First timer on a sleeper train- CZ

[mhay12]

This is my first time using this forum so I apologize ahead if this is too long or if I am using it incorrectly.

We are going on a sleeper train, (bedroom accommodations) for the first time. We have made many short distance train trips, but this is our first time on a long distance sleeper train. We are on the CZ going from Chicago to San Francisco. We have bedroom B. Any tips and advice that you can give us would be extremely appreciated. I have found some answers on the forum, but not all. Here are some of the tips I have read so far, but there are a few more items I would like to know about

Suggestions on what to bring:
1. Small flashlight
2. Large binder clips or 3-4 large pins like the diaper pins (this is to keep the curtains closed at night)
3. Nonperishable snacks
4. Small sewing kit
5. Band-aides.
6. Medications; Tylenol, cold/cough medicine, Tums, etc.
7. Small bottle of water (do they run out?)
8. 12" or so of duct tape, wrapped around a ballpoint pen. Use the tape to silence any squeaky panels or fixtures inside your roomette
9. GPS scanners (so you can find out exactly where you are)
10. Scanners (so you can listen to the train crew) can keep you entertained and informed.
11. Travel coffee mugs
12. Mug heating coil.
13. Bottle of wine, six pack of good beer, small alcoholic bottles (is this allowed in the bedroom?)
14. Coke (that’s all my husband will drink)
15. Laptop for DVD watching (+ DVDs, of course)
16. Route guide
17. Belkin mini surge protector/USB charger
18. File folders (can be used to block unwanted air or heat) also use for storing info.
19. Pre-packaged window cleaning wipes (?)

HELP: Do we really need all of the above items? Which would be the most helpful / important ones to bring? Below are my additional questions:
For the sleeper bedroom accommodations:
1. Can we bring our own pop?
2. Tipping our car attendant in the beginning of our trip, midway, or at the end? I've read that perhaps if you tip some in the beginning of the trip, you may get better service. We have traveled numerous times on cruise ships and always tip above the required amount, especially if they are good. Never thought of tipping a portion in the beginning of the trip, what do you say?
3. Are our laptops, GPS, etc safe in the bedroom when we leave the room? I read to keep your door curtain closed at all times, that way prying eyes won't see what you have? Any other ideas on this?​
​4. Is it really okay to bring your own alcohol on board if you have a sleeper bedroom? Do they check this?
5. ​Do they provide coffee cream at the coffee/ beverage area by the bedrooms?
​6. Do we really need to ask for an extra blanket and or pillow ? Does it get cold at night in the bedrooms?​
​7.​ Not sure about the necessity of a scanner device for listening to the train crew, we don't have one .
8. Do we need to make reservations for dinner and lunch and what are the best times to go so we get the optimum choices of food before they run out of something?

We have wanted to take a sleeper train for many years and this is our first opportunity to go. We are very excited about this trip! Thanks so much for any information you can give us before we leave in August.

 

[the_traveler]

1) Yes. Unless hou do not mind paying $2+ per can. Also remember that you can get them included in your included meals.

2) I tip at the end of the trip, otherwise I consider it a bribe.

3) As safe as can be. Remember that all others in the sleeper are sleeper passengers who have the same "problem".

4) Only sleeper passengers can bring alcoholic aboard, and must consume them in their rooms.

5) Yes.

6) No, unless you want to.

7) Not necessary if you don't have one.

8) The LSA from the Dining Car comes to you.

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

You are free to bring coke for your husband to drink. You can also bring your own snacks as well in your luggage.

As far as for meals go. Breakfast is usually first come first serve, they will announce this. Lunch can be either reserved or first come first served, it depends on the train and the crew. Dinner on the other hand is always reserved, the LSA (lead service attendant) will come around and take reservations, starting with the sleepers.

I would advise you to bring an extra blanket because the cars can get cold at night.

Yes, you can bring your own alcohol into your sleeper, whereas coach passengers CANNOT do this.

Unfortunatetly, you cant lock your room from the outside when you leave it, so if i were you, I would stow away any valuables that you dont want seen.

As far as for tipping the attendant, there are varying thoughts on this matter. If you tip beforehand, you generally will get better service, buuuuut, there have been cases where tipping beforehand made no difference, Personally, I always tip at the end of the trip, if I got good service, I'll praise that with a good tip, but if the service was not great, then I dont tip.

I hope I have helped some, if you have more questions, post and we can help.

