Thing's i learned riding on the Texas Eagle

[white rabbitt]

first after having a roomette i would never want to go coach,

i am a coffee drinker, with my roomette the SCA allways has a fresh pot of coffee brewing

in coach it would cost a small fortune buying coffee 5 or more times a day at the cafe.

2-the meals are free in a roomette, i could never afford to eat in the diner if i had to pay for them

breakfast is the crown jewel of meals on the eagle, the eggs, breakfast taters and bacon

are as good as it gets, lunch is cheeseburger that is so huge u cant eat it all and the chips

that come with it are crunchy and good, a ice tea tops off a great lunch, and supper what ever the seafood catch of the day is makes a good meal, just dont drink the coffee in the diner :lol:

the people u meet on the train are some of the nicest people i ever met, jim hutson told me about the sightseer lounge and it was everything he said it was, i think with the red caps give u rides to the sleeper, and the metropolitian lounge in chicago, coach would be a big let down for me, in the sleeper every roomette i saw had laptops and people watching movies playing cards or writeing something,, mybee other people find coach better, but from chicago to austin or san antonio roomette is my choice.

 

[the_traveler]

Anyone (coach or sleeper) can use the Red Caps, but I agree with you on all the other points!

 

[white rabbitt]

Anyone (coach or sleeper) can use the Red Caps, but I agree with you on all the other points!

traveler agreed the red caps are for everyone just seems special

 

[Rail Freak]

I totally agree & I appreciate the ability to sleep horizontal and taking a shower before that morning cup of coffee!!!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

in coach it would cost a small fortune buying coffee 5 or more times a day at the cafe.

How much is a coffee at the cafe and is it real coffee or is it that Douwe Egberts crap from Sara Lee?

2-the meals are free in a roomette, i could never afford to eat in the diner if i had to pay for them

Technically they're just included in the cost. The only time the word "free" is really applicable is when you're being offered something just for showing up. In other words, things like train schedules and luggage tags that you can pick up no matter who you are or why you're there. Everything else is funded through a portion of your purchase, such as your roomette fare.

breakfast is the crown jewel of meals on the eagle, the eggs, breakfast taters and bacon are as good as it gets. lunch is cheeseburger that is so huge u cant eat it all and the chips that come with it are crunchy and good, a ice tea tops off a great lunch, and supper what ever the seafood catch of the day is makes a good meal...

Catch of the day? I've seen trains hit cattle and sheep but never any sea creatures.

 

[white rabbitt]

in coach it would cost a small fortune buying coffee 5 or more times a day at the cafe.

How much is a coffee at the cafe and is it real coffee or is it that Douwe Egberts crap from Sara Lee?

2-the meals are free in a roomette, i could never afford to eat in the diner if i had to pay for them

Technically they're just included in the cost. The only time the word "free" is really applicable is when you're being offered something just for showing up. In other words, things like train schedules and luggage tags that you can pick up no matter who you are or why you're there. Everything else is funded through a portion of your purchase, such as your roomette fare.

breakfast is the crown jewel of meals on the eagle, the eggs, breakfast taters and bacon are as good as it gets. lunch is cheeseburger that is so huge u cant eat it all and the chips that come with it are crunchy and good, a ice tea tops off a great lunch, and supper what ever the seafood catch of the day is makes a good meal...

Catch of the day? I've seen trains hit cattle and sheep but never any sea creatures.

:lol: :lol:lol lol lol that is funny

 

[MiRider]

Well, maybe a roomette makes you and others feel special but, personally, I couldn't eat or drink $195 (roomette to SAS) worth of food, drinks, or coffee on a 32 hour trip - might be worth it food-wise for 2 people but the comfort level doesn't cut it and the value goes down, imo, when you start throwing bedrooms in the mix.

I barely spend $100 on my overnight LD trips and that includes my very generous tips to the Cafe Car attendant and Dining Car staff - I buy all of my food and drinks on board and always have my meals (breakfast and dinner) in the Dining Car.

On my return SWC trip, I sat with some special sleeper pax and one coach pax that stiffed our server

so I tipped for the entire table (after they left) - Breakfast the next day was quite nice

After one expensive overnight roomette experience (almost $500 just for the roomette) that , imo, was not worth it by any stretch of the imagination I've decided I can spend that money better elsewhere so I travel Coach.

I don't expect to sleep like I'm at home on a train, so coach is just fine.

A nice hotel, if I'm staying at one, at my destination is worth more to me than Amtrak sleeper service.

Besides that, how am I going to have fun, interesting conversations with the Conductor in wee hours of the moning in the SSL if I'm holed up in a little nook that I paid too much money for?

As for Red Cap service, when I board in Chicago, I'm on a cart at the gate and on the train as soon as the doors are unlocked - no sleeper needed.

