upper level or lower?

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we have booked a trip on the empire builder and was asigned roomette 13 which i find is on the lower level. any input on if we are better off on the lower level or if the upper level would be better.
 
we have booked a trip on the empire builder and was asigned roomette 13 which i find is on the lower level. any input on if we are better off on the lower level or if the upper level would be better.
Some like upper, some like the lower. I've been on both & like the lower for it's privacy & convenience to the shower/ rest rooms. Like the upper for viewing & convenience to the diner. I'm not disappointed at either level! :)

RF
 
Most people opt for the "better view" of the upper level roomettes. Depending on track conditions, the car may sway a bit and those on the upper level will feel it more. Lower level is closer to the shower, the baggage storage area, and the doors (for those who indulge in smoke/jogging breaks). There are also two or three toilets on the lower level against only one on the upper. There's also less traffic -- pax in other sleepers will pass through the upper level of your car to gain the diner. The only people in the lower section of the car will be those who 'live' there, upper level pax coning down for a shower, or those entering/exiting the train at a station. The coffee and such are on the upper level and you will have to climb the stairs to pass into another car (diner, lounge, cafe car, etc.). So there are benefits both upper and lower.

BTW, how do you know you are in roomette 13? I just checked my paid reservation (EB, September 2010, PDX-CHI-PDX) and there doesn't seem to be anything about roomette numbers, just that we have one.

Jeremy
 
Most people opt for the "better view" of the upper level roomettes. Depending on track conditions, the car may sway a bit and those on the upper level will feel it more. Lower level is closer to the shower, the baggage storage area, and the doors (for those who indulge in smoke/jogging breaks). There are also two or three toilets on the lower level against only one on the upper. There's also less traffic -- pax in other sleepers will pass through the upper level of your car to gain the diner. The only people in the lower section of the car will be those who 'live' there, upper level pax coning down for a shower, or those entering/exiting the train at a station. The coffee and such are on the upper level and you will have to climb the stairs to pass into another car (diner, lounge, cafe car, etc.). So there are benefits both upper and lower.
BTW, how do you know you are in roomette 13? I just checked my paid reservation (EB, September 2010, PDX-CHI-PDX) and there doesn't seem to be anything about roomette numbers, just that we have one.

Jeremy
hi - thank for the reply - after booking online i received a reservation confirmation giving me the room and car number - the car number is 2730 - which is on #27 empire bulider but will that also tell me where the car fits into the train - thanks again
 
. . . BTW, how do you know you are in roomette 13? I just checked my paid reservation (EB, September 2010, PDX-CHI-PDX) and there doesn't seem to be anything about roomette numbers, just that we have one.
Jeremy
hi - thank for the reply - after booking online i received a reservation confirmation giving me the room and car number - the car number is 2730 - which is on #27 empire bulider but will that also tell me where the car fits into the train - thanks again
Ahh,

I just read through the entire email reservation confirmation that Amtrak sent me and there it is! We have roomette 2 in 2730 and also in 2830. AFAIK, the "30" means that the car is the third one forward of the diner, so you will have a longer walk to eat. Unless I am wrong and it's the third car back from the engine. One of the experts here will give us a needed lesson in how the consist is made up.
 
If you are on the 27 or 28 train to/from Portland, then the sleeping car is the last car on the train. To get to the dinning car you have to walk through several coaches and the SSL car to reach the diner. The Seattle cars are up front and a shorter walk to meal time!
 
I have been in 13 a couple of times. I liked it fine, except, you are right next to the family bedroom. If the family is of the boisterous type, you may find that an annoyance. On my two trips in 13, I had one family next to me that was very well-behaved, and one that was not.
 
