Where do you spend most of your time on a Amtrak trip?

[dlagrua]

On LD trips the seat that you paid for is in your bedroom or roomette. It is only logical that sleeper pasengers spend most of their time there. We do go to the sightseer lounge and of course show up at dinner time in the dining car but without question the majority of time is spent in our bedroom.

On the NE corridor/ Acela I pretty much stay in my seat and probably make one trip to the cafe car. If the cafe car is not crowded and I'm traveling with friends we might all sit there for a portion of the trip.

 

[dlynbid]

For my first three trips this year, I tended to stay near my sleeper. However, this forum has enlightened me to 'other areas' of the train that I should take advantage of. At least now I know there ARE other places to sit besides in my room. I am looking forward to a fall foliage trip when the dome car makes its appearance on the Cardinal this fall.

Great thread, lots of ideas!

Diana

 

[ThayerATM]

On LD trips the seat that you paid for is in your bedroom or roomette. It is only logical that sleeper pasengers spend most of their time there. We do go to the sightseer lounge and of course show up at dinner time in the dining car but without question the majority of time is spent in our bedroom.

On the NE corridor/ Acela I pretty much stay in my seat and probably make one trip to the cafe car. If the cafe car is not crowded and I'm traveling with friends we might all sit there for a portion of the trip.

:hi: Why is it that it's "only logical" that I would spend most of my time in my bedroom? <_< I book a bedroom on a LD train in order to have a private place to sleep, take a shower, use the head, and store my "stuff." I certainly don't expect to spend most of my time there, when there's scenery to be seen from the SSL or PPC, and people to meet and interact with. :huh:

 

[LA Resident]

Usually, I spend much time in the swimming pool (on the sub lower level

) when I'm not in the penthouse suite!

But on the CS, I "force" myself to go to the PPC!

I think I might have been in the PPC once when you entered. You were the exalted individual preceded by a bevy of female trumpeters, all with scarlet T's on their uniform, proclaiming your arrival to the tune of Wabash Cannonball, no?

 

[sunchaser]

Most of our time is spent in the bedroom on the California Zephyr, but we did check out the SSL on our first trip. When we rode the Coast Starlight, we spent quite a bit of time in the Pacific Parlor Car. It is our favorite Car on our favorite route.

 

[the_traveler]

Usually, I spend much time in the swimming pool (on the sub lower level

) when I'm not in the penthouse suite!

But on the CS, I "force" myself to go to the PPC!

I think I might have been in the PPC once when you entered. You were the exalted individual preceded by a bevy of female trumpeters, all with scarlet T's on their uniform, proclaiming your arrival to the tune of Wabash Cannonball, no?

Almost right! I was the one with the roped off seat and wearing the long cape that my servants held, so as not to get dirty from the floor!

 

[user 683]

On long distance trips, I spend most of my time in my roomette (if I have one) where I can sit back and relax, listen to my scanner or iPod, look at the scenery, read or work on my computer. I do spend some time in the lounge, typically before or after dinner.

 

[C&O RR]

I spend most of my time in my Bedroom with my GPS, laptop, cell phone, and scanner. I do enjoy meeting, conversing, and eating with new found friends in the dinner.

 

[Tracktwentynine]

Since I live on the east coast, I don't have access to sightseer lounges as much as I'd like. On western routes I spend most of my waking time in the SSL, regardless of whether I'm in coach or sleeper. I prize the views (especially the ability to change sides of the car if the scenery does) and the ability to meet people.

On the corridor, I typically stay in my seat. Trips are usually short enough that I don't even visit the cafe.

On the eastern LD routes where there is no SSL, I often split my time between my seat and the cafe. If the cafe is crowded, I'll cede my seat, but I like to stay in the cafe for the same reasons I like the SSL.

In my other LD experiences, I've had different favorite spots. On the Canadian I spent the entire time I was not sleeping or eating in the diner in the dome. After dusk, it's the quietest part on the train, too, since most people leave and go back to their rooms. On the Rocky Mountaineer, I spent close to 3/4s of the time in the vestibule, because they leave the top half of the door open and you can hang out with your camera while the wind blows crisp, cold Canadian air through your hair.

 

[Steve4031]

If the sleeper is at the back . . . then I am going to be at the rail fan window too.

