Travelling alone in a roomette

[willyvee]

Hello everyone,

I will be travelling on the California Zephyr eastbound EMY-CHI in June with my father and my brother. We've got roomettes 9 and 10, and I can't remember the car number. This will give me the option to choose which side of the train I want to sleep on when we board (Being the most avid train fan of my family, I will most likely get the room of my choice). My first question is this:

-When travelling EB, which side of the train has the best scenery (I have ridden this train EMY-DEN a long time ago, and I seem to remember the Glenwood Canyon being on the left side, but I just want to be sure)?

Also, since my dad and brother are awful snorers (I hope I spelled that right), I,ll make them sleep in a room togerther, so I will be in my own roomette. Now, I haven't been in a roomette since I was 7, so I can barely remember a thing about my experience (I believe they were called Economy Bedrooms back then). My second question is this:

-What are your opinions about which bunk I should sleep on? Top or bottom?

Thanks so much for all of your help.

-willyvee

 

[AAARGH!]

Hello everyone,
I will be travelling on the California Zephyr eastbound EMY-CHI in June with my father and my brother. We've got roomettes 9 and 10, and I can't remember the car number. This will give me the option to choose which side of the train I want to sleep on when we board (Being the most avid train fan of my family, I will most likely get the room of my choice). My first question is this:

-When travelling EB, which side of the train has the best scenery (I have ridden this train EMY-DEN a long time ago, and I seem to remember the Glenwood Canyon being on the left side, but I just want to be sure)?

Also, since my dad and brother are awful snorers (I hope I spelled that right), I,ll make them sleep in a room togerther, so I will be in my own roomette. Now, I haven't been in a roomette since I was 7, so I can barely remember a thing about my experience (I believe they were called Economy Bedrooms back then). My second question is this:

-What are your opinions about which bunk I should sleep on? Top or bottom?

Thanks so much for all of your help.

-willyvee

The best viewing going east is on the left side.

The Superliner top bunks are tiny. I would sleep on the bottom for sure. If it was a Viewliner car (used on the east coast for the most part), I would choose the top bunk as it is almost the same size as the bottom (if not bigger).

Enjoy the trip! It has the best scenery of all of Amtrak's routes in my opinion.

 

[uptheirons29]

Welcome to the forum, my friend. I've taken a roommette solo journey on the Coast Starlight from LA To Seattle and back in 2007...my first trip in first class too .

As for which bunk to sleep in, definitely bottom one. I'm 6'1, and if I sleep on the top bunk, I'd have to almost sleep in a fetal position....wouldn't be fun on a moving train ..lol. So definitely sleep in the bottom bunk.

Enjoy the privacy and your upcoming trip I'm super anxious to go on mine in August....come on, days....go by fast!

 

[roomette]

-What are your opinions about which bunk I should sleep on? Top or bottom?
-willyvee

Bottom for sure. You might even consider stacking both mattress' for extra comfort and bringing your own pillow from home.

 

[MrFSS]

The best viewing going east is on the left side.

Hmmm - I thought it was best on the right side going east. The river, etc are on that side most of the time.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Hello everyone,
I will be travelling on the California Zephyr eastbound EMY-CHI in June with my father and my brother. We've got roomettes 9 and 10, and I can't remember the car number. This will give me the option to choose which side of the train I want to sleep on when we board (Being the most avid train fan of my family, I will most likely get the room of my choice). My first question is this:

-When travelling EB, which side of the train has the best scenery (I have ridden this train EMY-DEN a long time ago, and I seem to remember the Glenwood Canyon being on the left side, but I just want to be sure)?

Also, since my dad and brother are awful snorers (I hope I spelled that right), I,ll make them sleep in a room togerther, so I will be in my own roomette. Now, I haven't been in a roomette since I was 7, so I can barely remember a thing about my experience (I believe they were called Economy Bedrooms back then). My second question is this:

-What are your opinions about which bunk I should sleep on? Top or bottom?

Thanks so much for all of your help.

-willyvee

You are correct that what is called a roomette today used to be called an economy bedroom.

In fact the whole story of sleeping car room names and how they have changed is a subject all unto itself. It gets even more mixed up when you factor in the pre-Amtrak terminology.

 

[MikeM]

The best viewing going east is on the left side.

Hmmm - I thought it was best on the right side going east. The river, etc are on that side most of the time.

Going EB, the river is on the left side going through Glenwood Canyon, and you have better views of the approach into Denver for the most part on the left. However, there are other canyons where the best views are on the right after you swing off the old DRGW to the Moffat line. But there's always the observation car.

 

[Sam31452]

-When travelling EB, which side of the train has the best scenery (I have ridden this train EMY-DEN a long time ago, and I seem to remember the Glenwood Canyon being on the left side, but I just want to be sure)?

What about Google Earth and having a look at the sides.

Personally I prefer the turning seats in the lounge car.

Down from Glenwood Springs to DEN it's probably left side (as it was right side when I went CHI-EMY).

Grand Junction to Glenwood Springs the right side will be canyon side.

 

[the_traveler]

When travelling EB, which side of the train has the best scenery

The Sightseer has the best scenery - out of both sides! :lol:

 

[deafrailfan]

Which side is Roomette 9 on the CZ? If it's on the left side, then I will have a better scenic view.

 

[Ispolkom]

Which side is Roomette 9 on the CZ? If it's on the left side, then I will have a better scenic view.

Either. You can't predict which way the sleeping car will be attached to the train.

