# WAS-CHI-MTZ with a toddler



## Lauren1509 (Aug 12, 2020)

My husband, my toddler (16mo), and I took the Capitol Limited and California Zephyr in early August 2020 to go from Washington DC to Martinez, CA (SF Bay Area). The trip was 3 nights. 

First I want to say thank you for all of the very helpful information in this forum! It was a dream come true for an over planner and nervous traveler in these pandemic times. The main thing I was missing, and could not find a solid answer to on old posts, was whether a pack n play would fit in the bedroom or what the bedroom floor space dimensions are. For anyone with a baby or toddler on Amtrak, I hope this can help you out in the future.

We booked a superliner bedroom and a roomette for both trains and all 3 nights. We were in bedroom C on both trains. I was able to fit a full-sized pack n play (a portable crib) on the floor of the bedroom while the lower bunk was not folded down (still in couch mode) and the chair was folded up and rotated towards the window. Our pack n play measures 28x41.5 inches when unfolded. There was room to spare on both sides so I would estimate that the available floor space (with the room in the configuration I described) was 32x48 inches.

I slept in the top bunk, no ladder in use (I put it on the floor) and climbed into the bunk by stepping up on the couch with one foot, then sink with other foot, then sliding in to the bunk. I was able to get into the bathroom, but it was a bit of a squeeze. My husband slept in the roomette and it was a useful space for one parent to have alone time periodically on the trip.

Happy to answer other questions about the trip, entertaining the toddler, feeding the toddler, whatever.


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## flitcraft (Aug 12, 2020)

That's very helpful advice! Some years back, I considered taking the train cross country with our daughter and young granddaughter, and we were a bit concerned about sleeping arrangements. What we settled on was having my daughter and granddaughter sharing the lower bunk, with the toddler on the inside by the wall. Then, in the end, we didn't take the trip because I broke my leg. But I'd always wondered how it would have worked out.


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## tgstubbs1 (Aug 12, 2020)

Sounds like fun. 

What scenery did you see along the way?


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## Lauren1509 (Aug 13, 2020)

tgstubbs1 said:


> Sounds like fun.
> 
> What scenery did you see along the way?


All the good stuff! We liked Harpers Ferry, Rockies outside of Denver, and Reno to Truckee.


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## Dakota 400 (Aug 13, 2020)

Lauren1509 said:


> I slept in the top bunk, no ladder in use (I put it on the floor) and climbed into the bunk by stepping up on the couch with one foot, then sink with other foot, then sliding in to the bunk



On a moving train, I think that is very risky. Why did you not use the ladder?


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## SarahZ (Aug 13, 2020)

Dakota 400 said:


> On a moving train, I think that is very risky. Why did you not use the ladder?


Likely because the ladder is placed in the area where she had the Pack & Play set up.


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## tgstubbs1 (Aug 13, 2020)

It can make a lot of difference traveling during daylight vs night of course. It looks like you just missed the Grizzly Falls fire. 
Did you get any good photos?


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## Dakota 400 (Aug 14, 2020)

SarahZ said:


> Likely because the ladder is placed in the area where she had the Pack & Play set up.



It's been so long since I booked a Bedroom that I didn't remember where the ladder was placed.


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## Lauren1509 (Aug 15, 2020)

SarahZ said:


> Likely because the ladder is placed in the area where she had the Pack & Play set up.


Yes, that was why. It did not stand up straight and hook onto the bunk properly in the floor space by the sink. I only mentioned in case others were wondering how to make it all function in there with the pack n play.


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## SarahZ (Aug 15, 2020)

Lauren1509 said:


> Yes, that was why. It did not stand up straight and hook onto the bunk properly in the floor space by the sink. I only mentioned in case others were wondering how to make it all function in there with the pack n play.



Your post was really helpful!

We’ve had a lot of people asking for the measurements of a bedroom so they can use theirs, but I don’t think we’ve ever had anyone actually post the measurements and/or pictures of the set up.


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