Amtrak teases upgraded bedding/amenities for sleeping cars

[RichieRich]

Well it looks like the only upgrade coming to auto train will be the loss of the coach diner Anderson strikes again. January 15th is next week.

Yes...they mentioned that on today's train. And that the idea of "food trucks" is a joke. They come when they want...Late departure...they're gone. Low occupancy...they don't bother showing up. Travel coach...you've been put on a diet!

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

Yes...they mentioned that on today's train. And that the idea of "food trucks" is a joke. They come when they want...Late departure...they're gone. Low occupancy...they don't bother showing up. Travel coach...you've been put on a diet!

Plus who wants 2-4 hour old, cold food truck food to start with. The service reductions are one thing, but the lies that accompany them are getting old and not befitting a billion dollar corporation.

 

[Palmland]

I’m not sure why the food trucks are necessary. When we took Auto Train in September fro Sanford, Amtrak had a van to take passengers to downtown where there are many good restaurants. We chose to check in then make the short drive there for an excellent lunch. Certainly if you were a coach passenger you could get some to go for your dinner.

I’m looking forward to hearing reports of the upgraded food and service for sleeper passengers that I think is supposed to start Jan. 15.

 

[MARC Rider]

That's one of my top 5 complaints about roomettes...arriving on board and finding the bed already down and made up. I last encountered that boarding a 2 hour late #20 at ATL in September. Fortunately, I have no problem putting it back to usable condition but rolling it up and putting it on one seat and moving both of them to the upright positions so I can put my rolling carryon underneath the seat. I gave up on the above-the-hall cubby in Viewliners long ago as I left a couple of items there through the years, and there's no cubby in a Superliner.

I've witnessed several times, including boarding at Atlanta, when an older couple gets on only to be surprised at how cramped everything is and there's no place to get undressed or to store their luggage. In my opinion, the SCA should wait until he makes his rounds introducing themselves and asking when would they wish to have the beds made up.

Actually, that wasn't what I was talking about. On all the segments I rode, the SCA didn't pull out the beds until I asked, it's just that the bedding was already made up around the mattress, and was tucked in pretty tightly. I've never had (or expected to have) an SCA pull out some sheets and make up a bed from scratch just for me. All they do is convert the seats to a bed (or pull down the upper berth), pull out a mattress with premade sheets and set it up. Expecting them to actually make a bed from scratch is plutocrat territory, and sleeper fares would have to be a lot higher than they are now to expect that kind of thing.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Actually, that wasn't what I was talking about. On all the segments I rode, the SCA didn't pull out the beds until I asked, it's just that the bedding was already made up around the mattress, and was tucked in pretty tightly. I've never had (or expected to have) an SCA pull out some sheets and make up a bed from scratch just for me. All they do is convert the seats to a bed (or pull down the upper berth), pull out a mattress with premade sheets and set it up. Expecting them to actually make a bed from scratch is plutocrat territory, and sleeper fares would have to be a lot higher than they are now to expect that kind of thing.

Huh? Who do you think makes those beds from scratch in the first place? Some Amtrak sleeping car fairy? The SCA’s do. They have to strip all the sheets and bedding and remake every single bed before they leave the train.

 

[Sauve850]

Who's to say that there won't be some over-zealous SCA who tucks in the comforter?

I don't understand when the SCA makes the head at the wrong end. For example, the upper berth in a Bedroom has a foot-wide gap at one end or a wall and reading light at the other end. Common sense would say that the head should be under the reading light, but the beds are often made with the head at the other end!

I have learned to always tell the SCA which way I want the bed made up. And Ive finally gotten pretty decent at putting on the two blankets I request on an already made up bed.

 

[nferr]

Not so rare. I too prefer upper berth--but only on the Viewliners. I'd rather avoid the coffin-like Superliner upper berth.

Same here. I use the lower area on the Viewliner as my personal hang out area until I'm ready to sleep then just climb up for sleeping, almost like having two rooms lol. Could do the same in the Superliner roomette but then you're sleeping with no window and that takes away a lot of the enjoyment IMO.

 

[pennyk]

I have learned to always tell the SCA which way I want the bed made up. And Ive finally gotten pretty decent at putting on the two blankets I request on an already made up bed.

When in a bedroom, I like my feet near the window, and I request such. Most SCAs, in my experience, make the beds with the feet toward the door and head toward the window. When I board in the evening (like I did on the CS in SAC), the bed is usually made up opposite to what I prefer. I am getting pretty good and turning the mattress to my preferred direction. I am OK with putting blankets on the bed.

 

[Sauve850]

When in a bedroom, I like my feet near the window, and I request such. Most SCAs, in my experience, make the beds with the feet toward the door and head toward the window. When I board in the evening (like I did on the CS in SAC), the bed is usually made up opposite to what I prefer. I am getting pretty good and turning the mattress to my preferred direction. I am OK with putting blankets on the bed.

Me too. I like a lot of pillows and being able to prop up and look out the window late at night for a while.

