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Gosh! Remembering the Amtrak 'early days' when every sleeping car passenger received, in addition to the timetable, a packet of travel information on routing and scheduling, a toilet kit, a packet of snacks for along the way, and coupons for each meal. Unfortunately we now have smart phones...

Apparently the only thing they do relatively consistently is make things difficult for us travelers... with delays, overpricing, seating problems, flexless meh meals, and occasional breakdowns and derailments. Oh my!:eek:

A lot of the seat assignment controversy is with the car attendant... wishing there would be policies that would make everything consistent! But for sure... I have avoided LD overnight travel in coach... and pony up whatever $$$ to get my own room. However, on the Cascade route and NEC I have...

Most train services worldwide are government subsidized and do sell different classes of seating allowing more personal space; so a passenger should be allowed to purchase two adjoining seats for greater comfort as well. In fact the airlines do just that to allow customers to stretch out on...

Agreed! I wouldn't think of train travel without a complete time table... it lets you know if the train's on time and what towns you are stopping at... and for how long. I have been running off somewhat outdated timetables knowing the actual times are off... such a hassle to have to keep pulling...

Was looking at routes into and out of LA in October and all sleepers were booked or high bucket pricey. Were you able to get a roomette??? At this end my next trip isn't until after Thanksgiving taking the CS to the CZ and then east on the Cardinal; returning on the Cardinal, SWC, and back to...

I so agree with the randomness of a seat mate... especially when traveling long distances! BTW... by the time you have paid for two seats in coach you are that much closer to the ultimate privacy of your own roomette... that is... if those prices ever again become reasonable!

When you check in at the station... or at time of reservation of yourself and your instrument, be sure to note on the record that the purchased seat for yourself and your instrument are together; and with that on your res record, ask the onboard conductor to accommodate your reservation...

The two seat thing just doesn't work on Amtrak especially if the seats are not preassigned. I often hear "There is going to be a full load and you may not use the seat next to you for your luggage. Even if you purchased two seats, the conductor could just shrug it off and demand the seat be left...

What a trip you had. Your vivid descriptions and accounts allowed us to come along with you. Thanks again for sharing! Where's your next adventure? Adventures???

Acela 1st class meals are a bit small but very high quality. Anything is possible except where brick walls block any decent possibilities.

Please count me in Michigan Mom... for a slice of that pecan pie. Remembering a pecan pie indulgence when taking GN from college in Duluth Superior to St. Paul for a day trip on the rails... when in St. Paul I lavished in a decadent slice of that pie with ice cream before journeying back up...

Wow Jim! What a great read... the stuff novels are made from; and I don't have to daydream... just read your account for a rail thrill. Which I will re read many times and fantasize what it must have been truly like. I hope you will indeed put your memoirs into some kind of a book... please...

Aaah... remembering the days of the big large system wide timetables... the stuff dreams were made of... spend hours and hours perusing and dreaming of places to go with creative ways of taking the longest route between two points. ...So long ago :)

I have trips on the Zephr in November and January... eastbound in sleepers. Although pricing and availability are totally crazy, they do seem to be running. On time? Oh well, that's another story!

TG Anderson's idea is long gone... 'gone with the wind!'

They did make a notable improvement on the flex meals about a year ago... more taste for sure. The agent who I spoke with recently indicated the return of full service dining and the placement of those beautiful dining cars back on the Eastern trains... and that the pandemic has hit Amtrak just...

For the itinerary involving so many sleeper trains... all the meals, and the accommodations that price of $3,087 looks pretty good. You can make the actual reservation and they will hold it for several days while you check out other components of your trip. But if you did see it and didn't hold...

Call and ask to speak to customer service... they are probably well aware of the food problems on your train... and probably got complaints from others. It can't hurt to politely request a full refund as per operational problems. At least you will get a travel credit voucher of a few hundred...

That's a reasonable wishlist considering the amount charged for sleeper accommodations! I connected with someone in Amtrak management who was working calls Sunday and he told me the root of many problems is work shortages. He said Amtrak wants to bring back dining cars in the east along with...