Amtrak teases upgraded bedding/amenities for sleeping cars

[ET2020]

My hubby seems to be warming to the idea of a train vacation, even before we retire. (Plus he's getting REALLY tired of not being able to go anywhere on weekend day trips!) So just before the weekend, he suggested that the two of us take a week off this fall for a train journey. If we go East, he'd like to visit Gettysburg and Mount Vernon (but NOT DC). Plenty of time to research such a trip before actually booking it, at least!

I agree with your Hubby -- I would avoid DC, unless you absolutely wanted to see the Smithsonian and/or Monuments, or Arlington.
I would look into the Frederick, Charlestown, or even Harper's Ferry areas. Lots of Hotels and, and you could tour Antietam, Devil's Backbone Park, and Harper's Ferry in addition to Gettysburg.

 

[IndyLions]

I suspect we might have to go via DC on the train; he just doesn't want to spend the night there or attempt to drive a rental car in DC. (We were there once for a convention a couple of decades ago, and the traffic seemed even worse than Chicago!) Fall colors would be nice, though, and fall weather in the Mid-Atlantic states should be moderate enough for pleasant travel.

Even if this trip ends up being Gettysburg or somewhere else, don’t let the traffic in DC deter you. There is absolutely no reason to drive there. Amtrak arrives downtown, the Metro is fantastic, and in between you can walk (or bike, or bus) anywhere you’d want to go. Doesn’t matter whether you stay downtown or in Alexandria - we’ve done both and loved both.

Besides, at the hotel when you see how much they would have charged you to keep your car there (parking fee) - it makes you feel smart you saved so much money!

 

[Bob Dylan]

I agree with your Hubby -- I would avoid DC, unless you absolutely wanted to see the Smithsonian and/or Monuments, or Arlington.
I would look into the Frederick, Charlestown, or even Harper's Ferry areas. Lots of Hotels and, and you could tour Antietam, Devil's Backbone Park, and Harper's Ferry in addition to Gettysburg.

Harpers Ferry is a really Cool Place!

 

[Rasputin]

I would not care to drive in DC either. However for the past few years we have taken an Acela to visit friends in DC who do not own a car. We have found it very easy to get around on the Metro, Uber, H Street trolley, etc.

 

[Dakota 400]

After getting off the Auto Train and heading to Greenbelt, Maryland on I-95, I missed a turn that I intended to take to get onto the Beltway. Ended up in D.C. with only a very faint idea of where I was. Pushed my little blue button for Onstar and I was able to get to where I needed to be. Thank goodness for that amenity!

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

After getting off the Auto Train and heading to Greenbelt, Maryland on I-95, I missed a turn that I intended to take to get onto the Beltway. Ended up in D.C. with only a very faint idea of where I was. Pushed my little blue button for Onstar and I was able to get to where I needed to be. Thank goodness for that amenity!

Our version of that is me firing up Google Maps on my phone while my husband drives, and praying that he pays attention and we don't get routed onto any toll roads or into any construction zones.

 

[gwolfdog]

After getting off the Auto Train and heading to Greenbelt, Maryland on I-95, I missed a turn that I intended to take to get onto the Beltway. Ended up in D.C. with only a very faint idea of where I was. Pushed my little blue button for Onstar and I was able to get to where I needed to be. Thank goodness for that amenity!

Was that a recent Auto Train trip? If so could you answer some questions for me. Thanks

 

[Dakota 400]

Was that a recent Auto Train trip? If so could you answer some questions for me. Thanks

Yes, my trip was in late January of this year. I'll be glad to try to answer your questions. If I don't know the answers, others on the Board probably will.

 

[hlcteacher]

i love dc and get there as often as i can (last trip was in january)

 

[Rasputin]

Harpers Ferry is a really Cool Place!

And I believe you can get there from DC by Amtrak or by commuter rail so you don't have to drive or rent a car.

 

[ET2020]

And I believe you can get there from DC by Amtrak or by commuter rail so you don't have to drive or rent a car.

Lots to do and see, god food, great history, Train Tracks everywhere.
Some very steep terrain however, if you plan to walk through the town.

 

[MARC Rider]

And I believe you can get there from DC by Amtrak or by commuter rail so you don't have to drive or rent a car.

However...
All of the trains run outbound from DC in the afternoon/evening, and all of the inbound trains back to DC leave Harpers Ferry in the morning. Sou if you wanted to take the train to Harpers Ferry, you'd have to spend the night there.

