LAX Sleeper Questions

[bretton88]

So, at the end of December, I will be taking a sleeper trip LAX-FMD on the SWC. Are there any amenities for sleeper pax at LAX like a lounge, redcap, etc? How does boarding work at LAX for sleeper pax? I have taken several Amtrak trips LD trips, but this will be my first time in sleeper class and my first time on the SWC. On another note, since I will be taking coach there, are there any food options near ABQ during the layover? Thanks,

 

[ehbowen]

No lounge at LAX, but they do have redcaps. Often the redcap will be able to direct you to the proper track ahead of the thundering herd (train departure info is commonly posted only a few minutes prior to actual departure). There is a check-in desk where you show your ID to expedite boarding. I believe they also hand out seat assignments to coach passengers and take dinner reservations for SWC sleeper passengers, although I'm not entirely certain of that. (I've only taken the Sunset Limited out of LAX, and only in sleeper, and we used a redcap...we bypassed that check-in desk.)

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

To the OP, you don't make sense. You say that you are taking Sleeper but then that you are taking Coach.

 

[calwatch]

LAX is not Penn Station. There is no thundering herd and the tracks for the Amtrak are generally 11 and 12, and can be easily determined by wandering onto the Metrolink platform and going to the south end (no need to walk down some narrow tunnel). The check in desk is recommended if you are coach but I've bypassed it several times to board the Starlight, when I come off a Metrolink or Gold Line train. For sleepers, since those spots are assigned at the time of reservation, you should be able to just go to the sleeper side (it is posted with a portable sign as to which side the sleeper will be) and meet your SCA on the platform. There is no Metropolitan Lounge, though.

 

[J-1 3235]

To the OP, you don't make sense. You say that you are taking Sleeper but then that you are taking Coach.

bretton88 is in coach to LAX, then departing LAX in sleeper.

 

[Notelvis]

Sounds to me like the OP is departing LAX in sleeper for the first night but moving to coach at Albuquerque for the second night.

Regardless - the train is serviced in Albuquerque and will stop there at least 15-20 minutes even if it arrives late. There is a snack bar with some hot menu items located in the Albuuquerque station. You may find something there that is a little better and a little cheaper than what you would find in the lounge car onboard the train.

 

[the_traveler]

Also, as opposed to what was mentioned earlier, they DO NOT take dinner reservations in the station. (They did not when I was on the SWC in the beginning of October.) Since you have a room and it is pre-assigned, you do not have to stand in line and can go right to the gate or get a Red Cap.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Is the TRAX lounge still available for sleeper passengers to use in LAX? Did not see anyone here mention it in their posts :unsure:

 

[PRR 60]

Is the TRAX lounge still available for sleeper passengers to use in LAX? Did not see anyone here mention it in their posts :unsure:

Traxx is only available as a sleeper passenger lounge for the morning departure of the Coast Starlight. The Traxx restaurant is open to the public when the Southwest Chief and the Sunset Limited depart and is not available for use as a sleeper passenger lounge.

 

[the_traveler]

The Traxx lounge is the Traxx bar, and thus only available for use "as a lounge" at a time when the bar is closed. The bar is open for business when the SWC and SL depart, so it can not be used "as a lounge". It's only used "as a lounge" by the CS northbound, and only from IIRC 8:30 am to 10 am!

 

[zephyr17]

The Traxx lounge is the Traxx bar, and thus only available for use "as a lounge" at a time when the bar is closed. The bar is open for business when the SWC and SL depart, so it can not be used "as a lounge". It's only used "as a lounge" by the CS northbound, and only from IIRC 8:30 am to 10 am!

You can always patronize it as bar and wait there if you want, though!

 

[the_traveler]

True, but it still is not a Club Acela or a Metropolitan Lounge. And they may not be very happy about the luggage in the aisle.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

To the OP, you don't make sense. You say that you are taking Sleeper but then that you are taking Coach.

bretton88 is in coach to LAX, then departing LAX in sleeper.

Sounds to me like the OP is departing LAX in sleeper for the first night but moving to coach at Albuquerque for the second night.

Regardless - the train is serviced in Albuquerque and will stop there at least 15-20 minutes even if it arrives late. There is a snack bar with some hot menu items located in the Albuuquerque station. You may find something there that is a little better and a little cheaper than what you would find in the lounge car onboard the train.

Uh, contradicting imformation! Now there's just more confusion!

 

[bretton88]

To the OP, you don't make sense. You say that you are taking Sleeper but then that you are taking Coach.

To clarify, I am going FMD-LAX in coach to start the vacation than LAX-FMD in sleeper to return home. So coach one way, then sleeper on the return.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

To the OP, you don't make sense. You say that you are taking Sleeper but then that you are taking Coach.

To clarify, I am going FMD-LAX in coach to start the vacation than LAX-FMD in sleeper to return home. So coach one way, then sleeper on the return.

OK, finally makes sense.

 

[bretton88]

On a different note, since I am taking coach to LAX, what options are available at ABQ for food during the layover?

 

[tomfuller]

If the train is on time into ABQ than you will have a 50 minute layover there. If the train is late your stay will be somewhat shorter to make up time. There is a restaurant inside the station.



As a coach passenger, you can either go to the lounge (lower level of Viewliner) or to the dining car. You may be seated at a table with sleeper pasengers. On a long distance trip, I usually eat in the dining car for one meal a day.

You are welcome to bring food in a small cooler on the train.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

If the train is on time into ABQ than you will have a 50 minute layover there. If the train is late your stay will be somewhat shorter to make up time. There is a restaurant inside the station. http://www.flickr.co...ily/4586898524/

As a coach passenger, you can either go to the lounge (lower level of Viewliner) or to the dining car. You may be seated at a table with sleeper pasengers. On a long distance trip, I usually eat in the dining car for one meal a day.

