Transition sleeper

[steve4031 from work]

I just booked a trip on the City of New Orleans, and Iwas told that I was in room 23. Normally, the highest room number for a standard room is 14 on a regular superliner sleeper. So now I know that I am on the transition sleeper. Where is room 23 located? Do I have access to a shower in the transition sleeper? Are there a lot of problems with the onboard service crew because they also use space in this car?

Thanks for your information.

 

[Trogdor]

All revenue rooms in the transition sleeper are on the upper level. There should be shower access. I don't know how the crew deals with it, but I'd imagine that if you stay out of their space, there shouldn't be any problem whatsoever.

 

[Amtrak employee]

Room 23 in the transition sleeper is at the head of the center stairs on the left (fireman's side) of the train. Depending on the cars' configuration (Some of the first trans/sleepers are different) the shower/restroom should be right next door. There are also showers located on the lower level. Most employees do not mind the sleeper being booked. However, they do mind being woken up from their 4hours of down time (all they get per night) for a question about where we are or "can I get another pillow?"

 

[RandyJay]

Based on my experiences in the dorm on 21/22, the crew is pretty indifferent to the passengers in the car. The down side of this is that most of my rides have been pretty noisy - remember the crew lounge is downstairs and that is where the conductor (and his radio!) spend a lot of time. The sound really carries well up the stairs, so you get to hear it all, radio and crew conversations. I have joked before that you don't even need to bring your own scanner if you are booked in the dorm!

The attendant will likely be splitting his/her time between your car and a coach, so they are a little harder to find at times. Also since there is no refreshment station as in regular Superliner sleepers, the ice, juice and bottled water is usually set out in room 15. Coffee may or may not be avaialble. No problem on restrooms or showers, as mentioned above there will be one next to your room and others. Other than those issues, it's just like being in a regular Superliner standard room.

 

[Guest_steve4031]

Thaks for the information. It sounds like there is a shower on the upper level which is unusual for a superlienr. Should work out OK for me, because I can sleep through the extra noise from the conductor and crew. Ironically, I will be paying a little more to ride in the transition car than I will be paying in a regular sleeper, even though there sounds like there might be potential drawbacks. At 362 round trip from Chicago to New Orleans in first class, the price is pretty good no matter how you slice it.

 

[Steve4031]

Does anybody have any car diagrams of these cars that are online?

 

[dh127]

I noticed this topic mentioned the transition sleeper. I took the Texas Eagle in May, and on the way back to Chicago was in room 21 in the transition sleeper. I also spotted something the other day that indicated that the Texas Eagle and City of New Orleans shared train sets, so I suspect they are set up the same way.

My recollection was my room was on the left side facing forward, and just up the stairway, although I may have been the second room back from the mid-point. The dining car was just aft of the transition car, so it was a shorter trip going to the dining car than on the trip to Texas when I was in the last car. There was a restroom with a shower on the right hand side of the car at the rear end. I don't recall if it was 8 or 10 rooms in the rear half of the car for passengers. There was a curtain that separated the front half of the car which was for the crew.

I noticed there was a recent post asking about floor plans for the cars. I know there is a site that showed floor plans for the cars on the Texas Eagle. I think that site is something like www.texaseagle.com although the only floor plan I have ever seen for the transition sleeper was on the passenger safety instruction card I saw on the train. It had floor plans for all of the Superliner cars, showing also where things like fire extinguishers, and exits are located. I would like to see that posted on the Amtrak site, as it would be helpful.

Going to Texas I was on the lower level of the sleeper car, and the rooms were similar, although one difference I noticed was the storage. The transition sleepers are all Superliner II, and instead of the really thin closet, they have a short coat rack and more space beside the seat for storing a small suitcase. In the restroom, I noticed that the flushing mechanism on the toilets was different on the transition sleeper (Superliner II) than it was on the regular sleeper car (Superliner I). I think I liked the Superliner II better.

 

[Steve4031]

Thanks for the additional information.