Which way do sleepers face?

[D.P. Roberts]

Do sleeping cars usually face the same direction?

I'm planning an eb trip this summer, and I'm trying to figure out which roomettes to request. I have specific requests (sleeping facing forward, best views, etc.). I've seen the sleeping car layouts, but there's no point in putting in requests if the car's orientation is somewhat random. I read in another thread that maybe 70% of the time the bedrooms in a Superliner are facing forward, with the roomettes toward the back of the train. On the other hand, I've also read that the sleepers aren't usually turned at the end of a route, so it seems like the car's orientation may change depending on the direction of travel.

So, is there any kind of pattern to car orientation on LD trains - especially the eb?

 

[rmgreenesq]

I have not been on many long distance trains, but of those that I have been on, the roomettes were in the rear of the car and the bedrooms were in the front.

Also if the train is turned via a wye or loop track, the sleepers would be turned along with the coachs. The only situation where the sleepers would not turn with the coachs is if they turn the seats in coach.

Unless you want to be sure to be on a certain side of the train (viewing north or south), it does not really matter what direction the train is facing. The roomettes have two seats that face each other. If you are worried about sleeping backwards, simply ask the attendant to flip the mattress so your feet face the other way.

Rick

 

[dan72]

When my wife and I took the EB to Chicago last may, we were given a roomette as part of our AGR redemption. We were in the the last car on #8 in compartment #2 which put us on the right side of the train. I was hoping for left as the EB goes along the Mississppi for a good chunk of this stretch, but heading to the lounge solved that. As many have said in the past, it's probably a crap shoot, but given that the EB uses the same sets of cars, I would suspect the orientation will stay consistent.

If anything, you can always head to the lounge if you wish to see scenery from the opposite side of the train you are assigned to, providing it isn't too busy and all of the seats aren't taken up.

Dan

 

[AlanB]

Sleepers can and do run in either direction with no real rhyme or reason. Switching do to bad ordered cars, derailments, general maintance, late arriving trains can cause the cars to end up facing either direction.

You do have a decent chance that by requesting a particular roomette that you will land on the side of the train that you want, but again, nothing is guaranteed.

 

[VentureForth]

Of course, if the question is more of a 'Northerly' or 'Southerly' exposure, then you could always get the family room that is the width of the car.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

Thanks for all the advice. I know that nothing's guaranteed, I just wanted to know if the odds were in my favor in booking a particular room. I didn't know that the attendants could flip the mattress though - that will help.

Basically, from the trip reports I've read, it sounds like most of the best views on the eb are out the right side of the train. It also sounds like the sleeper on 27 is the last car on the train (after dropping off the St. Paul coach). So, if we book roomette #9 on 27, we have a good chance of getting a room w/ very little foot traffic going by, a view out the back of the train, and we'll sleep facing forward. Again, none of these things will make or break the trip, it just might make the trip a little more enjoyable if we get lucky and these details work out.

 

[AlanB]

Just know that by requesting a room in the #27 sleeper, that you do run the risk of paying more money than if you book a sleeper in one of the #7 sleepers.

Depending on how many people have booked sleepers for train #7 vs #27, you can and will find different prices at any given time.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

Just know that by requesting a room in the #27 sleeper, that you do run the risk of paying more money than if you book a sleeper in one of the #7 sleepers.
Depending on how many people have booked sleepers for train #7 vs #27, you can and will find different prices at any given time.

Yeah, I've been checking 27/7 prices almost daily. So far, the prices for 7/8 have been the same as 27/28. Of course, that may change any day now. The dates of travel seem to make the most difference at the moment. If I could get the rest of my travel party to firm up our travel dates, I could hurry up and book it...

 

[Guest]

Do sleeping cars usually face the same direction?
I'm planning an eb trip this summer, and I'm trying to figure out which roomettes to request. I have specific requests (sleeping facing forward, best views, etc.). I've seen the sleeping car layouts, but there's no point in putting in requests if the car's orientation is somewhat random. I read in another thread that maybe 70% of the time the bedrooms in a Superliner are facing forward, with the roomettes toward the back of the train. On the other hand, I've also read that the sleepers aren't usually turned at the end of a route, so it seems like the car's orientation may change depending on the direction of travel.

