CZ#5 Transdorm

[Cma]

I have a reservation for roomette 22 in car 0540 leaving Chicago next week. Can anyone tell me if this will be at the front of the train before the coach cars?

 

[Bob Dylan]

I have a reservation for roomette 22 in car 0540 leaving Chicago next week. Can anyone tell me if this will be at the front of the train before the coach cars?

Yep, right behind the Baggage Car!

 

[Cma]

Thanks. This will be my first time in the transdorm. I'm looking forward to a new experience. I guess it will be a long walk to the dining car but exercise is good.

 

[TylerP42]

They're just roomettes upstairs! Half of the car will be blocked off and the downstairs will have a crew lounge. The SCA is usually the SCA for the car next to you.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

There are 3 showers in the typical Trans with at least 2 of them available for pax.

 

[OBS]

Not a lot of foot traffic, nice quiet ride, other than maybe background "horn"...

 

[Cma]

I love the horn so that won't bother me.

 

[niemi24s]

Yep, right behind the Baggage Car!

Please educate me: how can you find out where a certain car is located in the consist?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Yep, right behind the Baggage Car!

Please educate me: how can you find out where a certain car is located in the consist?

Transdorm is next to the bag car so that the conductor can get into the bag car to unload luggage. There are stairs at one end that lead to a downstairs end door (revenue Superliner cars do not have downstairs end doors) that is adjacent to the bag car's end door.

 

[PVD]

The car number indicates where a car is, given a particular make-up of a train. The specific consist may change for a number of reasons, season, loading, bad order or otherwise missing car, construction preventing joining/splitting sections (Current LSL), or whatever else arises. Even so, an in service Trans dorm will always have the single level door end facing the baggage car, boarding vestibule end of a viewliner sleeper will face a diner without a vestibule. There could be a special case where a trans-dorm is used to access single level PV or company business cars or a special setup with single level cars attached to a Superliner train, but that would be pretty rare.

 

[zepherdude]

I was in a Trans dorm car once, it was awesome. Quiet with no taffic, showers were good and clean. I stayed in my bunk most of the trip, except for the dining car trips. I loved the horn and the ride was relaxing. Never saw the crew, they came and went at all hours. A good 2 day trip. You will have a great time.

 

[PVD]

I've only gotten it once, and I agree, it was fine. As long as you are "low maintenance" and don't constantly need the SCA, and don't mind walking a few extra feet for morning coffee, you will love it.

 

[Cma]

I am looking forward to my first trip in the transdorm. It will be short unless there are big delays. I'm getting on in Chicago and off in Omaha.

The only assistance I will need is getting the bed put together. I need to be able to lie flat for most of the trip.

 

[lstone19]

While not typical, we were on 5-6/19 and it had a regular sleeper subbing for the transdorm (we weren't in it, just noticed it when walking the train at a long stop). I did hear the dining car crew at one point talking about having bedrooms that trip. I did ask a conductor about it and yes, it did mean having to go outside to the baggage car at every stop with baggage service.

 

[George K]

Yep, right behind the Baggage Car!

Please educate me: how can you find out where a certain car is located in the consist?

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/32610-line-numbersconsist-listings/

Granted, this might be a bit out of date, but has been consistent with my (limited) experiences.

 

[NW cannonball]

I am looking forward to my first trip in the transdorm. It will be short unless there are big delays. I'm getting on in Chicago and off in Omaha.

The only assistance I will need is getting the bed put together. I need to be able to lie flat for most of the trip.

Shouldn't be a problem. Just ask the SCA when you board to put the roomette in sleeping config. I expect they will be happy to do so, saves them worries at the bedtime rush, gets you the flat bed you want. Done that.

And like PVD and zephyrdude said -- it's the most quiet car on the train, has least thru pax traffic - just lay back and look out the window when you want.

 

[Cma]

Thanks for all the responses. One other question, will the PA announcements be broadcast to the transdorm car?

 

[NW cannonball]

Thanks for all the responses. One other question, will the PA announcements be broadcast to the transdorm car?

Uh - that's a puzzler, that is. Will the PA be broadcast to ANY car - maybe, maybe not,

The PA announcements sometimes work and are sometimes annoying, and sometimes fail, and that's also annoying.

I totally do not rely on the PA system on any Amtrak train. It's not like the 1MC on a ship.

Don't rely on the PA announcements - get to the diner on time for breakfast.

 

[PVD]

Been a while since I was in the t-d and I just don't remember. If you are only going to Omaha, breakfast shouldn't be an issue, only dinner. Omaha comes up after quiet time starts, so it probably wouldn't be announced anyway. The SCA should come by to remind you, and ask you about moving any bags downstairs, not a bad idea to touch base with him/her earlier.