 

[MiRider]

How much is a coffee at the cafe and is it real coffee or is it that Douwe Egberts crap from Sara Lee?

$2, same for soft drinks and it's the DE coffee.

Hell, 10 cups of coffee ($20), 2 steak dinners ($51.50), 1 breakfast ($10.75), and 1 lunch ($11.75) paid for in cash is $94, add a minimum of 20% for tips and you're barely at $115.

I'm basing this on a single traveler, as I said the roomette tariff for the food might be worth it for 2 people but the sleeping accommodations are not - again, jmo.

 

[MiRider]

in the sleeper every roomette i saw had laptops and people watching movies playing cards or writeing something

Just so you know, it looks like that in just about every seat in Coach too, it's not something exclusive to the sleepers.

Some people even have big expensive Macs

with them in the seats of the unwashed masses.

I'm usually catching up online with my wifi hotspot or watching movies I downloaded on iTunes on my, lil' ol' poor person in Coach, iPad.

Just so you know, I'm glad you had a good time but, imo, you could have spent your - what you described yourself as - limited resources in a much, more frugal manner and had just as much fun, had just as much food, had just as much coffee, and then you could have gone on another round trip train ride to San Antonio for almost the same amount of money.

 

[thully]

I'd say I basically agree on the sleeper vs coach - with the exception of AGR trips and (in some cases) bottom bucket roomettes, I feel like coach is the way to go, particularly travelling alone. I just don't see myself paying the normal going rates for a roomette (and definitely not a bedroom) - round-trip, many trips would end up topping $1000! Even a shorter trip (I.e. TOL-WAS), one could easily spend over $700 roundtrip. So far, I've done sleeper twice - once was when I was coming west on the LSL and wanted to make sure I got enough sleep to work that day, and another was when I got rock-bottom low bucket on the LSL BOS-TOL ($144 plus railfare, I believe). I manage to sleep OK in coach through the use of a sleeping mask and earplugs (a must for anyone going in coach overnight). Travelling with someone else may change the equation - but in that case I'd be worried about us fitting in a roomette (and I definitely don't see ever doing a bedroom on anything except AGR). However, I will say that I did coach for 5 days this winter, and I had a great trip

With that said, I do plan to redeem some AGR points for a LD roomette sometime - I definitely want to experience it on a longer trip at least once, and it would be particularly cool to do it on the Coast Starlight because of the Pacific Parlour Car. However, if it's not AGR or rock-bottom low bucket, I'll be opting for coach - as I am for my upcoming WAS trip. Business class on the ther hand - that can be frequently worth it, particularly if the upgrade is inexpensive and you are looking at a route that consistently offers 2x1 seating (such as the Wolverines or #66).

Then again, if you have the money and/or can't sleep at all in coach - by all means go for the sleepers. It all depends on you, though. Personally, I wish they offered something in between existing coach and sleeper offerings that works better for single passengers - such as a berth in a shared space or lie-flat first class seats. I'd probably be a lot more willing to pay half the current going roomette rates for something like that...

 

[Ryan]

How much is a coffee at the cafe and is it real coffee or is it that Douwe Egberts crap from Sara Lee?

$2, same for soft drinks and it's the DE coffee.

Hell, 10 cups of coffee ($20), 2 steak dinners ($51.50), 1 breakfast ($10.75), and 1 lunch ($11.75) paid for in cash is $94, add a minimum of 20% for tips and you're barely at $115.

I'm basing this on a single traveler, as I said the roomette tariff for the food might be worth it for 2 people but the sleeping accommodations are not - again, jmo.

Of course, you also get privacy and a place to lie down flat for that money.

 

[MiRider]

How much is a coffee at the cafe and is it real coffee or is it that Douwe Egberts crap from Sara Lee?

$2, same for soft drinks and it's the DE coffee.

Hell, 10 cups of coffee ($20), 2 steak dinners ($51.50), 1 breakfast ($10.75), and 1 lunch ($11.75) paid for in cash is $94, add a minimum of 20% for tips and you're barely at $115.

I'm basing this on a single traveler, as I said the roomette tariff for the food might be worth it for 2 people but the sleeping accommodations are not - again, jmo.

Of course, you also get privacy and a place to lie down flat for that money.

The only thing I need privacy for, on the train, I do in the bathroom like most other people - I can also change and freshen up at my leisure quite easily in the dressing room baths.

Lying down flat on a train is overrated and, also, overcharged for.... again, jmo.

 

[roomette]

How much is a coffee at the cafe and is it real coffee or is it that Douwe Egberts crap from Sara Lee?

$2, same for soft drinks and it's the DE coffee.

