Being Big On A Train

[June the Coach Rider]

Amtrak eventually got back to me on width in bathrooms. They say they don't have an exact measurement, but estimate the size of a bathroom in a bedroom is about 2ft in width. Just for those of you who might have wondered or want to know.

I found that the bathroom in the bedroom is ok as long as you back in, I could not turn around in there when I had a sleeper a few years ago. I know with my mobility issues and my weight issues now, there would be no way, if I ever was able to afford a sleeper, I would have to request the handicapped sleeper. that is why I go coach and request lower level as often as possible.

Another tip about needing assistance, make sure when you place your reservation that you make a point of telling the agent that you need your meals in your room and/or need in-seat service. The car attendant does not know you need assistance without it being noted on the manifest and I also always mention it when they first come around to give us the seat checks. Communication is important.

 

[Cooley47]

I know I'm a noob, but how exactly do I go about doing that? Do they bring something by to fill out or when they come to the room after I get in do I tell them I need my meals brought to me?

 

[Cooley47]

Girlfriend wants to know if the trains get cold where we need extra blankets, being we'll be traveling during winter.

 

[SarahZ]

I know I'm a noob, but how exactly do I go about doing that? Do they bring something by to fill out or when they come to the room after I get in do I tell them I need my meals brought to me?

Call a reservations agent and give them your name/res number. They may verify your travel dates and room numbers to make sure they have it correct. Just let them know you'd like meals brought to you, and they'll add it. Your SCA will already be aware, but you can always ask to be sure once they come around to introduce themselves. The SCA will take your meal order and serve it, just like a dining car server.

 

[SarahZ]

Girlfriend wants to know if the trains get cold where we need extra blankets, being we'll be traveling during winter.

I've always been warm enough in the roomette (sometimes too warm), but some people prefer to bring an extra blanket. If she's one of those people who gets cold easily, she might feel more comfortable. Also, I'd rather err on the side of caution. I'd hate to end up too cold because I wanted to save a little space. But really, I've never been so cold that my flannel pajamas and the sheet/blanket weren't enough to keep me quite warm. Plus, with the roomette door shut, our body heat does warm the space a little bit. The windows aren't drafty either.

Short answer: It depends. Maybe bring one just to be safe.

If you're going in the summer, there's a chance the A/C will be a bit chilly. My answer was based on experience during the winter. I've never been in a sleeper car during the summer, just coach.

 

[Cooley47]

I know I'm a noob, but how exactly do I go about doing that? Do they bring something by to fill out or when they come to the room after I get in do I tell them I need my meals brought to me?

Call a reservations agent and give them your name/res number. They may verify your travel dates and room numbers to make sure they have it correct. Just let them know you'd like meals brought to you, and they'll add it. Your SCA will already be aware, but you can always ask to be sure once they come around to introduce themselves. The SCA will take your meal order and serve it, just like a dining car server.

Thanks I'll do that now.

 

[Cooley47]

I was wondering if anyone could give me information on the train rooms we'll be in. Saw someone talking about theirs and wanted to know if say we're closest to the diner, furthest away, etc. Car 2900 on the 29 Capitol Limited and Car 0331 on the 3 Southwest Chief. Thanks!

 

[zephyr17]

On the Southwest Chief you are one car (330) away from diner in 331. On the Capitol Limited you are in the car next to diner in 2900.

 

[Cooley47]

Would those be considered good cars to be in? Or would it be better to request something further away?

 

[SarahZ]

The consist on the SWC will be:

Loco(s), baggage car, dorm car, your car, another car (330), diner car, lounge car, coach cars.

I didn't really hear the horn that much in 331, but others are more sensitive to it. (Honestly, I like 331 because the horn puts me to sleep.) You may want earplugs if it'll bother you.

 

[SarahZ]

Also, if you don't want to walk too far to the diner and lounge, I'd try to get into 330. That's the car right in front of the diner, and you walk through the diner to get to the lounge. I liked 330, but it does get a lot of foot traffic during meal times, which kind of annoyed me. I usually request 331.

 

[Cooley47]

I think I'd rather deal with the horn than people during the meal times haha. I guess I'll stick with what I have. Thanks for the layout.

 

[JoeBas]

Yeah, wouldn't want to run into anyone like all these nice folks with their free answers and advice, now would ya?... :blink:

 

[tricia]

Yeah, wouldn't want to run into anyone like all these nice folks with their free answers and advice, now would ya?... :blink:

Now, don't be mean. Some folks are shy. And that's OK.