. . . BTW, how do you know you are in roomette 13? I just checked my paid reservation (EB, September 2010, PDX-CHI-PDX) and there doesn't seem to be anything about roomette numbers, just that we have one.
Jeremy
hi - thank for the reply - after booking online i received a reservation confirmation giving me the room and car number - the car number is 2730 - which is on #27 empire bulider but will that also tell me where the car fits into the train - thanks again
Ahh,

I just read through the entire email reservation confirmation that Amtrak sent me and there it is! We have roomette 2 in 2730 and also in 2830. AFAIK, the "30" means that the car is the third one forward of the diner, so you will have a longer walk to eat. Unless I am wrong and it's the third car back from the engine. One of the experts here will give us a needed lesson in how the consist is made up.
As pointed out by MrFSS, the 2830/2730 car is at the end of the Portland section, and the diner is quite a walk through the Portland coaches, the Lounge car and Seattle coaches.

Also, 3x series line numbers denote sleepers on most of the western trains, and the lower the number, the closer to the diner. So the 30 car is the closest to the diner, 31 is one away, etc. The exception to this seems to be California Zephyr, where the 30 number is blocked for use by a Chicago-Denver sleeper that isn't on the train most of the time, so the closet sleeper to the diner is the 31 car.
 
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I prefer the lower level Superliner roomettes. I like 14. It is more convenient to the restrooms and shower. There is less sway

downstairs and I think it is more quiet. Just a personal preference.
 
I was in #2 on the CL and found it to be the hub of activity with the SCA across the hall, the bathroom across the hall and the coffee urn next door. #'s 5,6,7,8 are probably the better ones upstairs.

#11 is next to the baggage rack and there is frequent bumping of luggage against the wall as people root around for their belongings. The downstairs is also noiser at station stops with the banging of the vestibule door, banging of luggage, stairwell noise and the SCA hollering at passengers for smoke breaks and at boarding passenger.

My observation has been that the restrooms downstairs are less used that the one upstairs as most of the sleeping pax are upstairs and take the path of least resistance to the upstairs bath.
 
My observation has been that the restrooms downstairs are less used that the one upstairs as most of the sleeping pax are upstairs and take the path of least resistance to the upstairs bath.
Very true. I've seen people wait for the upstairs room to empty, rather than walk downstairs where there would be no line. :eek:
 
I was in #2 on the CL and found it to be the hub of activity with the SCA across the hall, the bathroom across the hall and the coffee urn next door. #'s 5,6,7,8 are probably the better ones upstairs. . .
Yeah, I was thinking of asking to move a slightly higher number. We were in 2 or 4 on the CZ two years ago; I don't recall any problems but I suppose there's always a first time. Do you recommend I call Amtrak and ask for another roomette or wait until we board and ask the attendant?
 
Definitely call Amtrak to change the room -- you may find all the rooms full when you board.

Long hikes is a problem on the trainsets that split -- I took the Lake Shore Limited CHI-BOS in the Boston sleeper. There were seven cars (two Boston coaches, Horizon dinette, four New York coaches) between the sleeper and the diner.
 
Definitely call Amtrak to change the room -- you may find all the rooms full when you board.
Long hikes is a problem on the trainsets that split -- I took the Lake Shore Limited CHI-BOS in the Boston sleeper. There were seven cars (two Boston coaches, Horizon dinette, four New York coaches) between the sleeper and the diner.

Be aware that if you call & change rooms it may cost more for the new roomette-ask for price differences before you change it! You could also check after you board with you SCA to see if you can switch.

Unless noise is a concern, I would not change roomettes. You can always shut your door. Or go to the Sightseer Car!
 
. . . Be aware that if you call & change rooms it may cost more for the new roomette-ask for price differences before you change it! You could also check after you board with you SCA to see if you can switch.Unless noise is a concern, I would not change roomettes. You can always shut your door. Or go to the Sightseer Car!
We always travel with earplugs . . . last trip on CZ it was actually the lounge that was sometimes noisy, groups of pax talking and laughing and generally enjoying themselves . . . can't complain about that. Our broom closet (roomette #4) was quiet even with the door open.
 
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