Hell, 10 cups of coffee ($20), 2 steak dinners ($51.50), 1 breakfast ($10.75), and 1 lunch ($11.75) paid for in cash is $94, add a minimum of 20% for tips and you're barely at $115.

I'm basing this on a single traveler, as I said the roomette tariff for the food might be worth it for 2 people but the sleeping accommodations are not - again, jmo.

Of course, you also get privacy and a place to lie down flat for that money.

The only thing I need privacy for, on the train, I do in the bathroom like most other people - I can also change and freshen up at my leisure quite easily in the dressing room baths.

Lying down flat on a train is overrated and, also, overcharged for.... again, jmo.

I seem to always get stuck next to a smelly snore fest in coach.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I agree too that a Sleeper is much better than Coach. A low bucket sleeper is worth every dollar. The meals are just too expensve if you're in Coach. They also run out too fast.

 

[TML]

I agree with your assessment on sleepers. Although I've only been on sleepers back in my native China, I have taken Greyhound overnight, and those experiences prove to me that if I ever travel on Amtrak and the trip involves traveling overnight, I'd be sure to book a sleeper. Sleeping an entire night in a "seated" position is simply too uncomfortable for me.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

I have taken Greyhound overnight, and those experiences prove to me that if I ever travel on Amtrak and the trip involves traveling overnight, I'd be sure to book a sleeper. Sleeping an entire night in a "seated" position is simply too uncomfortable for me.

I've never taken a bus overnight and hope I never do, and I'm in general agreement on preferring a sleeper over Coach. There's a fair amount of recline on Amtrak Coach seats, though, so they're not as vertical as Greyhound's, and I think it's safe to say that if one must go overnight Coach by train (and I have), it still beats the daylights out of any bus.

 

[Ispolkom]

I have taken Greyhound overnight, and those experiences prove to me that if I ever travel on Amtrak and the trip involves traveling overnight, I'd be sure to book a sleeper. Sleeping an entire night in a "seated" position is simply too uncomfortable for me.

I've never taken a bus overnight and hope I never do, and I'm in general agreement on preferring a sleeper over Coach. There's a fair amount of recline on Amtrak Coach seats, though, so they're not as vertical as Greyhound's, and I think it's safe to say that if one must go overnight Coach by train (and I have), it still beats the daylights out of any bus.

Oh Amtrak coach is vastly better for overnight than Greyhound. Seats are wider, have bigger pitch. I did Greyhound overnight once when I was in my mid-20s. I'll still do coach overnight on Amtrak, when I'm nearly twice that age.

 

[RampWidget]

I'd say I basically agree on the sleeper vs coach - with the exception of AGR trips and (in some cases) bottom bucket roomettes, I feel like coach is the way to go, particularly travelling alone. I just don't see myself paying the normal going rates for a roomette (and definitely not a bedroom) - round-trip, many trips would end up topping $1000! Even a shorter trip (I.e. TOL-WAS), one could easily spend over $700 roundtrip. So far, I've done sleeper twice - once was when I was coming west on the LSL and wanted to make sure I got enough sleep to work that day, and another was when I got rock-bottom low bucket on the LSL BOS-TOL ($144 plus railfare, I believe). I manage to sleep OK in coach through the use of a sleeping mask and earplugs (a must for anyone going in coach overnight). Travelling with someone else may change the equation - but in that case I'd be worried about us fitting in a roomette (and I definitely don't see ever doing a bedroom on anything except AGR). However, I will say that I did coach for 5 days this winter, and I had a great trip

With that said, I do plan to redeem some AGR points for a LD roomette sometime - I definitely want to experience it on a longer trip at least once, and it would be particularly cool to do it on the Coast Starlight because of the Pacific Parlour Car. However, if it's not AGR or rock-bottom low bucket, I'll be opting for coach - as I am for my upcoming WAS trip. Business class on the ther hand - that can be frequently worth it, particularly if the upgrade is inexpensive and you are looking at a route that consistently offers 2x1 seating (such as the Wolverines or #66).

Then again, if you have the money and/or can't sleep at all in coach - by all means go for the sleepers. It all depends on you, though. Personally, I wish they offered something in between existing coach and sleeper offerings that works better for single passengers - such as a berth in a shared space or lie-flat first class seats. I'd probably be a lot more willing to pay half the current going roomette rates for something like that...

Wouldn't two lie-flat seats take up the same amount of space (roughly) as a 2-berth roomette? Of course, it wouldn't need plumbing or walls...

 

[MiRider]

I have taken Greyhound overnight, and those experiences prove to me that if I ever travel on Amtrak and the trip involves traveling overnight, I'd be sure to book a sleeper. Sleeping an entire night in a "seated" position is simply too uncomfortable for me.