 

[SarahZ]

Yeah, wouldn't want to run into anyone like all these nice folks with their free answers and advice, now would ya?... :blink:

Don't take it personally. Some people, like me and my boyfriend, have social anxiety. It doesn't matter how nice someone is; we don't want to spend an hour sweating over making small talk. My boyfriend actually shook during most of dinner on our last trip, so we have meals brought to our rooms now.

There's no need to judge. All of the outgoing people can sit with other extroverts in the dining car. The introverts aren't hurting anything by sitting in their rooms enjoying a quiet meal.

 

[Cooley47]

Yeah, wouldn't want to run into anyone like all these nice folks with their free answers and advice, now would ya?... :blink:

Haha, I see what you did there. It'd be nice to meet everyone on here, random people though, never know. I'm not the type that's always happy happy with everyone, I tend to keep to myself more often.

 

[benjibear]

I also have social anxiety but have been trying to overcome it. I think the diner and the train in general is a great place to try and overcome it but I find myself more outgoing when I am with strangers because I am not concerned with what they think of me. Chances are I will never see them again. I know some people have the fear of strangers. I do worse when it is someone I that I should get to know better.

 

[Cooley47]

I don't know why I didn't ask this before, as this has been something I've always been curious about. The Metro here in D.C. for instance stops at every single stop on the line you are on, unless stated otherwise, such as during rush hour some stops aren't used at all while only one train stops there. Is this the case for Amtrak? I was looking at the map from D.C. to Chicago and there's quite a fair amount of stops. I think I see about 20 or so?

Will Amtrak stop at all of them? Some of them? Or is it like a direct flight and it goes straight from the station in D.C. to the station in Chicago?

 

[June the Coach Rider]

I don't know why I didn't ask this before, as this has been something I've always been curious about. The Metro here in D.C. for instance stops at every single stop on the line you are on, unless stated otherwise, such as during rush hour some stops aren't used at all while only one train stops there. Is this the case for Amtrak? I was looking at the map from D.C. to Chicago and there's quite a fair amount of stops. I think I see about 20 or so?
Will Amtrak stop at all of them? Some of them? Or is it like a direct flight and it goes straight from the station in D.C. to the station in Chicago?

You will make every stop listed on the schedule unless there is a flag stop with no one to get on or off or a detrain only stop with no one to detrain. Otherwise you make all the stops. Some are short as a couple minutes others are longer. You will probably want to get some fresh air at the longer stops that are designated fresh air/smoke stops. Just to stretch your legs and breath some non air-conditioned/heated air.

 

[ehbowen]

The train will stop at any station which has a time point printed in the timetable, unless that station time point is marked with the crossed flags which denote a "flag stop". At a flag stop the train may pass without stopping if the manifest shows no passengers boarding or detraining, although as I understand the rules the engineer is supposed to pass the station at reduced speed prepared to stop if he sees a passenger signaling him from the platform. The train may arrive at a station early, but it will never depart a station early unless that stop is to discharge passengers only or is specially noted in the timetable. This includes flag stops; one time while I was on the Sunset Limited we received an unscheduled "smoke stop" at Sanderson when the train pulled into that flag stop ten minutes early and the conductor let passengers who wanted to grab a quick puff step off the train.

Your train will stop at all of the stations you see listed in the timetable, but on a long distance train that is not a problem. Usually it means a stop every hour or so, on the average.

 

[Cooley47]

Okay cool, no big deal either way. I do like the ability to go out and stretch and breathe some fresh air.

 

[zephyr17]

Don't detrain unless the stop is an announced "smoking/fresh air break" stop. At most other intermediate stations Amtrak tries to make the stop as short as possible to entrain and detrain passengers and do station work (some stops can be under a minute), unless they are ahead of schedule and must hold for time.

Even at the smoking/fresh air stops you should stay on the platform and be ready to get back onboard at "All Aboard" calls and two toots of the horn. The only exception to that are very long stops (which you know for a certainty are very long) when the train is on time, such as Portland, OR on the Starlight or Albuquerque, NM, but even on those, do not wander past the station.

The train won't wait and will leave with or without you.

 

[Cooley47]

Didn't plan on going for a stroll so no worries there.

 

[June the Coach Rider]

the conductor will announce which are smoke stops and which are not plus your SCA should know and will stop anyone trying to detrain on a non smoke stop.

 

[zephyr17]

Sometimes I've found that the SCA will announce that a stop is NOT a smoking stop and not to come downstairs unless this is your stop. They don't want other passengers crowding the vestibule and getting in the way of detraining and entraining passengers. Also, the SCA generally won't open up the car at stops that aren't smoking/fresh air stops unless someone is on the manifest for that car getting on or off there.