 

[Acela150]

When riding Viewliner's on the east coast with the exception of the Lake Shore and the Cardinal, I sleep in the top bunk. It has a window for nightly viewing some people leave it down for their children. Sometimes kids want to read a book or watch a dvd. I saw it in about 5 rooms on the SB & NB Silver Star. But it is somewhat tight on the person sitting in the chairs.

When riding the Superliner's go for the bottom bunk. Larger. Only one window on the Superliner's and it's the bottom bunks.

Steve

 

[the_traveler]

I've been on trains with 2 sleepers, and 1 had bedrooms first and 1 had roomettes first! So in 1 car, the odd # roomettes were on the "left" side and the other had the even # roomettes on the "left" side!

 

[Bob Dylan]

When riding Viewliner's on the east coast with the exception of the Lake Shore and the Cardinal, I sleep in the top bunk. It has a window for nightly viewing some people leave it down for their children. Sometimes kids want to read a book or watch a dvd. I saw it in about 5 rooms on the SB & NB Silver Star. But it is somewhat tight on the person sitting in the chairs.
When riding the Superliner's go for the bottom bunk. Larger. Only one window on the Superliner's and it's the bottom bunks.

Steve

Just curious, why the exception for the Card and the Late Shore? I always prefer the top bunk on Viewliners, of course the coffin is to be avoided on the Superliners for sure! :lol:

 

[Big Iron]

-What are your opinions about which bunk I should sleep on? Top or bottom?
-willyvee

Bottom for sure. You might even consider stacking both mattress' for extra comfort and bringing your own pillow from home.

For sure double up the mattresses!!

 

[AlanB]

-What are your opinions about which bunk I should sleep on? Top or bottom?
-willyvee

Bottom for sure. You might even consider stacking both mattress' for extra comfort and bringing your own pillow from home.

For sure double up the mattresses!!

Stacking the matresses may earn you some glares from the attendant, since the beds are pre-made with linens and the simple act of moving the other matress will undo all that work.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

When traveling alone in a viewliner roomette I ask for one or two of the pillows from the upper. Propping myself up like that, I can see out the window. I fall asleep looking at the stars, the telephone poles, the lights of the small towns, etc. zipping along.

 

[rtabern]

Generally, on Superliners, I still perfer to sleep in the upper bunk and leave the bottom kept as seats. My reason for doing this is if I can't sleep in the middle of the night... its nice to have an area where you sit up and look out the window until you get tired again. I also have my GPS affixed to the window for most of the trip and like to leave it set up at night too... and generally dont want to burden the attendant to make the lower bed with the GPS unit cord and unit attached to the window. With that said, yeah, its not super comfortable "up there"... but its not horrible either.

 

[Big Iron]

-What are your opinions about which bunk I should sleep on? Top or bottom?
-willyvee

Bottom for sure. You might even consider stacking both mattress' for extra comfort and bringing your own pillow from home.

For sure double up the mattresses!!

Stacking the matresses may earn you some glares from the attendant, since the beds are pre-made with linens and the simple act of moving the other matress will undo all that work.

I was always wary of doing this for the reason you state but I asked the SCA on my last trip and she said she was changing all the bed linens anyway. Her response was "you never know what people are up to behind closed doors."

When in a Superliner I always sleep on the bottom. As soon as I board I lower the top bunk and use it for luggage. It frees up space down below. I am 6' 2" and I still have ample headroom with the bunk lowered.

 

[roomette]

-What are your opinions about which bunk I should sleep on? Top or bottom?
-willyvee

Bottom for sure. You might even consider stacking both mattress' for extra comfort and bringing your own pillow from home.

For sure double up the mattresses!!

Stacking the matresses may earn you some glares from the attendant, since the beds are pre-made with linens and the simple act of moving the other matress will undo all that work.

I was always wary of doing this for the reason you state but I asked the SCA on my last trip and she said she was changing all the bed linens anyway. Her response was "you never know what people are up to behind closed doors."

When in a Superliner I always sleep on the bottom. As soon as I board I lower the top bunk and use it for luggage. It frees up space down below. I am 6' 2" and I still have ample headroom with the bunk lowered.

Yeah, I do the same. It's a bit more comfortable with 2 mattress'. In addition to a nice fluffy pillow from home, I bring along a couple of inflatable beach balls. When these are only partially inflated they make a nice lumbar support, behind all the pillows, for sitting up and looking out the window when the bed is made up. Never, ever got a glare from an attendant. In fact I usually hear, "Wow, you like you're really comfortable. Can I get you anything?" Ha Ha!

 

[willyvee]

Thanks so much everybody for the replies!

Looks like Ill be sleeping on the bottom bunk!

-willyvee

 

[GAT]

Beach balls????? Better save those for the Pacific Surfliner or the Florida trains....HeHeHe

 

[GG-1]

Beach balls????? Better save those for the Pacific Surfliner or the Florida trains....HeHeHe

Aloha

You might even catch one a you go through San Clemente.

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

My usual is a roomette, and I prefer the lower to watch the country views as I drift off to sleep. I place my bags(camera, computer) on the top bunk to one side so as not to make it difficult for the SCA. Now in July I am making a trip on the CS with Evan, my Granddaughter, and she goes upstairs. Will Need to do something about the gear bags. As for clothing I keep it in the baggage rack downstairs, and change in the shower.

My one ride in a bedroom was on the SSL, Orlando to LA, And I did the same.