Trans/Dorm Car

[Boxcar]

Hello Again Knowledgeable Train People.

In a previous post I asked what a Trans/dorm car was and what to expect while traveling in one. It was answered very well and I might add very satisfactory for me but my "Dear" wife had some mental reservations about it. I have tried to change it to another car but was told that there wasn't another sleeper vacancy available so we are stuck with room 22. I even tried for a bed room instead of a roomette.

For a extra $130 bucks we could change from rm 22 to rm 6 but not cars but that doesn't solve anything.

My question is, does anyone have a diagram or layout of a trans/Dorm Car? :blink:

Are the rooms and showers like one half of a regular Superliner sleeper and the other half a Viewliner (single level) that I suppose the crew occupies?

THX.....BD :huh:

PS.. This train set seems to be fully occupied so I wonder for my own interest how much money Amtrak will lose and the poor old huddled masses will have to supplement? Seriously, will the expenses of a fully booked train eat up all profits of this one trip from Chicago to Austin? :blink:

I fully understand how a half empty train could lose money so I suppose I'm asking that Would Amtrak be profitable if they can get the ridership up say 33%?

 

[Trogdor]

I'm not sure what the worry is about a transition sleeper, or why some people seem so intent on switching out of it to another car. The rooms in the transition sleeper are just like the roomettes on any other Superliner II sleeping car. No difference at all.

In fact, the only (minor) differences that a passenger would notice are the fact that one cannot go beyond the midway point on the upper level of the car (because the other side is for the crew only), and some cars have a shower on the upper level. Otherwise, it's just a regular Superliner sleeping car (the fact that one end has the door at standard height would be of no consequence to the passengers, since they'd never reach that point anyway).

 

[AlanB]

In a previous post I asked what a Trans/dorm car was and what to expect while traveling in one. It was answered very well and I might add very satisfactory for me but my "Dear" wife had some mental reservations about it. I have tried to change it to another car but was told that there wasn't another sleeper vacancy available so we are stuck with room 22. I even tried for a bed room instead of a roomette.For a extra $130 bucks we could change from rm 22 to rm 6 but not cars but that doesn't solve anything.

My question is, does anyone have a diagram or layout of a trans/Dorm Car? :blink:

Are the rooms and showers like one half of a regular Superliner sleeper and the other half a Viewliner (single level) that I suppose the crew occupies?

THX.....BD :huh:

PS.. This train set seems to be fully occupied so I wonder for my own interest how much money Amtrak will lose and the poor old huddled masses will have to supplement? Seriously, will the expenses of a fully booked train eat up all profits of this one trip from Chicago to Austin? :blink:

I fully understand how a half empty train could lose money so I suppose I'm asking that Would Amtrak be profitable if they can get the ridership up say 33%?

I have to agree with Robert, I'm not sure why anyone would be upset about being in the trans/dorm, the rooms are identical to a normal sleeper.

Now that said, room #6 has to be in a different car than the trans/dorm, as all rooms in the Trans/dorm car start at #16 and go up from there. Any room that is numbered 6 in the trans/dorm would have to be a crew room, not a revenue passenger room.

But again, I certainly wouldn't pay an extra 130 bucks to get out of the Trans/dorm and into a standard Superliner sleeper. :blink:

 

[Guest_daveyb99]

As mentioned, Trans Dorms are the same as the other sleepers, except only half the roomsk. The Crew shares the car with you, but are segregated on the opposite side of the stairs.

Here is a quickreference map

(top to bottom)

*front

trans stairs

7 8

5 6

3 4

1 2

mid stair

T

23 24

21 22

19 20

17 18

bev T

*back

Usual config is

**ENGINE

Baggage

Trans Dorm

Diner

Observation

Coach

etc

So the Trans Dorrm is very quiet and close to common areas.

Only down fall I know of is some dont like the train horn sounding all day and night.

