Amtrak teases upgraded bedding/amenities for sleeping cars

[niemi24s]

As the current accommodation charge for a Roomette on the Southbound AT can range from $153 to $471, 35% of that is $54 to $165 - no doubt depending on the bucket du jour. And the buckets du jour are the bottom 4 in March, all 5 in April, but only the low bucket in May and June 2020.

 

[Maglev]

This has something to do with upgrades, and relates to the topic being discussed...

Amtrak had two orders for bi-level, long-distance cars: the Superliner I's received from 1979 built by Pullman Standard and the Superliner II's received from 1993 built by Bombardier. The Superliner II order included sleeping cars with all Bedrooms upstairs exclusively for use on the Auto Train. The Superliner I sleeping cars were refurbished in the mid 2000's. Does the Auto Train have a random mix of refurbished and unrefurbished cars like other trains?

 

[F900ElCapitan]

It’s been a few months since I’ve truly kept track of the actual cars. But, as of the last few months, the AT uses pretty much exclusively SL2 equipment, especially for the sleepers and coaches. The change from full diners to the Cross Country Cafes for coach passengers, and the AT lounge cars would be the only normal exceptions.

 

[ET2020]

It’s been a few months since I’ve truly kept track of the actual cars. But, as of the last few months, the AT uses pretty much exclusively SL2 equipment, especially for the sleepers and coaches. The change from full diners to the Cross Country Cafes for coach passengers, and the AT lounge cars would be the only normal exceptions.

What is the typical CONSIST for the #52 & #53 trains?

 

[RichieRich]

New quilt/blanket....new pillow/pillowcase....that is all.

 

[ET2020]

New quilt/blanket....new pillow/pillowcase....that is all.

Well that's a start, eh?
Hopefully ALL the other advertised upgrades will make it into use incrementally.
I'm sure you will keep us posted; Thanks for the update and the photo
ET

 

[Dakota 400]

New quilt/blanket....new pillow/pillowcase....that is all.

The quilt blanket appears to be more substantial that the thin blue blanket previously provided. Progress?

 

[RichieRich]

The quilt blanket appears to be more substantial that the thin blue blanket previously provided. Progress?

But I'll never know....it's wrapped in plastic...PLASTIC...Oh the humanity.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

New quilt/blanket....new pillow/pillowcase....that is all.

This is on the auto train?

 

[RichieRich]

This is on the auto train?

Yes

 

[F900ElCapitan]

Now the question is if and when these will make it to the rest of the network.

 

[MrNews]

Until they upgrade the mattresses, we'll continue to bring our supplemental support onboard. It makes their scant 3" thick "mattress" actually sleep-able, with fewer AM aches and pains: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SYJ2NY7
It fits perfectly on the Viewliner roomette beds.

 

[ET2020]

Until they upgrade the mattresses, we'll continue to bring our supplemental support onboard. It makes their scant 3" thick "mattress" actually sleep-able, with fewer AM aches and pains: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SYJ2NY7
It fits perfectly on the Viewliner roomette beds.

Looks like it's harder to flatten out and stow away.... Does it really get close to getting back to original size?

 

[dlagrua]

I doubt if we will ever see full dining service on the Eastern Routes ever again. We will be lucky to get even Cardinal type meals reheated in a convection oven and served at a table by a person. All these extra toiletries are just an advertising ploy to distract from the terrible cutbacks in fresh meals that went form good to those full of salt, nitrates preservatives and harmful chemicals. Why if it keeps going like this, you'll be lucky to get a mushy microwave frankfurter

 

[neroden]

Meals are coming back to *airlines*. If somoene with half a brain starts running Amtrak, they'll come back to Amtrak too...

 

[ET2020]

Meals are coming back to *airlines*. If somoene with half a brain starts running Amtrak, they'll come back to Amtrak too...

Wait - I thought someone with half a brain was running Amtrak ? Just Kidding!!

 

[Dakota 400]

Meals are coming back to *airlines*. If somoene with half a brain starts running Amtrak, they'll come back to Amtrak too...

That's my exact thinking. History is cyclic.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

That's my exact thinking. History is cyclic.

We recovered from “simplified dining” but I worry that too much was lost on the east coast. If commissaries have closed down I’m not sure how easy it will be to get back what was lost.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Meals are coming back to *airlines*. If somoene with half a brain starts running Amtrak, they'll come back to Amtrak too...

That's my exact thinking. History is cyclic.

History is cyclic? So the Pioneer is coming back? How about the Sunset East? Slumbercoach service must be just around the corner.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

The last time I was on a sleeper was on Slumbercoach 40 years ago. It was great for a single traveler (and I think I landed a 2-person Slumbercoach compartment, which seemed very similar to today's Roomettes). I think I'd want more room now as an older traveler, though.

 

[cocojacoby]

Yeah, I also rode a long time ago in a double Slumbercoach room. I more frequently nowadays ride with my wife in a Roomette. I think the Roomette is a great design but like you, I wish there was a little more space there too. I feel a bit more floor space would make it much more comfortable. It seems like we are always tripping on stuff on the floor and the two of us can't stand in the room at the same time.

I was really hoping that with the Viewliner II design they opened up more floor space by eliminating the toilet and the cabinet across that holds the toilet paper. However the pics I have seen don't seem to show any more floor space in the room. A little extra space would be nice.

 

[Chatter163]

I was referring the inclusion of seven exclamation marks in a short and otherwise unremarkable post. Looks like you've included another five more here just for good measure. If you weren't shouting I guess you were just shocked and rattled at the idea that someone might decline to bring the kitchen sink to their next train ride.

I would agree. Not being a middle school student anymore, I don’t see the need for multiple exclamation points in any post.

 

[Barb Stout]

Yeah, I also rode a long time ago in a double Slumbercoach room. I more frequently nowadays ride with my wife in a Roomette. I think the Roomette is a great design but like you, I wish there was a little more space there too. I feel a bit more floor space would make it much more comfortable. It seems like we are always tripping on stuff on the floor and the two of us can't stand in the room at the same time.

I was really hoping that with the Viewliner II design they opened up more floor space by eliminating the toilet and the cabinet across that holds the toilet paper. However the pics I have seen don't seem to show any more floor space in the room. A little extra space would be nice.

The roomettes in the superliners don't have a toilet, but where the toilet would have been are the steps to get up to the upper berth, so it's the same amount of room even without the toilet.

 

[Qapla]

Yes, the roomettes are rather limited in space - their entire floor size is about the same footprint as a living room sofa, in fact, we have a couple sofas with a slightly larger footprint

The dimensions of each roomette are 3'6' X 6'6 and have room for two adults

While cleverly designed to make use of the space ... if they made more floor space in the same footprint - I'm sure there would be some who could complain that there is now less storage space .... you can't please all the people all the time

 

[cocojacoby]

Yes, the roomettes are rather limited in space - their entire floor size is about the same footprint as a living room sofa, in fact, we have a couple sofas with a slightly larger footprint

The dimensions of each roomette are 3'6' X 6'6 and have room for two adults

While cleverly designed to make use of the space ... if they made more floor space in the same footprint - I'm sure there would be some who could complain that there is now less storage space .... you can't please all the people all the time

Eliminating the toilet and the cabinet opposite will not remove any storage space. In fact it would create more since you can place things on the floor.

As someone mentioned above, there is floor space that is taken up by steps on Superliners. I recall seeing some European sleepers that have clever fold out steps that Amtrak should adopt.