So, is there any kind of pattern to car orientation on LD trains - especially the eb?

Amtrak sleepers fall into two types across the car beds and along the car, I prefer along the car as it cuts the sway factor (thanks George M Pullman) and as the beds are the same it really is personnal preference head first or feet first.

If only the European sleepers had roomettes or uppers and lowers instead my regular Caledonian sleeper is lower berth across the car, breakfast is nice thought but Virgins Firsat (?!) class lounge showers are a national disgrace, never mind tourists in space get those showers sorted Mr Branson like fix the tiles, taps and clean them.

 

[George McMillan]

General Superliner Sleeper Comments, not just the EB:

If the handicap room downstairs is not booked, often it will be available at the last minute for non handicap occupancy. It is the only room in the car that has windows out both sides of the train, although the view downstairs generally may not be quite as good as upstairs. It also has an inside toilet like the more expensive double bedrooms upstairs have (but no inside shower although it is quite handy to the community shower).

An advantage of a downstairs room, besides not having to go up and down stairs as much, you can more easily clean your outside window with paper towels at station stops. They can get quite grimy, particularly in bad weather.

The reading light and electrical outlet's position in the standard roomette can be an issue, if you need it over your right shoulder or left shoulder, it might make a difference which way you sit. If you have long enough cords and power splitters for everything you need, this will be an irrelevent comment. There are reading lamps on both ends, so as the previous poster mentioned, you can switch the pillows to whichever end of the room you desire.

I like to avoid the two rooms right by the car's end door. If the sleeper is on the end of the train you get quite a bit of side to side buffeting, although an upside is you have the rear door window to look out of. If the car is on the front of the train, you can get more horn noise. If it is mid train you can get a door that doesn't stay closed, in which case you get nasty weather and noise all the time. At best, you only get the door noise when people are coming thru, at worst it is all the time. There is a major air intake at that point too, which is both a blessing and a curse. I think these are rooms 9 and 10 if I am not mistaken.

The attendant will generally occupy the room next to the upstairs restroom which I guess is room 1 or 2, I forget which. That one catches a lot of noise of the bathroom door opening and closing, or not, if somebody refuses to close it. The toilet noise can be heard in that first room, as can sometimes the smell become a problem. So, if you are not in one of the high class bedrooms, my recommendation is go downstairs, or if you are upstairs go for as close to the coffee pot as you can get (except for the aforementioned one right next to the restroom). The ride and hence the sleeping is usually better in a mid-car room, except of course for the notorious next to the restroom one.

 

[RailBirder]

The family bedroom also spans the entire width of the train and has windows on both sides. It is on the lower level of the car on the opposite end from the handicap bedroom.

 

[massiek]

Why do the seats on the Family Bedroom face backwards???

 

[MrFSS]

Why do the seats on the Family Bedroom face backwards???

They don't always. Depends on which way the car is aligned in the consist. They could be facing forward or facing backwards.

 

[AlanB]

Why do the seats on the Family Bedroom face backwards???

Actually based upon my observations, most times the seats in the family room are facing in the direction of the forward movement of the train, not backwards.

However, since the car can run either forwards or backwards, you can find times where they are facing backwards. But if I had to guess, probably 60% to 60% of the time, the family room is facing forwards and the accessible room is the one facing backwards to the train's forward movement.

 

[rtabern]

I do the Trails and Rails program on the Builder from CHI-WIN.

If you're looking at booking a deluxe bedroom, I'd book either "B" or "D" when going east (on Train 8).

It seems 95 percent of the time, the couch will be facing forward, while in "A", "C", or "E", you are facing backwards.

 

[wintersummer]

Am I mixed up OR do two posts contradict one another? One post says that if you are in bedroom B or D going east, there is greater chance that couch will face forward. Another post says that family bedroom has greater chance that seating will face forward. I've relooked at car diagrams and if I'm understanding correctly and reading the diagrams correctly, these two thoughts are opposite of one another. Could someone else take a look for me? I'll also be on EB and have bedroom D reserved...and I'm just curious which was I will, most likely, be facing. Wait a minute. I don't care about that! I just want a refurbished car!