 

[ET2020]

However...
All of the trains run outbound from DC in the afternoon/evening, and all of the inbound trains back to DC leave Harpers Ferry in the morning. Sou if you wanted to take the train to Harpers Ferry, you'd have to spend the night there.

That might be interesting -- They used to have "Haunted Tours" at night, and the Charlestown Casino & RaceTrack is right down the road.....
Could be a nice overnight jaunt

 

[MARC Rider]

That might be interesting -- They used to have "Haunted Tours" at night, and the Charlestown Casino & RaceTrack is right down the road.....
Could be a nice overnight jaunt

I'm not sure if there's any lodging within walking distance from the station, or whether there's a car rental anywhere nearby, or whether there are Uber/Lyft drivers around.

Usually, when I visit Harpers Ferry, I park my car at Weverton, MD, hike the 2.5 miles up the C&O Canal towpath, and cross over on the Appalachian Trail footbridge. However, due to some sort of CSX wreck on the bridge (It's a CSX branch line that shares the bridge with the trail), the bridge is closed until CSX gets around to fixing it. They've mentioned this the past two months in the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club newsletter, with no estimate of when the job will be done. This means if you're in Harpers Ferry, you can't cross over and do the hike up to Maryland Heights or walk the Canal towpath without getting in a car and driving over to the other side on US 340.

 

[ET2020]

I'm not sure if there's any lodging within walking distance from the station, or whether there's a car rental anywhere nearby, or whether there are Uber/Lyft drivers around.

Usually, when I visit Harpers Ferry, I park my car at Weverton, MD, hike the 2.5 miles up the C&O Canal towpath, and cross over on the Appalachian Trail footbridge. However, due to some sort of CSX wreck on the bridge (It's a CSX branch line that shares the bridge with the trail), the bridge is closed until CSX gets around to fixing it. They've mentioned this the past two months in the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club newsletter, with no estimate of when the job will be done. This means if you're in Harpers Ferry, you can't cross over and do the hike up to Maryland Heights or walk the Canal towpath without getting in a car and driving over to the other side on US 340.

Well there's definitely lodging at and surrounding the casino. If you stayed there, I imagine they would have pick up service from the train station, and probably Uber/Lyft, though I can't verify that from experience.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

That is the 7-331 Midmer Losh organ in the Atlantic City Convention Center, now known as Boardwalk Hall. Pic taken the first time the organ had been heard since the 60's. Oct 31, 1988 or thereabouts.
It is interesting that many organ aficionados are also Foamers. I confess, I are one, too.

Yesterday the organ restoration group posted an excellent tour of the organ on YouTube. There were midday concerts at Boardwalk Hall but suspended due to Covid-19. I don't see, however, why they can't continue the concerts without the tours.

 

[Oaxacajo]

Between passengers, does Amtak sanitize pillows in a roomette?

 

[pennyk]

Between passengers, does Amtak sanitize pillows in a roomette?

I believe they change the pillow cases and retain the same pillows.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I believe they change the pillow cases and retain the same pillows.

Yep, same as Hotels!

 

[Dakota 400]

I believe they change the pillow cases and retain the same pillows.

I have observed my SCA prepare the bedding for the sleeper's next trip and that is what she/he has done. Pillow cases are removed and packed with the sheets and blanket to be laundered. A fresh pillow case is put on the existing pillows.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

Has anyone seen the new bedding that was promised years ago and now re promised again? Again things don’t seem to be adding up on the network trains on many fronts.

 

[pennyk]

Has anyone seen the new bedding that was promised years ago and now re promised again? Again things don’t seem to be adding up on the network trains on many fronts.

The mattress in the V-2 bedroom is thicker than the mattress in the V-1 bedroom.

 

[me_little_me]

The mattress in the V-2 bedroom is thicker than the mattress in the V-1 bedroom.

Oooh! Years waiting and they managed to get it only on the Silvers and only the new bedrooms? Wow! I'm so thrilled that I just can't stop being sarcastic!

They probably laid off all the SCAs that new how to put the new linens on the beds and are now trying to train new employees. Sad what Covid has done to poor Amtrak but it's good that management anticipated the pandemic by a couple of years and held off providing the new linens so they wouldn't become sources of spreading the disease.

[sarcasm not about your comment but about Amtrak's incompetence and lying]

 

[Ryan]

It's in the new Night Owl sleeper - someone posted pictures within the last few days.

 

[Cal]

Taking the cardinal and Chief in a week, I’ll let you know, assuming I remember