Cardinal discussion

[zephyr17]

Perhaps it's because I first experienced the Superliner roomettes, but I find the Viewliner roomettes refreshingly roomy. The upper bunk is a few inches wider on one end to accommodate someone with shoulders, and the greater height of the celinig means the person sleeping in the upper bunk can look out the window, and not feel like he is in a coffin. Plus, there's that enormous space for storing luggage.

Agree, Upper berth of SL roomettes are somewhat confined. Also no ooutsi8de view which is not good for rail fans.

I like Viewliner roomettes much more than Superliner roomettes. The higher ceiling and upper windows makes them feel larger. The ventilation is better. An adult can actually sit upright in the upper.

With that said, overall I prefer Superliner trains. The single level trains do not have good lounge/non-rev common space. Amcafes do not cut it, even if the crew don't homestead the tables or the LSA doesn't chase out anyone not actively eating cafe food. The Viewliner diners do serve as pretty good lounge space where they are operated as a "sleeper lounge" on trains with Flex, though as such they are probably the most expensive lounges ever built. I assume they are operated solely as diners on trains that "traditional" has been restored on.

Superliner trains without Sightseers are the worst of both worlds.

 

[MARC Rider]

I like Viewliner roomettes much more than Superliner roomettes. An adult can actually sit upright in the upper.

This is probably most important, at least for me. I just can't get in and out of a Superliner upper berth.

 

[MARC Rider]

Superliner trains without Sightseers are the worst of both worlds.

I've ridden the Capitol a few time over the last few years, and it was OK. No sightseer lounge, but they let people hang out in the Cross Country Cafe between meal times. Because I travel by myself, I don't have to worry about the upper berth.

 

[Brian Battuello]

Excellent summary of the two sleeper fleets. I don't mind the Superliner roomette by myself, but it is a bit of a challenge for two, especially when you and your spouse have to fight over the beds. OTOH, our kids absolutely loved the top berth of a Viewliner, where they could set up their electronics and play all day.

Still nothing beats a Sightseer Lounge, except a VIA Canadian dome car. Don't get me started....

 

[TinCan782]

This is a Viewliner bedroom "plus" for this guy in his mid-seventies ... a grab-iron on the overhead to help get in and out of the upper bunk. This was on the Cardinal a few weeks ago.

 

[dlagrua]

My wife who is 17 yrs younger won't allow me to take the upper bedroom bunk. What she loves about the Cardinal is the easier access and having her own window up there. I appreciate the high ceiling and the extra space but wow these bedrooms (PHL-CHI) are getting very expensive and they still serve you poor quality food loaded with caustic chemicals.

 

[Siegmund]

Superliner trains without Sightseers are the worst of both worlds.

IMO that's a sleeper-specific view.
Having done most my traveling by coach unless an employer was paying for the room... I will take the view and legroom of a Superliner coach seat, and dinner in a Superliner diner, over AmAnything. By a mile. The SSL is nice -- but I enjoyed my trips on the old Pioneer and the Seattle section of the Empire Builder much more than I enjoyed the Cardinal or LSL.

 

[zephyr17]

I will take the view and legroom of a Superliner coach seat, and dinner in a Superliner diner, over AmAnything.

Just pointing out that Superliners are very much part of "AmAnything".

 

[Cal]

"AmAnything".

Not Amfleets though.

 

[zephyr17]

Not Amfleets though.

Neither are Viewliners. Nor Horizons. I used the term "single level trains" deliberately and consider "Am" to be a general use prefix for Amtrak, so "AmAnything" would be highly inclusive.