 

[AlanB]

Am I mixed up OR do two posts contradict one another? One post says that if you are in bedroom B or D going east, there is greater chance that couch will face forward. Another post says that family bedroom has greater chance that seating will face forward. I've relooked at car diagrams and if I'm understanding correctly and reading the diagrams correctly, these two thoughts are opposite of one another. Could someone else take a look for me? I'll also be on EB and have bedroom D reserved...and I'm just curious which was I will, most likely, be facing. Wait a minute. I don't care about that! I just want a refurbished car!

Well at least based upon my experience, most of the time I've found the A, C, E, and family rooms facing forward. I have hit a few the other way, but generally the above has been my experience.

 

[wisEBfan]

D.P.:

My travel on the EB is limited to three round-trips (2 in 2006, one in 2007), for a total of six trips on the EB, all in the Portland Sleeper on the rear of the train. FWIW: On all six trips, the sleeper was oriented with the bedrooms at the rear, and the roomettes to the front. Perhaps just a coincidence, but that's the way it was on those trips.

As other replies have pointed out, in a roomette, you can sleep facing either way. If you are there while the car attendant converts it, just tell him/her which way you'd like it. If you are not there, e.g. in the lounge car, and the car attendant forgets your request and sets it up facing the "wrong" way, it's no problem. The mattress is very light. You can yourself just lift it up and turn in around. So that is really a non-issue in any event. Forget it in your planning.

Upper vs lower level. I have had roomettes on both levels, just as randomly assigned by the computer. I was in roomette 13 on the lower level twice, and liked it. It did seem to me that there was less side-to-side sway there, and the noise from the tracks was not loud, but rather like a background noise that did not bother me at all. Of course, that could vary depending on the condition of the specific car. On the upper level, I would second the opinions expressed in other replies that you are best off near the center of the car. I was in roomettes 2, 4, 5 and 7. All were fine. And I did bring some paper towels along, and did in fact clean the outside of the window on that roomette 13, as was suggested could be done in another reply.

As far as the side of the train, assuming you are going into the Glacier Park area, which side of the train is best depends on the stretch of track. From East Glacier to Essex, you want to be looking to the south side of the tracks. The north side on that stretch is mostly just the cut into the side of the mountain, and not much to see. But beyond Essex to Whitefish, there were good views to the north side of the tracks, with lesser views to the south side, in my opinion. As pointed out in other replies, the best place to be in any event is in the lounge car during the time the EB goes by Glacier Nat'l park. I signed up for the 5 PM dinner reservation (westbound), so that I was finished with dinner before the EB got to the Park and could settle in in the lounge car. (Through North Dakota and eastern Montana, north vs south facing is just a matter of personal opinion--not much difference in my opinion.)

One other point: If you are in the Portland sleeper (as opposed to either of the two Seattle sleepers near the front of the train), you can walk up to the lounge car anytime, without going through the dining car. The dining car staff probably doesn't appeciate people wandering through the dining car while they are trying to serve a meal. I would have felt a bit more constrained in my movements on the train if I were riding in the Seattle sleepers.

Nearly all of the staff on the EB were great, and did their best to make travel on the EB a good experience. At the train service stops and "smoke" stops it's interesting to walk along the platforms, take a look at the stations, etc, so I'd recommend doing that. I think you'll really enjoy the trip. And don't forget to bring your camera.

WSS 7/06/2007

 

[had8ley]

General Superliner Sleeper Comments, not just the EB:
If the handicap room downstairs is not booked, often it will be available at the last minute for non handicap occupancy. It is the only room in the car that has windows out both sides of the train, although the view downstairs generally may not be quite as good as upstairs.

Yes the handicapped can be purchased 15 days before train day. Also, the family room on the other end of the car, and also downstairs, has windows on both sides.

 

[wintersummer]

Followup question to your EB travel

- My travel on the EB is limited to three round-trips (2 in 2006, one in 2007), for a total of six trips on the EB, all in the Portland Sleeper on the rear of the train.

wisEBfan - I'm getting ready to make my very first train trip, on the Empire Builder. Thanks for the information on your three trips. I'm hoping to have my sleeper (D) oriented with the couch (beds) facing forward, but if that happens I'll be on the wrong side for the best scenery through Glacier. Oh well, at least I'm fortunate enough to be taking this great train trip!

Here are my questions based on your 6 trips:

Did you have refurbished cars? I think I might go crazy in the old brown/orange color 70's scheme!

