I went from 2120, room 9 to 2132, room 18, 8 hours before departure.I didn't know Superliners had a room 18. I'm not going to be happy if I get put in coach.
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crescent-zephyr
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Room 18 will be a transdorm. (Roomette is exactly the same. I personally like being in that car cause it’s usually quieter and minimal foot traffic.).
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Agreed. I wish we could request the transdorm. Sometimes the shower rooms are bigger, and they often leave the coffee going all day.
Ok. Never been fond of transdorms. Have always been forgotten by the attendant.
Me, too.
Broken bed in my original room. SCA came to find me. The Eagle was on time for a change.
The only issue with the transdorm on the Eagle right now is on most trains they’ve deleted the baggage car and are utilizing the coach/baggage for checked luggage. So the transdorm is right behind the engine. Let us know how the noise is please.
tim49424
Engineer
I was on the Eagle on the way back from LA back in 2016 and we were forced to terminate in San Marcos due to flooding. We were bussed to Fort Worth and put on the Eagle that was terminated and turned there. I was put in the trans dorm H room and we were behind the engine. I didn’t mind it at all, after a while it became white noise all the way back to Chicago. I imagine the 30 hours stranded in San Marcos plus the long bus ride made me quite exhausted, so I got some of the best train sleep I’ve ever had. I hope OP has a similarly nice transdorm experience.
Seaboard92
Engineer
I prefer the trans dorm as well. It’s quieter you always have a sense of which side your room will be on. And the longer walk for me to the lounge is a nice thing. I wish I could only get the transdorms to be honest.
What is a transdorm? I asked Julie, Amtrak's virtual assistant, but I guess she didn't know either because she said, "I'd love to help you, but I am not sure I understand your question. Could you please reword your question for me?"
crescent-zephyr
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It’s the sleeping car at the front of a train where the on board service crew sleep. Half of the upstairs has traditional roomettes that Amtrak sells when the other sleeping cars sell out.
“Trans” refers to the car being a transitional car from the bi-level superliner to the single level baggage car.
The transdorm does not have its own attendant, so you are sharing with another car.
“Trans” refers to the car being a transitional car from the bi-level superliner to the single level baggage car.
The transdorm does not have its own attendant, so you are sharing with another car.
This is the only negative for me. When I took the Texas Eagle and City of New Orleans, I was in the transdorm each time.
The car itself was nice and quiet the entire trip, and my attendants were both excellent, but I only got about two hours of sleep combined.
Transdorm is shorthand for "transition-dormitory". I doubt the Julie is programmed to understand even the formal name, as it is not something typically inquired on by customers .
I'm used to riding the 4:45 am (or thereabouts) STL-CHI in business class, which is often right behind the engine, and sleep like a baby until Joliet, so I'm not a good judge. The SCA put my bed up in the morning, and I didn't need anything, so it was all good.
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I've been in the transdorm a couple of times, but personally I prefer a normal sleeper. As mentioned earlier, the attendant is pretty scarce and the dining car attendant forgot about us when taking dinner reservations. The train whistle is noticeably louder as well.
And the car is called “transitional” because the end door at the crew half of the car is lower, in order to match the height of doors into single level cars, like the baggage cars. There is an interior stairway that leads down from the upper level to the floor height for that crew-end door.
And the lower level has a crew lounge instead of 4 roomettes and a family room.
And the lower level has a crew lounge instead of 4 roomettes and a family room.
tim49424
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Only pax room on the lower level is the accessible room, aka H.
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I was initially upset when we were given transdorm rooms (two roomettes were a lot cheaper than one BR and neither of us finds the climb easy) across from each other. However, we liked them. Not just quiet but basically a private toilet and shower for us as the only residents. One strange incident was that a family used the crew lounge (family of crewman?).
I'd do it again in an instant.
I'd do it again in an instant.
I'm not sure if "pax" is an acronym that I'm not aware of or just a typo, but the first time I rode Amtrak was the SWC and although we booked a roommette, we were put in a room that sounds very much like what you're describing. We were pretty isolated from other passengers, so I felt free to practice my flute without bothering anyone.
“Pax” is short for “Passenger”
tim49424
Engineer
Correct.
Fully agree! Did roomette 24. No wobbly passengers plopping into your room unexpectedly. Just an occasional jingling of the Conductor/crew's keys as he/she heads to/from the lower level or baggage car.
Rail Freak
Engineer
I was in the transdorm once & don't remember, does the bathroom have a shower? I remember that it was large!
Some Transdorms have 3 Showers, 1 downstairs and 2 Upstairs, one for the Crew and one for Revenue Pax.
Really, mine was just the opposite. I don't usually stay in the room (except to nap or sleep at night) and charge/change batteries as needed. Wander the train and meet folks and enjoy the scenery. But my attendant (she covered the next sleeper too) would always come forward and see if I needed anything when she saw me walking that way. Actually would stop and check if you found me in the lounge too. I usually tell the attendant when they do the initial greet at the room to explain everything that I would turn-down my bed so not to worry about it. And tip them $20 then and then again at destination. Never had an inattentive attendant.