You are welcome to bring food in a small cooler on the train.

You make no sense! Lower level of Viewliner? Viewliners are single-level and the SWC does not use Viewliners!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

If the train is on time into ABQ than you will have a 50 minute layover there. If the train is late your stay will be somewhat shorter to make up time. There is a restaurant inside the station. http://www.flickr.co...ily/4586898524/

As a coach passenger, you can either go to the lounge (lower level of Viewliner) or to the dining car. You may be seated at a table with sleeper pasengers. On a long distance trip, I usually eat in the dining car for one meal a day.

You are welcome to bring food in a small cooler on the train.

You make no sense! Lower level of Viewliner? Viewliners are single-level and the SWC does not use Viewliners!

I knew what he's talking about.

 

[tomfuller]

Sorry that I misnamed the car with the cafe which is usually the next car behind the dining car. I've ridden at least parts of the Empire Builder, California Zephyr, Southwest Chief and the Sunset Limited. All seem to be bilevel cars. Some nice pix here.

http://www.google.com/search?q=Cafe+Southwest+Chief&start=10&hl=en&sa=N&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&ei=dCKkUPvEBJDMigLQooDABg&ved=0CGIQsAQ4Cg&biw=1280&bih=854

Our last trip on the SW Chief was from ABQ to VRV with our son picking us up early in the morning in Victorville (11/2010).

My favorite food to bring onboard is string cheese.

If you want to sleep in the sleeper after you leave ABQ, you can ask the Conductor if there is an empty sleeper to LAX. The Conductor has the power to sell empty accomodations.

 

[Anthony]

If the train is on time into ABQ than you will have a 50 minute layover there. If the train is late your stay will be somewhat shorter to make up time. There is a restaurant inside the station. http://www.flickr.co...ily/4586898524/

As a coach passenger, you can either go to the lounge (lower level of Viewliner) or to the dining car. You may be seated at a table with sleeper pasengers. On a long distance trip, I usually eat in the dining car for one meal a day.

You are welcome to bring food in a small cooler on the train.

You make no sense! Lower level of Viewliner? Viewliners are single-level and the SWC does not use Viewliners!

Swadian Hardcore, you could at least be a little bit nicer about it. An honest mistake or typo doesn't merit a pejorative "You make no sense!"

 

[NW cannonball]

If the train is on time into ABQ than you will have a 50 minute layover there. If the train is late your stay will be somewhat shorter to make up time. There is a restaurant inside the station. http://www.flickr.co...ily/4586898524/

As a coach passenger, you can either go to the lounge (lower level of Viewliner) or to the dining car. You may be seated at a table with sleeper pasengers. On a long distance trip, I usually eat in the dining car for one meal a day.

You are welcome to bring food in a small cooler on the train.

You make no sense! Lower level of Viewliner? Viewliners are single-level and the SWC does not use Viewliners!

Swadian Hardcore, you could at least be a little bit nicer about it. An honest mistake or typo doesn't merit a pejorative "You make no sense!"

Agree - only been here a few months - Swad needs some cooling sometimes - or else has some syndrome -- Swad gives good info sometimes but sometimes tends to offend

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Sorry that I misnamed the car with the cafe which is usually the next car behind the dining car. I've ridden at least parts of the Empire Builder, California Zephyr, Southwest Chief and the Sunset Limited. All seem to be bilevel cars. Some nice pix here.

http://www.google.co...iw=1280&bih=854

Our last trip on the SW Chief was from ABQ to VRV with our son picking us up early in the morning in Victorville (11/2010).

My favorite food to bring onboard is string cheese.

If you want to sleep in the sleeper after you leave ABQ, you can ask the Conductor if there is an empty sleeper to LAX. The Conductor has the power to sell empty accomodations.

Sorry if I offended you. I was really dumbfounded about what you posted.

 

[zephyr17]

Sorry that I misnamed the car with the cafe which is usually the next car behind the dining car. I've ridden at least parts of the Empire Builder, California Zephyr, Southwest Chief and the Sunset Limited. All seem to be bilevel cars. Some nice pix here.

http://www.google.co...iw=1280&bih=854

Our last trip on the SW Chief was from ABQ to VRV with our son picking us up early in the morning in Victorville (11/2010).

My favorite food to bring onboard is string cheese.

If you want to sleep in the sleeper after you leave ABQ, you can ask the Conductor if there is an empty sleeper to LAX. The Conductor has the power to sell empty accomodations.

Sorry if I offended you. I was really dumbfounded about what you posted.

This board has a very wide range of knowledge of details. A lot of members know in detail the difference between Superliner I, Superliner II, Viewliner, Amfleet I, Amfleet II, and Horizon. As well as signal aspects, GCOR details, the date Budd outshopped their last car and all sorts of assorted railroad minutiae. But a lot of members don't. From the context it was clear tomfuller was actually talking about Superliners and had experience on them. Everything he said was accurate, except the name of the car type. When someone who isn't as familiar with rail travel as many of us wants to know where they can put their luggage or how to get something to eat, it really doesn't make a difference what name is on the side, as long as the instructions they are getting are accurate.

 

[Nathanael]

True, but it still is not a Club Acela or a Metropolitan Lounge. And they may not be very happy about the luggage in the aisle.

I have eaten dinner in TRAXX (with my luggage sitting next to my table) prior to depature, and they were completely comfortable with that. They even told me that they'd make sure I didn't miss my train. So.