I'm so excited about eating on a train! Are there any items that we must order? Any that, in your opinion, we should avoid? What's the earliest dinner seating we can get (traveling out of Seattle)?

Personal question here - are you taking the EB for leisure travel OR for transportation? I don't know of anyone who has taken it as much as you!

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

Followup question to your EB travel
Here are my questions based on your 6 trips:

Did you have refurbished cars? I think I might go crazy in the old brown/orange color 70's scheme!

I'm so excited about eating on a train! Are there any items that we must order? Any that, in your opinion, we should avoid? What's the earliest dinner seating we can get (traveling out of Seattle)?

Personal question here - are you taking the EB for leisure travel OR for transportation? I don't know of anyone who has taken it as much as you!

Thanks!

On all my trips, the EB had all refurbished cars. Didn't see any of the former color schemes.

At dinner, the people I sat with always said their food was good, no matter what they ordered. I personally liked the roasted chicken the best. The only caution I'd have there is on the item listed as "This Evening's Special." If upon asking it turns out to be ham, I wouldn't order that again. It was a fairly thin piece and rather tough--more like something I'd expect to get at a breakfast meal. I suppose it all depends on food that gets stocked on the train, and how careful the person doing the cooking is. Incidentally, I always tipped a good 20% (you can see the price on the menu when you order, although as a sleeping car passenger the food is included in the ticket of course). I figure waiting on tables on a moving train has to be a fairly tough job.

I never took the EB all the way to SEA so I can't say when they begin dinner service eastbound out of there. Heading west out of the CHI end, the earliest seating is 5 PM. I am told that the dining car steward came around to take reservations, begining in the sleepers and then going through the coaches. Under such a system, it is best to stay in your room until he/she has come by of course. (I got on in Columbus, WI, and the car attendant always had a 5 or 5:30 PM dinner reservation set aside for those of us boarding there). However, with that 4:45 PM departure time out of Seattle, things could easily be handled differently on the SEA end. I.e. there might be a later starting time, or, it might be that the dining car steward would be setting up dinner reservations in the first class lounge prior to boarding, since it would be so close to the first dinner seating time if it is 5 PM. There might be a signup sheet in the lounge, for example. Perhaps someone else on this board knows how that is handled and can let you know. In any event, I'd make it a point to ask once you get to the station, since I imagine any given dining car steward can use whatever system he/she wishes to handle seating in the diner, as long as sleeping car passengers are given some kind of priority.

My travel on the EB was leisure. A local newspaper editor wrote an article in Feb 2006 for the local paper about taking the EB out to the Izaak Walton Inn in Essex, MT, and it sounded interesting. So I thought I'd try it also, and did so in March. I also read a couple of books about the original EB operated by Great Northern RR, and about the lodges they built in and around Glacier Nat'l park, which made things even more interesting. And traveling during non-peak times, the fare is quite reasonable. I took along a copy of the Feb 2006 article to show the staff at the Izaak Walton Inn, and it turned out they already knew about it--it seems they had had several dozen reservations already from people who had read the article and had made the same trip I did. [For my other EB trips I stayed at Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier (really cool, but expensive), and at the Good Medicine Lodge in Whitefish (very nice, relatively inexpensive in the off season--and the owner provides great free breakfasts, and free rides to and from the station).]

Have a good trip.

WSS 07/07/07

 

[wintersummer]

Guest - It was our stay at the Izaak Walton Inn that got us so intrigued about the possibility of taking the Empire Builder! We were there last year and just loved that little hotel and all the railroad stuff. People told me I was nuts for reserving a hotel right next to a train track, but my husband and I slept so good. It was a great feeling, dozing/sleeping with the sounds of trains coming right by. The hotel was great! It was right then we said we had to take a train trip. We are on mailing list of Izaak Walton and get these periodic little newsletters from them. I love that place.

 

[wisEBfan]

We are on mailing list of Izaak Walton and get these periodic little newsletters from them. I love that place.

I'm on the mailing list of the Izaak Walton Inn also. It is indeed a nice place. I especially like their trail system over across the tracks. And all the photos related to trains down in the basement area were interesting also. My next trip out to that area will be to stay at the Izaak Walton Inn again.

WSS 7/07/07