Where is roomette 18?

[rogerVarland]

Just booked a roomette CHI - JAN on the CONO and was assigned #18 in car 5909. Any insights on where this might be? Thanks

 

[Acela150]

It is in the Transdorm or Crew Car. My suggestion to you is call Amtrak and see if theirs anything else open in the other sleeper as passengers in the Transdorm are often forgotten. Their are stories of passengers having to make their own beds and being forgotten on the dinner and lunch reservations list. Just my two cents. Not saying this will happen but this is what I've heard.

 

[Michael061282]

yep both have happened to me, had to make up my own bed and was forgotten about for reservations, change if you can. Although oddly enough, I once refused to change rooms. The SCA, Saheed on the Empire Builder, wanted to force me into an empty room he had in his car, since my son and I were the last passengers he had in TransDorm. I refused because he was making us move to a downstairs room, which I despise, and also he wasn't exactly asking, he was trying to order, i never saw him again that trip after I said no. The bed was left unmade in Chicago and he didn't get a tip. Also, Amtrak got a not so nice letter about that.

 

[jis]

yep both have happened to me, had to make up my own bed and was forgotten about for reservations, change if you can. Although oddly enough, I once refused to change rooms. The SCA, Saheed on the Empire Builder, wanted to force me into an empty room he had in his car, since my son and I were the last passengers he had in TransDorm. I refused because he was making us move to a downstairs room, which I despise, and also he wasn't exactly asking, he was trying to order, i never saw him again that trip after I said no. The bed was left unmade in Chicago and he didn't get a tip. Also, Amtrak got a not so nice letter about that.

having had the same things happen to me in a regular sleeper, I don't worry about it too much and chalk it up to the usual Amtrak inconsistent service.

Somewhat facetiously speaking.... I think Amtrak ought to contract with VIA Rail to train all its Sleeper and Diner OBS staff. This is not to say that VIA Rail does not have its occasional bad egg either. But the norm appears to be that OBS staff pays attention to those little things that make all the difference, way more than Amtrak OBS staff does as a matter of norm. Again not to say either that there aren't occasional absolute gems among Amtrak OBS staff either.

 

[Eric308]

Just curious...how do you find out which sleeper you are in?

 

[rrdude]

yep both have happened to me, had to make up my own bed and was forgotten about for reservations, change if you can. Although oddly enough, I once refused to change rooms. The SCA, Saheed on the Empire Builder, wanted to force me into an empty room he had in his car, since my son and I were the last passengers he had in TransDorm. I refused because he was making us move to a downstairs room, which I despise, and also he wasn't exactly asking, he was trying to order, i never saw him again that trip after I said no. The bed was left unmade in Chicago and he didn't get a tip. Also, Amtrak got a not so nice letter about that.

having had the same things happen to me in a regular sleeper, I don't worry about it too much and chalk it up to the usual Amtrak inconsistent service.

Somewhat facetiously speaking.... I think Amtrak ought to contract with VIA Rail to train all its Sleeper and Diner OBS staff. This is not to say that VIA Rail does not have its occasional bad egg either. But the norm is for OBS staff pays attention to those little things that make all the difference, way more than Amtrak OBS staff does as a matter of norm. Again not to say either that there aren't occasional absolute gems among Amtrak OBS staff either.

That truly is a good idea JIS.

Again, so little money spent on training, vs. hundreds of millions spent on advertising, refurbing equipment, yada, yada, yada....... Spend all that money GETTING people to ride, then the on-board experience is so crappy...........oh well, same ole story

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Just curious...how do you find out which sleeper you are in?

Call Amtrak and they can tell you which car/room when you give them your reservation #.

 

[the_traveler]

HERE is a diagram of the trans-dorm layout. Rooms 18-24 are revenue (passenger) rooms. Rooms 1-8 are crew rooms.

The trans-dorm is located at the front of the train, right behind the baggage car. Thus the "transitional" part of the name of the car, since Superliner cars only have passage between cars on the upper level and baggage cars are single level cars (of course with the door on the lower level.)

 

[MiRider]

Just curious...how do you find out which sleeper you are in?

I'd like to know how you know whether or not you're in a transdorm.

What is Car #4912 on the LSL and how do you know what it is?

TIA and thanks for all of the knowledge here.

 

[rrdude]

Just curious...how do you find out which sleeper you are in?

I'd like to know how you know whether or not you're in a transdorm.

What is Car #4912 on the LSL and how do you know what it is?

TIA and thanks for all of the knowledge here.

NORMAL Superliners only have roomettes numbered 1 thru 14, so anything higher than that, normally means you are in the Trans-Dorm

 

[spidersfan351]

Entirely annecdotal here, but I don't hate the idea of the Trans-Dorm. I make my own bed anyhow, and always get with the LSA on the dinner reservations as usually they announce over the PA that they are going back to make them - when you hear this, you go find her and be first if you really care. You have more showers, oddly enough, and less-used restrooms. The two T-D's I've explored had cleaner facilities, which to me is pretty cool. Also, if you are on the Texas Eagle as I was two weeks ago, it is a MUCH shorter walk to the diner and SSL, but you give up the railfan window view (if they don't have a Superliner coach bound on the back for Fort Worth, as they did on my trip).

 

[MiRider]

Just curious...how do you find out which sleeper you are in?

I'd like to know how you know whether or not you're in a transdorm.

What is Car #4912 on the LSL and how do you know what it is?

TIA and thanks for all of the knowledge here.

NORMAL Superliners only have roomettes numbered 1 thru 14, so anything higher than that, normally means you are in the Trans-Dorm

Ah, so from this information, only Superliners have transdorms?

I learn something new here everyday. Thanks.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Just curious...how do you find out which sleeper you are in?

I'd like to know how you know whether or not you're in a transdorm.

What is Car #4912 on the LSL and how do you know what it is?

TIA and thanks for all of the knowledge here.

NORMAL Superliners only have roomettes numbered 1 thru 14, so anything higher than that, normally means you are in the Trans-Dorm

Ah, so from this information, only Superliners have transdorms?

I learn something new here everyday. Thanks.

That is correct since the car TRANSITIONS from the Hi-Level (and in the case of the original Santa Fe El Capitan Hi-Level Cars this was done with a Coach) to the conventional single level.