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Guaranteed connections are great so they know that you have a connection to make. Years ago, I was aboard the #421 through sleeper CHI->LAX connecting to a sleeper on #14, the Coast Starlight. As we were running 5 or 6 hours late, 'they woke me early and got me off to make a bus connection...

It's very likely the (assistant?)conductor is using an unassigned room since they can look ahead to see what is/is not booked for occupancy. Based upon observation aboard many trips in roomette #13 (personally requested at booking) the past 20+ years, it appears that the Amtrak computer assigns...

It looks like someone else snagged the family bedroom at the low price before you tried. It's gone now. The low price shown rarely lasts more than 2-5 hours before someone else grabs it. In all probability, it was someone's cancellation and there's always somebody looking for a super...

When modifying a reservation, you get whatever the current rate is for your accommodation. You may have snagged your roomette when it was $200. That was then. But today, a roomette is going for $1100. The price does not move with you, you always get the current price when modifying a...

I assume the $2969 you paid was for a full bedroom as it seems exceedingly high for roomette. So you have to ask yourself is moving downstairs so 'bad' to willingly waste $500. If you had a bedroom, you would lose the private shower, sink and toilet, all, in room. Roomettes have none of those...

When changing a reservation, to get it right, you must, repeat... must, talk to a real, live agent. Forget about trying to do it online.and getting it right, especially if multiple segments are/will be/may be booked. My luck has been horrible when multiple segments or AGR points are involved...

As dlagrua wrote above, a roomette that you are interested in may be only partially available between your boarding/deboarding stations. For example, you may want to travel in a roomette Chicago to Seattle. But one has already booked Chicago to Minneapolis, effectively 'blocking' a Chicago...

Train 143 originates at Springfield MA from the cleaned and turned counterpart the night before, train 146, if I read the schedule accurately. As a 25+ year Springfield area resident, I've taken an interest in the track layout there. Unless there have been track changes since 2019 last I...

Perhaps the switch to a VL-II occurred so the VL-I could be sent to Beach Grove for bad order repairs, annual maintenance or perhaps a refurb. To claim one reason or another is pure speculation without Amtrak insider knowledge. I'm sure there are multiple possibilities as to why a sleeper was...

Amtrak has been caught in multiple battles since it's inception more than 50 years ago. Initially it had equipment limitations followed by budgetary nightmares. They had to make do with what they had available, and still do, despite out of control cost escalation and inflation since then...

If you have not begun the first leg of the journey yet, why not just call up Amtrak or go online and change the reservation? Even though there may or may not be a penalty for the change, I'd rather spend $10 penalty than throw away $100 leg of a trip. If you were already on the first leg...

For me, if I hadn't done it before I would definitely go for the scenery route. That means the Capitol Lrd to Pittsburgh, The Pennsylvanian to New York, and lastly a regional train to New Haven. Or the Acela, if that strikes your fancy. You might want to decide on what is worth what. Is no...

Although I have I haven't ridden in the past few months, on numerous occasions I have found acela business class cheaper than regional train business class. Knowing that occasionally happens, and my travel dates are flexible, I'll check a few days either way to see if I can get the cheaper...

One of my pet peeves, and I'm sure many other passengers as well, are people who camp out in the cafe car. That's why conductors and other crew members camping out irritates so many...it's especially irritating in BC/cafe cars with only 6 tables I recall reading when the Acela was designed in...

I carry a simple, cheap, 6 foot, 3 prong, 3 socket extension cord in my bag. The key is the male end has to be straight vs right angle. Some years back, I encountered a non-refurbished Superliner I roomette that had the socket recessed about 2" in the head rest. At the time, I was using a...

In a Superliner, the H room and the Family Bedroom both have the advantage of being 'full car body width' rooms. Meaning, you have a window on both sides of the train. They also have the 'commonality' of having noticably smaller windows than the rest of the train. I'm guessing they're about...

As another Springfield area resident, I agree with the others above...the Vermonter's timekeeping, especially from north of Springfield, has been inconsistent lately. I would definitely take a Lyft from the Springfield train station to get to Bradley. The odds of getting a Lyft from downtown...

In over 50 years of having credit cards, -never- have I encountered such difficult-to-remove goo as on the FNBO cards! I first tried rubbing as that has always worked in the past. Nope. Tried cigarette lighter fluid (I used nothing but a Zippo from 1963 or so until I quit I quit smoking in...

If there's room in your luggage... I intentially travel as minimally as possible, and between the 'overhead' airline size 4-wheel roll-on and a gym bag I put on top, I don't have room for any window cleaning items. I can put 5-6 days summer clothing in just those...shirts, pants, underwear...

As zepyr17 noted, #6 is 1/2 way between the stairs and the end door. Turn right at the top of the stairs, 3rd door on your right. #1 roomette in a Viewliner I is my favorite room...directly next to the water heater! So almost instant hot water in the sink! R #2 is nearly as fast. The shower...