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Gingee

OBS Chief
Joined
Nov 21, 2004
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924
Okay I went ahead and put a tentative reservation in for Christmas holidays. The woman said the one train is cheaper. The thing is that this layout is different from what I have ever heard. It is room 19 in 2232 Texas Eagle coming from San Antonio to Bloomington. The other train is a little more expensive. Now I think this is the same train but maybe more cars? Anyway, she says it is on the top part of the train and has a shower and toilet on that level. Does anyone have any information on this?
 
Does anyone have a layout of this area? What are revenue passengers? Should I stay away from this one?
 
Oh and the price for us just went up also. Both sleepers are the same right now but I think I am locked in on the cheaper rate from yesterday.
 
Gingee said:
Does anyone have a layout of this area? What are revenue passengers? Should I stay away from this one?
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Some people prefer Transdorms. My experiance is yes avoid at all costs! I had one on SWC 3 from CHI-LAX a couple of years ago. You share the shower/toilet with the staff who tend to hog it up. Since the SCA in the next car has to service the revenue passangers not only in their car but the Transdorm, we were forgotten about.
 
I've always enjoyed my Trips in the Transdorms including on the Eagles,, lots of Pluses as has been discussed on this Forum Many Times! Youll be Closer to the Diner (CCC on the Eagles) and Lounge than if you are in the #421/#422 Sleeper on the Back of the Train which is Usually more Expensive since they try to Hold it for People coming from West of San Antonio!
 
MrFSS is right on the photo. These is basically the "Crew Car" where the engineers, conductors, service attendants, chefs, cafe car host, ect, ect sleep when not on duty. It's also considered to be the "Overflow" car when everything else is booked out but there is still a demand for rooms. They usually only have two of these rooms available at any given time for paying passengers. Also, there is no car attendant. If you need assistance, you will have to go to the next car over and deal with that car attendant.

Also, for the most part, the downstairs is off limits. That is where the crew keeps their luggage, and takes their breaks or have meetings with other staff when needed.
 
jimhudson said:
I've always enjoyed my Trips in the Transdorms including on the Eagles,, lots of Pluses as has been discussed on this Forum Many Times! Youll be Closer to the Diner (CCC on the Eagles) and Lounge than if you are in the #421/#422 Sleeper on the Back of the Train which is Usually more Expensive since they try to Hold it for People coming from West of San Antonio!
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How are you closer to the diner? These cars are either in the front, connected to the baggage car on one end, and then the series of sleepers on the other, followed by the dining car. Or they are on the other end and you have to walk through 3+ coach cars to the sight seer lounge. Because this is where all the crew members sleep, they always put it on the far end of one or the other cause they don't want passengers walking through it at all.
 
KrazyKoala said:
jimhudson said:
I've always enjoyed my Trips in the Transdorms including on the Eagles,, lots of Pluses as has been discussed on this Forum Many Times! Youll be Closer to the Diner (CCC on the Eagles) and Lounge than if you are in the #421/#422 Sleeper on the Back of the Train which is Usually more Expensive since they try to Hold it for People coming from West of San Antonio!
Click to expand...
How are you closer to the diner? These cars are either in the front, connected to the baggage car on one end, and then the series of sleepers on the other, followed by the dining car. Or they are on the other end and you have to walk through 3+ coach cars to the sight seer lounge. Because this is where all the crew members sleep, they always put it on the far end of one or the other cause they don't want passengers walking through it at all.
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My guess is that the transdorm is next to the baggage car and the two sleepers are on the end of the train because they're taken off for/from the SL. I'm sure Jim knows as the TE is his "home train".
 
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Well then the Texas Eagle is the only one by the diner. Southwest Chief, California Zepher, Capital Limited, and Empire Builder have them all attached right to the engine or baggage car.
 
It's not next to the diner, it's between the bag and the Sunset Limited sleeper.

It's closer to the diner than the Texas Eagle sleeper, which is way the heck at the other end of the train.

The other train where this happens is the Empire Builder, where the Portland sleeper is all the way on the back as well.
 
