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GusTrain

Train Attendant
Joined
Mar 27, 2014
Messages
43
I booked this trip as our "1.0 Last Hurrah" in January...at a late date, my husband was unable to go & our 29 year old son was able to take the time off work & accompany his grateful mom! I got unexpected fun one-on-one time with our adult son...& he got an amazing 16 day first train trip..for free!

Our route was:

Coast Starlight

Portland, OR to Los Angeles, CA

Sunset Limited

Los Angeles to New Orleans, LA

Crescent

New Orleans to Birmingham, AL

(Rental car to Charleston, SC)

Silver Meteor

Charleston to New York City

Lake Shore Limited

NYC to Chicago

California Zephyr

Chicago to Sacramento, CA

Coast Starlight

Sacramento to Portland, OR!

With the exception of coach class NOL to BHM, we did roomettes the whole way...

We got one day touring New Orleans (not enough! What a fun city!)

We got 3 days visiting family in Birmingham (precious time)

We got 3 days in NYC (our first time there-AMAZING place! We have to go back!!)

I planned the trip in a way that added 4 new routes to my list, we saw wonderful scenery, & had great weather. We can even boast our trains were all on time!!

I highly recommend "Free Tours by Foot"! We took a foodies/history/French Quarter walking tour in New Orleans & a night walking tour & Central Park biking tour in NYC...

We saw & learned SO much with their tours!

As far as the trains go...

-the food was mostly good (the same menu the majority of the routes got old)...my son loved the steak & mashed potatoes!

-I was sad the PPC was not on the CS (replaced with an extra observation car)-but we did score the cute "copper" Coast Starlight cups

-I noticed a huge difference in the quality of care from our first class car attendants. On 2 of our routes they were not even outside to greet us & check us in-both times we just got on & made our own way to the room-no one ever even checked our tickets. And one of those I never saw the whole trip!

-I really liked the new Chicago Metropolitan lounge! I had read negative comments here, so I was pleasantly surprised-the check in staff were friendly & smiling & the place was light and bright. My son was really impressed with the "first class" lounges...passing the long lines heading to our special rooms! I told him he would never be able to settle for coach class again! LOL

-thanks for all of the pre-trip advice from you all!! We had a GREAT trip!
 
Glad you had a great trip! Please take the time to let Amtrak know about the poor sleeper attendants you encountered, as well as any above and beyond service you may have received...Thanks!
 
Enjoyed your trip report. Like you I find the SCA's on the sleepers to be all levels of service. Not his fault but on a trip from Emeryville to Los Angeles(never had the bed set up as an all day trip), my SCA welcomed me and other guest and sent us to dining car for lunch while he cleaned the room and then came to us in the dining car with our evening meal reservations. I would have tipped him $10 for the daytime service but without any noticed he left the train at the Burbank stop. That's one stop before the last stop at Los Angeles Union Station. While I did not tip the substitute attendant at the exit door, I did tip the red cap who volunteered and took me to the FlyAway bus at 1 AM since we were 4 hours late arriving due to a "stuck" bridge in Portland, OR.

I also found the Chicago Metropolitan Lounge very nice and the check-in staff very friendly.
 
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