 

[ET2020]

I’m not sure why the food trucks are necessary. When we took Auto Train in September fro Sanford, Amtrak had a van to take passengers to downtown where there are many good restaurants. We chose to check in then make the short drive there for an excellent lunch. Certainly if you were a coach passenger you could get some to go for your dinner.

I’m looking forward to hearing reports of the upgraded food and service for sleeper passengers that I think is supposed to start Jan. 15.

Any updates on this being implemented on the autotrain yet?
I saw a new menu announced, re-introducing a free glass of wine with dinner. I had not heard about the upgrades to bedding/amenities.

 

[user 14106]

Any updates on this being implemented on the autotrain yet?
I saw a new menu announced, re-introducing a free glass of wine with dinner. I had not heard about the upgrades to bedding/amenities.

Not sure. The new menu went into place in the fall but I think the complimentary wine went in more recent - either when the coke switch happened or when the coach diner came off. So the upgrades are probably coming in no particular schedule.

 

[ET2020]

Not sure. The new menu went into place in the fall but I think the complimentary wine went in more recent - either when the coke switch happened or when the coach diner came off. So the upgrades are probably coming in no particular schedule.

Thanks, lordsigma !
Was that Coke Switch a switch To Coke, or From Coke ?? (hoping it was To Coke)
ET

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Thanks, lordsigma !
Was that Coke Switch a switch To Coke, or From Coke ?? (hoping it was To Coke)
ET

To Coke

 

[Skyline]

I travel on Amtrak with a full backpack as my luggage, and somewhere on the adventure I actually use it for "wilderness" backpacking somewhere along the route. Therefore, I use my sleeping bag (rated to 15 degrees) in lieu of Amtrak linens. Much more comfortable, and easy to set up without the SCA. In fact, I always tell them I'll take care of it, but thanks anyway...

 

[ET2020]

To Coke

View attachment 16612

Oh - well that's good for me - as I dislike Pepsi

 

[Qapla]

Oh - well that's good for me - as I dislike Pepsi

Just goes to show that we are not all in the same boat ... or in this instance, ride in the same train car - I prefer Pepsi but I can drink either

 

[ET2020]

Just goes to show that we are not all in the same boat ... or in this instance, ride in the same train car - I prefer Pepsi but I can drink either

That's okay, Qapla - if we were in the same railcar, and all that was available was Pepsi, I would join you in drinking one
My Mom was a huge Pepsi-holic, and she would never buy Coke for in the house. I would always jump for joy if we were dining out somewhere, where they only served Coke products. She would not drink Coke, and order a water instead! I could, however, endure a Pepsi, if the tables were turned.

Still waiting to get some in-person accounts of these 2020 changes, and when they hit the Auto Train.
Let me know if you hear anything before I do!
ET

 

[me_little_me]

I was just wondering - will the new bedding taste better than the new food?
Will Amtrak prosecute us if we eat the bedding instead of the food?

I know the new food works better as bedding than as food but doesn't work as well as the old bedding as bedding.

 

[user 14106]

I was just wondering - will the new bedding taste better than the new food?
Will Amtrak prosecute us if we eat the bedding instead of the food?

I know the new food works better as bedding than as food but doesn't work as well as the old bedding as bedding.

Are you referring to auto train or flex dining? On the auto train it’s only the coach food that got downgraded - sleeper menu is about the same as it was just different menu items.

 

[me_little_me]

Are you referring to auto train or flex dining? On the auto train it’s only the coach food that got downgraded - sleeper menu is about the same as it was just different menu items.

The "new" Contemptible Dining in sleepers.

 

[Shortline]

I don’t personally care about the soaps, lotions, shampoos etc, but man, it’s time for new bedding for sure. Those insanely thin sheets blankets and pillows are miserable.

And make the bed, completely. Sure I CAN pull my own blanket out of the plastic and do it, but why should we be required to? And I don’t buy the “it’s so you know they’re clean” line.....otherwise the sheets and pillow cases would be in a bag too......but either way, a decent blanket and better sheets would go a long way to improving the trip.

 

[Chey]

I was just wondering - will the new bedding taste better than the new food?
Will Amtrak prosecute us if we eat the bedding instead of the food?

I know the new food works better as bedding than as food but doesn't work as well as the old bedding as bedding.

You could have warned us not to have food or liquid in our mouths before we read this.

 

[neroden]

Amtrak claimed 'improved' dining and removed all edible food. Maybe 'improved' bedding means no mattresses, no sheets, no pillows. It is still a lie flat option so I would still buy it but yeesh.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

Too much dishonesty within Amtrak. All the negatives and reductions in amenities take place as scheduled while the promised upgrades don’t ever seem to appear.

 

[junebug]

I want a mattress I can sleep on. Not one that feels like the pad I put under my sleeping bag in a tent. I know you guys know this already but paying first class airline ticket rate for a sleeper car, I would like at least a 2 star hotel experience.