 

[niemi24s]

I consider the published route guide only a first step in getting ready to see what there is to see on the trip. Another way to preview the sights along the way (so you don't miss anything of interest not in the Route Guide) is to use Google Earth imagery and the scrollable topographic maps here: http://www.mytopo.com/maps/index.cfm? If you plan on taking photos or videos along the way, consult the threads in the Train Photography section of our forum for tips on how take the best ones possible.

And don't forget that as a sleeper passenger you get to use the Metropolitan Lounge at the Union Station in Chicago.

Regards

 

[Skunky]

If your husband really will only drink Coke keep in mind that Amtrak only stocks Pepsi products. Some people don't care at all others..... do. Bring a 2liter and hit up your sca for cups and ice or bring them back from meals. I always ask for 2 bottles of water with meals. 1 for now and 1 to take with me You can do the same with pop if they stock what you want to drink.

 

[Sauve850]

Have taken the CZ and others many times. Most questions have been answered but here are my answers:

2: I never tip up front. I explain my needs to my attendant like when I want my bed made up at night and in the morning. A wake up call if I need one. Some ice to chill beverages etc.

3: Yes I think all is safe in sleeper cars

4: I always bring my own.

6: Yes I always ask for extra blanket as it seems to get cold at night

7: Optional. I have one and its informative. $75 on Amazon.

I have never brought clips for curtains (they all seem to work), coffee mugs, coils, surge protector or file folders. Believe none are necessary.

 

[SarahZ]

Just reading that packing list made me tired. While those are all good ideas, they certainly aren't all necessary, especially the scanner.

I've never felt uncomfortable leaving my belongings in my room. I either put them in the closet or under a pillow and then close the curtain before closing the door. When your curtain is closed, others don't know if anyone is in the room or not, so it acts as a deterrent.

Plus, after a while, people know who's in each room, so it's like a neighborhood watch of sorts. (Coach passengers aren't allowed in the sleepers, so you'll run into the same sleeper passengers over and over again instead of having a parade of strangers walking through the car.)

I order a soda with dinner and then ask for another soda at the end of my meal. It counts as a "refill", but I bring it back to my room. You can get your dessert "to go" too. I often enjoy my cheesecake as a late-night snack.

 

[chakk]

Amtrak teains serve pepsi products. So if your husbad wants the real thing he needs to bring his own. He can purchase more at the gift store inside the Grand Junction CO train station. And this stuff will be less than $2 per can

 

[TinCan782]

Wow...lots of questions! I'm on 422(29) SL/TE from LA as I write. ..

1 flashlight yes...any trip

2) clips...I leave curtains open ALL the time!

3) snacks ...yes what ever you like.

9) GPS for me yes...I geotag my photos and like to view the actual route on Google Earth after the trip.

Scanner for me yes..listen not only on train trips but at home as well.

13) booze...yes. ..sipping my Jack Daniels now.

15) laptop...I take one but don't use it on the train.

Dont over do it but do what suits YOU!

 

[Michael061282]

First off, don't over plan, I used to do that and I found that I really enjoyed the rides much better when I stopped. Just relax and let them do the "work". That said, I always bring a power strip so I can charge my phone/ipod/laptop to use at night. I think the diaper clips are a good idea, I like as close to a dark room as I can get and the corridor outside the rooms don't get all that dark when the lights are dimmed (for safety reasons). A GPS, if it's small enough, I used to bring a Rand McNally Road Atlas. , the same with a scanner although thats really not a necessity, unless you're really into that. I'm not, but my 15 year probably would be. Booze if you want, I'm not too particular on pepsi v coke but I do prefer coke and mountain dew (pepsi). I've never had a problem with anything being taken out of my room when I'm not in it, I try to put things away or "hide them" and I always shut door and pull the curtain so people can't "easily" look in.
Just remember, the roomettes especially are tiny. You don't really want to clutter it up with small needless things. I leave my luggage bag downstairs but I keep my backpack with me, and use the coat hanger to hang it up when I'm not using it.

You MIGHT want to consider a pair of slippers to keep with you. It sucks to have to fiddle with finding shoes and such under the bed when you have to run to the restroom in the middle of the night or early in the morning.

 

[KmH]

4) Only sleeper passengers can bring alcoholic aboard, and must consume them in their rooms.

No, and yes.

Coach passengers can bring alcoholic beverages on board too.

Amtrak policy prohibits coach passengers from consuming their private stock alcohol in public areas.

