Newbie Needs Baggage Advice

[DaleR]

As I mentioned in my introductory post, my wife and I will be traveling from STL to WAS on the Texas Eagle/Capitol Limited next April. We have booked Superliner bedrooms in both directions. We are very excited and we are doing our research to help ensure we have an enjoyable journey.

We will need to purchase some new luggage for this trip as our current stuff is pretty worn out. I know the Amtrak limit is 28 X 22 X 14 for carry-on bags. If we take something that large into a Superliner bedroom will we still have room to move around? I was thinking of getting a couple of 24" rollaboards, but my wife is convinced she cannot survive a 2-week trip on one bag that size. We are also looking at purchasing a 26 or 28" roll-aboard, and two 21" bags. I have read several posts today about fitting 21" bags under the seats, on top of bunks, etc., and I know that the occasional seat flips up but I'm concerned that will still not yield enough room. I am not too keen on the idea of storing our luggage in the downstairs rack, but what about checked baggage? Advice is appreciated!

Dale

 

[Ryan]

Hey Dale,

Best thing to do is just check everything that you're not going to need during your time on the train.

Pack what you want for the train portion of your journey into a smallish bag and you'll have plenty of space.

 

[TinCan782]

In a Superliner sleeper, there is a luggage rack on the lower level by the entry doors. We leave our luggage down there and just bring our backpacks, camera bags, toiletries, etc to the room. For changing clothes, we just go down there and retrieve what we need and put the dirty clothing in the bag. HINT: Put your clothing for change in an outside pocket which has easy access (you don't have to open the main part of the bag.

 

[CHamilton]

I recently purchased a 20 x 14 x 9 "Travelpro Platinum Magna 20in." from Luggage Online (which gives you Amtrak Guest Rewards points) and discovered that it fits perfectly under the single seat facing the large couch in a Superliner bedroom. That might be a good bag to take in your room, then you can check anything larger. I was able to take everything I needed for a two-week trip in that bag plus a shoulder-bag carryon, but I'm not sure it would work for two people.

 

[battalion51]

If you can check it, do. With two free checked bags you shouldn't need to bring more than a couple of changes of clothes with you on board. If you've got something valuable/breakable bring it on board, but everything else I'd recommend checking.

 

[amamba]

I have a 21" carry-on roll-aboard suitcase that I always bring with me on the train. It is kind of like this one (just an older model): http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/delsey-suitcase-21-fusion-lite-30-rolling-carry-on-upright?ID=643130&CategoryID=25691#fn=sp%3D1%26spc%3D150%26ruleId%3D65%26slotId%3D9

In any case, this one easily fits in the bedroom underneath the seat.

My recommendation for you is to purchase a 21" like this that can be easily carried on a plane OR a train. Use this for the clothing and items you will need on the actual train. Your wife and you can easily fit the clothes you need for two or three nights in one of these bags.

Then check your larger suitcases. You will also have plenty of room in the bedroom for a backpack, laptop bag, whatever.

 

[Guest]

A lot of the complicated advice you've seen relates to taking double-overnight trains (like the California Zephyr) and taking the roomettes (which have very little luggage space).

You have a bedroom, which has room for at least one suitcase, no problem. You are also only going to have one overnight (on the Capitol Limited). Put your pajamas and the next morning's clothes in one suitcase, along with anything else you will want *while on the train* or in Chicago. Check the rest of your luggage.

 

[zephyr17]

I have been riding consistently in Superliner sleepers since they were introduced back around 1980. I use the downstairs rack all the time and have never had any problems. Of course, I don't keep valuables, such as cameras or laptops down there.

If anyone wants my dirty undies, they are welcome to them.

 

[me_little_me]

One thing to remember is that you are going to need some of your items on the train (toiletry cases, etc). So the bag we bring into the room is one with expansion. As soon as we get there, we take out the toiletry and other items we will need and hang them up (or pull down top bunk, put them there then push it back up). Then the bag fits anywhere. When ready to de-train, we stuff the bag back up. Other bag is checked (if we are absolutely, positively sure there is no possibility we will need items until we get there) or is in luggage rack downstairs.

 

[the_traveler]

A lot of the complicated advice you've seen relates to taking double-overnight trains (like the California Zephyr) and taking the roomettes (which have very little luggage space).You have a bedroom, which has room for at least one suitcase, no problem. You are also only going to have one overnight (on the Capitol Limited).

While it is true that a bedroom does have much more storage area than roomettes, remember that on Superliners, the bedrooms are on the upper level. This means you have to carry that bag up a (semi) narrow stairway with 2 turns of 90° each - in 1/3 of the width of the car! I personally leave all my bags (minus any valuables) in the lower level luggage rack, and just bring necessary items or a small bag to my room.

 

[boxcarsyix]

I travel alone so I can use the top bunk for my suitcase. I still try to take the smallest suitcase I can. I have one wardrobe color so if one item gets a woops, I don't have to change the whole outfit. That way I don't need as many items. I also try to carry things that I can "sink wash" in the hotel bathroom (carry a couple of thin plastic hangers). For most trips I can make do with a 21" roller bag and a daypack. I also travel in the warmer parts of the year so I don't need a bunch of heavy stuff.