 

[Bierboy]

You're still bothering other passengers if you don't use your earphones with your scanner in your bedroom. You'd be amazed at what people can hear from your room. I ALWAYS use my earphones with my scanner no matter where I am on the train...

Not if you listen to it at a reasonable volume. It can hardly be heard across the room, let alone in other rooms.

That's simply not true. I was doing that exact thing when people in the next bedroom complained. It's the nature of the sound coming from a scanner -- high frequency, piercing type sound. Reasonable volume and all, you should still use earphones...

 

[Ryan]

I'm amazed how you can assert that you know better then I do, when you aren't there.

Quite simply, you have no idea what you're talking about. The fact that you've been asked to turn yours down has not bearing over the situation.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Unwanted noise is one of my primary concerns and one of my most common complaints when riding Amtrak. Some folks don't seem to realize just how loud they're being or how thin the walls around them are. I find airplanes are rather noisy as well, but it's often drowned out by the engine's white noise and they're generally only a problem for a few quick hours and then you're off. Routine noise pollution on a twelve or thirty hour train ride can be absolutely maddening to those of us with sensitive ears. :wacko:

I think I'm pretty good with keeping my electronic volumes low or muted, but sometimes I laugh a little too loudly when something hits my funny bone just right. :lol:

 

[Trainmans daughter]

sometimes I laugh a little too loudly when something hits my funny bone just right. :lol:

You have a funny bone?

 

[GlobalistPotato]

Wow, this thread is a lot more successful than I thought it would be!

Interesting that a lot of people prefer the privacy of their sleeper rooms, when many people say meeting new people is a key part of American train travel.

And I'm surprised hardly anyone chose the quite car, which tends to be the favorite of some people on the corridor trains.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

sometimes I laugh a little too loudly when something hits my funny bone just right.

You have a funny bone?

Indeed I do. In fact I got a good laugh out of this very post. :lol:

 

[Trainmans daughter]

sometimes I laugh a little too loudly when something hits my funny bone just right.

You have a funny bone?

Indeed I do. In fact I got a good laugh out of this very post. :lol:

Cool! Then my job here is done.

 

[Misty.]

It just depends on which particular train I'm on. Since I have a tendency to be on regionals, typically I'll stay in my seat minus a trip or two to the cafe car (so what if food's a little pricier than bringing it aboard? They have Pepsi and, sometimes, a more unique item of food that looks good), plus time at the railfan window (camera in tow if it's light enough) if there is one.

As far as long distance trains go, yes, if I have a roomette, I'll tend to stick there when it's not mealtime. I deal with fast food, so I kinda think I've earned a little selective social time when I'm traveling. :blush: Coach on LD trains still tends to see me in my seat mostly, especially if my assigned car is the one with the railfan window. I will take my computer to the Lounge car to get a snack though, and sit upstairs to get a view when I want to glance away from the trip report in progress or whatever I'm playing or watching. :wub:

 

[ThayerATM]

I'm a bit interested to where people usually spend their time while riding on Amtrak.

I've heard a lot of people just tend to hang out in the lounge car, watching the scenery, while many commuters on the NEC use the quiet car as their sanctuary from people blabbering on their cell phones.

Where do you go?

Tell me if I missed any options...

I kind of laid out a table for our upcoming trip on the westbound California Zephyr (train 5) this September. It gets dark that time of the year about 7:00 PM and gets light around 7:00 AM.

The Zephyr is about a 51 hours train, assuming everything is running on time. --- one partial day, followed by a full night, then a second, full day, followed by a second full night, then a partial day.

So I figure we'll spend about 16 hours sleeping in our bedroom. Add to that the four hours of SSSS time (one hour segments) surrounding the two nights in our room, preparing for bed, and getting up.

We'll also spend about five hours total in the diner for the five meals, and certainly that can vary. We've been known to spend five hours at one meal on the City of New Orleans in the CCC, and that included part of the crew who joined us at our table with guests. :lol:

I also figure about two hours of off-board time to stretch our legs, (read smoking) at the regular scheduled longer stops.

I think that adds up to 27 hours of "definite" time, leaving 24 hours of "discretionary" time.