Their seat is a public area.

A sleeper berth is not a public area, so sleeper berth pax are allowed to consume their private stock alcohol in their sleeper berth.

As a practical matter, a coach passenger that is discreet and doesn't cause any problems nothing is said or done if they consume their private stock alcohol at their seat.

Discreetly consuming their private stock alcohol in public areas is a common practice among coach passengers on LD trains I have been on.

If any pax, coach or sleeper berth, were to get sloppy drunk, loud, belligerent, or otherwise become a problem, that pax should not be surprised when they get put off the train at the earliest opportunity. They can also expect law enforcement to be waiting for them as they de-train.

Private stock

You may bring aboard your own private stock of alcoholic beverages subject to the following limitations:

• You may consume private stock alcoholic beverages only in Sleeping Car accommodations for which you have a valid ticket.
• You may not consume private stock alcoholic beverages in any public areas.

 

[crescent2]

That list makes me tired, too. I've never brought anything in the "repair" category and have always done fine. And you certainly don't "need" a scanner! In fact, I just bring my personal things that I would bring no matter what my mode of transportation. Perhaps I've just always been very lucky, but I've not needed all those things. Of course, I'm not the type who goes bonkers over every little imperfect thing. If you are, then you might need to be more prepared. The only thing I can think of that you might be apt to need is perhaps a cord or small strip so that you have extra outlets to recharge electronics, if you are more electronics heavy than I am.

The times I've brought snacks, I didn't eat them. You'll get plenty to eat in the dining car as a sleeper passenger. It might be good to get one of the earlier dining slots, as apparently they can run out of some items on some trains. i don't know if this is common on CZ. I've never had a problem getting what I wanted except maybe on the Cardinal. If your husband only drinks Coke, then you would need to bring Coke.

I tip the sleeping car attendants at the end, but I tip after each meal in the dining car. I've taken my small electronics (such as my small camera before I started just using my phone) and any valuables (wallet, etc.) with me when I leave my bedroom, but you'll probably be OK to put electronics out of sight and close your curtain and door when you leave. There's no guarantee, but simply using common sense seems to work for most. Theft from sleeper compartments doesn't seem to happen often, although it could. I'm not much of a drinker and have only had the occasional wine with dinner or margarita from the lounge.

Of course, people are different and you may be happier bringing one or more of the items. Use your own judgment as to what is important to you. Will a little rattle drive you crazy? I'm the type who'd rather put up with a possible rattle than bring a dozen extra "possibly need" items.

I think the best thing to bring on a long distance train trip is a laid-back attitude. Just be prepared for possible delays and such, and try to enjoy the ride for what it is. There will probably be a few glitches, but hopefully nothing drastic. If I totally missed the views of the Rockies, I'd be very disappointed, but if the dining car service is super slow, no big deal. Try to go with the flow if you can!

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Suggestions on what to bring:

1. Small flashlight

2. Large binder clips or 3-4 large pins like the diaper pins (this is to keep the curtains closed at night)

3. Nonperishable snacks

4. Small sewing kit

5. Band-aides.

6. Medications; Tylenol, cold/cough medicine, Tums, etc.

7. Small bottle of water (do they run out?)

8. 12" or so of duct tape, wrapped around a ballpoint pen. Use the tape to silence any squeaky panels or fixtures inside your roomette

9. GPS scanners (so you can find out exactly where you are)

10. Scanners (so you can listen to the train crew) can keep you entertained and informed.

11. Travel coffee mugs

12. Mug heating coil.

13. Bottle of wine, six pack of good beer, small alcoholic bottles (is this allowed in the bedroom?)

14. Coke (that’s all my husband will drink)

15. Laptop for DVD watching (+ DVDs, of course)

16. Route guide

17. Belkin mini surge protector/USB charger

18. File folders (can be used to block unwanted air or heat) also use for storing info.

19. Pre-packaged window cleaning wipes (?)

HELP: Do we really need all of the above items? Which would be the most helpful / important ones to bring?

While I can't point to anything on that list, and say you'll definitely not need such, it does seem to be an inordinately long list. :wacko:

 

[lyke99]

As others have said, that list has a lot of things that are "wants," not needs. When I travel by train, the only things from that list I take are the mini surge protector, binder clips for the curtains, a bit of duct tape, and my private stock. While I am a beer guy, it is heavy and a challenge to keep cold on the train so I turn to rye whiskey.