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2 corrections to the above posts:

  1. The Texas Eagle (TE) is a strange train. There is no baggage car, one car is a coach with the area on the lower level where seats normally are used for checked baggage. There is a solid door between that area and the remainder of the car. The transdorm is the 1st car of the TE, followed by the Dining Car, Lounge (I think) and coaches, the other sleeper is the last car on the TE.
  2. The engineer and Conductors do not sleep in the transdorm when not on duty. I hope the engineer stays in the locomotive and operating the train while on duty. By Federal Law, the operating crew (engineer and conductors) can only be on duty a certain number of hours a day. That is why there is a "crew change" point every 6-8 hours. The operating crew departs and the train gets a new operating crew. The other staff (such as Dining Car staff, café attendant, SCA, etc...) stay with the train throughout the trip, but you may have 4-10 different engineers and conductors during your trip.
 
Transdorm was fine the one time I was in one. No problems at all with shower and bathroom. I hardly saw any crew in the car.
 
The Transdorm car is also used for non-revenue employees of Amtrak traveling on business. I always enjoyed the Transdorm, since it was generally quiet and I never had issues with the crew and the bathrooms or showers. Granted you have to go another sleeper for juice or coffee, but I usually got that in the lounge or,diner, so that was not an issue. I don't know exactly where that car is currently located in the consist.....relative to the lounge or diner.
 
The operating crew can work up to 12 hours before going dead(working past twelve hours). If that happens a new crew takes over where the train is stopped.
 
Okay so I am totally confused. So noone comes and puts the bed up (we do know how now anyhow)? So where in relation to anything else is this car? Where are the showers? Toilets and showers are not kept clean?
 
The attendant in the next car over will put your bed down. There is a shower on the top floor, in the center of the car, across from the bathroom. Personally, I've never seen one that wasn't clean though...The staff seem to take better care of things than coach passengers...and these are usually connected directly to the engine in the front. So most likely where ever you need to go, it will be toward the back of the car.
 
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Gingee said:
Okay so I am totally confused. So noone comes and puts the bed up (we do know how now anyhow)? So where in relation to anything else is this car? Where are the showers? Toilets and showers are not kept clean?
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Some of the Transdorms have Two Showers and Bathrooms Upstairs in addition to the Shower and Bathrooms Downstairs! Sometimes the one Next to the Stairs Up Top will say "Crew members Only", on others Revenue Passengers Can use Both! Ive always found the Showers and Bathrooms Cleaner in the Transdorms than the Regular Sleepers! (Crew members Live on the Train During the trip and Tend to Not be Pigs like Lots of Passengers! ;) ) When I rode in the transdorm on the EB and the SWC, the Bathrooms in the Revenue sleepers Quit Working in the mountains but Not the ONes in our Car!)

The Transdorm is Always the First Passenger Car on the Train Behind the Engine(s), in the case of the Texas Eagles/CONO there is No Baggage Car so it will be right Behind the Engine with the Diner (CCC) and Lounge Car Behind it unless there is Another Sleeping Car on the Train which will be Behind the TransDorm! In the case of the Empire Builder and the Texas Eagle #421/#422 there will be a Revenue Sleeping Car on the Rear of the Train!

Relax and Enjoy the Ride, the Conductors Office is Downstairs and Lots of them will even Welcome Passengers to Talk/Visit Downstairs in their Office! (YMMV) As has been said, the Crew Members are Generally On Duty During Waking Hours so the Car is very Quiet except for the Horn Blowing!

**Also Remember when you Ride in a Viewliner that they are All Crew Cars! (Until the New Bag/Dorm Cars Arrive!)**
 
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the_traveler said:
2 corrections to the above posts:

  1. The Texas Eagle (TE) is a strange train. There is no baggage car, one car is a coach with the area on the lower level where seats normally are used for checked baggage. There is a solid door between that area and the remainder of the car. The transdorm is the 1st car of the TE, followed by the Dining Car, Lounge (I think) and coaches, the other sleeper is the last car on the TE.
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One slight correction to the consist: The TE/CONO is currently running in a more normal consist. It is as follows: Transdorm, Sleeper, Diner, Lounge, Coach-Baggage, Coach, Coach. They use this consist from October to April. The sleeper is on the rear of the train from May to September. They started this practice on the TE/CONO just over a year ago. I go to school near the CONO route and see the train everyday during the week.
 
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