Certainly some of the discretionary time will be taken up by getting from one car to another, but I figure that only about 20 of the 51 travel hours will be spent in our bedroom, and 31 hours will be spent elsewhere.

Still, we hold those 20 hours to be ours alone, and our private space.

So finally, that leaves most of the discretionary time (31 hours) in the SSL, mingling with other passengers, and the crew.

We'll probably be sleep deprived by the time we get to EMY. hboy: :lol:

 

[chertling]

If I have a window seat, I tend to stay there... but if I am stuck with an aisle seat, I spend as much time in the Cafe Car or SSL as possible.

 

[rrdude]

I'm a bit interested to where people usually spend their time while riding on Amtrak.

I've heard a lot of people just tend to hang out in the lounge car, watching the scenery, while many commuters on the NEC use the quiet car as their sanctuary from people blabbering on their cell phones.

Where do you go?

Tell me if I missed any options...

I kind of laid out a table for our upcoming trip on the westbound California Zephyr (train 5) this September. It gets dark that time of the year about 7:00 PM and gets light around 7:00 AM.

The Zephyr is about a 51 hours train, assuming everything is running on time. --- one partial day, followed by a full night, then a second, full day, followed by a second full night, then a partial day.

So I figure we'll spend about 16 hours sleeping in our bedroom. Add to that the four hours of SSSS time (one hour segments) surrounding the two nights in our room, preparing for bed, and getting up.

We'll also spend about five hours total in the diner for the five meals, and certainly that can vary. We've been known to spend five hours at one meal on the City of New Orleans in the CCC, and that included part of the crew who joined us at our table with guests. :lol:

I also figure about two hours of off-board time to stretch our legs, (read smoking) at the regular scheduled longer stops.

I think that adds up to 27 hours of "definite" time, leaving 24 hours of "discretionary" time.

Certainly some of the discretionary time will be taken up by getting from one car to another, but I figure that only about 20 of the 51 travel hours will be spent in our bedroom, and 31 hours will be spent elsewhere.

Still, we hold those 20 hours to be ours alone, and our private space.

So finally, that leaves most of the discretionary time (31 hours) in the SSL, mingling with other passengers, and the crew.

We'll probably be sleep deprived by the time we get to EMY. hboy: :lol:

Lemmie guess, a computer programmer?

 

[TraneMan]

Wow, I am too kinda shocked of how many stays in their room/sleeper! Guess I do kinda recall when I was with my parents, they had the roomette, and I stayed on the coach, and they did stay in the room most of the time.. Mom would come out and send be back with dad to play some games.

 

[John King]

On the Hiawatha (Chicago-Milwaukee regional service), I always head for the quiet car, setup my phone GPS, and stay there. On my last run, so did another bloke that wanted quiet so he could sleep, but he ended up being the loud one when he started snoring!

On my LD trips, I found that I enjoy filming the trip. So even though most of the time I might be in my room, I like to venture out to the SSL, lower levels, hallways, vestibules, "rail fan" window, hop off at "fresh air break" stops, etc. looking for things to catch in video. Last trip, I ended up with over 12 Gig of HD video from a 4 day trip.

What is the "rail fan" window? In the old days we sometimes stood on the platforms between cars and sometimes the rear platform. Ever since "Throw Momma from the Train" came out they I guess they limit access to rear platforms - if there still are such things?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

What is the "rail fan" window? In the old days we sometimes stood on the platforms between cars and sometimes the rear platform. Ever since "Throw Momma from the Train" came out they I guess they limit access to rear platforms - if there still are such things?

The rail fan window is the window in the middle of the locked door at the rear of the train. There is no platform to sit or stand upon on any of Amtrak's current rolling stock and I don't expect them to ever return again.

 

[GlobalistPotato]

What is the "rail fan" window? In the old days we sometimes stood on the platforms between cars and sometimes the rear platform. Ever since "Throw Momma from the Train" came out they I guess they limit access to rear platforms - if there still are such things?

The rail fan window is the window in the middle of the locked door at the rear of the train. There is no platform to sit or stand upon on any of Amtrak's current rolling stock and I don't expect them to ever return again.

The exception is with private cars that have the back platform... but those aren't Amtrak's rolling stock...

Speaking of which, do most people try to spend time in a private car if it is attached to an Amtrak train?