 

[Boxcar]

In a previous post I asked what a Trans/dorm car was and what to expect while traveling in one. It was answered very well and I might add very satisfactory for me but my "Dear" wife had some mental reservations about it. I have tried to change it to another car but was told that there wasn't another sleeper vacancy available so we are stuck with room 22. I even tried for a bed room instead of a roomette.For a extra $130 bucks we could change from rm 22 to rm 6 but not cars but that doesn't solve anything.

My question is, does anyone have a diagram or layout of a trans/Dorm Car? :blink:

Are  the rooms and showers like one half of a regular Superliner sleeper and the other half a Viewliner (single level) that I suppose the crew occupies?

THX.....BD :huh:

PS.. This train set seems to be fully occupied so I wonder for my own interest how much money Amtrak will lose and the poor old huddled masses will have to supplement? Seriously, will the expenses of a fully booked train eat up all profits of this one trip from Chicago to Austin? :blink:

I fully understand how a half empty train could lose money so I suppose I'm asking that Would Amtrak be profitable if they can get the ridership up say 33%?

I have to agree with Robert, I'm not sure why anyone would be upset about being in the trans/dorm, the rooms are identical to a normal sleeper.

Now that said, room #6 has to be in a different car than the trans/dorm, as all rooms in the Trans/dorm car start at #16 and go up from there. Any room that is numbered 6 in the trans/dorm would have to be a crew room, not a revenue passenger room.

But again, I certainly wouldn't pay an extra 130 bucks to get out of the Trans/dorm and into a standard Superliner sleeper. :blink:

Thanks again guys. The way Robert explained it was sort of the way I thought it might be. The ticket agent lady definitely told me room 6 but on the same car. I asked if this was a bedroom and she said "No, it's still a roomette." It's good to know that you wouldn't hesitate riding on that car and it's all academic anyway. If that's all that's available, that's all that's available.

Funny... All of a sudden that old tune "Rock Island Line" popped into my head. ..... "Rock Island Line is a mighty fine line, Rock Island Line is the line to ride...If you want to ride you have to get your ticket at the station..etc" or something to that effect.... :blink:

Thanks also to daveyb99 on your input. I never thought about horn noises but at least I'll be close to the diner and indulge in those fine new "Diner Lite" meals... ...... BD

 

[AlanB]

I asked if this was a bedroom and she said "No, it's still a roomette."

The easy way to know the answer to that one, is bedrooms always have letters, A - E on Superliners; A & B on Viewliners. Roomette's are always numbers.

The Handicapped room is room H, while the Family room (only on Superliners) can be listed as either room #15 or room F.

 

[sechs]

This is silly. There are people here who would happily pay extra to be in the transdorm, if only to say that they'd traveled in one.

They're not different; they're more *exciting*.

 

[battalion51]

I wouldn't go that far. LOL But that's just me.

 

[Boxcar]

This is silly.  There are people here who would happily pay extra to be in the transdorm, if only to say that they'd traveled in one.
They're not different;  they're more *exciting*.

Well...I'm sorry if it seems silly too you but to a person that doesn't know it might not be silly.

<_<

Thanks Allen for that added information....Also while we are here, Does the sleeper attendent take care of the whole Trans/Dorm or just half of it and help on another? Inquiring minds want to know.



Thx.......BD

 

[battalion51]

If I recall correctly, on trains where there is a regular sleeper right next to the Dorm that attendant will take care of the car. If not I believe it gets its own, but I'm not 100% on that.

 

[printman2000]

I guess no one knows of a diagram of one of these cars? I would love to see one.

Is it just roomettes all the way down the top floor?

What is on the lower level?

 

[battalion51]

The top floor is all Roomettes except for the shower at the center of the car. Also on the low end there's a Conductors office which is used for linen storage most of the time. Downstairs Room H and the restrooms are setup like any other sleeper. On the other side is a lounge area where the Conductor's typically set up shop. On 39000-39002 there are 6 tables in the lounge area, these Dorms are exclusively for Auto Train. On the rest of the fleet there are two tables side by side closest to the vestibule, then 4 captains chairs. Here's a picture of those Captain's Chairs.

