SL or CCC for a while (and are not taking it with you), or even just go to the bathroom for a few minutes.

Thanks in advance!

 

[PRR 60]

I leave it in the room. I place it out of sight under a pillow, and then close the curtains and door. I have never had a problem.

 

[lthanlon]

I also leave my laptop in the roomette. If I'm in a Superliner with one of those tiny closests, I slip my case in there. If not, I just throw a pillow on top of the case. I also pull the curtains and close the sliding door when I leave the roomette. Never had any problems.

 

[buck1108]

As mine is for my business, I slip it in my backpack and take it to din. It's never been a problem to do that.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

I leave it in the room. I place it out of sight under a pillow, and then close the curtains and door. I have never had a problem.

Ditto, including never having a problem.

I will add, though, if we are taking about a Viewliner, there is that cubby over the hallway which is a great place to hide stuff.

 

[dlagrua]

It is very rare that we hear of theft on an Amtrak LD train. Just to make sure, keep the laptop out of view (under the blankets or in a closet), close the curtains, close the door and go to the diner. In all of the many trips that we have taken we haven't had a problem.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

This fall, I'll be taking my first trip in a sleeper and thought I would take the laptop along. I'll be in a roomette and was wondering what 'yall do with your laptops when you go for meals, go to the SL or CCC for a while (and are not taking it with you), or even just go to the bathroom for a few minutes.

Since you can't lock your room or even keep your door closed when you're away it feels better to just carry it with me. I've tried "hiding" it under the seat or in a cubbyhole or storage nook but the cars I ride are often pretty dirty down there. Just take a flashlight and shine it around the crevices of your roomette and see what I mean. I've seen trash, crumbs, gum, and even toilette paper down there. It's filthy and disgusting and even though carrying my expensive stuff around is annoying it's better than just leaving it for anyone to grab should they feel so inclined. I think part of the problem is lackluster cleaning by employees but it's also exacerbated by a poor design that makes proper cleaning more difficult than it should be. They need to get rid of all the stained carpets and make the floor one continuous piece of linoleum or something. You don't have to take this stuff with you, but that's how I tend to deal with it until they can come up with a way to keep the door closed without taping it shut like a cardboard box.

 

[AlanB]

Buy a cable lock and lock it to the release bar on the bottom of the seats. It's worth the 30 bucks or so for locking up the laptop in other situations also, beyond Amtrak.

 

[fredevad]

[...] close the door and go to the diner.

Since you can't lock your room or even keep your door closed when you're away [..]

Thanks for all the responses. But I'm a bit confused by a few statements. I'll be in a Superliner (won't know I or II until day of, right?), and although I know I won't be able to lock the door (I don't want to reopen that thread!), will I be able to close the door after I leave the room or not?

 

[AlanB]

will I be able to close the door after I leave the room or not?

You can always pull the door and the curtain closed when you leave, and should do so. Whether the door will actually remain closed is another question. Depending on the maintenance of the car and how fast the train stops/accelerates the door may not stay closed.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Thanks for all the responses. But I'm a bit confused by a few statements. I'll be in a Superliner (won't know I or II until day of, right?), and although I know I won't be able to lock the door (I don't want to reopen that thread!), will I be able to close the door after I leave the room or not?

You can close it, but if the train slows down or speeds up it can open up the door again depending on the orientation. The two solutions I've seen on here are:

1. Close the curtains (sometimes the old Velcro works, sometimes not). The door can still open but it will not be immediately evident if you're in the room until someone peaks under or between the curtains.

2. Tape the door shut. The door will remain closed but it might be easy to tell you closed it from the outside depending on how astute the passers by are.

Hope that helps.

 

[Tumbleweed]

Buy a cable lock and lock it to the release bar on the bottom of the seats. It's worth the 30 bucks or so for locking up the laptop in other situations also, beyond Amtrak.

This post makes sense......

 

[fredevad]

Good to know the curtains and the door are separate from one another. Hope one of them stays shut, particularly when I'm trying to sleep!

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[Guest]

I've tried "hiding" it under the seat or in a cubbyhole or storage nook but the cars I ride are often pretty dirty down there. Just take a flashlight and shine it around the crevices of your roomette and see what I mean. I've seen trash, crumbs, gum, and even toilette paper down there. It's filthy and disgusting and even though carrying my expensive stuff around is annoying it's better than just leaving it for anyone to grab should they feel so inclined.

Good justification as to why one should NEVER lick their notebook. :wub:

 

[Bigval109]

I leave it in the room. I place it out of sight under a pillow, and then close the curtains and door. I have never had a problem.

I've never had a problem either. I always travel with my laptop.I just put mine back away and with all my junk it would be a hard find. Plus the attendants know who belongs and who doesn't in the sleepers.

 

[fredevad]

I don't anticipate a problem either, but don't want to send out an open invitation or temptation either.

... and I'll try to stop licking my notebook. I never would have thought about that one, maybe that should be in a sticky post somewhere. hboy:

 

[Eric S]

Good to know the curtains and the door are separate from one another. Hope one of them stays shut, particularly when I'm trying to sleep!

Thanks for all the replies.

Shouldn't ever have a problem keeping the door shut while you are in the room, as it can be locked from the inside.

 

[zephyr17]

Stick it in the closet if you are on a Superliner I, or the "well" beneath the hanger rack if you are on a Superliner II. Draw the curtain and close the door. Traveled tens of thousands of miles in Amtrak sleepers with expensive electronics and never had a problem.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Hope one of them stays shut, particularly when I'm trying to sleep!

Shouldn't ever have a problem keeping the door shut while you are in the room, as it can be locked from the inside.

Yeah, I've never had any problems with the door opening while I'm inside unless I forget to lock it. In general this is not a high-probability crime. You're generally safer than in coach which is generally safer than a bus, if for no other reason than you're often in the middle of nowhere and that's not conducive to a quick getaway. Of course anybody's stuff can be stolen at any time and this very website might be inadvertently dangling some bait in some thief's eye with all this talk of worry-free traveling. I think your main concern should be keeping your stuff out of sight and closing the curtains. It probably wouldn't hurt to be in your room during station stops as well since those would be the times someone could get off with your stuff quickly.

 

[fredevad]

So what I'm hearing is that by using a little street smarts, the curtain, and the door, one will generally be OK.

Thanks!

 

[ourlouisiana]

We've on both the City New Orleans and Crescent, with laptops (2) and camera equipment in bedroom (CONO) and roomette (CR). Never had ANY problems with anyone coming into the room, or anything missing.