I've never taken a bus overnight and hope I never do, and I'm in general agreement on preferring a sleeper over Coach. There's a fair amount of recline on Amtrak Coach seats, though, so they're not as vertical as Greyhound's, and I think it's safe to say that if one must go overnight Coach by train (and I have), it still beats the daylights out of any bus.

Oh Amtrak coach is vastly better for overnight than Greyhound. Seats are wider, have bigger pitch. I did Greyhound overnight once when I was in my mid-20s. I'll still do coach overnight on Amtrak, when I'm nearly twice that age.

I'll probably try a sleeper again someday, if I can get a super cheap onboard upgrade or an incredibly low bucket.

Just for the sake of comparison...

Greyhound seats on the new buses

Coach seats on Amtrak

 

[MiRider]

I agree too that a Sleeper is much better than Coach. A low bucket sleeper is worth every dollar. The meals are just too expensve if you're in Coach. They also run out too fast.

How can the meals be too expensive because you're in coach?

You're not getting free food because you're in a sleeper.

You're paying coach fare plus sleeper fare - the meals are built into that price.

Also, I've always been able to get a reservation for dinner and lunch (if required).

I don't recall the Dining Car ever running out of food - limited selections due to low passenger load, but that's been my experience.

On my last TE trip, they had a total of 8 sleeper passengers and when I had dinner, there were 6 of us in the diner - trust me, they wanted anyone and everyone to eat in the diner.

It was one of my favorite dining experiences as the LSA and I hit it off and had a great time.

 

[fillyjonk]

I vastly prefer the sleeper myself for two reasons:

1. Being able to lie flat to sleep. (I have a very hard time sleeping even partly sitting up)

2. I am a "crazy magnet" and I like being able to close the door and not have to talk with other people. If that makes me a misanthrope, fine. I've heard more than enough sad stories of botched operations, kids gone wrong, people claiming they were unjustly arrested/imprisoned to last me the rest of my life. I don't know why I attract people who want to tell me their life's story, but I just do.

 

[russianrail]

Having done lots of travel (but not enough) in both coach and sleeper, I can and do do both. When I can do sleeper - either AGR or someone else is paying the coach fare and I have a little extra, I will up for the sleeper. It really helps out with meal times and if trains are late. Extras like the PPC are true joys. I also enjoy the lounges as a place to store luggage for the day and to snack. My big gripe about coach is that almost all of the time on longer distance trains, the crews are assigning seats and usually as a solo traveler this means getting an aisle seat or stuck with a very poor window (or as in one Cardinal trip, no window at all as I was placed in the very front row of the car).

I do wish we had some more European/Russian Style Sleepers - 4 or 6 people to a room with flat beds at night. Great for getting a good night's sleep, but not that pricey.

 

[VentureForth]

It's hard to pay full price for a sleeper. But I agree with russianrail - if I have a discounted way of being a roomette passenger, I will snatch it up - especially if I have a layover in a major city like WAS, NYP or CHI with access to their lounge.

I get extremely ADHD when travelling. I get my scanner out, my maps, timetables, GPS, etc. I hate imposing that on my coach seat neighbor. It's nice to leave my laptop & gps out and running and to be able to leave my seat without as much fear of it getting stolen. Being able to sleep on the top bunk and keeping the lower seats intact is also very nice - especially on a Viewliner where there is a window on top.

I agree with all that the meals are a great bonus and that we do, in fact, pay for them. The juice, coffee, and bottled water is very nice, too. Although, I would rather have the 16.9 (500 ml) bottles of water than the little tiny 12 oz bottles. Powdered drinks are designed to the half liter bottles.

I get plenty of passenger interaction in the lounge and diner. And the best part is that I can turn it off if someone suddenly thinks that I'm their best friend in the whole wide world and they want to tell me their life biography.

 

[JayPea]

I've done a long - distance trip by coach (only because of cancellations and it was either go coach or not at all) and I much prefer the sleeper. I don't sleep well sitting up and I'm antisocial enough to prefer my privacy. I'll go coach if need be but prefer not to.

 

[Texan Eagle]

I guess the discussion is not at all about whether sleeper or coach is the preferred way to travel overnight. I believe the verdict is unanimous on that- if you give me a choice of a coach seat and a sleeper on a platter to choose one, I'd obviously choose sleeper. The question is, how much is the extra money spent on sleeper worth? At what point does sleeper stop from being a great value for extra money paid to becoming an expensive luxury.

I agree with everyone who said Amtrak needs to have a sleeper class where tickets are sold by berth, not by rooms, so that solo travelers can also consider paying something extra over coach fare to get a flat bed to lie down on. It amazes me how often this suggestion comes up in all sorts of threads but nobody at Amtrak has considered this.