 

[Boxcar]

Thanks Guys............ BD

 

[Guest_daveyb99]

I guess no one knows of a diagram of one of these cars? I would love to see one.
Is it just roomettes all the way down the top floor?

What is on the lower level?

check my earlier post.

not a picture diagram, but it is accurate.

no lower level roomettes on the trans sleeper, but one H.

also, showers on the lower seem to rock less - no pinball like the upper...........

 

[ScottC4746]

As mentioned, Trans Dorms are the same as the other sleepers, except only half the roomsk. The Crew shares the car with you, but are segregated on the opposite side of the stairs.

Here is a quickreference map

(top to bottom)

*front

trans stairs

7 8

5 6

3 4

1 2

mid stair

T

23 24

21 22

19 20

17 18

bev T

*back

Usual config is

**ENGINE

Baggage

Trans Dorm

Diner

Observation

Coach

etc

So the Trans Dorrm is very quiet and close to common areas.

Only down fall I know of is some dont like the train horn sounding all day and night.

I just booked and got room 20. I love the fact I can hear the horn better...strap it to my window as far as I am concerned. With the above layout...where is the shower? Still downstairs?

 

[Trogdor]

There are two showers on the upper level. One is across from the stairs to the lower level, and the other is at the rear of the car, across from the "conductor's office" (room 15, which is never used).

 

[history buff]

Must say that I had the same kind of reservations when I rode the Chief early February. It turned out to be a wonderful experience, our upper level compartment had a rest room at one end and the shower/rest room in the middle. Also it was less crowded than the other first class cars, relax enjoy the ride and the service.

 

[Pat Harper]

I just booked and got room 20. I love the fact I can hear the horn better...strap it to my window as far as I am concerned. With the above layout...where is the shower? Still downstairs?

Your roomette is on the upper level. There is one roomette between you and a toilet (we were in room 18 on our trip to AZ last year). Roomette 18 is next to the toilet.

The shower is at the other end but is shared by the crew.

To get to the dining car you'll have to go through one or more sleepers, but it's upper level all the way. The SCA for your car should be the same one who services the adjoining sleeper.

 

[the_traveler]

Ask and you shall receive!

TRANSDORM DIAGRAM!

(And Alan, revenue rooms start at #17 - there is no #16 and #15 is not used.)

 

[AlanB]

(And Alan, revenue rooms start at #17 - there is no #16 and #15 is not used.)

Um first, room #15 is indeed used, but it's not in the Trans/Dorm. It's the Family room in the regular sleeping car.

Second, when I said that the numbers started at 16, it was back in 2006 five years ago. That was before we had a diagram and just about the time that Amtrak first started selling those rooms. So experience, especially personal experience, had been very limited at that point.

 

[TVRM610]

Just to add my .02, I've ridden in the trans-dorm and had great service. As mentioned, the rooms are exactly the same. The only downside is that you have to walk through one or two sleepers tk get to the diner, but the upside is that the car is quieter cause it's very low on foot traffic. So that is a pretty even situation.

As for the horn, the only time it would be significicantly loud, IMHO, is on a train like the City of New Orleans where the dorm is directly behind the leading locomotive. On a train like the Capitol you have a trailing locomotive and a baggage to distance you, not too bad at all. Of course I've never been bothered by the horn much anyways.

 

[the_traveler]

(And Alan, revenue rooms start at #17 - there is no #16 and #15 is not used.)

Um first, room #15 is indeed used, but it's not in the Trans/Dorm. It's the Family room in the regular sleeping car.

Second, when I said that the numbers started at 16, it was back in 2006 five years ago. That was before we had a diagram and just about the time that Amtrak first started selling those rooms. So experience, especially personal experience, had been very limited at that point.

My apologies for questioning you!

I promise it won't happen again! (Too soon!

)

I didn't notice the thread was 4 years old, until now!